What George Kittle taught NFL draft prospect, ex-Cal tight end Jack Endries

Tight end Jack Endries’ route to the 2026 NFL Draft included him running routes for two of the most-talked-about college quarterback prospects.In back-to-back seasons, Endries caught passes from Fernando Mendoza and Arch Manning.Endries played with Mendoza the season before he won the Heisman Trophy. And as Endries embarks on his pro career, Manning is considered a Heisman favorite for the upcoming season.“They’re both great leaders and different players, of course,” Endries told NBC Sports Bay Area.“Definitely, two different play styles. I had a great time playing with Fernando, and playing with Arch was electric most of the time when he’d make a 60-yard run or something. It’s always awesome when you go out for the first play of the drive and it’s, ‘OK, let’s go score.’ And your quarterback does it on the first play by himself.”Endries opted to forego his final season of college football for the 2026 NFL Draft. He had a redshirt season as a true freshman at Cal before playing two seasons. He finished up with one season at Texas.Endries likely could have profited from big NIL money if he had remained in...