Hollin Pierce is headed to the NFL.
Rutgers' stalwart offensive tackle was not drafted, despite being a consensus Day Three prospect in this weekend's draft, but was able to choose his destination as an undrafted free agent, signing a contract with the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Trenton, NJ product stays local and is set to work with offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland, one of the best in the NFL.
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The 6-foot-8, 344-pounder was a two-time All-Big Ten selection - earning second team honors and a Phil Steele All-America honorable mention in 2024 - while ranking among the Scarlet Knights' career games played leaders with 52, starting 50.
After joining the program as a walk-on prior to the 2020 season out of Fork Union Military Academy in Virginia, Pierce burst onto the scene as a redshirt freshman in 2021. He played in all 13 games, starting 12 at right tackle. He earned the Mark Mills Second Effort Award as as the program's most improved offensive player during spring practice.
Pierce started all 12 games at right tackle s a redshirt sophomore in 2022, becoming a candidate for the Burlsworth Trophy, the top player in college football who began their career as a walk-on.
In 2023, the Trenton native shifted over to the left side protecting former quarterback Gavin Wimsatt's blindside. He started all 13 games, anchoring a much-improved offensive line that helped star running back Kyle Monangai lead the Big Ten in rushing yards, and allowed the fewest sacks per game in the conference. He was rated as the Big Ten's sixth-best offensive tackle according to Pro Football Focus with a 72.4 overall grade at left tackle.
Pierce continued his strong play as a senior in 2024, earning an 85.4 Pro Football Focus grade, second in the Big Ten and 15th nationally. Monangai had another strong season and quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis had one of the program's strongest quarterback seasons in a decade. The Scarlet Knights' offensive line earned a spot on the Joe Moore Award Midseason Honor Roll, the award given to the best offensive line unit nationally.
Following his playing career, Pierce earned an invite to the NFL Scouting Combine, where he recorded the following measurements:
HEIGHT: 6083 (6-foot-8 3/8ths)
WEIGHT: 341-pounds
HAND SIZE: 9 7/8 inches
ARM LENGTH: 36 inches
He did not participate in any of the individual drills.
NFL Draft Analyst Dane Brugler from The Athletic wrote the following on Pierce in his annual draft preview, "The Beast":
"A four-year starter at Rutgers, Pierce was a steady left tackle in offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca’s zone-blocking scheme. One of the best backstories in the class, he was a 455-pound junior in high school when he decided to try football and ultimately transformed himself into an All-Big Ten tackle and NFL prospect after walking on at Rutgers. In pass protection, Pierce occupies a large surface area with decent feet, long arms and technical focus, but NFL speed will limit his margin for error with punch timing and set points. Though he flashes power to torque in the run game, his tall pads can leave him falling off angle-drive blocks. Overall, Pierce is a towering offensive tackle with rare length to steer and swallow up defenders, although there are drawbacks to his frame that leave him off balance. He projects as a swing backup in the NFL, with a chance to be more."
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