Caleb Tiernan OT Northwestern |
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| Jersey: #72 SUB-POSITION: Left Tackle | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 03/04/2026 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2026 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FORTY time: 5.30 seconds (42%*) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Age: 23.6 DOB: 01/23/2003 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Jersey: #72 | |
| SUB-POSITION: Left Tackle | |
| Last Updated: 03/04/2026 | |
| Draft Year: 2026 | |
| Forty time: 5.30 seconds (42%*) | |
| Age: 23.6 DOB: 01/23/2003 | |
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| Overall Rating: | 85.1 / 100 | |
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| Average rating of opposition Defense player has faced | ||
| Defense Rating: |
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77% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| Pass Blocking: |
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89% |
| Run Blocking: |
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67% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
2nd - Late
Overall Rank:
#53
Position rank:
#12 (OL)
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| College Games: 47 College Snaps: 2960 | ||
ESPN RATING: 78/100
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247 RATING: 90/100
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RIVALS RATING: 5.8 (95%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Ozzy Trapilo - Boston College |
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87% |
| Patrick Paul - Houston |
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86% |
| Matthew Bergeron - Syracuse |
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77% |
Drafted: ROUND: 3 - Pick Number: 97 (MIN)
Draft Profile: Bio
Caleb Tiernan was a two-way starter and four-year varsity basketball letterman at Detroit Country Day School in Beverly Hills, Michigan. As a senior defensive end he posted 59 tackles, 22 for loss, and 8.5 sacks while also starting at left tackle. He earned all-state, all-region, and all-conference recognition, was rated a four-star prospect by 247Sports and Rivals, and committed to Northwestern over Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, and Nebraska.Tiernan redshirted in 2021, then started five of 11 games at right tackle in 2022. He moved to left tackle in 2023 and started all 13 games, logging 846 snaps and allowing just one sack. He put together an eight-game stretch without surrendering a single quarterback hit from Week 4 through Week 11.
He started every game in both 2024 and 2025, earning All-Big Ten Honorable Mention as a junior and Second-Team All-Big Ten as a graduate student. He was named to PFF's national Team of the Week twice in 2025, including after a strong outing against Oregon, and went without allowing a sack in eight of nine conference games. Across his career, Tiernan logged nearly 3,000 offensive snaps and started at both tackle spots.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Pass protection is his best trait, with hand timing at the point of contact that looks NFL-ready.
- Patient, measured footwork in his pass set that keeps rushers guessing and rarely overcommits.
- Absorbs bull rushes through his core, anchoring without sitting into his hips or losing ground.
- Takes clean angles on cutoff blocks, especially effective on play-side reach blocks and backside seals.
- Basketball background shows up in how he moves through traffic on screens at 323 pounds.
- Reads twist games and delayed pressures well, picking up late blitzers even when left on an island.
- Combine testing confirmed real lower-body explosiveness with a 99th-percentile vertical jump.
- Five years of starting experience at both tackle spots, plus a team captain role, add proven dependability.
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Short arms for his frame let defenders work into his body and create separation at the arc.
- Run blocking trails his pass protection, with inconsistent leg drive and too many stalemates.
- Tight hips limit his ability to redirect on combo blocks and climb to the second level.
- Pad level runs high, and disciplined defenders with low leverage can walk him back on gap schemes.
- Lateral agility is a tick slow when countered inside after committing to the edge.
Scouting Report: Summary
Tiernan's pass protection is the foundation of his NFL case. His hand placement, punch timing, and feel for rush angles are polished enough to keep a quarterback clean from day one. The combine numbers backed up what the tape showed about his lower-body power, and they quieted concerns about his athleticism. He can protect in the passing game. The question is what happens on the other side of the ball.Run blocking is where the evaluation gets complicated. The leg drive is inconsistent, and his frame works against him when defenders get low and play with leverage. A move inside to guard is a real possibility and might suit him well. His core strength, punch, and processing translate to a tighter surface area where he does not have to cover as much ground. A zone-heavy scheme that values lateral movement and reach blocking would be the best fit, though the hip stiffness could show up when he needs to climb to the second level. Gap and power concepts would expose the run blocking inconsistency more often.
The floor is a quality swing tackle who can play multiple positions without hurting you. The ceiling, if the run game develops, is a starting left tackle in a pass-first offense or a strong starting guard who anchors well and keeps pressure out. Five years of starting experience, the captain credentials, and the academic record all point to a player who gets everything out of what he has. He is not going to overwhelm you physically outside of those combine jumps, but there is a steadiness to his game that coaches can build around.
Caleb Tiernan percentiles vs other Offensive Tackles (NFL Combine historically - higher value represents better perfomance)
How other scouting services rate Caleb Tiernan (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
70.6
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
16.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.