Kilian Zierer NFL Draft Scouting Report

OT, Auburn Tigers

Kilian Zierer was the starting left tackle for the Auburn Tigers. The former three-star recruit was a two-sport athlete coming out of high school. Zierer developed his movement skills on the soccer field. He began his collegiate football career as a junior college athlete at the College of the Canyons. He committed to Auburn in 2019. He missed the 2020 season due to an injury before serving as a primary backup in 2021. Zierer started every game of the 2022 season at left tackle. 

Zierer moves better than a man of his size should. He is quick enough to cut off backside defenders in the run game. I appreciated his ability to get out of the starting blocks as a puller on outside runs and the screen game. Zierer does a great job climbing into the second and third levels of the defense to pick off backs and defensive backs. He has really nice arm length/reach to keep rushes at bay. He excels at keeping the outside arc as clean as possible. His length can wash those steep-angle rushers around the quarterback, helping with recovery as well. Zierer’s hand placement with punches is sufficient. 

Zierer lacks the functional play strength to displace and move bodies in the run game. In addition to struggling to drop his hips and anchor versus speed to power rushers. Also, he struggles to maintain/sustain blocks once engaged in the run game. Although he has good forward athleticism and protects the outside arc, if tasked to change directions, Zierer struggles with fluidity. This is a result of his stature, his redirection transitions are rigid with clunky footwork. His stature/build naturally gives him higher than desired hip and pad levels. He struggles with bending at the waist instead of his knees. This leads to balance issues and leverage concerns as well. 

In totality, Zierer is a big and athletic blocker with a nice wingspan. He projects as a backup/swing tackle for a zone-based blocking scheme that highlights his best traits. 

Top Reasons to Buy In:

• Athleticism
• Combination of height, weight, and length
• Competitiveness

Top Reasons For Concern:

• Play strength
• Anchor
• Footwork

Size (Shrine Bowl):

Height: 6072

Weight: 304 lbs

Wingspan: 83 5/8

Arm Length: 34 1/8

Hand Size: 10 1/4

Athletic Testing (TBD):

40-yard Dash: TBD

Vertical Jump: TBD

Broad Jump: TBD

Short-Shuttle: TBD

Three-Cone: TBD

Bench Reps: TBD 

Ideal Role: Backup offensive tackle 

Scheme Fit: Zone and RPO-based

Prospect Comparison: Connor McDermott

TDN Consensus Grade: 71.00/100 (Fifth-Round Value)

• Parson Grade: 71.00/100

Written By: Damian Parson

Exposures: Alabama (2022), Georgia (2022), Penn State (2022), Texas A&M (2022)

Kilian Zierer NFL Draft Scouting Report. Add him to your big board here.