Northwestern Standout Draws Major 2026 NFL Draft Hype

After two draft cycles without a player selected, the Wildcats have a candidate for a top pick in 2026.

Northwestern Wildcats running back Joseph Himon II (6) celebrates with Northwestern Wildcats quarterback Jack Lausch (12) and Northwestern Wildcats offensive lineman Caleb Tiernan (72) after scoring Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, during the NCAA football game against the Purdue Boilermakers at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Ind. | Alex Martin/Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Northwestern has had two All-American-caliber offensive tackles come through its football program over the last decade, with both Rashawn Slater and Peter Skoronski eventually becoming first-round picks. Although next year's NFL Draft is still nine months away, another Wildcat lineman is already receiving interest as a next-level talent.

Redshirt-senior Caleb Tiernan struggled early in his career after being thrust into a starting role as a freshman, playing in 11 games with five starts during NU's 1-11 campaign in 2022. However, he has since grown into a dominant left tackle and projects to be one of the best returning linemen in the Big Ten this season. Tiernan's 88.9 PFF pass-blocking grade last fall was the highest among offensive tackles eligible for the 2026 NFL Draft and his 6-foot-7, 329-pound frame should intrigue professional scouts.

An All-Big Ten Honorable Mention in 2024, Tiernan has the potential to continue his progression even further in his final collegiate season. In his preseason positional previews for NFL Draft prospects, PFF analyst Trevor Sikkema gave Tiernan a very positive outlook, ranking him No. 8 among offensive tackles. Tiernan was the lone Big Ten player in Sikkema's top 10.

"Tiernan simply produces," Sikkema wrote. "He is a smooth mover and so confident in his stature and abilities in pass protection. He doesn’t have a ton of pop at contact when run blocking, but there's so much to like about his pass-blocking skill set."

Sikkema noted that Tiernan's arm length doesn't "match the height" and that the towering tackle could be asked to move to guard in the NFL, but the former four-star recruit otherwise received well-deserved praise. Arm length was also a concern for Skoronski, and the Tennessee Titans eventually moved him to left guard after drafting him No. 11 overall.

Skoronski was a Unanimous All-American in 2022, and Slater was a preseason All-American in 2020 before sitting out the season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. After starting all 25 games for Northwestern the past two seasons, Tiernan could certainly be on a similar track to his Wildcat predecessors.