69 Days Until Iowa Football: Tyler Endres

Next up on our countdown to the start of Iowa football is a talented young offensive lineman who may still be a year away from making a major impact on the field, but who has the potential to develop into the next great tackle of the Ferentz era. This redshirt freshman wears the number of one of the most feared blockers in Hawkeye history: Mark Manders. Manders was a key contributor on the 1958 team that won the Rose Bowl and a share of the national championship, and he earned first team All-Big Ten and All-American honors as a senior in 1960. This next player hopes to follow in Manders’ accomplished footsteps.

Tyler Endres (RS FR)

Norwalk IA (Norwalk HS)

6’6”, 304 lbs

2020 Projection: Backup offensive tackle

Endres came to Iowa as a highly-regarded high school prospect after earning a four-star ranking from 247 and being rated as the 32^nd best offensive tackle prospect in the class of 2019. The standout from Norwalk was a four-year letterman in high school football and was named to the Des Moines Register’s 2018 All-Iowa Elite all-state team, a team composed of the best football players in the state regardless of class of play. A lifelong Hawkeye fan who grew up idolizing players like Bryan Bulaga and Brandon Scherff, it was little surprise when Endres turned down overtures from Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Iowa State to sign with the black and gold.

As a prospect, Endres was praised for his impressive strength, excellent size, and surprising athleticism. Athleticism, it turns out, runs in Endres’ family, as his second-cousin was the late great Hawkeye basketball star Chris Street. Endres likely won’t be able to replicate the high-flying feats of his famous family member, but Hawkeye fans would love to see the gifted young player show the level of tenacity and hard work that made Street a household name in the state of Iowa.

Endres’ path to playing time could be somewhat obscured this season due to the glut of upperclassmen tackle talent above him. Seniors Alaric Jackson and Coy Cronk and junior Mark Kallenberger all have a significant number of game reps under their belt and years of experience to fall back on, which should help them hold off any challenge from the talented redshirt freshman. Still, don’t be surprised to see Endres earn some playing time in a backup role, particularly if either Cronk or Kallenberger shifts over to a starting spot at offensive guard. Endres should use this year to learn from the talented tackles ahead of him and prepare to make a push for the starting job as a sophomore in 2021.