Mason Reiger LB/EDGE Wisconsin |
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report

Scouting Report: Weaknesses

• Undersized at 250 pounds for the position, and it becomes a real issue when bigger tackles or tight ends get their hands on him and lock in.
• Tackling needs significant work; his miss rate spiked in 2025, and too often he arrives at the ball carrier without finishing with authority.
• Lacks the anchor and mass to hold up as a consistent edge setter against the run, getting washed out by down blocks and kick-out schemes.
• Rush tracks are somewhat predictable right now, taking similar angles at similar speeds, which gives experienced tackles a blueprint to sit on his moves.
• Doesn't yet have a reliable speed-to-power conversion, so when his initial burst doesn't win the rep, he can stall out and get controlled by bigger linemen.

Scouting Report: Summary

After spending a lot of time with Reiger's film, the conviction here is that this is a legitimate NFL edge rusher, but with some clear guardrails on his projection. The pass rush ability is real. His first step and closing burst are uncommon, and the inside spin move is already a weapon. When he's operating as a designated rusher on third down, working off the ball in a two-point stance, he can collapse the pocket in a hurry. The 45 pressures he racked up at Wisconsin, plus the Shrine Bowl destruction, tell a consistent story about a guy who can get after quarterbacks. His grade as a pass rusher backed that up all year, and the arc of his development from a mid-60s graded player in 2021-22 to an elite-level rusher by 2025 suggests a player who is still ascending.

The concern, though, is everything else. At 250 pounds, he's going to struggle early in his career to handle the point of attack on early downs. NFL offensive lines will target him in the run game, and until he adds mass, teams will need to protect him schematically. The tackling regression in 2025, where his miss rate more than doubled from his 2023 numbers, is something to watch. Coverage was never asked of him at a high volume, so that's largely an unknown. The frame is maxed out at a low weight, and there's a real question about whether he can add 15-20 pounds without losing the burst that makes him special.

The fit is clear: a 3-4 outside linebacker or a wide-nine edge rusher in a defense that can use him situationally as a rookie and gradually expand his role as he develops. Reiger is not a three-down starter on Day 1, but he absolutely can be a productive rotational rusher who gives offensive tackles a different look. The former walk-on story, the injury comeback, the Shrine Bowl dominance, the steady improvement year over year, all of it paints a picture of a player who will maximize every opportunity he gets. As a late-round selection, that kind of value is exactly what good teams find and develop. The ceiling is a quality starter who earns his way into a full-time role by Year 2 or 3; the floor is a useful pass-rush specialist who stays in the league.