# Caleb Tiernan
**Caleb Tiernan** (born circa 2003) is an [American football](https://www.edgepedia.org/american-football) offensive tackle for the [Minnesota Vikings](https://www.edgepedia.org/minnesota-vikings) of the [National Football League](https://www.edgepedia.org/national-football-league), selected 97th overall in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft out of Northwestern University.[1](https://www.vikings.com/news/caleb-tiernan-offensive-lineman-film-breakdown-review-analysis-2026) He played five seasons for the Wildcats, starting 43 consecutive games, and was a team captain and Second-Team All-Big Ten selection in 2025.[2](https://www.vikings.com/team/players-roster/caleb-tiernan/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Current team | Minnesota Vikings, offensive tackle, No. 78; rookie in 2026[2](https://www.vikings.com/team/players-roster/caleb-tiernan/) |
| Draft | 2026 NFL Draft, third round, No. 97 overall, by Minnesota[1](https://www.vikings.com/news/caleb-tiernan-offensive-lineman-film-breakdown-review-analysis-2026) |
| College career | Northwestern, 2021–25; 52 games, 43 straight starts (first 5 at right tackle, final 38 at left tackle)[2](https://www.vikings.com/team/players-roster/caleb-tiernan/) |
| Measurements | A fraction under 6-foot-8 and 323 pounds at the NFL Scouting Combine, with 32 1/4-inch arms[1](https://www.vikings.com/news/caleb-tiernan-offensive-lineman-film-breakdown-review-analysis-2026) |
| 2025 season | Started all 13 games at left tackle; 84.3 PFF pass-blocking grade, third in the Big Ten and ninth nationally among offensive tackles[2](https://www.vikings.com/team/players-roster/caleb-tiernan/) |
| Honors | All-Big Ten Second Team (coaches, 2025); AP All-Big Ten Second Team (2025); team captain[2](https://www.vikings.com/team/players-roster/caleb-tiernan/) |
| Prep | Detroit Country Day School (Michigan); 2020 state championship as a senior[1](https://www.vikings.com/news/caleb-tiernan-offensive-lineman-film-breakdown-review-analysis-2026) |
## College career at Northwestern
Tiernan was a four-star recruit who redshirted the 2021 season and appeared in three games that year.[2](https://www.vikings.com/team/players-roster/caleb-tiernan/) In 2022 he appeared in 11 games with five starts at right tackle, allowing two sacks per [Pro Football Focus](https://www.edgepedia.org/pro-football-focus).[2](https://www.vikings.com/team/players-roster/caleb-tiernan/) • [3](https://www.fantasypros.com/2025/12/2026-nfl-draft-scouting-report-caleb-tiernan-ot-northwestern/) He moved to left tackle in 2023 and started all 13 games there, playing 846 snaps.[2](https://www.vikings.com/team/players-roster/caleb-tiernan/)
**Left-tackle tenure.** In 2024 he logged 764 snaps in 12 starts at left tackle and allowed just one sack over the season's final six games.[2](https://www.vikings.com/team/players-roster/caleb-tiernan/) As a graduate senior in 2025 he started all 13 games at left tackle, posted an 84.3 PFF pass-blocking grade that ranked third in the Big Ten and ninth nationally among offensive tackles, and served as team captain.[2](https://www.vikings.com/team/players-roster/caleb-tiernan/) His first five career starts came at right tackle, bookending a line that also featured 2023 first-round pick Peter Skoronski, with the final 38 starts on the left side.[1](https://www.vikings.com/news/caleb-tiernan-offensive-lineman-film-breakdown-review-analysis-2026) He earned back-to-back PFF National Team of the Week honors early in the 2025 season for his performances against Western Illinois and Oregon.[4](https://gophersports.com/documents/download/2025/11/19/25.11.22_NorthwesternNotesPacket_Minnesota.pdf) His college career ended with a win in the 2025 GameAbove Sports Bowl.[1](https://www.vikings.com/news/caleb-tiernan-offensive-lineman-film-breakdown-review-analysis-2026)
## Scouting evaluation
**The arm-length question dominated his pre-draft profile.** At the [NFL Scouting Combine](https://www.edgepedia.org/nfl-scouting-combine), Tiernan measured a fraction under 6-foot-8 and 323 pounds, but his 32 1/4-inch arms fell short of the 34-inch benchmark commonly cited for tackles; for comparison, Vikings tackles Christian Darrisaw and Brian O'Neill measure 34 1/4 and 34 1/8 inches.[1](https://www.vikings.com/news/caleb-tiernan-offensive-lineman-film-breakdown-review-analysis-2026) PFF's summer scouting report had listed a massive frame with plus length among his strengths, describing a patient, confident pass protector who succeeds on outside zone runs, while flagging that he would naturally lose leverage battles and lack displacement strength as a result.[5](https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2026-nfl-draft-summer-scouting-tackle-overview) PFF's draft guide later summarized him as a smart, balanced and experienced tackle whose limitations stem from a naturally high pad level and shorter arm length, with technique and football IQ giving him a path to a starting role.[6](https://www.pff.com/news/draft-pff-2026-nfl-draft-guide-caleb-tiernan-northwestern)
The consensus among draft analysts was a move inside. NFL.com's Lance Zierlein wrote that Tiernan is tall but carries the denseness of frame and core strength of a guard, takes excellent angles on the move, and lacks the anchor and play strength to consistently sustain blocks, projecting a ceiling of "solid" as a guard or swing tackle.[7](https://www.nfl.com/draft/tracker/2026/prospects/all_northwestern) [Todd McShay](https://www.edgepedia.org/todd-mcshay) saw a swing tackle who could provide guard depth while developing into a potential starter, citing the Northwestern precedent of shorter-armed tackles moving inside and thriving, including Skoronski.[1](https://www.vikings.com/news/caleb-tiernan-offensive-lineman-film-breakdown-review-analysis-2026) Dane Brugler, author of "The Beast," wrote that Tiernan relies on refinement, using disciplined hands and poise to execute assignments, with swing tackle ability and a possible long-term home at guard.[1](https://www.vikings.com/news/caleb-tiernan-offensive-lineman-film-breakdown-review-analysis-2026)
## NFL career
[The Vikings](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-vikings) selected Tiernan with the 97th overall pick in the third round of the 2026 draft, their first offensive player chosen that year after defensive linemen [Caleb Banks](https://www.edgepedia.org/caleb-banks) and [Domonique Orange](https://www.edgepedia.org/domonique-orange) and linebacker Jake Golday.[1](https://www.vikings.com/news/caleb-tiernan-offensive-lineman-film-breakdown-review-analysis-2026) He was one of two Northwestern offensive linemen drafted in 2026, alongside Evan Beerntsen, and the fifth Wildcats product drafted by Minnesota.[1](https://www.vikings.com/news/caleb-tiernan-offensive-lineman-film-breakdown-review-analysis-2026) Through the first five weeks of the 2026 season he appeared in two games with no starts, against the Dolphins and the Saints.[2](https://www.vikings.com/team/players-roster/caleb-tiernan/)
## Background
Tiernan is a Detroit-area native who played prep football at Detroit Country Day School, starting at left tackle and defensive end as a sophomore and helping the program win a state championship with a shutout in 2020.[1](https://www.vikings.com/news/caleb-tiernan-offensive-lineman-film-breakdown-review-analysis-2026) • [2](https://www.vikings.com/team/players-roster/caleb-tiernan/) He was ranked the No. 10 overall prospect in Michigan and the 33rd overall offensive tackle by 247Sports, lettered in football and basketball all four years, and captained both teams.[2](https://www.vikings.com/team/players-roster/caleb-tiernan/) He began playing flag football in first grade and switched to tackle football in second grade after watching his older brother play.[2](https://www.vikings.com/team/players-roster/caleb-tiernan/) At Northwestern he was a two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree and was working toward a master's degree in sports administration.[2](https://www.vikings.com/team/players-roster/caleb-tiernan/)
## References
1. [Vikings Film Breakdown: Studying Rookie Offensive Lineman Caleb Tiernan, Vikings.com](https://www.vikings.com/news/caleb-tiernan-offensive-lineman-film-breakdown-review-analysis-2026)
2. [Caleb Tiernan player profile, Vikings.com](https://www.vikings.com/team/players-roster/caleb-tiernan/)
3. [2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Caleb Tiernan (OT – Northwestern), FantasyPros](https://www.fantasypros.com/2025/12/2026-nfl-draft-scouting-report-caleb-tiernan-ot-northwestern/)
4. [Northwestern Football Notes Packet, gophersports.com](https://gophersports.com/documents/download/2025/11/19/25.11.22_NorthwesternNotesPacket_Minnesota.pdf)
5. [2026 NFL Draft Summer Scouting: Tackle Overview, PFF](https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2026-nfl-draft-summer-scouting-tackle-overview)
6. [PFF 2026 NFL Draft Guide: Caleb Tiernan, PFF](https://www.pff.com/news/draft-pff-2026-nfl-draft-guide-caleb-tiernan-northwestern)
7. [2026 NFL Draft Tracker: Northwestern prospects, NFL.com](https://www.nfl.com/draft/tracker/2026/prospects/all_northwestern)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Other team and ball sports › Rugby and other football codes › American football players, coaches, and executives › Offensive tackles*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 11, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license