Riley Reiff, Junior, Offensive Tackle, Iowa
Overview:
Even as a redshirt freshman in 2009 Riley Reiff was thrown into the mix. The Hawkeyes had an experienced line that season, but Reiff still managed to start three games at left tackle, seven games at left guard and one contest at right tackle. It is rare for a freshman at Iowa to start on the offensive line, but that experience paid off big time for the Hawkeyes in 2010.
Reiff was suddenly one of the more experienced offensive linemen on the team as a sophomore. He had proven to be a quality and versatile player a year earlier and the expectations were high for Reiff. He started all 13 games at left tackle and did a relatively good job keeping quarterback Ricky Stanzi on his feet.
Final Projection:
Reiff has been in a leadership role since his sophomore season and Iowa has a tradition of producing solid linemen. He may not be as great of a player as Robert Gallery or Brian Bulaga, but he can certainly work his way into that category if he keeps being productive.
1/5/12 Update:
Reiff had another good year for the Hawkeyes in 2011 and has opted to go pro after his junior campaign. He is pretty much a lock for the first round, so it seems to be a good move for Reiff. There are a few concerns about his strength at the point of attack, but the bottom line is Reiff gets the job done and is a very good pass and run blocker. There are a few flashier names at offensive tackle that will go ahead of Reiff, but he could easily be the third offensive tackle off of the board.
See all NFL Draft Profiles and Rankings
