Wagner is a long, technically aware right tackle who wins with length management and hand placement rather than brute force — and that's both his calling card and his ceiling limiter. His 34.5-inch arms let him control rushers' chests and wall them off the pocket, and he showed marked improvement from a 29-pressure 2024 to a 7-pressure 2025, but Zierlein's assessment of 'marginal athletic traits' with 'lack of foot quickness' captures the persistent concern: when NFL-caliber speed rushers get him moving laterally, his heavy feet and high pad level expose him. He's a developmental swing tackle in a zone-friendly system who could start at right tackle in year two or three if he can add 15 pounds of functional mass without losing the movement skills that make him interesting. The floor is a smart, tough backup who keeps the QB upright; the ceiling is a quality right tackle starter in a scheme that doesn't ask him to win in phone booths.
- Elite arm length (34.5 inches) that he deploys with active, independent hands to frame and neutralize rushers at distance
- Marked year-over-year improvement: reduced pressures allowed from 29 (2024) to 7 (2025), demonstrating coachability and development trajectory
- Smart, technically proficient blocker with high football IQ who reads stunts and identifies defensive intentions pre-snap
- Outstanding personal character, leadership, and durability — team captain, started and finished all 28 games over two seasons without missing time
- Showed encouraging Shrine Bowl performance against live competition, dominating reps against Marvin Jones Jr. with sudden hands and grip strength
- Heavy, clunky footwork limits range as both a run blocker and pass protector; struggles to reach set-points against elite edge speed
- Pad level runs high consistently and he lacks the bend/body control to adjust to moving targets, creating vulnerability against NFL-level athleticism
- Undersized frame at 306 pounds for a 6-6 tackle — needs to add 15+ pounds of functional mass to hold up against power rushers at the point of attack
- Run blocking is a significant weakness: PFF ranked him 292nd among OTs in run blocking in 2025; gets washed out and falls off blocks when feet stop moving
Steelers Depot's direct comp. Similar profile: long, lean right tackle who wins with length and effort but lacks the physicality and foot quickness to be a dominant starter. Okorafor carved out a multi-year starting role in Pittsburgh through development and scheme fit — Wagner's most realistic outcome follows a similar trajectory.