Riley Nowakowski
Pittsburgh SteelersOur 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
Wisconsin · Big Ten
| Season | G | Tgt | Rec | Yds | TD | Pos Rk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 6 | 10 | 7 | 57 | 1 | |
| 2024 | 7 | 11 | 11 | 74 | 0 | |
| 2025 | 14 | 37 | 33 | 377 | 2 | 29 |
The seasons in our college data. It does not always reach back to a player's first year.
Scouting Report
Indiana · 2026 draft class
Riley Nowakowski is a competitive H-back and fullback hybrid from Indiana who earned his opportunity as a walk-on transfer from Wisconsin and made the most of it producing career-best numbers in his redshirt senior season. At 6-1 and 249 pounds Nowakowski caught 30 passes for 370 yards and 2 touchdowns with a 12.3 yards per reception average starting every game and earning the trust of his coaching staff and Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback. He brings alignment versatility and positional flexibility lining up as an in-line tight end H-back and fullback depending on the formation and play call. Nowakowski has excellent leverage and pad level keeping his elbows inside and driving on blocks with intent to finish and he shows precise timing executing both blocking schemes and running routes. His awareness is strong making correct decisions to spring runs and screens while functioning as a reliable safety valve in the passing game. He has good hands and shows excellent moves and fluidity in space after the catch for a player his size. His competitive determination and detail-oriented approach to maximizing his responsibilities make him a coach's favorite. However Nowakowski needs to be stronger at the point of attack as he lacks the power to sustain blocks consistently and can be bent backwards instead of driving forward. His technique gets top-heavy and he gets pulled forward too easily when sustaining blocks. His route-running nuance is lacking as he struggles to create separation against man coverage and needs development settling against zone coverage to find soft spots. His receiving versatility is limited as he profiles more as a blocking presence than a high-volume receiver. Bleacher Report graded him 6.0 ranking him 186th overall and TE17 comparing him to Connor Heyward. ESPN's Matt Miller ranked him the third-best fullback and H-back in the class.
Strengths
- Alignment versatility lining up as tight end H-back and fullback
- Excellent leverage and pad level keeping elbows inside driving blocks with intent
- Precise timing executing blocking schemes and running routes
- Strong awareness making correct decisions to spring runs and screens
- Good hands with excellent moves and fluidity in space after the catch
- Reliable safety valve in the passing game
- Competitive determination and detail-oriented approach
- Started every game earning trust of coaching staff
Concerns
- Needs to be stronger at the point of attack lacking sustain power
- Top-heavy technique getting pulled forward too easily on blocks
- Route-running nuance lacking struggling to create separation in man coverage
- Needs development finding soft spots against zone coverage
- Limited receiving versatility profiling more as blocking presence
- Can be bent backwards instead of driving blocks forward
- Walk-on background means less elite athletic ceiling
Honors
ESPN #3 FB/H-back (Matt Miller). Bleacher Report 186th overall TE17