The Wildcats' left tackle was often underrated, but got his flowers at the end of an exceptional career.
Caleb Tiernan came to Northwestern as one of the highest-ranked recruits in program history. He left as one of the top college football players in the country.
The star left tackle just concluded his fifth and final season with the Wildcats, a year in which he led Northwestern's offensive line to a significant turnaround. After finishing the 2024 season as the No. 58-ranked pass-blocking team and No. 80-ranked run-blocking team in the FBS, according to Pro Football Focus, the 'Cats improved their standing to No. 10 and No. 19 in 2025, respectively.
Tiernan headlined the unit as a 6-foot-7, 325-pound stalwart on the left side of the line. He recorded a pass-blocking grade of 84.3 during his redshirt senior season and did not allow a sack in 11 of his 13 games.
The strong campaign landed Tiernan a spot on the All-Big Ten Second Team, as well as the No. 93 ranking on ESPN's top 100 players of the 2025 season list.
"Northwestern's three-win improvement and return to the postseason could be tied to the offensive line Tiernan anchored," ESPN writer Adam Rittenberg said. "A liability in 2024, Northwestern's line became a strength, and Tiernan was an asset in protecting quarterback Preston Stone and helping the run game eclipse 2,000 yards. Tiernan earned second-team All-Big Ten honors and finished with 43 career starts at Northwestern."
The Livonia, Michigan, native was ranked the No. 9 offensive lineman on the list and the No. 32 overall player from the Big Ten.
Tiernan entered Northwestern's lineup as a redshirt freshman in 2022 and struggled mightily, as the Wildcats went just 1-11. However, the former four-star recruit quickly improved as he gained more experience, and Tiernan started all 13 games at left tackle during NU's 8-5 season in 2023.
The towering lineman was a mainstay at left tackle for 38 consecutive starts and now heads for the NFL after consecutive outstanding seasons. While he likely won't be a first-rounder like his predecessors, Peter Skoronski (Titans, 2023) and Rashawn Slater (Chargers, 2021), Tiernan's size and Big Ten experience make him an intriguing mid-round prospect for NFL franchises.
Tiernan was a team captain for the first time in his career in 2025. He earned praise from head coach David Braun throughout the year for coming out of his shell and developing into a vocal leader. Thanks to his efforts at left tackle and leadership in the locker room, Northwestern built a strong running game en route to a winning season and a victory in the GameAbove Sports Bowl.