KIlian Zierer: Path To The NFL Draft
By Simon Carroll
If we learned anything from the first International Series game in Munich last season, it’s that Germany has a huge appetite for football. 69,811 tickets sold out in less than forty minutes to watch the Seahawks and Buccaneers do battle in the Allianz Arena, with numbers in the queue surpassing the million mark at one point. And yet, this passion for America’s greatest game is nothing new. Outside of the UK, Germany is the NFL’s biggest overseas market and has been for some time. The nation has been host to three different NFL Europe franchises, with famous names such as Terry Crews, Danny Wuerffel and David Akers all calling the country home at some point. And to this day, more than sixty NFL stars past and present hail from ‘The People’s Land”.
Kilian Zierer hopes to be the next German to add his name to that list. And yet, incredibly, the big offensive tackle from Auburn has only played the sport for less than eight years. He sat down with Simon Carroll to discuss his path to the NFL Draft:
Munich Made
If you bumped into Kilian Zierer on Toomer’s Corner in Auburn, Alabama, you would have no idea that his nationality was anything other than American. To the untrained ear, his accent sounds purely native, if a little devoid of any regional twang. There’s certainly no hint of German heritage in his voice, despite living in the States for less than five years. And yet, his fondness for his home town and country is evident from the beginning of our conversation:
“I was born and raised in Munich, Germany. I lived there for nearly seventeen years before I moved further south with my mom. Like everyone else over there, I grew up playing soccer. I think I played ten years or so, first as a striker until I got too big. Then they put me in goal, until I got too big again! So I stopped playing soccer at about fifteen years old. But around that time we took a vacation to Fort Myers, Florida, and that was my first introduction to football. It was the kickoff of the NFL season, Steelers versus the Patriots, and I just fell in love with the sport. I’d never seen anything like it. As soon as I went back home I began looking at playing it.”
Much like in the UK, the NFL was growing in Germany when Zierer first got the bug. Finding games to watch on television was one thing, but Kilian is a participator, not an observer:
“The NFL had just begun streaming that year in Germany, which was really lucky. It wasn’t long before I started playing – at sixteen I played two seasons in Munich, and continued for another season when we moved south. It was three seasons in two years really, and I started out at receiver – I was like 185, 190 pounds. I added some weight for the second season because I wanted to be the starting tight end. And then the next offseason, I ended up putting on too much weight and was moved to tackle!”
6,000 Miles Chasing A Dream
He didn’t know it at the time, but the accidental weight gain was a blessing in disguise. Zierer was a natural pass protector; a man with the size, length and athleticism to thrive in one of the toughest positions in the sport. And it didn’t go unnoticed, leading to a connection with a former German NFL star who was once a first round draft pick:
“I was really fortunate. Björn Werner, former Colts defensive end, he and a guy called Chris Adamson ran a company called ‘Gridiron Imports’ back then. My o-line coach in Munich, he really believed I had the stature and talent to play in the States, so he hooked me up with those guys. Björn, he’s originally from Germany too, and we talked for like a year or so making plans. Eventually, they found me a home – Chris knew the offensive coordinator at a Junior College in California, and within a couple of months I had the opportunity to go. I didn’t even think twice.”
That Junior College was College of The Canyons in Santa Clarita, just a short drive north of Los Angeles. A twelve hour flight from Munich, it would be daunting for any teenager to consider such a long-distance move, let alone in a different country with a different language, and without your family. But as far as Zierer was concerned, it was the one place that gave him the chance of a lifetime:
“I had all the support from my family. My mother was always behind me, my siblings looking out for me. And my dad and my grandma, they were the ones that helped make it a reality. They paid for my tuition, helped me get set up in California with a car. All those kind of things. So everything was in place, I had that structure. Of course I would miss my family, but this was an opportunity that I was never going to pass up. And it was all worth it.”
Picking The Plains
By this point, Kilian Zierer’s chameleon-like ability to adapt to anything has me feeling truly inferior as a human being. He switched positions at soccer and thrived. He played three different spots on the German gridiron and was so good he got an offer to play in America – after just three seasons. And if all that wasn’t enough, he takes to life across the Atlantic like a duck to water, making an instant impact for the Cougars:
“I was at College of the Canyons for two years. I headed over in July 2018 and straight into Fall camp. And amazingly, I was able to start my first game within just six weeks. I mean, I played soccer for ten years, which helped with my athleticism and footwork a lot. And of course I had played tackle for a year in Munich, so the position wasn’t totally alien to me. I kind of already knew what I was walking into. But the best thing was how raw I was. It meant the coaches just said to me ‘forget everything you think you know, you’re gonna do it this way.’ And since I had no bad habits, they could do whatever they wanted with me. I did what they asked, and it worked.”
‘It worked’ doesn’t quite do it justice. A pillar on the o-line, Zierer helped COC’s offense average 33.6 points per game, and log 4,325 yards of total offense in 2018. And the Cougars went 10-0 to win the SCFA National Division, Northern League title. After attracting major interest from FBS schools, Kilian hit the transfer portal as the #1 ranked Junior College offensive tackle available. And it soon became clear there was only one place he wanted to head to:
“It wasn’t easy. But when you have the natural traits, the size and athleticism, they can teach you the rest; how to block guys, the scheme, how to get your hands inside and drive. And obviously, I did really well there. I had fifteen or so scholarship offers from FBS schools. July 2019, I remember speaking to the Auburn offensive line coach there at the time. He said ‘we’re going to offer you a scholarship’. I was like ‘oh, cool!’. At this time, I didn’t know what Auburn was or where it is, didn’t have a clue what the Iron Bowl was – I didn’t really know what the SEC was, outside of it being talked about as the biggest, best conference in football. But they invited me out there the next week, I flew down, and everything fit – the university, the people, the campus, coaches. It was all perfect. When I flew back to California, I knew Auburn was where I wanted to be.”
Learning From The Best
COMMITTING TO AUBURN. pic.twitter.com/mFECCJuSON
— Kilian Zierer (@Kili24_) July 22, 2019
A few months after that phone call, Kilian Zierer finally made his dream move to The Plains. Despite tearing his ACL, The Tigers remained true to their word and never rescinded the scholarship. All that meant was that Zierer had to wait a while to make an impact for his new team:
“I came in, had an injury and worked on my rehab all year. COVID also hit, so year one in Auburn was kind of a wipeout from the start. But I was finally able to get back on the field in 2021. I kinda used it to my advantage a little bit; it allowed me to get adjusted to the speed of the game. There wasn’t much time for development that year, it was like COVID then straight into fall camp. But yeah, I used the time wisely. Just understanding what SEC speed looks like in practice; going up against guys like Derick Hall and Eku Leota was a huge jump, but it definitely got me ready for 2021.”
We discuss the attributes of the two edge rushers he mentions by name. Both Derrick Hall and Eku Leota are expected to be drafted next month, but as Zierer explains, they posed very different problems across the lline of scrimmage:
“Derick, man he was tough. We probably went up against each other one on one every day in practice for the last year and a half. He was so strong. The same with Eku too – he was a different problem, a complete opposite player but just as effective. His speed was insane! Two different challenges to learn against in practice each day was really good for me. It helps a lot going into games – if you can block those two in practice, you’re in a good position when it comes to playing other teams on Saturdays.”
Finding His Feet
Auburn is one of the most picturesque destinations in college football. For many enrolled at the university it becomes a permanent home, and the people there embrace guests as family, with all the charm you’d expect from a southern city in America. Kilian Zierer speaks fondly of his time there; it’s a place he met his girlfriend, who is about to embark upon his NFL journey with him. But that didn’t stop him from appreciating some other places he went to when wearing the famous orange and blue:
“We went to Penn State in 2021 when they had the ‘White-Out’ game, which was one of the best spectacles I have ever been privileged to play in front of. But I think my personal favourite experience was going to College Station and playing against Texas A&M – their stadium is just HUGE. You walk in there and the rows just keep getting higher and higher. It was definitely a wow moment for me. The Aggies fans, they have a couple of weird traditions, but they support their team really well. One of the coolest things about joining a team in the SEC was appreciating all the other schools’ traditions, as well as your own. Every one was unique.”
After the injury meant his first year at AU was something of a false start, Zierer went to work. His second year at his new home would be where he finally introduced himself to the Auburn faithful:
“2021, I worked myself into a position whereby I was probably considered the swing tackle. It wasn’t official, but they knew I could line up wherever they needed me. I started three games at left tackle and one at right – playing that first game against Arkansas, it was huge for my confidence. Just knowing I could play in the SEC, and nearly two years without playing a game because of the injury, it helped a lot. The SEC is the highest level, and I was comfortable being a part of it.”
Starting SEC Tackle
By the start of the 2022 season, Kilian Zierer had played football for seven years – with one season lost to the aforementioned ACL tear. Compared to his teammates, his body of work was small – but impressive. Impressive enough to convince head coach Brian Harsin he was the man to protect his quarterback as the starting left tackle:
“My final year at Auburn, we had a bunch of sixth year guys coming back. Nick Brahms returned at center even though ultimately he had to retire during Fall camp. We had Austin Troxell coming back too, but even though nobody outside knew, it became clear that they were gonna move me to left tackle and play Austin on the right. Both of us were fine with it; I’d played the entire Spring on the left side and obviously did a good job there, and it gave the coaches confidence I could lock that side down going into the season.”
You can hear the pride in Zierer’s voice as he talks through his journey from German soccer striker to SEC starter, but it’s backed up by a humble confidence – this was a position earned.
“It was a great honor. Unfortunately, we didn’t have the year we wanted to have, but it was a great experience. Especially being on the blind side; you have to be the best pass protector to line up at left tackle, and for my coach to pick me – to make me that guy – it meant a lot.”
I delicately ask Zierer about the difference in coaching styles between Gus Malzahn and Brian Harsin. These are two coaches that will be thought of rather differently in Auburn history; Malzahn won a National Championship as the OC for the Tigers in 2010 and took them back to the big game in his first year as head coach. He left The Plains with 65 wins under his belt. Harsin came to AU with a reputation as a disciplinarian and offensive genius, and was shown the door after two indifferent seasons. Regardless, Zierer was appreciative of both coaching teams during his time at Jordan-Hare Stadium:
“Coach Malzahn and Coach Harsin, they had a very different philosophy on the game of football, particularly on offense. Gus, you know, he ran his no-huddle, fast-paced offense. Which Brian kept for the first year but eventually migrated us over to a much more pro-style, methodical offense, that included a bigger playbook and a variety of schemes. Being exposed to those two different coaching styles and outlooks helped me immeasurably – particularly now through this process. Showing NFL scouts I can operate in various offenses is invaluable. I had a great relationship with both head coaches, and I’m just sad that our records didn’t work out for either of them.”
A Student In The Classroom And On The Field
I was interested in learning about some of the more influential coaches throughout Kilian Zierer’s rapid rise in football – after all, it’s probably not hyperbole to describe the meteoric development of his game as unprecedented. Needless to say, there have been a number of people who have helped him on his journey, but one man was singled out for high praise:
“Coach Kendall Simmons – he was at Auburn all three seasons I was there, which considering we had a head coach change, is a credit to how good a coach he is. He was amazing for me. Any time I had any questions I could go to him and he would help me. And he’d been there before, spent time in the NFL with the Steelers. If it was scheme, technique, anything really, Coach Simmons knew how to help me.”
It seems almost ridiculous to say that Zierer is an intelligent young man. This is someone who speaks a second language so fluently it sounds like his native tongue, and has learnt a sport in five years that some hopefuls cannot get the hang of in more than two decades. And yet, his academic achievements add even more cachet to his IQ. On the SEC Academic Honor Roll every year he was at Auburn, he can also boast a trio of qualifications from his US education. But Zierer has a different mindset when it comes to the challenge of balancing the hectic schedule of classroom and football field:
“I wouldn’t say it’s what I’m most proud of, but of course we are all student-athletes. It was very satisfying to get both done, a bachelors and a masters. I even got an A in Junior College, so that’s three different degrees in a foreign country, all the while playing football, developing into a starter for an SEC program. So I am proud of being able to accomplish everything that was kind of thrown at me, but it’s nothing less than I expected from myself. You know, being on scholarship is a privilege. Our education is paid for, whilst a lot of students, my girlfriend included, theirs isn’t. They have to work jobs, sometimes forty hours a week, just to afford to go to Auburn. Being a student-athlete, particularly as a football player isn’t easy, but in one way or another it’s hard for most students. I wasn’t going to waste the opportunity I was given.”
The Start Of The Next Goal
It starts up front!💪@AuburnFootball OT Kilian Zierer (@Kili24_) has accepted his invite to the 2023 East-West #ShrineBowl!#WarEagle | #ShrineBowlRoadToVegas pic.twitter.com/uZASG4gISW
— East-West Shrine Bowl (@ShrineBowl) November 29, 2022
Kilian Zierer leaves Auburn having accomplished everything he demanded of himself. His exploits in the SEC saw him invited to the The East-West Shrine game, a prestigious bowl game that allows draft prospects to showcase their skills to NFL scouts. Zierer embraced a new goal; turning his passion for football into a career – and this was the first step in that journey:
“I spoke to so many teams, I can’t begin to remember which ones I did and didn’t spend time with. I think it was more than twenty teams in the end. But it was an amazing experience, I got to go to Vegas for eight days, was coached by the Atlanta Falcons coaching staff. And playing at Allegiant Stadium, home of the Raiders, it was unbelievable. I had a great time there. They moved me around from right to left tackle in practice, and I ended up playing on the right side in the game. I hadn’t done it in a while, but it did remind everyone I have that versatility. It had been two months since I put pads on, but it didn’t take me too long to get back into the groove.”
Zierer was more than happy to test himself in a new environment – it’s something he’s had to do time and again to get to this stage. Whilst it took him out of his comfort zone, he certainly felt like he handled the situation well:
“You get a lot of guys with unique talents go to that East-West game. We had guys on defense taller than me who were really quick, small guys who were incredibly strong. It was hard to study everyone you were going to come up against, so you had to learn on the fly and show you could handle whatever came your way. But it was more useful than going against the same two or three guys in practice. I feel like I did a good job adapting during that week.”
"I Haven't Even Come Close To Being As Good As I Can Be"
Interviewing draft prospects is a privilege, and understanding someone’s story is important. But it’s also right to accept that this isn’t the end of the journey – and nobodies’ path to the NFL is the same. Like many other prospects, Kilian Zierer is out to change some misconceptions about where he is in terms of his football development. And whilst some people will consider him ‘raw’, he considers his lack of experience as untapped talent that an NFL team can take advantage of:
“Scouts, NFL teams, they’re naturally going to be worried about the short time I’ve been playing football. I only started playing in 2015, and I’ve been on the o-line less than five years. But if they’re able to project a little bit, all that means is that I have a very high ceiling. I’m not like these other guys who have been playing all their life, and are probably at the peak of their powers. I was a starting SEC tackle and I haven’t even come close to being as good as I can be. They can look at the finer details and see I have some attributes that are hard to teach; my footwork is very good – ten years playing soccer translates to quick feet. Mirroring guys feels natural to me. I have the size and the athleticism. My potential is through the roof.”
In that regard, Zierer has already turned some heads. Following on from the Shrine Game, Kilian further impressed at his Pro Day:
“I think I did really well. I tested right where I wanted to test. I had eleven, twelve weeks of training, saw where my numbers were and set some targets for what I wanted to achieve. Purely to reinforce to teams that I have that athletic ability they crave. But I was more pleased with how the position drills went. One of the NFL coaches put us through our paces and it went really well for me. Considering my relative lack of experience, that was probably the most important part for me.”
I push Zierer on any teams that have shown an interest. Rather than tempt fate, he’s smart enough to keep it a little vague – but it’s obvious that he’s done enough to convince some scouts he is a prospect that deserves a second look:
“I saw a lot of scouts that introduced themselves to me at the Shrine Bowl, who said they would come and see me at my pro day. And they did, which was satisfying – because it means I’m worthy of their time. I only heard positive feedback from coaches and scouts who came to watch me, said I tested well and looked good. But I am happy that I can get back to real football training again, rather than broad jumps and sprint drills! I’m looking forward to getting stronger, getting ready for football, back in those pass sets. I’m back in Auburn working out with a couple of the guys, Brandon Council is here, a few NFL o-linemen who are working with AU’s strength staff too. It’s a cool group who push each other every day. Training for pro day might be over, but now I’m looking ahead and being ready for any minicamp I’m lucky to be invited to.”
Kilian Zierer: Family & Football
At the time of writing, the NFL Draft is less than one month away. Naturally I ask Kilian what plans he has for the big occasion. There’s no doubt he’s a big family man, with mother Susanne, father Gerald, and siblings Wilson and Fiona never far from his mind. So it’s fitting that at least a part of his family will be able to share the moment with him:
“My mom is flying in for draft weekend! She’ll be joining me and my girlfriend, and we’ll have a relaxed time together. I doubt we’ll watch the whole thing – people have told me it can be really frustrating waiting for your name to be called. My family have been supportive fans of me my entire career. My dad and sister were able to catch a game in 2021, and last year everyone came over for the first game against Mercer. I’m just happy I get to spend a big weekend with those who have helped me get to this position.”
We talk a little about Sebastian Vollmer, the last big German offensive tackle to grace the NFL. Zierer says he would take Vollmer’s career ‘in a heartbeat’, but concedes he would prefer to avoid the injuries the former Super Bowl winner endured. I then try to trick him into listing some teams he’d love to play for, but of course Kilian is far too smart to fall into that trap:
“At this point, whichever team really wants me is where I want to be. Obviously, I’ve spoken to some teams more than others, but a place that really believes in your talents, who thinks you can help them win games, that will give you a better chance of making it in the NFL – that’s where I want to go. I’ve got no intention of being just a camp body. I’m here to make a team and make an impact.”
In that regard, he’s right. Zierer has already travelled half the world to achieve his dreams, so his next destination, in terms of location, is likely low on his list of priorities. As long as he gets the opportunity, he’ll be happy – although he did admit that landing on a team that went to play in Munich one year would be ‘quite phenomenal’. Regardless, the closer it gets, the more real it becomes – and Zierer is not afraid to say just what it would mean to him, and his family:
“It would mean the world. Ever since I got over here I’ve set myself a goal, achieved it, and moved on to the next one. First, I wanted to be a starting JuCo tackle. Then I wanted to be a starting D1 tackle. And now, the next goal is to make it to the pro’s. I’m looking forward to achieving that, and setting my next goal of making a full career of it. And to do that, it would be the biggest way I can think of to say thank you to my family who helped me along the way. Finding an NFL home that last weekend in April will mean the world to me.”
A huge thank you to Kilian for taking the time to talk to us. Everyone at The Touchdown wishes him well in his future career.