Tip Reiman scouting report: Exploring the Illinois tight-end's strengths and weaknesses

A zero-star recruit in 2020, Tip Reiman played in all eight games of the COVID-shortened season year but primarily on special teams (zero catches). After being limited to three receptions (for 43 yards and one touchdown) in 2021, he hauled in 19 passes each of the last two seasons for a combined 377 yards and four TDs.

Profile: 6-foot-5, 270 pounds; RS JR.

Breaking down Tip Reiman's scouting report

Blocking:

• Has plus size for an oldschool Y tight-end, who latches his 10.5-inch hands empathically and really activates his lower half as a run-blocker
• Quick to establish his first step and turn his hips to seal backside edge defenders or pin them on the front-side for plays to the perimeter
• Displays the dexterity and power in his hands to apply force on an angle and wash down linebackers trying to shoot downhill in order to present cutback lanes
• Urgent to erase space towards second-level defenders and brings his hips through contact to take control of those
• Sturdy enough to swallow the charge of safeties when he has to be conservative with blocking them in space and guiding them, in order to give the ball-carrier an indication of where to go
• Packs a lot of thump as he launches a shoulder into edge defenders on sift blocks or wrapping around for lead-blocks on power/counter concepts
• Generally does a great job when his hands are on the edge/side of defenders, to push them just enough off track without grabbing cloth and drawing flags for it
• Logged 80 snaps in pass-protection last season, where Tip Reiman has the sturdy base, hand-usage and length to deal with legit edge rushers for stretches

Releases & route-running:

• Brings some strong hand-swipes to release off press from detached alignments and is able to defeat the leverage of guys close up on him
• Has enough speed to pull away from defenders on shallow crossers, where his frame and long arms extend that window for the ball can be placed in front of him
• Capable of sinking his hips and pretty making fluid transitions at 270 pounds
• Runs some excellent pivot and return routes
• Explosive in the way Tip Reiman clears underneath the formation and gets into slide routes for run-after-catch plays
• Excels at standing up defenders and then cleanly releasing off play-action while being to control

Approaching the catch & YAC:

• Consistently plucks the ball away from his frame, with some impressive grabs off the top shelf
• Deals well with different pace on the ball and slowing it with his huge mitts – didn’t drop a single pass last season
• Doesn’t need to slow down for passes typically and seems to gain speed through the transition to becoming a runner it appears like
• Can stop his momentum and dip inside of defenders of his receivers blocking for him pretty well
• You see the contact balance to bounce off big hits and keep going if guys don’t wrap up against him – 17 of his 19 catches last year resulted in either a first down or touchdown
• Never seems to expose the ball or swing it away from his frame, typically approaching tacklers with low pad-level – has zero career fumbles on 41 total receptions

Weaknesses:

• Gets unnecessarily top-heavy and falls off more blocks than he should, especially working out to the perimeter on wide receiver screens
• Sort of lumbering out of his stance from the slot, not really threating the safety to his side on a vertical plane
• His routes currently lack detail and subtle elements to create advantages for himself and delay the reaction of off-man defenders at the break-point
• Allows slot defenders to slide in front of him, while he could be more violent with his plant-step and come out of his break flatter in order to create for friendly arrival openings for the ball
• Still developing the right feel for when to slow or stop himself in windows vs. zone coverage

Tip Reiman's 2024 NFL Draft prospect

In an era where 11 personnel is the new standard at pretty much all levels of football and tight-ends have often turned into more so glorified slot receivers, Tip Reiman presents a throwback profile.

Inside the box, he can be trusted with pretty much any assignment in the run game, since he can get to his spots quickly, offers adequate technique and the frame to not just create stalemates but actually “win” on contact.

Tip Reiman’s not a dynamic receiving option detached from the line, whether he’s pushing vertically or tries to separate our of his breaks, while his ability to find and settle in open space will need to improve if he wants to make a living over the middle of the field.

With that being said, I thought I did see an extra gear to get from even with to a step or two behind safeties during Shrine Bowl week and then he put together a pretty shocking combine performance.

Showing up at 271 pounds, Tip Reiman participated in all the events and the only he didn’t perform in the 77th percentile or better at was the vertical jump, including an elite 10-yard split and 28 reps on the bench press – most of any non-lineman this year.

I think Tip Reiman will be a valuable TE2 either way thanks to his blocking and he has the potential to turn into a starter eventually as he works on his craft as a receiver.

Grade: Fifth round