Iowa
Ht. 6-6 Wt. 300
Pass Blocking: Riley Reiff is a very solid athlete and not a typical Iowa road-grader. He is light on his feet with excellent footwork in mirroring defenders. He has vines for arms that once locked onto defenders, it’s over. His slide to the outside is as good as Kalil’s as he can get out quickly to stop the speed rush. He will need work against the bull rush as he is too often found in the backfield against overly powerful DE’s.
Run Blocking: Reiff walls off defenders in the run lanes on a consistent basis. He uses his hands so well on runs and can engage and disengage defenders very quickly. He gets to the second level as well as any tackle in this draft class. He doesn’t drive block as well as you would like and sometimes gets caught watching the action downfield. I would like to see him taking defenders out of plays rather than being content with just getting the block.
Technique: Iowa is a factory for offensive lineman. Reiff shows solid technique in all facets of the position. Whoever drafts him will be getting an NFL ready tackle. His hand placement and footwork are flawless.
Athleticism/Strength: As I said, Reiff’s athleticism is second to none. He has solid flexibility in the ankles and hips. He’s a natural knee bender that shows a solid base. Reiff isn’t as strong as I would like to see from a top tackle. He has the frame to add a little weight without losing his signature athleticism which he should consider.
Bottom Line: Reiff is another franchise LT that should go in the top 10. He improved dramatically during his junior season as an athlete and overall tackle. His strongest asset is his understanding of the technicalities of the position. A typical Iowa lineman that should be ready to start day one.
Draft Projection: Top 15
