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 OT Riley Mahlman.
No. 71 Riley Mahlman/OT Wisconsin 6083, 308 pounds (Fifth-year Senior)
Measurements
Player Ht/Wt Hand Size Arm Length Wingspan
Riley Mahlman 6083/308 9 1/8″ 32 1/4″ 79 1/2″
40-Yard Dash 10-Yard Dash Short Shuttle 3-Cone
N/A N/A 4.59 7.69
Broad Jump Vertical Bench Press
8’10” 30″ 17
The Good
– Massive frame that inherently makes an edge rusher’s job more difficult
– Excellent fluid quickness off the snap
– Solid ankle mobility for his stature
– Functional, smooth kick-slide
– Active, independent jabs in pass protection
– Exceptional awareness of stunts and delayed blitzes
– Capable of sinking hips to establish a solid anchor
– Generates raw power on initial collision in the ground game
– Highly effective in downhill, power-oriented concepts
– Effective at vertical displacement
– Played left and right tackle
The Bad
– Lacks length to initiate early contact
– Unable to sustain late blocks with his grip strength
– Struggles with lateral agility and recovery
– Ineffective in wide-zone schemes
– Prone to over-setting against speed rushers
– Susceptible to inside counters
– Plays with an upright stature that throws off his balance
– Higher pad level limits his strength potential at the point of attack
– Inefficient mover in space
– Limited athletic ceiling
Stats
– 2025 stats: 3 sacks allowed, 4 hits allowed, 7 hurries allowed, 14 pressures allowed, 4 penalties committed, 12 games played
– Career stats: 10 sacks allowed, 11 hits allowed, 34 hurries allowed, 55 pressures allowed, 19 penalties committed, 44 games played
– 97.3 pass blocking efficiency (2025)
– 95.2 pass blocking efficiency on true pass sets (2025)
– 72 pass blocking grade per PFF (2025)
– 58.8 run blocking grade per PFF (2025)
Injury History
– Suffered undisclosed injury in the opener of his senior season that forced him to miss three games (2020)
– Encountered a left knee injury in the season opener that forced him to miss six games (2022)
– Dealt with a lower leg injury that affected participation in fall camp, but he didn’t miss any games (2024)
Background
– Born December 30th, 2002 (23 years old)
– Four-star recruit out of Lakeville South and the number one player in Minnesota
– Named first-team All-State as a junior and first-team All-Metro as a senior
– Finalist for Minnesota’s “Mr. Football” award as a senior despite missing time with an injury
– Earned Academic All-State as a junior and senior
– Standout forward in Basketball and competed in shot put and discus in Track & Field
– Named to fourth-team All-American by Athlon Sports
– Pre-season All-Big Ten first team
– Four-time Academic All-Big Ten (2022-2025)
– Earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Business
– Enrolled in a graduate program for Real Estate and Urban Land Economics
– Enjoys Lake Life with his love for boating
– Organized a “Fill the Bin” snack drive for the Ronald McDonald House Charities
– Active mentor with the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Dane County
– Regular participant in local charity events like softball games
– Raises money for causes like the Team One Four Fund
– Uses yoga and flexibility workouts to improve his bend
Tape Breakdown
Mahlman is an old-fashioned mauler on the edge with a contradictory physical profile. He is a massive presence at over 6’8”, but his arm length is short by NFL tackle standards.
As a result, even though he has the ideal height for the position, edge rushers can establish initial contact before Mahlman can get his hands on them. Defenders can then initiate a long-arm bull rush or a push-pull before he is able to establish his grip. He also has smaller hands, which can make it difficult for him to sustain blocks for extended periods.
His athletic ceiling also appears capped. Unlike more athletically gifted tackles who pair ideal size with fluid movement skills, Mahlman moves like a gargantuan lineman. While he shows a decent first step out of his stance, he struggles to climb to the second level and operate in space.
The examples below illustrate how his less-than-ideal hand size causes him to lose reps as they extend, as well as his sluggish movement when working to the second level.
As a pass blocker, Mahlman struggles mightily against pure speed. He has a smooth initial step out of his stance, but he plays too upright. His stature may be intimidating, yet he is a slow-twitch mover who lacks the lateral agility to mirror and recover against quick, athletic pass rushers at the apex of the pocket.
When attempting to compensate for speed, Mahlman is prone to overstepping his pass sets. Fearing he will be beaten around the edge, he will prematurely commit his weight to his outside foot and open his hips too early. Savvy pass rushers who recognize this can exploit it by planting their outside foot and winning with inside spin moves or other inside counters.
When Mahlman sinks his hips and drops his weight in preparation for contact, his frame creates a powerful base that can stop bull rushes dead in their tracks. For a player of his size, his knee bend and flexibility are impressive, allowing him to play with a controlled lean against power.
Another trait that bolsters his effectiveness as a pass protector is his use of independent hands. He throws strong, targeted punches to the defender’s inside chest to win the leverage battle early, and when he’s accurate, he can control the rep. He shows a good feel for striking with his inside hand to disrupt the rusher’s timing while keeping his outside hand free.
While he flashes at times in pass protection, Mahlman is far more comfortable clearing lanes in the run game. He shows outstanding ability to explode into his first block at the line of scrimmage, and on downhill gap concepts, he generates consistent initial knockback on defensive ends.
When he strikes with good leverage, he can establish an immovable wall that allows his backs to press the line of scrimmage and read their cutback lanes.
Conclusion
After opening his career strongly as the anchor of the Wisconsin line, his most recent season fell short of his own standard. Although he has experience on both sides of the line, he appears more comfortable playing on the right.
Mahlman is a massive human being who offers flashes of athleticism but is overall underwhelming in that area. His size is his greatest asset, and he leverages it effectively in both pass protection and the run game.
Though he struggles with speed in pass protection, his anchor is strong enough to handle pure power off the edge. As a run blocker, he is most effective in gap and power-oriented schemes that ask him to vertically displace defenders.
If Mahlman reaches his ceiling, Brian O’Neill represents a reasonable playstyle comparison. However, O’Neill is longer and a better overall athlete. Both win by remaining patient in their pass sets and delivering violent initial contact, but Mahlman will operate with a thinner margin for error due to inferior measurables. Even so, he offers a high floor as a swing tackle.
NFL Draft Projection: Late Day Three – UDFA
Steelers Depot Draft Grade: 6.9 (Pure Backup)
Grade Range: 6.3 – 7.3
Games Watched: vs. Iowa (2023), vs. Penn State (2024), vs. Oregon (2024), @ Oregon (2025)
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