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 Indiana C Pat Coogan.
No. 78 Pat Coogan/C Indiana 6050/311 (Fifth-year Senior)
Measurements
Player Ht/Wt Hand Size Arm Length Wingspan
Pat Coogan 6050/311 9 1/4″ 31 1/8″ N/A
40-Yard Dash 10-Yard Dash Short Shuttle 3-Cone
N/A N/A N/A N/A
Broad Jump Vertical Bench Press
N/A N/A N/A
The Good
– Thick, durable frame that demonstrates excellent core strength
– Fluid mover for his size that makes him effective in space
– Very strong lower body with a stout anchor
– Handles interior power and bull rushes efficiently
– Able to extend and lock out his arms when run-blocking
– Effective in double teams
– Finisher mentality that drives through the whistle
– Quickly identifies call-outs
– Understands post-snap stunts and delayed backer blitzes
The Bad
– Below-average arm length
– Struggles to lower his pad level due to knee bend
– Lacks the athleticism to recover when initially beaten
– Throws late hands, which puts him at a disadvantage against sudden counters
– Doesn’t have the foot speed to mirror quicker rushers
– Erratic movement when he climbs to the second level
– Struggles to maintain balance when blocking in space
– Prone to overextending and lunging at his matchup
Stats
– 2025 stats: 0 sacks allowed, 0 hits allowed, 7 pressures allowed, 2 penalties committed, 16 games played
– Career Stats: 1 sack allowed, 8 hits allowed, 37 pressures allowed, 8 penalties committed, 46 games played
– Notre Dame Career Stats: 1 sack allowed, 8 hits allowed, 30 pressures allowed, 6 penalties committed, 30 games played
– 98.7 pass blocking efficiency per PFF(2025)
Injury History
– Torn meniscus in his right knee during practices before his sophomore season and required surgery (2022)
Background
– Born November 18th, 2002 (23 years old)
– Transferred to Indiana after spending his first four seasons with Notre Dame
– Four-star recruit after earning All-State recognition and being named team captain at Marist High School
– Played offensive tackle in high school, where he helped guide the team to the Class 8A state semifinals
– Dual-sport athlete who lettered in baseball
– Committed to Notre Dame after being a lifelong fan
– Earned Rose Bowl MVP (first lineman to win honor since 1944) (2025)
– Second Team All-Big 10 (2025)
– Started on two units that were Joe Moore Award Semifinalists (nation’s top o-line) (2023, 2025)
– Lost his starting job at Notre Dame before regaining a role due to injuries (2024)
– His family owns Franklin’s Public House–a popular spot in Palos Heights
– Known for his viral R-rated pregame speeches
– Teammates describe him as the “ultimate connector” in the locker room
– Prioritizes analyzing film during his downtime
– Frequently returns to his high school to talk to current players and throws ceremonial first pitches for the baseball team
Tape Breakdown
Pat Coogan is a classic “wins above the shoulders” player. His athleticism won’t jump off the tape, but he is a highly cerebral lineman who understands his limitations and consistently maximizes his strengths. One of those strengths is his lower-body power.
While he isn’t overwhelmingly physical, Coogan has enough lower-body and core strength to anchor against powerful interior rushers. His ability to drop his weight and sink his hips is impressive. He maintains a wide base in his pass sets to compensate for his limited lower-half flexibility. This can hinder his ability to consistently sink to an ideal depth.
Coogan’s greatest strength is his processing ability up front. He quickly sorts through defensive “eye candy,” post-snap stunts, and delayed linebacker twists in a matter of seconds. Once he diagnoses the scheme, he smoothly passes off rushers to his guards. He stays in position to absorb looping defenders and keep the interior clean.
Coogan has shown he can function in a gap-power scheme like Notre Dame’s and in the multiple-zone rushing concepts they implemented. While he’s not a dominant presence, he’s technically sound and versatile enough to fit into any professional run scheme.
On the ground, Coogan sustains blocks with strong upper-body extension. His arm length is limited, but he maximizes what he has by steering defenders out of their gaps and maintaining proper leverage and positioning.
He’s at his best in inside zone and tight-zone concepts that allow him to initiate double teams. When he’s the point man on a duo block, he generates immediate displacement at the point of attack before securing the second-level defender.
Coogan’s movement skills are a bit of a paradox. He’s not expected to test well, and the tape doesn’t show a high-end athlete. However, he’s highly efficient when asked to pull and block in space. On pulls, he shows fluid footwork to clear the line of scrimmage, and he takes tight angles that prevent penetration from crossing his face.
For a lineman who isn’t particularly light on his feet, he’s surprisingly effective on the move.
Conclusion
Coogan is a smart, technically refined interior offensive lineman with extensive starting experience. He isn’t a special athlete, but that rarely presented major issues at the college level. His growth in both pass-protection and run-blocking points to a high-floor player who is likely to outperform his draft slot.
That said, his athletic and physical limitations are difficult to ignore when projecting him as a long-term starter. His movement deficiencies and shorter arms are legitimate concerns. While those traits didn’t consistently show up as problems in college, NFL interior rushers will look to exploit them. Longer defenders are more likely to win first contact and generate pressure by initiating engagements on their terms.
Coogan’s knee bend is another area to monitor. He maintains a wide base in his pass sets, which helps, but his limited flexibility often forces him to play too tall and robs him of some of his power. How that translates against NFL-caliber interior defensive linemen will go a long way in determining his ceiling.
Even with those concerns, it’s undeniable that Coogan was a centerpiece of multiple high-level offensive lines. His cognitive processing and ability to diagnose defensive fronts and pressures should serve him well as he competes to make and stick on a roster.
A comparison that consistently comes to mind for Coogan is Jon Feliciano. Like Feliciano, Coogan projects as a tough, versatile interior lineman who can transition between guard and center and carve out a long career. Neither is a plus athlete, but both win with technical refinement, toughness, and a nasty on-field demeanor.
NFL Draft Projection: Early Day Three
Steelers Depot Draft Grade: 7.5 (Spot Starter)
Grade Range: 7.3 – 8.2
Games Watched: @ Navy (2024 – Notre Dame), @ Oregon (2025 – first matchup), vs. Alabama (2025), vs. Oregon (2025 – second matchup)
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