From now until the 2025 NFL Draft, we will scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, down to Day 3 selections, and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Rutgers OT Hollin Pierce.
#72 HOLLIN PIERCE/OT RUTGERS – 6-8, 342 POUNDS. (SENIOR)
MEASUREMENTS
| Player | Ht/Wt | Hand Size | Arm Length | Wingspan |
| Hollin Pierce | 6076/342 | 9 3/4 | 36 5/8 | 86 5/8 |
| 40-Yard Dash | 10-Yard Dash | Short Shuttle | 3-Cone | |
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| Broad Jump | Vertical | Bench Press | ||
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
*Shrine Bowl measurements
THE GOOD
– Humongous frame, length, and size for an offensive tackle
– Not a lot of body fat on him and impressive distribution of muscle in both halves
– Very heavy hands with vice grip strength to latch on and not let go
– Good mental processing and awareness to identify fronts and schemes
– Stuns defenders with powerful punches at impact
– Completely walls off running lanes, creating massive holes
– Finishes blocks consistently in the run game and knows how to find work
– Able to get to the second level better than most guys his size
– Makes it very difficult for edge rushers to get around his arc
– Serious anchor strength and absorption of power
– Rarely beaten by arm moves, more so with speed and bend
– High character and leadership qualities from hearing coaches speak about him
– No injury history and lots of playing experience at both tackle spots
THE BAD
– Still a bit raw in pass protection technique relying on length and power frequently
– Struggles to get to his landmarks with slow kick-slide
– Can be prone to lunging due to overextending his arms with speed rushers
– Doesn’t consistently land his strikes and punches in the run game first
– Allows power rushers into his chest way too often
– Needs to keep his hands in a better carriage position
– Lack of lateral quickness and foot speed hinders him in reach blocks
– Relies too much on shoving defenders away if beaten by speed around the arc
BIO
– DOB: N/A
– 3,172 snaps in 4 years (1,696 LT, 1,473 RT)
– Career: 70 pressures allowed (50 hurries, 15 hits, 5 sacks), 11 penalties
– 2024-25 season: 21 pressures allowed (15 hurries, 5 hits, 1 sack), 2 penalties, 83.5 run blocking grade (PFF), 79.5 pass blocking grade (PFF)
– 2024 Second Team All-Big Ten
– 2023 Honorable Mention All-Big Ten
– 2021-22 Academic All-Big Ten
– Majoring in biology or management science and engineering and wants to get his degree
– Three-star HS recruit, according to 247 Sports
– Postgraduate season in 2019 at Fork Union Military Academy (Virginia)
– Played on the offensive and defensive lines at Trenton Central HS
– Played HS basketball
– Uncle is Hollis Copeland, a Rutgers Hall of Famer who played in the NBA
– San Francisco 49ers safety Ji’Ayir Brown played on the same HS team
– Mother passed away in 2012
TAPE BREAKDOWN
Rutgers University had one of the best running attacks in college football last year, averaging 162 yards per game, and has given up, on average, only 1.4 sacks per game in the past two years, which is a top-10 rate in the country. Hollin Pierce is a big reason why, literally and figuratively, as he dominated at left tackle for them. He is physically a hulking presence in every way imaginable, and he wants to impose his will on defenders from the snap. This is a kid who’s had quite the journey to get to where he’s at, and his coach says he’s “starving for knowledge”.
Defenders have a very difficult time getting around Pierce in pass protection due to his sheer size. He eats up so much space, and with his length, that speed rushers have to align even wider than normal to try and get around him.
Pierce is No. 72 in all of the following clips for Rutgers:
This can also work against him if his feet aren’t correct in his vertical sets (he can often get too deep and then panic due to lack of foot speed). He has trouble redirecting his body if edge rushers attempt stutter moves, Euro steps, or head fakes. He’s more athletic than you would think for a mammoth guy at tackle, but he still will have difficulty with speed rushers if he doesn’t land first contact, or he’s too upright coming out of his stance.
He has nimble feet that can move laterally to get to their landmarks, and he can close the short corner quickly if he has time. He can get depth in his drop and anchor well against bull rushes, spin moves, and long arms. Pierce predominately uses his length to dictate pass pro reps and knows how to land his inside hand on the rusher’s shoulder.
A big issue with him is letting guys play into his chest too often, getting his hands wide on pad level, and ducking his head at the snap of the ball. This can lead to him being taken off balance and not landing his strikes where they need to be. Pierce is definitely a guy who you need a plan to get around or through, though. If you try to win with him in a phone booth setting, you will likely end up on the ground quickly. He can absorb any and all power very consistently.
He’s vulnerable to 45-degree angles from speedier rushers and has difficulty keeping his shoulders square with guys with speed and power. He has a nice snatch-and-trap technique, but he’ll often just use his long arms to push defenders away if they beat him to the corner. Pierce can identify twists and stunts well and communicate them to his teammates. He knows when loopers are coming and can laterally displace the guard to meet them before they find the open gap.
Pierce is an absolute punisher in the run game and is extremely physical at the point of attack. He has a strong upper body and consistently utilizes that, as well as his length, to push defensive linemen out of their gaps. Here, he is moving Maryland DT Jordan Phillips with ease.
If a run is coming to his side, almost always, he’s moving his guy vertically or laterally away from the ball carrier. His ability to torque and drive through defensive linemen is very impressive. Pierce also has great awareness when asked to combo or drive block. It seemed like almost every time they ran to his side, his team was guaranteed to get at least 5 yards+. The guy was just an unstoppable freight train once he got his legs moving.
He could be one of the best run-blockers in this draft when it’s all said and done. Pierce has good lateral quickness when drive blocking, but he can also pull and come down the line on outside zone plays. He has solid accuracy when executing combo blocks as he’ll work through the defensive linemen to get their shoulders turned before stifling the linebackers at the second level.
He struggles to reach blocks and maintain them. He can also duck his head on blocks when trying to drive guys. He would probably be a really good gap and inside zone run blocker more so than outside zone. He has a ton of experience with zone concepts at Rutgers. He can make blocks in space, as he is fast in a short area with quickness to fire off the ball. Pierce shows great effort in finding work in an open space, likes to keep fighting, and is adept at negating second efforts. At times, he can get out of control with his body because he can get too eager to hit someone, but this was rare, and he plays with good balance for a guy his size. You don’t see him on the ground very often.
CONCLUSION
Hollin Pierce has all the physical attributes NFL teams look for in offensive tackles. Whether he plays on the left or right side, a team should take a chance on him if he can have a redshirt year. He will need time to adjust to the speed of the pro game, but he has the right demeanor and ball-of-clay athletic tools to work with, which would be an offensive line coach’s dream. I could see a case being made for him to move to guard to offset the lack of foot speed and lateral quickness, but I think he should be allowed to play tackle first before he’s kicked inside.
He could potentially be a player that the Steelers look at for offensive tackle depth, as they don’t have much going into next season. He also has the measurables they look for, the experience and versatility to play both tackle positions, and the physical mentality they want to play more powerfully at the line of scrimmage. Pierce shares similarities to D.J. Fluker when he was coming out of Alabama and Max Starks at Florida. Guys who won a lot with sheer brute force, elite length, and nimble feet for their size. I see a lot of upward potential with Pierce if he’s allowed to continue developing. He can become a solid starter or at least good depth for a team.
Projection: Early-Mid Day Three
Depot Draft Grade: 7.3 – Fourth Round (Rotational Player)
Games Watched: vs Minnesota (2024), at Maryland (2024), vs Virginia Tech (2023), at Penn State (2023)
