Kade Pieper OG Iowa |
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| Jersey: #58 SUB-POSITION: Right Guard | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 11/03/2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2027 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FORTY time: 5.20 seconds (72%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Age: 21.8 DOB: 02/18/2005 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Jersey: #58 | |
| SUB-POSITION: Right Guard | |
| Last Updated: 11/03/2026 | |
| Draft Year: 2027 | |
| Forty time: 5.20 seconds (72%*) | |
| Age: 21.8 DOB: 02/18/2005 | |
| Overall Rating: |
85.8 / 100
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| Average rating of opposition Defense player has faced | ||
| Defense Rating: |
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76% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| Pass Blocking: |
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91% |
| Run Blocking: |
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80% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
2nd - Mid
Overall Rank:
#40
Position rank:
#7 (OL)
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| College Games: 34 College Snaps: 1326 | ||
ESPN RATING: 72/100
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247 RATING: 85/100
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RIVALS RATING: 5.3 (87%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Christian Mahogany - Boston College |
|
89% |
| Emmanuel Pregnon - Oregon |
|
84% |
| Christian Haynes - UConn |
|
80% |
Draft Profile: Bio
Kade Pieper played on both lines at Norfolk Catholic High School in Nebraska, where he was a district MVP as a senior with 130 tackles and was the state champion in the shot put. He was originally committed to North Dakota State before flipping to Iowa.Pieper redshirted in 2023 after playing in two games and was a backup in 11 games in 2024. He made his first career starts in 2025, starting all 13 games at right guard on the line that won the Joe Moore Award as the best in the country, and allowed one sack all season. He earned first-team All-America recognition from one outlet and was a third-team All-Big Ten pick by the media. Bruce Feldman's list of the sport's best athletes noted that he set Iowa offensive guard records in the short shuttle, vertical jump and 10-yard split, numbers that stood out for a player at his position.
Pieper moved to center for 2026 to replace Rimington Trophy winner Logan Jones and was named a preseason first-team All-American by the Associated Press. He has started all eight games in the middle for a 6-2 Iowa team that ran for 711 yards in its wins over Northern Illinois and Northern Iowa, and he has allowed two pressures and no sacks in 450 snaps. He has been flagged only once all season.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- No sacks and two pressures allowed in his first season at center
- First-team All-American at right guard in his first year as a starter
- Set Iowa guard testing records in the short shuttle and vertical jump
- Moves easily on pulls and climbs to the second level
- Started on the 2025 Joe Moore Award-winning line
- Has played both guard and center, adding value as a backup at three spots
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Lightest interior lineman in the group, a mass deficit NFL nose tackles will test
- First season at center, with only two years of starting experience
- Plays high in stretches, relying on athleticism his weight cannot always back up
- Ohio State's front got him for a pressure in October
Scouting Report: Summary
Pieper is an athletic interior blocker whose movement skills jump off the tape. He set Iowa guard testing records in the short shuttle and vertical jump, moves easily on pulls and climbs, and has the play strength to uproot defenders on angle blocks. He was a first-team All-American at right guard in his first year as a starter on the line that won the Joe Moore Award. He was originally committed to North Dakota State before flipping to Iowa, and he has grown from a backup in 2024 into a preseason All-American.His move to center has gone smoothly. Replacing a Rimington Trophy winner, he has started all eight games, allowed two pressures and no sacks, and helped Iowa run for 711 yards in two September wins. He was a preseason first-team All-American at the position, and Iowa has gone 6-2 with him making the calls. He has been flagged only once all season.
However, he is the lightest interior lineman in this group, and NFL nose tackles will try to attack his chest. He plays high in stretches and leans on athleticism his weight cannot always back up, and he has only two seasons of starting experience, one at each spot. Ohio State's interior was the best he has faced this fall, and he held up without overpowering it. Adding mass without losing his movement will be the priority.
Overall, Pieper is an undersized, athletic interior blocker with aggressive technique, and sustaining against pure NFL mass is the swing. His move to center gives him a natural NFL home. He projects as a second-round interior lineman, with the ceiling of a starting center and a floor as a backup at guard and center. His testing numbers suggest he will move well in a zone scheme, and teams that pull their center will value that range.
How other scouting services rate Kade Pieper (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
31.7
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
5.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.