First true freshman offensive lineman to start for Kirk Ferentz. First-team All-Big Ten selection. First-round NFL draft selection. Super Bowl winner in his first season. There are a lot of firsts for former Iowa Hawkeyes offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs.
The next that can be added is being tabbed as one of the top 25 players in the NFL under 25 years old. Wirfs finds himself at No. 12 on the list of all NFL players 25 years or younger.
He finds himself in the neighborhood of Pittsburgh Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf, and the quarterback of the most recent AFC representative in the Super Bowl, Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals.
Wirfs called Iowa City home from 2017-2019 during a stretch where he was a stone wall on the offensive line and that has only continued to translate in his NFL career. It should be worth noting that Wirfs shocked the internet when he put up a hang clean of 450 pounds. Seriously, watch this. Humans should not be able to move this much weight this easily.
Just a light 450 for Tristan Wirfs 😅 (via @HawkeyeFootball) pic.twitter.com/46fx3HaPNv
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) March 15, 2019
Wirfs was selected 13th overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2020 NFL draft. His landing spot with seven-time Super Bowl winning quarterback Tom Brady could not have been more conducive to his success. While blocking for the best quarterback of all-time carries its own nuances and tasks, Wirfs took these on without any fear.
As a rookie, Wirfs allowed just one sole sack to help the Buccaneers on their way to the Super Bowl title. Not too bad for a rookie blocking for Tom Brady. It’s also impressive seeing Wirfs pretty much own Joey Bosa, one of the nearly unanimously agreed upon top pass rushers in the NFL.
Tristan Wirfs put on a clinic against Joey Bosa. pic.twitter.com/MW07tsmdNa
— JC Cornell (@CornellNFL) October 6, 2020
Wirfs is just 23 years old and has quickly established himself as one of the top offensive linemen in the league already. It should not be a surprise to anyone to see his career continue on this high trajectory along with continued success for the former Hawkeye.
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