Caleb Tiernan
Minnesota VikingsOur College Grade
How good he was in college at what his position is supposed to do, out of 100. Scored against everyone else at his position, adjusted for the level he played at. This is not his NFL grade.
College Production
NWESTERN · Unknown
| Season | G | PrsA | SkA | HitA | Pen | PBE | Pos Rk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 8 | 11 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 97.3 | 96 |
| 2023 | 12 | 24 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 97.1 | 239 |
| 2024 | 12 | 13 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 98.2 | 70 |
| 2025 | 12 | 13 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 97.9 | 59 |
The seasons in our college data. It does not always reach back to a player's first year.
Scouting Report
NWESTERN · 2026 draft class
Growing up at Detroit Country Day School, Caleb Tiernan wasn't just another big body - he was a dual-sport athlete who captained both the football and basketball teams his senior year. That athleticism caught the attention of the Big Ten's elite programs, with Michigan, Ohio State, and Penn State all vying for his services before he pledged to Northwestern in March 2020. Tiernan's college journey began with patience and development. After redshirting in 2021 with just three game appearances, he burst onto the scene in 2022, starting five games at right tackle as a redshirt freshman. His breakout performance against Ohio State that season, where he stonewalled the Buckeyes' pass rush without allowing a single pressure, signaled bigger things ahead. The following year brought a position switch to left tackle and iron man status - starting all 13 games while logging 846 snaps, second-most on the team. He surrendered just one sack the entire 2023 campaign and went eight straight games without allowing a quarterback hit. His 2024 season cemented his status as one of college football's premier blindside protectors. Through 34 career games with 30 consecutive starts, Tiernan has become Northwestern's anchor while earning Academic All-Big Ten honors along the way.
Strengths
- Foot quickness belies his massive frame - mirrors speed rushers with ballet-like agility in his kick slide
- Anchor strength shows up when bull rushers try to walk him back - plants those size 17s and stonewalls power
- Hand technique looks like a boxing instructor's dream with precise timing and violent punch delivery
- Basketball background evident in his body control - rarely gets caught leaning or off-balance in space
- Pass arc patience resembles a veteran waiting for the perfect moment to engage rather than lunging
- Counter move recognition improved dramatically - sniffs out inside spins and clubs like he's got ESP
- Nasty finisher in the run game when he gets his hands on linebackers - drives them into the turf
- Mental processing speed allows him to handle complex protection schemes and late-arriving blitzers with ease
Concerns
- Tall frame creates leverage issues against low-pad-level defenders who can get under his chest
- Run blocking consistency wavers - looks dominant one snap then gets stalemated by smaller defenders
- Weight distribution sometimes shifts forward when climbing to second level causing whiffed blocks
- Play strength against true power rushers remains questionable despite his anchor improvement
- Needs to develop more violence at the point of attack - too often settles for position blocks
Honors
4-star recruit (#14 highest-rated signee in Northwestern history); 2024 Academic All-Big Ten; 2024 All-Big Ten Honorable Mention