Latest / Scouting the League / 2027 Draft Scouting - Kade Pieper - Iowa OG
Transcript
- Rodrik David @RightStepAdv: Hey everyone and welcome to our 2027 NFL Draft Scouting Series here on Scouting the League. Today it's all gonna be about the trenches, Cade Peeper of the Iowa Hawkeyes, listed as a guard. Some are calling him a center. We will talk about that as we get into it today. Tomorrow, make sure you get up caught up on all things international pathway player program with lead international scout Mark Delgarion. You won't want to miss that one as we talk about players that from that IPP that played in the preseason. What is on the fall slate for Mark where he's heading to and some of the fun stuff he's gonna get to see? So make sure you tune into that one. With NFL games kicking off this week, perhaps some NFL flavor to a few shows in the coming weeks. You just have to stay tuned. And to do that, make sure you're doing it. everywhere where you can find us on Scouting the League. I am Roderick David at right step A D V is where you can find me on Twitter. 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Make sure if you all love Iowa football, big fan of them. Head back, listen to our conversation with their GM and chief of staff, Tyler Barnes in the archives. Really fun conversation prior to the season getting started. So make sure you go to that one. But today's all about Kate Pieper. Again, an offensive line that is always solid at Iowa. That's the Coach Ferrence way. So who is Kate Pieper? Let's go ahead and take a look at his profile. So Cade Pieper out of Norfolk, Nebraska, 6'3, 298 pounds. Again, those are going to be measurements that certainly scouts are going to want to see. Is he actually legit 6'3? He certainly looks like it on film. Again, you're talking about a 298 pounds. Again, Tyler Linderbaum coming out of Iowa was kind of right at. There was a lot of questions on the weight. Not as athletic here, as we'll talk about with Kate as Tyler was. But again, That size is certainly going to be a question. You're talking about a fourth-year player that played a little bit before his starting to, you know, just kind of grown into his roles over the year. 11 games before becoming a starter at right guard in 13 games playing right guard again. Expectation this year as we as we get into the year again. Center guard, where is he going to be at moving forward? What are we going to see from Cade Pieper? That's going to be one of the questions. Where do teams slot him? We'll talk about kind of the differences and everything we're going to. you know, talk about with that. So with that we'll get to some film here. So Cade played 39 snaps in week one of 2026. No film up on that yet. So we're gonna hop back to last year's Nebraska game. Again, a game that was really won in the trenches. You expect to see a number 58 there for the Iowa Hawkeyes. We're just gonna let the film run. But again, you're talking about a guy that certainly looks like he's 6'3 plus. Again, that weight you can certainly see at the narrow, more narrow hips. You can see him working at that guard position, whether he's gonna be a center or a guard in the NFL. The answer is yes. Again, any of these players, unless you're really a top, top end guy, really first, second round, you're going to be repping at all three. You're going to be viewed more than likely, unless you are just a truly, you know, gap scheme, big, big guard. You're going to be taking reps at both both at some point. So intelligence is going to be important, versatility, because again. If you're going to make a roster not as a starter, you're going to have to have swing ability on the inside at that center and guard spot. So again, I expect Cade to have a lot of that in his profile as far as guys that are going to be working at that center and guard spot. Again, for offensive linemen, we're going be thinking about initial quickness. We're going to be talking about run game and pass game blocking. And again, is this guy gap scheme fit or a zone scheme fit? We're going to be thinking about things like pass protection. How does he win in per se? Pass protection, is he a big anchor guy, get his hands on lockdown, or is he a movement technique, quick, nimble, agile guy? again, we want to see nasty, we want to see finish, we want to see sustain, and we want to see again that versatility that we talked about. So again, with Kate, I think I think you're talking about a sufficient to good level athlete. I think you know it's gonna be a good question to watch as we go through the year. Has he added weight? Is he able to maintain it? He's on the ground a little bit more. Then I like him. Again, we'll see some snaps where he ends up on the ground. Again, looks like he is a higher cut player. which again, you talk about the the difference between that high cut and low cut belt line. The difference is guys have to really bend when they're higher cut, use the legs, use your leverage. Again, can be easier to get a little bit high. Again, I think he's a little bit higher cut, but again, not in a bad way. Again, typically more NFL players are high cut than low cut. Definitely a different body type there, but again. Looks like he can still add some some weight, some strength in the midsection in all he does. Again, starting the top again, good ability, good bend in his stance. I think he's got good initial quickness. Again, there's some snap mechanic stuff in this Nebraska game. Again, not quite on time, but again, he's able to reach full gap, gap and a half inside outside. I think he's a a sufficient s fit in terms of outside zone. I think he's a good inside zone. Again, sufficient when it comes to To the gap scheme, because again, I like lack of girth, lack of power, lack of mass is going to limit him in his movement off the ball a little bit. And again, you talk about inside zone again. Every NFL team is gonna have inside and inside zone and gap scheme elements. Some teams will add that outside zone again, being a good inside zone player keeps him on the board really for all 32 teams. So again, he's gonna stay in it there. Again, so it has a good ability to sustain, he has good angles, is good with his hands. you know, takes good angles, good hat and hand placement. There's a good job straining to sustain. Again, that's where that higher cut pad level again would love to see him play a little bit lower, be able to sustain a little bit longer. That's when he ends up on the ground a little bit, whether it's those feet getting caught up, whether it's just tripping, whether it's just getting off balance and some of what he does. Again, that's where I want to see him improve this year. A better lower half. And again, lower half stretch starts at the core, goes through the hips. power angles down below that you will like to see all that kind of stuff. Again, the pass game now, again, you've got a consistent pass down player. We already got a got him beat in that one-on-one coverage against a three-tech. Again, the lack of strength and anchor, I think he's got sufficient anchor, but I think he's good with his hands, has good awareness, and is going to stay in position. Now again, this is a player when he gets the feet in the ground, when he's not staying quick and nimble, not using his movement to win, again, he's going to get taken advantage of. I think teams will Again, we're gonna bull, bull, bull early, and then we're gonna get to his edges later. I think that was always a game plan again from a pro scouting standpoint, from a coaching standpoint, you're going to attack guys like this that are a little bit lighter in a different way. And again, can be susceptible to be set up when you get punched and moved and and pushed backwards. But again, he does a good job with his hands. He resets, he's aware on stunts and games, and he does do a good job. at least fighting and sustaining to win and find ultimately ways to win in the past game. Obviously inside zone movement, outside zone movement, again, play action is always gonna help a player like this. Again, he sets it up well, just like we saw in that play, again, force a guy to his edge, force him a long way. So again, he does a good job. And that's where the football instincts again, you always expect that. Generally speaking, again, you don't ever just write at home That a program like I was going to have a bunch of football intelligence guys. But again, you're going to you know ask questions assuming they are football intelligent and just verify that they are. Again, these guys struggle to play at Iowa if they are not aware. Now there's been guys, there's guys in the NFL that played at Iowa that were basically being told by offensive guards what to do. I'm not gonna name any names, but again, there are exceptions to this rule. But in general, It is if you are an Iowa offensive lineman, you're going to be a high football intelligence guy that knows multiple spots. Again, not always the case, and that is always scouting. You can you can lean on things, you can assume things, but you have to verify still and make sure that that is right for this player as well. So again, with Kate, high football intelligence, good player overall. again, a sufficient athlete at this point. I think that's kind of where I'm at. But again, I think there's a little bit more there. I think we could see a good athlete continue to come out, play a little bit bigger, a little bit stronger. That will allow that athleticism to be hidden just a little bit more. Again, keep him on the board for some of these heavier gap scheme teams. But again, with that inside zone fit, I think he's going to be a fit for all 32. So again, Cade's good player. As we jump over to our beautiful staff board brought to you by Kyle Morgan. If you want that board, make sure you hit up Kyle, hit me. We'll find a way to get it for you. Again, really nice, beautiful thing. Again, this is where I kind of view view again a lot of good for Cade that athletic ability. I'm throwing the five on him. I'm throwing that sufficient on him for now. Again, want to see a bigger athlete at the movement level to baby say, hey, this guy is a good level athlete. But again, Play speed's good. I think when he gets out and works, I think competitiveness, football, intelligence, durability, production, again, all good things. I think this is a good, consistent, reliable player that ultimately in the NFL, I think he's a quality, depth, and role player. As we think about players that were taken in the NFL draft here, again, you've got 20-26, you've got 17 guards drafted. You've got one, two in the first round, one in the second, one in the third, three in the fourth. Three in the fifth, five in the sixth, two in the seventh. You can really see that, you know, beginning of day three, four, five, six. Again, that is where 11 of your 17 guards are drafted. I think that's where I'm putting this player. Again, I think he's a quality deaf player. Does he end up starting some games? Yeah, certainly could. Again, these guys are guys that make rosters, gritty tough, high football intelligence. but again, I'm also going to put him back at guard. Again, I need to see some center film. before I can throw that that center grade on him. and I'm going to take him here. I'm going to move him up. Clearly he is a notch below Anthony Knapp of Notre Dame. but again he's my second graded guard. Have looked at a number of guys, certainly better than than them. Chris Soda, big big offensive tackle that I think is going to be a guard at the NFL level. but again we'll see where it all shakes out. So that is K Peeper, fifth round pick for the Iowa Hawkeys coming this year. Excited to see an improvement. The weight go up, the strength go up, the mass go up, continue to play consistent football. That's always going to be the calling card for the Oahawk guys. But not always about what I think. What do you think? Head over to Twitter. Let me know at right step ADB. What do you think of Cade? Where am I right? Where am I wrong? You're more than happy to tell me where you're wrong. That's usually the case. I can take it though. I have sat in the draft room. I've looked at a GM and told him what I thought. He told me I was wrong. One of us is right. One of us is wrong. We'll see where it all shakes out though. So head over, leave it in the comments on YouTube. If you watch that film, like that film, make sure you do that. make sure you head back and listen to our conversation with IWASGM Tyler Barnes. That is in the archives. And then tune in tomorrow for our conversation with Mark Dogarion of the International Pathway Program. So with all things scouting, as we get into the season, make sure you let me know know the players you want to watch, some of these Heisman week one moments from players across the board, players that Had much better weeks than I thought they would. Some of these players, Jeremiah Smith just doing what's expected. So lots of football left to play. We got NFL kicking off soon. With all things here on Scouting League, you know, we're gonna keep scouting.