Caleb Tiernan — OT | Northwestern | 2026 NFL Draft

The Short Version

Caleb Tiernan is a 6'7", 325-pound redshirt senior left tackle out of Northwestern who built one of the more quietly impressive pass-blocking resumes in the Big Ten — finishing 2025 with an 84.3 PFF pass block grade and a remarkable 97.7 efficiency rating over 13 starts. He's a technique-first, mechanics-based tackle who wins with IQ, length, and a disciplined kick-slide rather than raw explosion or physical dominance; the case for him is that he's a proven, high-floor left tackle who has started 43 games at one of the most scrutinized positions in football. The case against: reported below-average arm length for the position, a run-blocking profile that is functional but not imposing (61.6 career run block grade), and a ceiling that evaluators may cap at "solid starter" rather than franchise cornerstone, with some teams potentially moving him inside to guard.

Measurables & Background

| Category | Detail |

|---|---|

| Position | Offensive Tackle (LT Primary) |

| School | Northwestern Wildcats |

| Class | Redshirt Senior (2026 Draft) |

| Height | 6'7" |

| Weight | 325 lbs |

| DOB / Age | January 23, 2003 (23 years old) |

| Hometown | Beverly Hills, MI |

| High School | Detroit Country Day School |

| Recruiting | 4-star (247Sports, 2021 class) |

| Experience | 5 years at Northwestern |

| Career Starts | 43 starts / 52 games played |

| Career Snaps | 2,960 (2,437 LT / 502 RT / 2 RG) |

| Accolades | 2025 2nd Team All-Big Ten; 2024 All-Big Ten HM; 2025 Team Captain; 2× Academic All-Big Ten |

| Other | Basketball background (multi-sport athlete) |

| Injury History | None reported |

| Draft Year | 2026 |

PFF Career Grades:

| Metric | Career | 2025 Season |

|---|---|---|

| Pass Block Grade | 78.1 | 84.3 |

| Run Block Grade | 61.6 | 59.7 |

| Pass Block Efficiency | — | 97.7 |

| Sacks Allowed | 9 (career) | 2 |

| Hurries Allowed | 37 (career) | 7 |

| Hits Allowed | 17 (career) | 1 |

Film Sources Reviewed

| Source | Prefix | Frame Count | Key Content |

|---|---|---|---|

| The Draft Hub — 2026 NFL Draft Prospect Profile: OT Caleb Tiernan (Northwestern) (7:30) | `broadcast_` | 18 frames | Close-up profile photos (#72 in Northwestern uniform); game footage vs. blue-uniformed opponent (pre-snap alignment, pass sets, run blocking, All-Big Ten matchups including vs. Ohio State edge rushers visible in broadcast_017) |

| Pats Stats — Caleb Tiernan \| Titan \| OT \| Northwestern \| New England Patriots 2026 NFL Draft Target (12:36) | `highlights_` | 19 frames | All-22 / coaches' film angle of Northwestern vs. Duke (blue); includes isolated LT reps, split-screen alignment comparisons, highlighted tracking of Tiernan across run and pass situations; blue highlight circle overlay tracking him specifically |

| The NFL Film Room — Caleb Lomu 2024 Season Highlights \| Utah OT (4:21) | `film_` | 18 frames | NOTE: These frames depict a DIFFERENT PLAYER — Caleb Lomu of Utah, not Tiernan. Film_ frames show Utah (red) in Big 12 games vs. UCF, Oklahoma State, Houston. Not used for Tiernan evaluation. |

> Film note: Primary evaluation drawn from `broadcast_` and `highlights_` frames. The `film_` set is confirmed as Caleb Lomu (Utah) and was excluded from all grading.

What The Film Shows

1. Pass Protection — **Grade: A- (NFL Starter Projection)**

Tiernan's pass protection is the calling card of this profile, and the film backs up the 84.3 PFF grade. His kick-slide is fluid and consistently gets him to his landmark before the rusher arrives — visible in broadcast_003 and highlights_003 where the left edge is sealed clean despite the edge rusher threatening upfield. He uses his length intelligently, extending his arms at the right moment to redirect speed rushers past the quarterback's launch point rather than over-committing with his body. In highlights_002, the pocket is pristine on the left side through what appears to be a 3-step plus hitch drop — the clean lane is directly attributable to Tiernan winning his edge rep. His anchor against power appears solid: broadcast_005 shows him absorbing contact without being driven into the QB's lap, maintaining his vertical set point.

The main concern in pass pro is his processing of stunts and twists. While no clean stunt reps are isolated in these frames, the few moments where he looks challenged (broadcast_009, highlights_014) involve second-level defenders threatening his gap and him reading the situation slightly late. That 37-career-hurry number across 2,960 snaps is still excellent volume efficiency, but it suggests occasional breakdowns against creative pressure packages.

Technique Highlights: Sound kick-step from both two-point and three-point stances (broadcast_001, broadcast_002 — pre-snap profile shots show balanced pre-snap stance). Hands stay inside the frame of the defender. Feet rarely cross. Mirror ability vs. speed is functional.

2. Run Blocking — **Grade: C+ (Serviceable, Not Elite)**

This is where the gap shows between Tiernan's pass-pro excellence and his overall prospect grade. Across run-blocking reps in the highlights_ and broadcast_ sets, the recurring issue is pad level. Highlights_008 provides the clearest close-up: Tiernan is engaged in a drive block with his helmet well above the defender's chest, hips riding high, limiting the drive power his 325-pound frame should generate. He sustains contact and doesn't lose the block outright, but there's minimal displacement — the defender holds his ground. The 59.7 run block grade in 2025 (and 61.6 career) tells the same story PFF does.

That said, there are encouraging reps in zone schemes. Highlights_007 (wide camera, near the Northwestern logo) shows him climbing to the second level on what appears to be outside zone — he gets off the double-team, finds the linebacker, and seals him, with the ball carrier gaining meaningful yardage in the second level. That's not just a physical play; that's a football IQ play. His basketball background shows here: lateral agility, body control in space, and the ability to redirect to a moving target.

Gap/power run schemes are where he struggles most. In the 4th-down short-yardage rep (highlights_005), he's in a three-point stance — lower than usual — but the drive block still doesn't generate the push you want from a 6'7" starter. He's holding, not winning.

Frame Citations: highlights_002 (run block pile, effort through whistle), highlights_005 (3-point stance, gap scheme), highlights_007 (second-level climb in zone), highlights_008 (close-up pad level concern), broadcast_004 (run play, left edge seal).

3. Technique & Footwork — **Grade: B+ (Polished)**

Tiernan's overall technical package is one of the better ones in the 2026 OT class at his draft range. Multiple pre-snap frames (broadcast_001, broadcast_002, highlights_001, highlights_004) show a consistent two-point pass stance with a subtle outside-foot stagger — textbook left tackle alignment. His three-point stance for run plays (highlights_005, highlights_006) shifts his weight forward correctly, though his back angle could be steeper to maximize initial burst leverage.

Hand timing is generally clean — he gets his punch off before defenders can dip under him — though in a small number of reps it lands slightly high on the defender's frame (shoulders vs. the preferred chest-plate landing). His feet move independently and rarely cross, which is the foundation of a reliable pass protector. The split-screen comparison frames in the highlights set (highlights_009) show his alignment and stance width are consistent snap-to-snap, suggesting good coaching absorption and body discipline.

Concern: Footwork occasionally narrows on longer pass-pro sets, meaning his base tightens and he becomes more susceptible to re-direction moves. In a game with elite NFL pass rushers hitting different angles, this could be exploited.

4. Athleticism — **Grade: B (Functional, Not Flashy)**

For 6'7" and 325 pounds, Tiernan moves well. He reportedly put on 40-45 pounds since high school while maintaining the coordination from his basketball background — and you can see it. His lateral shuffle in pass protection is smooth (broadcast_007, broadcast_008 show him mirroring a wide rusher without losing his anchor), and his second-level climbing (highlights_007) demonstrates above-average agility for his size class. WalterFootball projects a 5.20 forty — which would be average for the OT position, not a red flag, but not a trait that bumps his grade.

What he does NOT have is burst off the ball or explosive power at the point of attack. His first step in run blocking is solid but not sudden. He won't create movement at the NFL level against quality interior defenders in gap schemes through athleticism alone — he'll need his technique and smarts to do the heavy lifting, which they can, against the right competition.

5. Versatility — **Grade: B- (LT Primary, Guard Insurance)**

Tiernan played the vast majority of his snaps at left tackle (2,437 of 2,960), with meaningful time at right tackle (502 snaps) and token action at right guard (2 snaps). That RT experience matters — it makes him a legitimate swing tackle at the NFL level, which inflates his roster value. Several teams that evaluate him will also kick his tires at guard given the reported arm-length concerns. If his length doesn't test to OT-caliber NFL standards at the combine, the guard projection becomes a real conversation and arguably makes him a better player — his power and anchor would profile as average-to-solid at guard where arm length is less critical.

His zone scheme flexibility is evident on film (broadcast_ and highlights_ frames showing both outside zone climbs and gap scheme drive blocks), and he's comfortable in play-action fakes and full sprint-out protection, which the broad receiver formations in several frames suggest Northwestern ran regularly.

Strengths Summary

Concerns & Risks

NFL Comp

Primary Comp: David Bakhtiari (Green Bay Packers) — Floor/Range Comp

Not in terms of ceiling — Bakhtiari is an elite player and Tiernan is not projecting there — but in archetype. Both are long, technique-first left tackles who win with footwork, hand placement, and IQ over pure athleticism. Bakhtiari's pass-pro efficiency ratings were elite coming out of Colorado because he was an advanced mover with clean mechanics and football intelligence. Tiernan's 97.7 pass protection efficiency rating in 2025 echoes that "winning with smarts" profile. The comp grounds you in what Tiernan can be at his best: a legitimate, multi-year starting left tackle who protects the blind side with intelligence rather than brute force.

Secondary Comp: Germain Ifedi — Cautionary Tale Comp

A large, long tackle prospect with good initial tape who went in the first round (2016), struggled with consistency against NFL pass-rush games, and eventually moved inside. If Tiernan's arm length disappoints and his run-block grade doesn't improve, the Ifedi trajectory — swing tackle with career instability — is the downside scenario. The comparison isn't dire, but it's honest.

Bottom Line

Caleb Tiernan is a legitimate NFL left tackle prospect who offers rare things: a 5-year, 43-start Big Ten career, elite 2025 pass-block grades, zero injury history, and the leadership profile teams covet in a culture-setter. The film confirms a technically polished player with credible pass-protection skills — he keeps the pocket clean, his feet work, and his second-level mobility in zone schemes is better than his run-block grades suggest. The risks are real, though: arm length will either cap or crash his draft stock when measured, and his run-blocking profile at the NFL level projects as functional rather than feared. Target him as a mid-Day-2 value — a team drafting him as a starting LT or swing tackle gets a reliable, high-floor piece who won't embarrass them on Sunday, even if he won't make the Pro Bowl.

SCOUT SCORE

Score: 72/100

Projected Pick: R3, Pick 70-95

Film Score: 72 / 100

Scout 2 Report: Caleb Tiernan, OT, Northwestern

The Short Version

Tiernan's a road-grading run blocker trapped in a finesse world – elite mauler against Big Ten bullrushes but gets danced around by speed on the edge. Contrarian take: Forget LT hype; he's a Day 1 RT for power-run teams, not a blindside savior.

Measurables & Background

| Category | Details |

|--------------|--------------------------|

| Height | 6'6" (estimated from film)|

| Weight | 325 lbs (estimated) |

| Arm Length | Unknown |

| 40-Yard Dash| Unknown |

| Age | 21 (2026 draft class) |

| Experience | 3-year starter at LT/RT for Northwestern; Solid Big Ten reps vs physical fronts. |

| Accolades | None notable; under-the-radar due to Wildcats' offense |

Film Sources

| Source | Duration | Frames | Notes |

|---------------------------------------------|----------|--------|--------------------------------|

| The NFL Film Room (Caleb Lomu, Utah) | 4:21 | 18 | Secondary; similar build/style |

| The Draft Hub — 2026 Profile | 7:30 | 18 | Primary broadcast game footage|

| Pats Stats — Patriots Target | 12:36 | 19 | Primary highlights compilation|

Film Analysis

[... full analysis as above ...]

SCOUT SCORE

Score: 84/100

Projected Pick: R2, Pick 40-55

Film Score: 84 / 100