Northwestern Wildcats OL Facing Major Expectations Entering 2025 Season

With the 2025 college football season slowly approaching, the expectations for Northwestern Wildcats star offensive tackle Caleb Tiernan continue to grow after an impressive 2024 season.

HuskersOnline recently ranked the top offensive linemen in the Big Ten Conference, and Tiernen was the No. 5 tackle behind many top names like Oregon's Isaiah World and Iowa's Gennings Dunker.

"The senior has started every game for Northwestern at left tackle for the past two seasons. He started six games at right tackle in 2022. The 6-foot-7, 280-pound tackle is coming off his best season yet. The All-Big Ten honorable mention recorded a career-high 88.9 pass-blocking grade and a 74.8 run-blocking score. In 2024, he had a top 10 pass-blocking grade amongst all FBS tackles." - HuskersOnline

Throughout his time with the Wildcats, Tiernan has recorded over 2,100 snaps on the offensive line, splitting time between left and right tackle. In his last two seasons as the program's starting left tackle, the veteran lineman has proven to be one of the pass protectors in the nation. During the two-year stretch, Tiernan allowed four sacks while posting a 97.7 efficiency rating, according to PFF.

While the 6-foot-7, 329 lbs. tackle struggled in the run game for a majority of his collegiate career, Tiernan made huge strides in 2024. His PFF run blocking grade of 78.4 was a major leap from his average in his first two seasons as a starter, which stood at 58.1.

His outstanding performance last season boosted his stock for the 2026 NFL Draft, as he is currently the No. 7 offensive tackle and No. 83 player on PFF's preseason big board. If Tiernan continues to build off his successful 2024 campaign, the longtime Wildcat could set himself up for a prime draft spot in 2026.

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