Riley Reiff
Position: Offensive Tackle
School: Iowa
Class: Junior
Height: 6'6
Weight: 300
Draft Stock: Top 15 Pick / #2 Offensive Tackle
Strengths
-Does a great job of getting off the line and setting up blocks
-Good athlete. Allows him to get to defenders in the second level
-Good footwork. Can slide to either side to mirror defenders
-Does a good job of sealing off defenders in run blocking.
-Great initial punch in pass protection that knocks defenders back
-Should be able to add some weight and not lose any athletic ability
-Very consistent. Rarely makes a mistake.
-Good (but not great) size. 6'6. Long arms.
-Very good technique
-Takes good angles and is able to seal guys on the backside
-Experienced. Has started since his red-shirt freshman year.
Weaknesses
-Not a powerful run blocker. Isn't going to be able to bowl defenders over.
-Will struggle against a good bull rush.
-Isn't that nasty blocker. More of a finesse guy.
-Inconsistent pad level. Can get too high at times
-Doesn't finish blocks the greatest. Guys can get off and make plays.
-Was arrested for alcohol related issue. Also obstructed the police during the incident.
Summary
Riley Reiff has a lot of the tools to be successful playing the left tackle position in the NFL. He has good size (6'6), long arms, and good footwork. Reiff is at his best when he is pass blocking. He is able to get out of his stance quickly and set up to mirror the defender. He has a solid initial punch which allows him to keep defenders hands off him. Reiff also uses his quick feet to move from side to side to seal of the pass rusher. However Reiff struggles to really anchor in can be beat by a bull rush where he has been driven back and given up sacks. In the run game Reiff does a good job in his blocking assignments, but is more of a finesse blocker where he will seal of guys rather than physical move them. Because of that Reiff projects to be a better fit in a Zone Blocking Scheme. There Reiff can use his athletic ability and technique rather than have to man up on defenders who could over power him. Riley Reiff has a lot of talent and has the potential to be a Left tackle in the NFL, however he juts isn't on the same level as #1 OT Matt Kalil. But because Left Tackles are so valued in the NFL, Reiff should go relatively early. He could go as high as #6 to Washington, but I find it hard for him to fall past Kansas City at #11. Both are ZBS teams.
