5 things to know about Tristan Wirfs, the No. 13 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft
During this NFL offseason, mock drafts gushed over Iowa offensive lineman Tristan Wirfs. With three seasons at Iowa under his belt, Wirfs is one of the 10 true freshmen to play for the Hawkeyes.
After recording a 4.85 40-yard dash and 24 reps at the bench press during the NFL combine, teams have been eager to move up and select the 6-foot-5, 322-pound prospect.
Here are five things to know about Wirfs, who was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with the No. 13 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft on Thursday night:
1. He’s a three-sport athlete. As you can see by his combine results, Wirfs scored high in almost every area because of his athleticism in multiple sports. Not only is he a star football player, he was a wrestler and a track and field athlete at Mount Vernon High School in Iowa. He collected multiple awards in both of those sports, including winning a state discus title and a state wrestling title.
2. He’s humble. Ryan Whitman, his high school track and field coach, talked about Wirfs with the Des Moines Register. “He just is a quintessential humble kid who is happy with the success that he has, but is also happy for the success that his teammates have,” the coach said. “That’s sometimes kind of hard to find.”
3. He once wrote a letter that led to a state wrestling championship. After he had been accepted to Iowa, Wirfs didn’t drop wrestling even though he could have. In a letter to his high school wrestling coach Aaron Truitt, Wirfs explained that he needed to finish what he started as a freshman. “You told me four years ago February ‘17 would be when the final chapter is written,” he wrote, via the Gazette. “That’s what we’re going to do. I’ll make it. I’m coming out. We’ll figure out the weight thing. I made that promise to you four years ago, I’m going to hold up my end.”
4. He breaks records in the weight room. Last year, Wirfs set a program record with four 450-pound cleans, beating guard Brandon Scherff’s three reps of 443-pounds in 2014, according to 24/7 Sports.
5. In his final Hawkeyes season, Wirfs was named the Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year and also was named first-team All-Big Ten.