2025 NFL DRAFT PREVIEW – GUARDS/CENTERS
Draft Grade Index:
90+: All-Pro Projection
85-89: Pro Bowl Projection
81-84: 1st Round – Year 1 starter
77-80: 2nd/3rd Round – Year 1 contributor, year 2-3 starter
74-76: Early Day 3: Cores special teamer and rotational player
71-74: Mid Day 3: Core special teamer and backup
68-70: Late Day 3: Developmental and special teamer
1) Donovan Jackson – Ohio State – 6’4/315
Grade: 83
Three-year starter. Bellaire, TX. Three-time All-Big Ten, first team in 2023 and 2024 in addition to All-American honors in 2024. Jackson’s career has come full circle. He was a five-star recruit and number one guard in the nation coming out of high school. He impressed in 2022 and appeared to be on a first round trajectory. His performance in 2023 was not what many expected, however. He opted to go back to school in 2024 and it could not have turned out better. His tape at guard was better but once he moved out to left tackle because of Josh Simmons’ knee injury, we saw a side of him that nobody knew about. Not only did Jackson play well, he got some thinking he can play left tackle in the NFL. His measurements are that of a tackle and his foot speed is good enough. The best spot will be inside but it will only help his projection to know he can play emergency tackle if needed. Jackson is a better athlete than one would assume, but his power game is a notch below what many would assume. The improvements and versatility he showed are enough to feel both safe with him as a year-one starter and excited about what he can be in a few years.
*I trust my grade on Jackson because I have truly come full circle. I thought he was a future first rounder, then I thought he was a borderline day two pick, and now I am back to the first round territory. Jackson is being viewed by some teams as a tackle, I know that for a fact. I view him as a guard that could be your swing tackle. No matter the case, the credible versatility helped his grade. For the record, some teams were scared off by a medical that I do not have any details on.
2) Grey Zabel – North Dakota State – 6’6/312
Grade: 82
Three-year starter. Pierre, SD. First team All-Missouri Valley Conference and FCS All-American in 2024. Zabel is an athletic, versatile, and experienced lineman who put on a show during Senior Bowl practices. Those practice reps are valuable for everybody but even more so for small school prospects because almost all of their college careers were against guys that won’t ever sniff an NFL roster. Zabel played 2,463 snaps at North Dakota State, yet he did not play over 900 snaps at any one position. He played center and tackle on both sides and then proved he was more than capable at center during Senior Bowl week. As rock solid as he looks when he’s engaged with defenders, Zabel may not be NFL-ready right away. Both on tape and during the game down in Mobile he struggled to get to where he needed to be post-snap despite having elite athletic ability. The eyes and reaction time appear to be a little slow. He can lock guys up with firm country hands and near-impeccable technique, but there will be a transition period for him that may keep him on the bench for a year. In the end he is a safe bet to be a solid interior guy that can be used at multiple spots which is extremely valuable.
*Zabel has some first round buzz surrounding his name and while I am there on him too, I still feel year one should be about development more than being put into a starting lineup. Most of the guys coming from this level do not play right away. When it comes to NYG specifically, Zabel is an ideal fit for this offensive line in multiple ways. He comes in as a guard that competes for right guard, but will not need to be rushed into action. He also provides a backup center and possibly even the answer there in 2026 if John Michael Schmitz does not step up. He is in the discussion at #34, no question.
3) Tyler Booker – Alabama – 6’5/321
Grade: 80
Junior entry. Two-year starter, New Haven, CT. Two-time first team All-SEC and a 2024 All-American. Booker is a massive guard-only that has the demeanor on and off the field to help change the culture of a front. He takes pride in being a protector and bully at the same time. When he can line himself up properly, he is as close to unbeatable as one will find at the college level. His length, heavy hands, and ability to bend can control engagements with defenders without too much effort. When he needs to adjust late and play with sudden reaction, the balance issues show up. He quite simply is not a good athlete. The lack of sudden twitch can be an issue against smaller, quicker rushers and overall speed of the NFL. He needs to be perfect initially, lessening the margin for error. Booker is not a fit for schemes that run a lot of wide zone and he will need to prove he can deal with complex pass rush packages teams deploy up the middle. If can raise the floor in those situations, he is a starting guard with All-Pro potential. If not, his spectrum is as wide as any lineman in the class.
*I’m not sure there is a player with more margin between opinions on him than Booker. Weird to say about a guard, I know. But I have had people tell me he is in play for top 15 overall (my guess is IND at 14) and I have had some say he could be there in round three. Booker’s timed athletic ability is all-time poor. I also did not have a first round grade on his tape alone. He has too many heavy-foot snaps with a lot of leaning from the waist. I see the positives and ultimately he is a starter grade, but I am as worried about him as I am confident. NYG at #34 could consider him but I think it is a bit rich. Their offense also needs to avoid a lot of wide zone looks if he is in town.
4) Jonah Savaiianea – Arizona – 6’4/324
Grade: 79
Junior entry. Three-year starter, Tafuna, American Samoa. Two-time All-Pac 12. Has started games at right guard and both tackle spots and will enter the league with the skill set to play all over the line. Savaiinaea is a powerfully built, versatile lineman with a lot of experience and pro-caliber techniques. While he does have inconsistencies within his performance, notably in pass protection, he does have plenty of game tape against pro-caliber competition. He has athletic limitations that make it hard for him to win with speed and quickness, but he has a way of knowing those limitations and hiding them. There is a lot of know-how to his post-snap footwork and hand placement. The issues arise when he needs to sustain proper contact and positioning against lateral movement. The lack of natural bend and athleticism give a lethargic feel to the necessary movement traits of a tackle. His ideal future will be inside where he can be protected from open space but the option to kick outside will only increase his value to a pro roster. Savaiinaea is the ideal sixth lineman that can back up multiple spots.
*I like NYG going after this kid a lot. I think the ideal value spot is in round three, however, as I do not see him as an automatic starter in year one. It has been a couple years since he was a full time guard. I would like to get him in the building to see where his best spot will be. It will likely be inside but he has some quality tape as a tackle and he is a big, strong dude. These guys don’t need to be the best athletes, they just need situational awareness and confidence, He plays with both.
5) Jared Wilson (C) – Georgia – 6’3/310
Grade: 78
One-year starter. Winston-Salem, NC. All-SEC in 2024. Wilson was a career backup until a breakout campaign in his final season. The plus-athlete excelled early on in the year against future pros and continued to build a level of consistency that put him on a radar for future starters in the NFL. He is a densely built, athletic player that excels on the move. He can get across the face of defensive linemen and he reaches the second level because of an explosive first step and rare body control. The lack of experience is a concern (barely 1,000 career snaps) and there isn’t much experience anywhere other than center. There may not be a better athlete on tape among interior linemen and it is hard to find him losing on tape. Wilson is an intriguing prospect that could easily shine in the NFL much brighter than he did in college. He simply needs to add some power and prove he can handle NFL length and strength.
*One of the surprises of the pre-draft process was Wilson coming out. I was almost sure he would return to school because if he naturally progressed to the next level, he is likely a first rounder in 2026. This center class is on the weak side, however, and he is the unquestioned top one (besides the hybrid Zabel). Wilson would be a surprise pick for NYG because he has no proven versatility but you won’t catch me complaining about it if they did. He is a starter within a year or two, one that has the ideal combination of tools.
6) Tate Ratledge – Georgia – 6’6/308
Grade: 76
Fifth-year senior, three-year starter. Rome, GA. Two-time first team All-SEC and a two-time All-American. Lost the 2021 season to a foot injury suffered week one. Ratledge is an athletic and nasty blocker that will be NFL-ready early in his career. He has shown the ability to anchor and re-anchor, staying on his man in pass protection with good hands and constant effort. He will add to the personality of a physical offensive line. With his height and lack of lower body strength, there are concerns how well he can play the power game at the next level. While he does show proper techniques in recovery blocking, there is a lot of tape with him being walked back into the quarterback’s lap. He also struggled to create a consistent push in the run game. Rateldge needs to get more comfortable playing with lower pads or he will get eaten alive. This is a bit of a project but his floor is high enough to at least be a quality backup at the next level. All but four snaps of his 2,000+ snap career came at right guard so he will need to add some position-flex to his arsenal in his early years to truly stick.
*This is a unique prospect in both good and bad ways. Ratledge brings a lot of nasty to the table and his athletic testing was through the roof. He played against the best competition and had a productive career (just 1 sack and 3 penalties over the past two years). But the combination of question marks spit out a lower grade that I was anticipating. Guys this tall can (not always) tend to struggle inside. He also does not play with tremendous power from his legs. And lastly he has a couple of lower body durability concerns. I will acknowledge his ceiling is higher than all of the guys in this tier but the risk is high if you are going to put him in the round two discussion.
7) Wyatt Milium – West Virginia – 6’6/313
Grade: 76
Four-year starter. Kebova, WV. Three-time All-Big 12, first team in 2024 in addition to earning All-American honors and winning the Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year award. Milum was a career tackle, vast majority coming on the left side, for his entire career. The former pro baseball prospect projects to the inside because the lack of length will be an issue on the outside in the NFL. Milum gets to where he needs to be with good bend and balance, however there are problems with his latch. He was almost always the second one to get his hands on and he would often have to play catch up. On the positive side, Milum shows the anchor and re-anchor to stay in front of his man. He will likely move inside and offer some extra versatility early in his career while he develops needed power to move defenders in the run game. Milum has a safe feel to his game because of what he has between the ears, but he will need to change positions early on and get more consistent with timing and accuracy initially post snap.
*Milum was a first round grade to some I spoke with in-season. That has since softened but I have to think those guys still see day two here. I do not, but I do like the idea of him being an early day three target if he is there. Milum looks like a guy you want to have in the room for depth purposes and he also matches with a few guys Buffalo pursued while Schoen was there. Interesting name to keep an eye on draft weekend.
8) Marcus Mbow – Purdue – 6’4/303
Grade: 76
Three-year starter. Milwaukee, WI. Two-time All-Big Ten at two different positions. Mbow began his career at guard before spending two seasons at right tackle. His 2023 season was cut short because of a broken leg. Instead of moving back inside, the team needed his athleticism on the outside despite multiple factors that should have kept him at guard. Mbow has 32-inch arms and struggles with consistent body control. Those two factors alone cross him off the list for tackle in the NFL and his tape against his best competition confirmed the notion. With that said, Mbow has excellent quickness and range off the snap as a run blocker. He is an easy mover but gets caught over his skis when he is in space as a pass protector. He did have a solid game in 2022 against future NFL defensive tackle Keeanu Benton. While that was a long time ago, there are signs of him being powerful enough for interior play where he can stay more focused on keeping his feet under him. This is an ideal prospect to move to center and develop him for a year or two. He is smart enough and the athleticism can be a real weapon there.
*There should be a good amount of interest in Mbow from NYG. Joe Schoen comes from the school of thought that college tackles can be ideal answers for NFL guards. The team needs another body added to the depth chart. And there could be an option for a move to center. Lastly, in a pinch this is a guy that can play tackle so they’re not asking a street free agent to protect the blind side at some point midseason. Mbow needs more girth but he is on a short list of guys who have the best foot speed in the class.
9) Dylan Fairchild – Georgia – 6’5/318
Grade: 75
Two-year starter. Cumming, GA. All-SEC in 2024 in addition to earning All-American honors. Fairchild is a comfortable athlete with size and it translates well to pass protection. He is comfortable moving laterally to mirror athletic pass rushers while keeping good hand positioning. He allowed just one sack over his career with excellent pressure rating. He is early on the curve and there is reason to believe there is a high ceiling here. Fairchild did struggle to move big defenders off the ball. He had a tendency to fall off guys at the point of attack and depart to the second level too soon. His tackles-allowed number was too high. The lack of consistent bend and finish will create questions in gpa schemes but he could have more value as on outside zone blocker in the run game. In specific schemes, he can be a starter because of that lateral movement but his calling card will always be pass protection.
*Fairchild does not get the attention of Wilson and Ratledge. While those two are better prospects, he does bring a similar level of upside to the table. Guys that can move like him with this size and consistency in pass protection have more value than they used to. He is a really solid option if NYG goes into day three without an interior guy added yet.
10) Jackson Slater – Sacramento State – 6’3/311
Grade: 75
Four-year starter. Bellevue, WA. Three-time first team All-Big Sky and two-time FCS All-American, first team in 2024. Slater played a ton of college football against a lower level of competition and then shined at the Senior Bowl week in Mobile. He is a rock-solid, firm blocker with interior position flex. The vast majority of his snaps came at left guard, but he proved he is more than capable at center during the practices down there. He is the kind of guy that will not lose if he gets the inside hand position with his feet in the right spot. The excellent lower body flexibility and upper body strength will give him a fighting chance at the next level. The underrated component to his game is athleticism. Slater has credible starter-upside because of well he can move. The game comes naturally to him. He did not allow a single sack in his final 25 games and he averaged one penalty for every 400 snaps. There is a lot of cleanliness to his projection but he lacks some of the ideal size and guys coming from lower levels of competition carry inherent risk. If he can be brought along slowly for a year, his potential is a high-level starting guard or center.
*One of my favorite potential value grabs in the draft overall. Slater looked like he belonged against the Senior bowl defensive linemen. He made it look easy. There was some Chris Snee in his game, a guy NYG sent down to Mobile and watched the OL like a hawk all week. It is risky to put your eggs in this basket in terms of a 2025 answer, so I would ideally put him at the back end of the depth chart for the year and re-evaluate in 2026.
11) Joe Huber – Wisconsin – 6’5/310
Grade: 75
Three-year starter. Dublin, OH. Spent three seasons at Cincinnati where he began his career as a walk-on and soon after earned a scholarship. Was All-AAC in 2022 as a right tackle. Transferred to Wisconsin in 2023 when Head Coach Luke Fickell was hired (from Cincinnati). Huber moved inside permanently following the transfer and allowed just one sack over 25 games. He played both sides of the line. Huber has a lot of ideal traits for interior play. He is stout and powerful with a solid anchor. His hand techniques and ability to bend in the right places give a sense of consistency to his game. He struggles when he needs to recover laterally and if he does not win the initial hand placement battle, bigger defensive tackles easily swat him away. Huber’s physical traits are solid, but lack a finishing touch. He can get the job done when things are lined up correctly, but he is never a pure dominator. His ideal role is a backup guard who a team can feel good about if an injury arose, but it would be less than ideal to consider him your go-to guy inside.
*There is a lot of firm contact when Huber gets engaged with a defender. He is rock solid. The stiffness could be worrisome when he needs to move laterally in pass protection but the floor is high enough to warrant a safe backup caliber projection. The upside is not as high but you can’t over-analyze these guys.
12) Miles Frazier – LSU – 6’6/317
Grade: 74
Four-year starter. Camden, NJ. Spent two seasons at Florida International prior to transferring to LSU in 2022. Frazier is an experienced offensive lineman with over 3,000 career snaps in college. While the majority of his action came at guard, he did play just under 1,000 snaps at tackle split between both sides. His final start in 2024 saw a return to right tackle. His future will be inside where he can use his mauling tendencies and limit his exposure to speed and quickness in space. Frazier is tall and will get caught straight-legged too often. When that does occur, he plays off balance and loses out on a lot of power. He will need to show more discipline there at the next level. With that said, he is a guy that knows how to get the job done and work within a group. He did not allow a single sack over his final 20 games and proved he can steer some of his best competition as a run blocker. The baseline talent is nothing to write home about and it leads to a few ugly losses, but Frazier has a high enough floor to warrant a quality backup level that can start if he cleans up the inconsistencies with his hand timing and bend.
*This is a gritty, blue collar power guy who has really solid “win tape”. When he has everything lined up with proper pad level, he displaces defenders and stays attached. The high-effort hustler will fight through the snap and get the most out of his talent. With that said, as experienced as he is, it appears there are not enough repeatable techniques and traits that lead to consistency. He will have starter grades attached to him by some but every time I watched him, I just never knew what I was getting snap to snap.
13) Caleb Rogers – Texas Tech – 6’5/312
Grade: 74
Three-year starter. Mansfield, TX. Two-time All Big 12. Rogers is one of the most experienced prospects to ever come out. He played a whopping 4,331 snaps in college, nearly all of them at tackle. He went from leading the country in sacks allowed (15) with a game tape against future first rounder Felix Anudike-Uzomah (5 sacks allowed) in 2022 to a Senior Bowl invitee and credible rotational lineman prospect. Rogers has a key trait to success in the NFL, body control. He is very smooth and balanced but can also get from point A to point B in a blink. He brings a level of attitude and hustle to the field that can add energy to a front and the versatility will push him to the front of the line in the tier he gets grouped into. Rogers spent nearly his entire career at tackle but he played all three interior spots at Senior Bowl week and that is where he will end up at the next level. The lack of power presence for an older prospect with this much experience does create concern about his upside beyond a multi-spot backup. Rogers will stick to a roster but relying on him as a starter would be risky.
*Rogers was one of the most vocal leaders at the Senior Bowl. He was the guy that was on the field early working on techniques, rallying the guys, and showing emotion. Coaches are going to like him for a lot of reasons. Versatile linemen like this can always find a job.
14) Jake Majors (C) – Texas – 6’3/306
Grade: 73
Four-year starter. Prosper, TX. All-Big 12 in 2023. Majors set the Texas program record with 56 career starts, all at center. The left handed snapper is one of the best athletes among all linemen in the draft. His lack of length is a credible concern because it is essentially off the charts when it comes to the historical measurements of the position and his lack of reach shows up on tape. If Majors does not get exactly squared off, bigger defenders easily shoo him away. The margin for error is razor thin. With that said, Majors rarely loses. His lateral movement ability and rapid coordination gets him into position in a blink. He also plays low with proper hand placement and a wide base. Offenses that want to get their centers out into space will see the usage with him and in those systems, he can undoubtedly start but there will not be much versatility to him positionally.
*This was a really fun kid to watch. His movement traits are both stunning and effortless. We have seen some centers with this kind of speed, burst, and quickness have long careers in the NFL. Majors has the kind of capability but I just wish he was a little bigger. The 30 3/8 arms are off-the-chart small and a non-starter for some evaluators. The athleticism and experience are worth a gamble at some point but the center-only hurts his odds of going much earlier than late day three.
15) Eli Cox – Kentucky (C) – 6’4/306
Grade: 73
Four-year starter. Nicholasville, KY. Two-time All-SEC. Cox began his career at guard before shifting over to center for the final three seasons where he did not miss a single game. He is a smart man for the middle who can direct traffic and offer another set of reliable eyes for the quarterback. His below average size and above average age bring concern to his long term physical development potential. He is not the strongest or most powerful but on the flip side he is easily one of the most proficient interior blockers in the class. Cox excels with his hand placement and footwork to simply get himself between the defender and ball carrier. He can play fast and sudden with proper bend and balance. The demands of playing center can hide some of the physical shortcomings and his quality, consistent clean tape against NFL-caliber competition likely gets and keeps him on an NFL roster for at least a few years. Whether he sticks or not will likely be dependent on how capable he can be at playing guard as well.
*Cox looks like a center only but the fact he has credible game experience at guard can add an element to his usage that some others cannot. He has been on NFL radars for a couple years now and even though he never quite took a jump up in overall quality, he is a typical interior backup you can feel safe about.
16) McLaughlin, Seth – Ohio State (C) – 6040 304
Grade: 72
Three-year starter. Buford, GA. Spent four seasons at Alabama before transferring to Ohio State in 2024 where he earned first team All-Big Ten honors in an injury shortened season. Also earned All-American honors and won the Rimington Trophy, given to the top center in the country. McLaughlin tore his achilles in practice in November and missed out on the pre-draft process. There is enough tape on him over his career at two premiere programs and he is one of the more impressive interviews in this class, all positions. All 2,399 of his offensive snaps in college came at center. While center-only prospects are not as popular as they once were, some are simply right at home there and the lack of versatility is a non factor. The nitpick on him is the lack of ability to move defenders off the ball. McLauglin stays attached and on his feet with excellent foot action and stability, but his talent may not be enough. He has a below average frame from all angles. There is no denying his impressive college career against quality competition and his brain is a weapon for his teammates. McLaughlin has starter potential eventually but that is not an easy injury to come back from and his lower body power was already questionable to begin with. He may not be a factor until 2026.
*Part of this grade is assuming he will be out for some or most of 2025. After he left Alabama, I had (roughly) 7th round/PFA grade on him. He then put some quality football on tape before the injury, enough to warrant a slightly better outlook. This is a smart, leader-type that can elevate the room with his brain. That gets overstated at times but with McLaughlin, it is legit.
17) Timothy McKay – North Carolina State – 6’4/311
Grade: 71
Three-year starter. Raleigh, NC. All-ACC in 2024. McKay is on the young side for for a six-year player. He was just 16 years old in January 2019 when he joined the Wolfpack. He began his career at right tackle for three seasons while also fighting a bad foot injury that required surgery. He settled in at guard starting in 2023 and proved to be a better fit there. McKay has quick feet and good length to keep defenders from controlling the engagement. He stays on his feet with good width and control while re-working his hands inside. He is not powerful enough to move guys consistently in the run game, but he can create some power from his short area burst. McKay would be best suited for a wide-zone scheme where he can use his initial wins that come from his burst and ability to win on the move. He still has plenty of development coming his way when it comes to mass and strength. He is a project to try and develop for a couple years who can be a valuable multi-spot backup.
*McKay is one of the more interesting stories in the draft. He is next-level intelligent and a case could be made he should pursue life outside of football. I love the sum of the parts with him even if it does not fully translate to the field yet. His practice tape from East/West Shrine was some of the best I saw from that group and I love how much experience he has at a young age. Lastly, his combination of physical tools can give a coach a wide platform to start from.
18) Jalen Rivers – Miami – 6’6/319
Grade: 70
Four-year starter. Jacksonville, FL. Two-time All ACC. Rovers began his career as a guard and had two of his first three seasons cut short by injury. He finally gained some positive momentum 2023 but then the injury bug bit again in 2024. When he is on the field, the former top-tier recruit that everybody wanted plays with tremendous power and good lockout strength. Combining those two elements alone gives him hope at the next level. His stiff lower body and heavy feet get exposed when he is in space. The inability to redirect opens several doors for defenders with speed and quickness to play games with him. Rivers’ best tape is at guard but he will need to prove he can stay healthy to have a real fighting chance.
*Rivers has been on the radar for years. Injuries hampered his career but even without them, there are too many issues with his movement to be considered a tackle. He actually is going to get some looks from blocking schemes that are gap-biased because one thing he always had was the ability to create movement off the ball. If his health issues are behind him, he can get to a good enough level to back up the interior spots early in his career.
19) Connor Colby – Iowa – 6’6/309
Grade: 69
Four-year starter. Cedar Rapids, IA. Two-time All Big Ten, first team in 2024. Colby is a highly experienced lineman that has seen it all with strong, steady performances against some of his best competition. The tool set he brings to the table falls just short in multiple areas, but he knows how to work with what he has. He gets out of his stance with snappy, accurate hands while staying square and balanced. The long-armed defenders with good lateral movement can give him problems. They can tend to get rid of Colby and the lack of natural foot speed can make it tough to recover. Colby’s best route to making a roster will be adding some center versatility to his arsenal. The traits are not good enough to beat NFL defenders consistently.
*Colby is the typical Iowa lineman that looks solid when it comes to hand strength and technique, but lacks finishing power and quickness. The Ferentz connection could give him an extra look but this is still a guy who has a hard cap on his ceiling. NYG needs more versatility for a late rounder because there are already multiple guys that do not offer much in that department.
20) Willie Lampkin – North Carolina – 5’10/270
Grade: 69
Five-year starter. Lakeland, FL. Spent three years at Coastal Carolina prior to transferring to North Carolina in 2023. All-Sun Belt three times, first time and Sun Belt Offensive Lineman of the Years in 2023. Two-time all-ACC, first team in 2024. Lampkin is one of the most experienced players in the draft with over 4,000 career snaps split between all three interior spots. He is in extremely rare territory when it comes to size but both his arm length and wingspan are bigger numbers than some others. He is simply short and he lacks the necessary weight to fit into a role along the offensive line. He has that sought after wrestling background that does translate to the role he plays to hide some of the physical shortcomings. Even if Lampkin struggles to overcome the issues with his frame, there are potential usages he can be given. Take the size-bias away and there are not many players with better tape than Lampkin.
*Thinking outside the box can be tested with Lampkin. The Ravens have made it work with Ricard. The Chargers have made it work with Matlock. That is what I’m thinking with Lampkin and his future in the league. Before he gets the swiss army knife treatment, put him at center during camp and watch what happens. He is a guy I would bet on late day three.
21) Drew Kendall – Boston College – 6’5/308: 69
22) Marcus Tate – Clemson – 6’5/321
23) Jonah Monheim – USC – 6’4/302: 69
24) Luke Kandra – Cincinnati – 6’5/319: 69
25) Marcus Wehr – Montana State – 6’2/298: 69
26) Clay Webb – Jacksonville State – 6’3/312: 69
27) Hayden Conner – Texas – 6’6/314: 69
28) Joshua Gray – Oregon State – 6’5/299: 68
29) John Williams – Cincinnati – 6’4/322: 68
30) Bryce Cabeldue – Kansas – 6’4/308: 68
NYG APPROACH
The Giants offensive line was among the worst in football (for a long time) when Schoen/Daboll arrived to New York. They, right away, drafted Evan Neal and Joshua Ezeudu with premium picks. Like them, I thought those two were going to work out and turn this thing around. Neither panned out and while the door is not completely shut on either (there is a sliver of light shining through at this point), neither should be planned around. What I mean when I say that is NYG needs to look for their next answer at right guard. Greg Van Roten will compete with both of the names I just mentioned along with the overlooked Jake Kubas. At this point, none of them promote the idea of long term stability nor do they inspire a ton of hope for the 2025 season. NYG needs to do whatever they can to make this line as dominant as possible and they are on the same page as they tried to sign Will Fries, the high priced guard from the Colts who signed with the Vikings. This tells me they are, without a doubt, considering a day two guard in this draft. The icing on the cake would be someone with guard/center flex just in case John Michael Schmitz is not the solution for 2026. Grey Zabel is the one who makes sense at the top of round two, as does Donovan Jackson. They like guys with a tackle skill set but a lack of tools may need to force them inside. Both of those guys fit that bill, as does Savaiianea, Mbow, and Milum. They could afford to be patient (if needed) and wait until the third/fourth round but in a weak offensive line class overall, these guys could all be off the board fast. I always like the top of round two for adding offensive line talent in any draft. NYG is there and I can bet good money the right OL talent will be as well. It may be a matter of how badly they want to add defensive line or playmaker talent to that spot. When in doubt, beef up the core.
