From now until the 2026 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, all the way to Day 3 selections and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Wisconsin EDGE Mason Reiger.
NO. 22 MASON REIGER/EDGE/WISCONSIN – 6045, 251 POUNDS (Graduate Senior)
MEASUREMENTS
Player Ht/Wt Hand Size Arm Length Wingspan
Mason Reiger 6045/251 1038 3258 N/A
40-Yard Dash 10-Yard Dash Short Shuttle 3-Cone
4.71 1.61 N/A N/A
Broad Jump Vertical Bench Press
10’5″
THE GOOD
-Chiseled, well-proportioned frame to hold up as an EDGE defender
-Plays with good pad level and has good technique with take-on
-Motor runs red-hot; high-effort player that never takes a play off
-Flashes quick hands and stacks/sheds quickly against the run
-Showed ability to counter and win after initial rush stalls out
-Great movement skills; chews up ground on stunts/twists, and get-off is impressive
-Diagnoses plays quickly, eyes stay clean, and sifts through traffic well
THE BAD
-Lacks the play strength to anchor consistently as a run defender against bigger, stronger offensive linemen
-Don’t see much speed-to-power conversions on tape
-Limited pass rush arsenal and doesn’t have a fully-developed plan just yet
-Struggles to tackle consistently in space; technique is a bit sloppy with wrap-up
-Doesn’t finish pressures consistently, raising concerns about finishing ability at the next level
-Won’t cover much ground vertically as a pass rusher; has short, choppy strides, allowing linemen to set edges
STATS
-2025 stats: played in 12 games, recording 33 tackles, 6.0 tackles for loss, 5.0 sacks, one pass breakup
-Saw action on 514 snaps at Wisconsin in 2025, generated 45 pressures
-Played in 32 games at Louisville, finishing career with Cardinals with 49 tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss, 8.0 sacks, four forced fumbles, three pass breakups, one fumble recovery
-Played 1,195 snaps in his career at Louisville and Wisconsin
-Finished career with 86 pressures generated
INJURY HISTORY
-Suffered an unclear knee injury that caused him to miss the 2024 season
-Had offseason surgery ahead of the 2025 season to correct a lingering right leg issue
BACKGROUND
-Born August 19, 2002
-Former 3-star recruit out of the Chicago area; team captain
-Played baseball in high school and was an all-conference performer
-Graduated from Louisville with a degree in sports administration
-Named honorable mention All-Big Ten in 2025
-Competed in the 2026 East-West Shrine Bowl and was named the game’s Defensive MVP
-Earned a Combine invite
TAPE BREAKDOWN
The Wisconsin Badgers are a football factory when it comes to producing defensive players, particularly pass rushers. Mason Reiger might not have started at Wisconsin or even graduated in Madison due to his three years at Louisville.
But based on his performance in 2025 with the Badgers, and his dominant showing at the East-West Shrine Bowl (where he won the Defensive MVP award after three sacks), he deserves to be drafted.
Measuring in at 6045, 251 pounds, Reiger projects as a true EDGE in a 3-4 scheme. He brings a motor that runs hot snap after snap. He’s never going to take plays off, and he’s going to give everything he has on every rep.
That effort can take him a long way.
Good work here from Reiger on the interior, hitting the twist perfectly to burst upfield unblocked for quick pressure on the Washington quarterback. The quarterback is very mobile, sidestepping Reiger and getting out of the pocket. But the Wisconsin product never gave up.
He retraced and tracked down the quarterback, combining with a teammate for the sack.
That effort shows up in the run game, too.
He has issues anchoring to defend the run. After all, he’s just 251 pounds and isn’t made for playing with his hand in the dirt. He’s washed down the line here just a bit, but he fights through the block. Even after slipping down, he gets back up and launches himself, knocking the quarterback to the ground.
Where I really like Reiger as a run defender is with his eyes and his ability to diagnose what is happening.
This rep against Alabama early in the year was a great example of him using his eyes to sift through traffic and find the ball.
A lot is happening here at the snap, from the motion to the tight end play side climbing second level. From there, the two linemen from the right are pulling, and Reiger sees it quickly. He’s able to slip both blocks. Then he squeezes down the line of scrimmage to get in on the tackle for the short gain.
Throughout his season at Wisconsin, Reiger flashed the ability to stack and shed blocks quickly against the run. This rep against Michigan was his best.
Quick hands at the snap to shoot them into the chest of the offensive tackle, gaining control immediately. Then, he’s able to shed and get around the lineman, giving him a clear lane to the running back.
What’s very encouraging about this rep is the way Reiger finishes as a tackler. Good technique, and watch at the end where he makes sure to pull in the back’s legs to his core, taking him down. He missed a lot of tackles in the open field, but this shows he can do it well when locked in.
Again, effort is going to go a long way with Reiger. He needs to develop a better pass-rush plan and learn to generate more power from his speed rushes. But for now, he has a good motor and will continue to throw his hands in an effort to win.
I really liked this rep against Oregon last season. He’s stalled out quickly with the pass rush, but watch how he keeps throwing his hands. He eventually knocks loose the tackle’s punch and then can dip and rip around for the sack. The ability is there. It’s just about honing it.
Speed and hand usage will be big for him at the next level.
Granted, this is a sack rushing against an isolated tight end on the backside of the play. But look at the get-off at the snap, and then watch the inside hand chop the tight end’s hands down. This allows him to rip underneath cleanly and finish the sack in style. Plenty of tools to work with.
CONCLUSION
Overall, I didn’t know a ton about Wisconsin EDGE Mason Reiger going into the East-West Shrine Bowl. He had a decent 2025 season with the Badgers, but nothing eye-popping. But then, he was very good the entire week in Dallas; it led to a dominant showing in the game.
He has some good traits with his speed and hand usage, but he must develop a better pass-rush plan. There’s good bend and acceleration to his game, but he has to be a true standup EDGE at the next level and not be asked to play with his hands in the dirt. He doesn’t anchor all that well against the run and will struggle against good in-line blocking tight ends, but there’s a ball of clay worth taking a shot on later in the draft.
I think Reiger can be a strong special teams player with his high-effort style, and I think he can provide some solid OLB4 snaps right away as a rookie. He reminds me of former Wisconsin product Vince Biegel.
NFL Projection: Mid Day 3
Steelers Depot Grade: 7.0 (Spot Starter)
Grade Range: 6.5-7.5
Games Watched: Alabama (2025), Illinois (2025), Iowa (2025), Michigan (2025), Oregon (2025), Washington (2025)
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