In final week’s Saturday Scouting, I checked out one of many extra high-profile guards who could also be obtainable within the 2027 NFL Draft. Sticking with that place group, I needed to have a look at the top-rated guard headed into the 2026 collegiate season. I discovered the hype round Iowa offensive guard Kade Pieper to be actual and warranted.
And that ought to be of curiosity to the Bucs as their two present beginning guards are beneath contract for a mixed one yr previous 2026 with no assured cash left. Tampa Bay may very well be available in the market for a brand new beginning guard subsequent yr and should dedicate a excessive draft decide to filling that void.
Kade Pieper
From Iowa’s workforce profile of Pieper:
Top – 6-foot-3Weight – 298 poundsAwards – 2025 PFF first-team All-American, third workforce All-Huge Ten (media) and honorable point out All-Huge Ten (coaches)
Per 247 Sports activities, Pieper performed line of defense in highschool, the place he developed right into a three-star prospect. He was the Twelfth-ranked prospect in Nebraska and 161st total within the 2023 recruiting class.
Kade Pieper’s Stats
There aren’t any conventional statistical measurements for offensive linemen, so I’ll default to Professional Soccer Focus, which no less than has some goal manufacturing.
2023
Video games – 1 (left guard)Begins – 0Snaps – 7Pressure Fee Allowed – 0.00percentPFF Run Block Grade – 56.1PFF Cross Block Grade – N/A
2024
Video games – 10 (3 at C, 1 at RG, 3 at LT, 3 at RG)Begins – 0Snaps – 107Pressure Fee Allowed – 0.00percentPFF Run Block Grade – 94.9PFF Cross Block Grade – 86.0
2025
Video games – 12 (all at proper guard)Begins – 12Snaps – 695Pressure Fee Allowed – 2.61percentPFF Run Block Grade – 83.9PFF Cross Block Grade – 78.2
Right here is his manufacturing spider chart exhibiting his percentile ranks:
Overview
I watched three of Kade Pieper’s 2025 video games: Week 4 at Rutgers, Week 7 at Wisconsin and Week 11 vs. Oregon.
The overarching theme with Pieper is that he has particular motion abilities that allow him to get to, maintain and end attain blocks that many different inside offensive linemen may solely dream of. His fluidity and steadiness on the transfer, paired with energetic and correct eyes, create a platform for a proficient participant who may very well be a plug-and-play day-one starter.
As a cross protector, he’s technically sound with constant and correct palms that assist him execute his job effectively. He’s not excellent and his lack of size will result in some losses. However his footwork, steadiness, eye self-discipline and processing put him in a terrific spot to win most reps.
Iowa G Kade Pieper – Photograph by: IMAGN Pictures – Joseph Cress
Strengths
Processing and Eye Self-discipline – He tracks blitz threats whereas engaged, diagnoses and passes off stunts and twists, picks up loopers, and continually hunts for further work when his man drops off. His potential to learn out defensive photos each pre- and post-snap put him in the precise place on a constant foundation.
Motion, Steadiness and Displacement – Pieper’s greatest reps present him driving opponents effectively out of their hole. On broad zone or stretch runs, he’s continually washing defensive tackles down the road to create enviable cutback lanes or getting to achieve blocks the place he cuts in entrance of the nostril deal with and slows the bottom pursuit of the line of defense springing the entrance facet lane his again is searching for. When requested to run inside zone or duo, he pairs up on doubles to drive defenders again a number of yards. His demeanor and mentality are on show with every run play as his objective is take his opponent on a journey.
Was going to spotlight the spectacular C/RG double, but when I did I knew everybody can be like, “but the LG/LT double was better!”
Suffice to say “Doubles everywhere!” pic.twitter.com/mNYNCyQYpv
His steadiness on the transfer is legitimately spectacular. He has an correct focusing on system, shows free hips that swivel effectively as he adjusts to a shifting image on wraps and might grasp with linebackers and safeties when making an attempt to cowl them up in house on screens and climbs.
Drive Energy on the Level of Assault – Regardless of being listed at sub-300 kilos, Pieper doesn’t lack for decrease half energy. He has a observe and subject background as shot putter. And that defines each his core and decrease half energy in addition to his clean hips. His anchor is plus-plus for his measurement and performs in opposition to any opponent. He holds the purpose of assault, and when he wins step one, he’ll typically drive defenders again in one-on-one conditions.
Hand Placement Consistency – his hand strikes virtually at all times discover their strategy to opponent’s chests, tight and inside. It offers him major management of the battle and places him in place to remain mirrored and balanced, reset and re-anchor all through the rep.
Weaknesses
Size – His arms performed brief on a number of reps throughout the three video games. There have been instances the place an opponent was in a position to get a protracted arm into Pieper’s chest, lock out their elbow and left him greedy to re-establish management. These have been how most of his cross safety losses occurred, driving him again into the lap of his quarterback.
Inconsistent Get-off – That is way more thrilling as a result of it’s coachable. There are many reps the place his first step is great and the driving power behind a lot of his wins. However there are sufficient performs the place he’s a beat gradual off the snap that led to him taking part in catch-up. I flagged it sufficient to notice it as an space of alternative that ought to be part of what he’s engaged on getting into his second yr as a starter at Iowa. It’s not a difficulty of athleticism so it’s totally coachable for my part.
Extra Notes
His pad stage is mostly a plus, however in opposition to Wisconsin it began to get upright, leaving his chest extra open to these long-arm stabs.
He struggled late in reps to anticipate lateral actions from defenders he was locked onto. These fast, violent actions to the facet typically left him greedy and bending to remain hooked up.
Kade Pieper’s Scheme Match
As a run blocker, Pieper may conceivably slot in any system. As part of a gap-based system he ought to excel on doubles, as a pin-man and as a puller.
However I believe he may very well be particular in a zone-based scheme that asks him to maneuver laterally, modify on the fly and climb with velocity. The one system that I believe he would wrestle in is a shotgun-based unfold offense that requested him to solo cross defend at a excessive fee.
Kade Pieper’s Projection
Pieper is a day-one starter who ought to keep in that function for the whole thing of his rookie contract. That makes him a tier-three participant by my grading system. There’s upside for him to maneuver right into a tier-two (Future Professional Bowler) and even tier-one (future All-Professional). The spotlight reel run blocks give him that ceiling.
However for me to place him in both of these tiers, I’d need to see him with the next fee of solo cross set wins. However seeing as most offensive coordinators construct their methods from the bottom sport up, Pieper is an attractive prospect who can execute any run idea.
