Kade Pieper
Iowa#45 overallDraft Movement
Up 4 spots since Jun 8
Scouting Report
Pieper is one of the more intriguing trench prospects on the 2027 radar, a redshirt junior interior lineman from Norfolk, Nebraska who broke out as Iowa's full-time right guard in 2025 after playing just 108 snaps as a roughly 275-pound backup the prior fall. He grades as a top-three interior lineman in the class, and evaluators call him one of the best athletes at the position they have scouted along the OL, projecting a Tyler Linderbaum-style outcome. He reportedly posted a 4.13 shuttle and a 37.4-inch vertical, marks that would rank as the fastest shuttle and second-highest vertical in Combine history. On tape he is a wide-zone dream with a lightning first step, plus reach-blocking ability, and nastiness in his run angles, viewed by some as maybe the top wide-zone blocker in the class. His pass-pro hand technique is advanced for his age, with a firm strike, a wide base, and the ability to re-fit and win the inside-hands battle against longer rushers. He graded fifth among FBS guards with an 83.6 overall grade and fifth nationally with an 83.5 run-blocking grade in 2025. The concerns are developmental: he is undersized and needs mass and anchor strength, and Oregon's Bear Alexander and A'Mauri Washington dominated him on the All-22. His pass-set footwork is inconsistent and he contorts his torso instead of moving his feet, letting twitchy rushers cross his face. The 2027 consensus has him going early Day 2.
The Tape
Strengths
- Elite-level explosive athlete for the position, with a reported 4.13 shuttle and 37.4-inch vertical
- outstanding first-step quickness and second-level speed to win reach blocks and get out on the move
- ideal wide-zone fit, viewed as possibly the top wide-zone blocker in the class
- advanced pass-pro hand technique for a young player, with a firm strike and wide base
- strong hands that torque and re-position defenders
- consistently re-fits hands inside to win the leverage battle even against longer rushers
- nasty run-blocking angles and feel, including subtle body adjustments to open lanes when he senses the back behind him
- handles bull rush at times by reworking leverage and re-anchoring textbook-style
Weaknesses
- Undersized at roughly 290 pounds with a frame that clearly needs to fill out
- below-average anchor and play strength that gets exposed against power, including being dominated by Oregon's Bear Alexander and A'Mauri Washington
- footwork in pass sets is inconsistent, with a slide technique that needs work
- tends to contort his torso instead of shuffling his feet, allowing twitchy rushers to cross his face and beat him inside
- overruns and whiffs on second-level blocks, lacking control in space
- drops his hands too low at times, exposing his chest and getting walked back into the pocket
- balance lapses that put him on the ground
- extremely thin starting resume with just over a season of meaningful snaps
NFL Comparison
Tyler Linderbaum (Renner's stated comp; undersized, hyper-athletic former Iowa interior lineman who anchors a zone scheme); Cole Strange (GSLING comp; athletic interior blocker who can get ahead of himself at the second level); Logan Jones (fellow undersized, explosive Iowa zone blocker whose athleticism offsets a smaller frame); Austin Blythe (Iowa pedigree, light-framed interior lineman whose movement skills fit outside-zone offenses)
College Stats
2024: roughly 108 snaps as a backup at about 275 lbs. 2025: full-time starting RG who graded as one of the top five guards in the FBS, with elite run-blocking that ranked among the top five nationally, and one of three Iowa offensive linemen to earn national recognition.
College Market Value
Our model prices him at $1.13M on the open college market, built from production, pedigree, role and Iowa's program money. No credible deal has been reported for him this season.
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Measurables
Awards & Honors
Recognized for a reported 4.13 shuttle and 37.4-inch vertical; projected early Day 2 / 2nd-round pick on the 2027 consensus board; 2025 Solon Beef Days Hay Bale Toss champion (13-foot winning mark)