Riley Nowakowski

● Well-developed frame, with sculpted muscle in his arms, quads and calves ● Juiced up as a lead blocker and uproots defenders on drive blocks ● Stout in his lower half to set edges, halt power and seal run lanes ● Highly competitive as a finisher once he latches with his tight blocking hands ● Snatch-and-secure receiver (zero drops over final two seasons) ● Focus remains the same whether wide open or triple covered ● Balanced runner after the catch — stays on his feet and gives pursuit the slip ● Scored two rushing touchdowns in 2025 as a short-yardage fullback ● Hard work instilled in him at a young age by his parents; takes pride in “walk-on” mentality

● Doesn’t have desired size for traditional Y duties ● Lack of length shows when matched up on edges against long-armed defenders ● Route pacing isn’t going to fool many NFL coverages ● Occasionally tardy getting eyes turned to help his quarterback ● 75 percent of career receiving production came in final season ● Missed the first four games of the 2023 season because of a left foot injury

A one-year starter at Indiana (and two-year starter overall), Nowakowski was a versatile weapon in offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan’s RPO-heavy scheme, lining up inline and across the backfield. A former walk-on and linebacker at Wisconsin, he transferred to Indiana and became an unsung hero of the Hoosiers’ national-championship run. A fundamentally tough blocker, Nowakowski inserts on zone runs with tenacious hands and balance through engagement to die slowly. As evidenced by 89.6 percent of his targets resulting in a completion over the past two seasons, he is very quarterback-friendly and usually gets more after the catch than he should. His determination and grit are catnip for coaches — he is the same guy every day and every snap. Overall, Nowakowski made the Indiana playbook come alive with his usefulness and execution in all areas. He projects as a utility H-back who can be both a tight end and fullback.