With the 97th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Minnesota Vikings selected former Northwestern tackle Caleb Tiernan, continuing the program’s reputation for producing premium pro-level talent on the offensive line. Tiernan is the program’s first draft pick since 2023, a year that saw four former Wildcats get their names called including fellow lineman Peter Skoronski (11th overall to the Titans).
Staying in Purple 💜@Caleb_Tiernan pic.twitter.com/bIiEapDsYF
The Detroit-area native enrolled at NU in 2021 as a four-star recruit, according to 247Sports. He originally came to Evanston while Pat Fitzgerald was still in charge, narrowing down to the ’Cats amongst a final four that also consisted of offers from Ohio State, Penn State, and Michigan.
After redshirting in his freshman season, Tiernan would then star in the trenches for four loyal years near the shores of Lake Michigan. He started every game in his last three seasons for Northwestern and played in 52 games total throughout his college career. He was a four-time Academic All-Big Ten selection, was named as a 2024 All-Big Ten Honorable Mention, and made the 2025 All-Big Ten Second Team this past year.
The 6-foot-8, 323 pound now-Viking was seen as a potential late first-round talent by some scouts, and he fell slightly from InsideNU’s early to middle Round 3 projection. While he played at LT and RT during his time as a Wildcat, his unique size profile may result in Minnesota utilizing him on the interior instead.
Caleb Tiernan is an unorthodox OT archetype. 6'8", 323, but 4th percentile length. Not many case studies w/ this dichotomy, but imo he can be a high-quality starter.Explosive, rangy mauler & a true pass pro technician who can influence actions w/ set angles & flashing hands. pic.twitter.com/px5oChK1vV
Time will tell what his role will end up being, but either way, his tenure at NU surely should have ’Cats fans wishing him the best of luck in NFL.