INDIANAPOLIS — As the football world descended upon the urban sprawl of hotels and restaurants surrounding Lucas Oil Stadium and the Indiana Convention Center for the 2026 NFL Combine, so too did members of the Northwestern community.
The Wildcats sent three players to participate in this year’s “Underwear Olympics,” with offensive linemen Caleb Tiernan and Evan Beerntsen as well as defensive lineman Aidan Hubbard making the trip down this past week. The trio was NU’s first representatives since 2023, when four ’Cats were invited to the combine and later selected during the subsequent NFL Draft.
Tiernan, NU’s highest-ranked prospect on most big boards, made a lasting impression during his time in the Crossroads of America and the crossroads of the football world.
While much of the attention centers around what happens between the white lines in Indianapolis, NU’s stalwart at left tackle wasted no time demonstrating the skillset he hopes to bring to the next level, making the most of his media availability Saturday.
Although he mentioned pass blocking as his greatest strength, his love for the game of football — a trait he believes distinguishes him from other prospects — was most evident when talking about opportunities to get down and dirty in the run game.
Tiernan called Duo, a gap scheme run call that relies on two sets of double teams driving an interior defender straight back, “the greatest football play,” and mentioned how exciting it would be to get in on the action for the Tush Push, should he be selected by the Philadelphia Eagles, as one reporter posed.
When asked by another reporter Saturday what he hoped headlines would read following his performance the next day, Tiernan responded, “Hopefully sneaky athletic.” With some hindsight, half of that statement came true, as there was nothing sneaky about his performance.
Officially measuring in at 6-foot-8, an inch taller than his listed height in Evanston, the ’Cats’ blindside protector put some noteworthy explosiveness and technical prowess on display to pair with his frame.
His 35.5-inch vertical jump was the top mark among offensive linemen from this year’s combine and is tied for eighth for all offensive line prospects since 2006. Paired with a more than 9-foot broad jump and a strong showing during the on-field position drills, the Michigan native found himself the beneficiary of many post-combine write-ups, including some from the Detroit Lions beat centered roughly 16 miles from his hometown of Livonia, Mich.
Tiernan was not the only one of NU’s offensive linemen to raise some eyebrows over the weekend, though, as Beerntsen’s passion and physicality from the interior of the line similarly seeped through.
Already well-regarded for his work with the ground game, with his 80.9 PFF run-blocking grade ranking 10th among guards this past season, Beerntsen recalled the most memorable block from his collegiate career, back during his time at South Dakota State University.
Unmarked at right guard, the former Jackrabbit had the opportunity to tee off on a cleanup block, where the defensive end on his side had spun inside and didn’t see Beerntsen barreling his way — “every O-lineman’s dream.”
“Didn’t see me coming, leveled him,” Beerntsen told reporters. “Ended up jumping on top of him, got a touchdown called back. So I hated that, but (the block) was one of the best feelings in the world.”
Beyond a nasty streak hallmarked by linemen across the league, the former FCS national champion looks to bring another characteristic trait of NFL players with lengthy careers to the league: positional flexibility.
According to ESPN draft analyst Jordan Reid, Beerntsen was one of four from Sunday’s first cohort of linemen to test during on-field drills that were requested to take snaps at center following their workout.
“The biggest thing is just being versatile,” Beernsten said Saturday regarding what he brought to the table at the next level. “Being able to play left guard, center, right guard — wherever a team needs me to play.”
On the opposite side of the ball, the ’Cats’ leading pass-rusher last season noted a similar interest in playing wherever and however necessary to make it in the league.
“I’m comfortable doing whatever a team wants me to do,” Hubbard told reporters. “I think I’ve shown on film that I’m versatile and can do multiple things, so whatever a team’s looking for, I’ll be happy to do for them.”
Hubbard mentioned that he characterized his game by his “relentless effort,” and that he made a concerted attempt to prepare for the combine in a manner beyond his normal in-season routines, citing a more pronounced focus on training his explosive side of his athleticism for the event.
For him, his love for the game goes beyond honing his craft on the field and extends into the little moments, exemplified by his approach heading into NFL Draft season.
“It also comes down to how much you’re doing outside of football to help you get better at football,” Hubbard said. “You really have to live and breathe football to love football.”
Hubbard opted not to participate in the on-field drills for defensive linemen on Thursday, but tallied 21 reps as one of three edge rushers to participate in the bench press event the following morning.
Although Monday marked the end of the combine’s festivities in Indianapolis, the impact NU will impart on the football world before the NFL Draft begins on April 23 is far from over.
For the ’Cats’ three combine representatives, and many other members of its graduating class, NU’s pro day March 17 represents their final opportunity to showcase their talents to scouts and the world at large ahead of the NFL Draft.
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