Offensive Tackle
Robert Gallery
College: Iowa
Year: Senior
Height: 6’7″
Weight: 317
Birthday: July 26, 1980
Strengths: He is a man known simply as “Mountain”. Robert Gallery likes it that way, too. You see, when he isn’t being called by his nickname around the Iowa campus, he’s being labeled “Throwback” instead, a testament to his self-described old-school, nasty style of play that has made him the most intriguing senior tackle prospect in the country.
Gallery is a big-bodied bookend, but when he began his collegiate career, he was a 235-pound tight end, even starting the first three games of his redshirt freshman season at the position. Since then, Gallery’s been working with the school’s strength coaches, and he’s added more than 80 pounds to his impressive and downright imposing frame.
Gallery has handled a midseason switch to right tackle in stride. Since his sophomore season, he’s held down the left tackle position, highlighted by his run blocking for current Washington Redskin, Ladell Betts, someone whom Gallery helped gain more than 1,000 yards in consecutive seasons. Gallery’s also helped his offense lead the Big 10 in points scored for the past two years.
Playing in the Hawkeye’s zone blocking schemes, Gallery has shown off his supreme quickness and terrific feet. Pardon the Kiper-speak for a moment, but Gallery plays in space about as well as any tackle prospect. He’s run a 4.9 forty this year. His nearly 31-inch vertical almost belies his leaping ability. Gallery was a state meet runner-up in the high jump in high school.
Gallery has allowed just one sack in each of the past two seasons, and he’s been tabulated as having over 100 key blocks in 12 games last year. Pass rushers are mugged by Gallery’s muscular punches, rendering themselves inconsequential to the play. An all-around dominant lineman, Iowa runs over left tackle early and often for good reason.
Areas for Concern: There aren’t many concerns, but Gallery is still fairly new to the position, and as a result, still appears raw at times. He’ll benefit from getting more experience during the 2003 season in anchoring an offensive line that lacks polished depth, but he’ll need to learn how to operate as part of the entire unit, not just as an individual. He will be better off if he can stay within himself and maintain his block since he can overdo it at times.
Part of his decision to stay in school was because his position coach would there with him at Iowa to finish the tutelage. Instead, the coach left for the Green Bay Packers last February. Chances were good that if Gallery had declared for the draft after his redshirt junior season, he would have been a late first round pick. Now, with weaker linemates and no Heisman runner-up at quarterback, Gallery will hopefully not regret the decision.
How Does He Look in Steel Blue? Gallery sports a flowing dark brown mullet (a hairstyle which I hear is creeping it’s way down the backs of those who follow the latest trends… no, seriously, I heard that), so he would be instantly distinguishable to the Houston fans watching him play on Sundays. Better yet, he’s a superior prospect to former Hawkeye, Eric Steinbach, someone the Texans were rumored to have significant interest in pursuing if the opportunity was there in the 2003 draft.
Gallery is also a sincere person and model citizen. He’s pretty darn bright, too. An Eagle Scout, a former high school senior class president, an honor roll student, and a National Honor Society member, Gallery would make a fine future left tackle for the Texans if given the chance.
(profile written by Keith Weiland
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Robert Gallery 
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>> Vernon Carey
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