Wirfs Comes Coached Up
April 23rd, 2020
Maker of offensive linemen.
If nothing else, new Bucs offensive lineman Tristan Wirfs comes well-coached.
Recently, Hall of Fame general manager Bill Polian took to his show “Late Hits,” heard on SiriusXM NFL Radio to break down his top-five offensive linemen in the draft.
Wirfs was among them.
Polian wasn’t convinced Wirfs would be a right tackle. He was convinced Wirfs could be a top-shelf right guard for years to come, maybe a decade.
What impressed Polian the most about Wirfs is that he came from Iowa. That’s because of Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz. He learned from the feet of the master. Ferentz was Bill Belicheat’s offensive line coach in Cleveland.
No offensive linemen in college, Polian stressed, are better coached up than Iowa linemen.
Polian went so far as to suggest Wirfs may not find better coaching in the NFL than he did at Iowa.
Those are strong words. And it’s cool that a guy with that kind of education is with the Bucs.
April 23rd, 2020 at 10:09 pm
Get to tampa now Wirfs. Acclimate to the heat and humidity
April 23rd, 2020 at 10:09 pm
Just hope Lynch didn’t fleece us. There’s plenty more we need
April 23rd, 2020 at 10:09 pm
Imagine a short yardage goal line situation and we have Big V, coming in behind a Wirfs block!!! Man looky here….You cant stop almost 700 lbs of freight train muscle within 4 yards!
April 23rd, 2020 at 10:11 pm
Iowa OLs do tend to do well in the NFL. I think this guy is fine.
April 23rd, 2020 at 10:12 pm
@Max
Yes Sirrr!!! That is crazy strength and size coming at you. We are now big and nasty on both sides of the ball. I love it!!
April 23rd, 2020 at 10:13 pm
OC Brian Ferentz ain’t no slouch himself. He also played OL. He coached in NE. He’s also a Belicheat disciple.
April 23rd, 2020 at 10:15 pm
MadMax,
Draft AJ Dillon in round 5 and give him a direct snap behind those two.
April 23rd, 2020 at 10:15 pm
Good pick. Go get SWIFT now!!!!
April 23rd, 2020 at 10:15 pm
Finally we have pretty much a consensus pick that most analysts believe was the right pick…..I suspect most fans also agree…
We wanted one of the big 4 and got one……don’t like the trade up but WTFDIK….
April 23rd, 2020 at 10:16 pm
Steve K – I like that idea. Probably can’t wait till round 5 though.
April 23rd, 2020 at 10:16 pm
I’m excited. Licht has done pretty darn good with later round OL. Now he got a 1st rounder. I expect this to be a good decision. Licht does seem to have a knack at spotting talent in OL……And especially since he traded up should tell us he is high on this kid!!
GO BUCS!!!!
April 23rd, 2020 at 10:19 pm
Some believe Wirfs is a better guard because he falls 1/2 inch short of 6’5″. The dude was a wrestler at Iowa, the best in the Nation. One of the strongest players in the draft and the fastest Tackle. To top it off, as the article says, the best coached group of OL in college. In my opinion, he should have been the first tackle to be picked.
April 23rd, 2020 at 10:20 pm
Check out usa today article on tackle rankings
April 23rd, 2020 at 10:20 pm
So then do we put him at RG and Haeg at RT?
April 23rd, 2020 at 10:21 pm
I would love him better at guard and compare him to Quentin Nelson
April 23rd, 2020 at 10:23 pm
I cant wait to see Wirfs and Big V go at it in practice…..that’ll be beautiful practice and strength/maneuver/hand fight training for both!
April 23rd, 2020 at 10:25 pm
Love the pick, hate to lose a 4th round pick to move up one spot.
April 23rd, 2020 at 10:26 pm
Will be interesting to see who we could have had at 117… the question will be Wirfs versus Kinlaw + 117. Definitely playing it safe and can’t argue with talent and need… just hate to have both our 4ths now be 7ths… and it sounds like Licht is preparing OJ to stay in Tampa so no draft capital coming there.
This is an “ok” for me based on cost although I’m embarrassed to admit that given his talent level. His floor looks to be a Pro Bowl Guard… but could easily lock down RT for a decade. We’ll see.
April 23rd, 2020 at 10:26 pm
Do-everything athlete with baseball as his first love. He continued playing baseball at Mount Vernon High School as a power-hitter and fastball pitcher, but football, track and wrestling also became an important part of his sports routine. He became the first player in the state of Iowa to win both the shot and discuss titles in three straight years since the 1950s. As a senior, his careerbest in the shot (66-3 1/4) ranked sixth-best nationally and second-best all-time in the state. In wrestling, Wirfs won the 2017 state championship at a senior.
A three-year starter at Iowa, Wirfs lined up primarily at right tackle in offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz’s pro style scheme. He became the first true freshman in the Kirk Ferentz era to start at offensive tackle and was considered interchangeable on the left or right sides (played mostly right tackle because Alaric Jackson was a better left tackle than right tackle). A natural athlete, Wirfs’ background in track (explosiveness) and wrestling (body control) have translated to his football skills, including the importance of training and preparation
April 23rd, 2020 at 10:27 pm
I watched a lot of film on Wirfs and he’ll struggle some against some of the fast guys at DE/OLB. But with better coaching, he just might work out at RT. Ive seen him make some beautiful beast plays and then some bonehead plays….mightve been conditioning, i dont know. But I do know if Haeg works out real good at RT and we move Wirfs inside at RG in run plays, we’ll have the best O line in the NFC. Cappa will still be very important and will be great depth.
April 23rd, 2020 at 10:28 pm
This oline already had a group of power lifters. Add Wirfs. HUGE steal. Bucs players constantly getting more pumped every day.
April 23rd, 2020 at 10:40 pm
O line does sound pretty good right about now. Need to improve the backfield and get a 3rd WR tomorrow before we concentrate on the D.
April 23rd, 2020 at 10:42 pm
Not to be nit-picky Joe, but I don’t think Ferentz learned anything from Belicheat’s feet. Maybe at his feet…😎
April 23rd, 2020 at 10:54 pm
Donovan Smith is a RT, so if Wirfs is more a guard, it makes sense he’d play RT for us. 😉
April 23rd, 2020 at 10:58 pm
Awesome pick.
April 23rd, 2020 at 11:59 pm
Yep, I’m super hyped because I thought Wirfs would go before Becton, and Thomas.
Iowa is one of the best schools that produce Oline men too.
April 24th, 2020 at 12:03 am
So this guy isnt getting any better from coaching yet everyone thinks he cant play tackle and should move to guard. Great job Licht.
April 24th, 2020 at 12:57 am
Bosch Says:
April 23rd, 2020 at 10:09 pm
Get to tampa now Wirfs. Acclimate to the heat and humidity
Yeah none in Iowa
April 24th, 2020 at 6:17 am
What isn’t to like about this pick? The most pro ready of the top four O-lineman and a great athlete. The expectations on him will be high coming from Iowa and protecting the GOAT. For a team in win now mode, kudos Jason Licht. I feel fortunate he fell so far. I really like this selection.
Looking at the players available still, I don’t think we need to force a pick in Round 2, either a starting calibre safety or RB will be available when we pick at #45