Illinois tight end Tip Reiman is a big-bodied, versatile playmaker who's an outstanding athlete given his size and stature. Reiman ran the 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine in a blazing-quick 4.64 seconds at 6-foot-4 and 271 pounds. Reiman will make an immediate impact as a blocker and red-zone threat.
Reiman recently spoke exclusively with The Draft Network about his performance at the NFL Combine, playing as a blocker and pass-catcher, which teams are showing interest in his services, and more.
JM: You absolutely crushed the NFL Combine. You ran a 4.64 40 and had an outstanding 10-foot-1 broad jump. You were by far one of the most athletic tight ends in attendance. How would you grade your overall performance?
Tip Reiman: I would probably give myself a B or something like that. I’ve performed better in the past. Regardless of that, I’m super thankful and proud of how I performed at the NFL Combine. I’d say it’s up there, around a B, but I know I could have done even better.
JM: You’re your own harshest critic. Do you think you caught some people off guard?
Tip Reiman: Yeah, I 100% did (laughs). I think that was evident based on the reaction the numbers received on social media. When you consider my weight, I think people were definitely surprised with some of the results.
Putting up some of those numbers at my weight is pretty tough. I know a lot of people were excited. They were surprised if they were expecting me to be sluggish and slow. I think I proved that I’m light on my feet.
JM: Have you noticed an uptick in attention you’re receiving from NFL teams since then?
Tip Reiman: Yeah, there’s definitely been an uptick. I feel like I was being somewhat disregarded before. To have the experience I did at the NFL Combine, it definitely helped me a lot. I put my best foot forward and I’m ready to capitalize on it.
JM: The results are more eye-popping when you consider you have a 6-foot-4, 271-pound frame. You alluded to that just a minute ago. How do you use that size to your advantage on a play-by-play basis?
Tip Reiman: I float between 270 and 275 pounds. It’s not a bad 270, you know what I mean? (laughs). I carry my weight well. I’m strong. I always use size to my advantage, but you also saw some of the quickness I’m capable of with some of the numbers I posted.
That quickness helps me get off the line of scrimmage in a hurry. I can beat people with speed when I need to, but I’m also strong enough to hang in there when blocking defensive ends. I play with an innate aggression that you can’t teach. That’s how I attack it.
JM: When I watch the tape, I see a guy that in my opinion, should have been featured more in the passing game. You totaled 203 passing yards and three touchdowns this season. You were efficient with taking your opportunities into the end zone. If teams ask why you weren’t more involved, and I imagine that’s something they’d want to get to the bottom of, how are you answering that question?
Tip Reiman: We had Isaiah Adams and Julian Pearl as our starting offensive tackles last season. I played tight end. We had really good running backs, a particularly big back in Kaden Feagin. Why not run the ball? That’s what I say. That’s what we were best at.
JM: That’s fair. You were really effective on the ground. Does Tip Reiman have a favorite route to run?
Tip Reiman: I like them all honestly (laughs). Tracking a seam ball is really cool. I love a good seam route across the middle. It’s usually open for me, or it comes open at some point. I have some options with a seam route. I can take the middle if it’s open versus man coverage. When we hit that play, it’s usually a big hitter.
JM: Talk to me about blocking in the run game. You certainly have the frame for it. You also touched on Illinois’ run-heavy approach. How comfortable are you as a blocker?
Tip Reiman: I’m 10/10, very comfortable (laughs). I’m extremely comfortable. I love the aggression that comes with playing in the trenches as a run blocker. I love everything that comes with it. I grew up in an environment that preached toughness. That mentality comes out of me when I’m asked to be a blocker. I have an aggressive on-field personality. I flip a switch.
I love playing in pass protection as well. That’s where the aggression in me gets to be distributed. You can’t be too finesse in that regard. I save finesse for the route-running part of my game. It’s a lot of fun to get nitty gritty in the blocking game.
JM: We saw that on tape from you. Do you have any upcoming Top 30 visits?
Tip Reiman: I do. I’m visiting with the Atlanta Falcons and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. We’ll probably add more visits to my slate soon.
JM: That’s awesome. We’ve appreciated your time. What kind of impact is Tip Reiman going to make at the next level?
Tip Reiman: They’re getting a tough, smart, dependable guy. I’m going to be extremely physical at the point of attack. I have a high football IQ. They can count on me to be a student of the game.
I’m going to be extremely dependable both on and off the field. I’ll be there to be a glue guy in the locker room as a great teammate.
