Iowa OT Tristan Wirfs receives glowing praise from NFL draft analyst
By Bryan Perez
The Iowa Hawkeyes will be a favorite among scouts searching for starting offensive tackle prospects in the 2020 NFL draft class.
There’s still an entire football and NFL draft season yet to unfold, but the 2020 NFL draft has a chance to produce several first-round quality offensive tackles for teams longing for an upgrade at the position next April.
Two of those top prospects will come from one school.
The Iowa Hawkeyes will field right tackle Tristan Wirfs and left tackle Alaric Jackson as arguably the most talented starting duo in college football next season, with Wirfs possessing the kind of upside to be graded as an elite prospect.
According to the Athletic’s Dane Brugler, he could end up a top-10 prospect.
“Tristan Wirfs is an absolute stud,” Brugler tweeted Friday. “All the talent/ability to be a top-10 pick, in my opinion.”
As for his teammate? Brugler isn’t quite as sold.
“Alaric Jackson isn’t on that same level, but he has NFL starting potential if he improves in a few areas.”
Wirfs joins a growing list of tackle prospects who’ve received praise so far this summer. Georgia’s Andrew Thomas is currently my top player at the position, but the junior blindside protector could decide to return to campus at season’s end.
Trey Adams (Washington), Walker Little (Stanford) and Mekhi Becton (Louisville) have all received first-round hype.
The NFL has and always will value offensive tackle as a premium position on draft weekend. As a result, prospects who project as potential starters on the edge receive a big bump in their draft projection; and after a 2019 class that failed to produce many quality players at the position, the 2020 class is set up for a nice rebound.