2025 Offensive Line Class Overview, Notes & Early Favorites

Providing a big picture analysis of the 2025 O-Line class before the start of the new year

Over the last several months, I have been working on scouting my fifth consecutive offensive line class for Bleacher Report’s scouting department. Since September 1st, we have released two Big Boards (Top 30 and Top 100), and another edition goes live at the beginning of the new year. As of this writing, I have submitted 42 initial grades with nearly 30 published scouting reports on draft-eligible offensive linemen in this upcoming class. The plan is to expand the number of reports to closer to 60 before the draft kicks off at the end of April.

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Overview

The 2025 O-Line class was initially perceived as much worse than last year’s. That’s still largely a factual statement, but it’s worth noting that last year’s class was historically loaded, especially at tackle and center. Seven tackles were drafted in round one alone (the most in 12+ years) and nine total linemen went in the first round, tying the 2022 and 2013 classes for the most since at least 2012. Last year’s class saw 25 total linemen drafted in the first three rounds alone, which is another high over that more than a decade long time span.

This upcoming class is emphatically less talented than 2024, but there are still several projected year one starters. Most of this starting talent is concentrated at guard. There are only a few true guards that I see as early starters right now (Alabama’s Tyler Booker, Georgia’s Tate Ratledge), but the ceiling of the guard class as a whole is raised thanks to many of the best tackle prospects having a viable and familiar pathway into the well-stocked ‘very good college tackle-to-pro guard’ pipeline (LSU’s Will Campbell, Texas’ Kelvin Banks Jr., West Virginia’s Wyatt Milum, Arizona’s Jonah Savaiinaea and more).

This isn’t to say that the tackle class is completely void of round one talent because that isn’t true either. All of the prior names could feasibly get a crack at a tackle spot, even if their ceilings are higher inside. My top-graded true tackles all could hear their names called in round one (Ohio State’s Josh Simmons, Oregon’s Josh Conerly Jr., Missouri’s Armand Membou).

Skepticism starts to creep in when examining the projected center class. I only have three players with a grade inside the first three rounds and none in round one. This is a little easier to stomach given the depth of last year’s center class (six rookie centers are currently starting for teams, and five have 10 or more starts).

The ‘Very good college tackle-to-pro guard Pipeline’

Zack Martin, Joe Thuney, Joel Bitonio and Brandon Scherff are four of the best guards of the last decade with 22 combined Pro Bowls between them (so far). All of them were very good, productive and accomplished collegiate left tackles. Tyler Smith, Sam Cosmi and Alijah Vera-Tucker are three of the better young guards in the league and are in the same boat. This isn’t an exhaustive list either.

Projecting a very good college tackle inside to guard as a pro isn’t a slight. In fact, more players should embrace it. Guards matter a lot and are increasingly well compensated. That said, this class is shaping up as a shot in the arm to an aging crop of guards that are closer to the end than the beginning. Several perennial Pro Bowl and All-Pro careers are showing signs of decline (Martin, Bitonio, Scherff) that will usher in a new era of players at the position to join the likes of Trey Smith, Quinn Meinerz, Smith, Cosmi, Vera-Tucker and others.

In addition to the previously mentioned bigger name prospects like Campbell, Banks, Milum and Savaiinaea, North Dakota State’s Grey Zabel, Miami’s Jalen Rivers, Purdue’s Marcus Mbow and LSU’s Emory Jones Jr. all have a feasible chance at being moved inside.

In a league that is perpetually starved for quality tackle play, chances are several of these players will be given a shot at playing tackle, especially if they’re drafted to a team with a hole at one of those spots. But in terms of a long-term outlook, based on their physical tools and current skill-sets, we will likely see the depth at guard in the NFL boosted by this class.

Favorite Prospects

Below are 10 of my personal favorite prospects in order of their grade. They will be in consideration for the annual ‘My Guys’ article scheduled for mid-April.

• LSU LT Will Campbell

We will eventually discuss what makes Campbell so highly revered and why I liked him as much as I do (click the link above for his full scouting report), but first let’s set the stage for who he is as a prospect and why he is a prime candidate for being the latest member of the aforementioned CFB OT-to-NFL OG pipeline.

Campbell is my highest graded overall lineman in the class and is coming off of a very good but not great season. Campbell still racked up the accolades with a consensus AP First Team selection and being a co-winner of the Jacobs Blocking Trophy with Texas LT Kelvin Banks Jr,

However, based on the (deserved) hype Campbell had entering this season, there were too many clean, decisive losses in pass protection to say that he met all expectations. These losses were almost all when he was isolated on an island and came outside and inside. The outside losses were typically against the cross-chop due to his outside hand being caught down the middle and being forced into chase mode (play 44 vs. Alabama’s Jihaad Campbell, plays 26, 32, 76 against Arkansas’ Landon Jackson).

The inside losses were more problematic due to drifting when threatened with speed and opening up to create a soft inside shoulder that numerous rushers capitalized on (plays 21 and 59 vs. Texas A&M’s Nic Scourton, plays 29 & 36 vs. South Carolina’s Kyle Kennard). Campbell also had issues in the run game on angle-drive blocks when isolated against Texas A&M’s Shemar Stewart (6’6”, 290 pounds).

Many of Campbell’s losses on film can be attributed to having a sawed off frame with below average arm length and his propensity to drift out of position when he has to navigate space on an island against quality rushers. This is the exact recipe for why college tackles typically are moved inside as pros. But why has that position switch worked out so often for these guys?

Aside from having the mental makeup needed to be a successful NFL lineman (which Campbell by all accounts does), the play strength needed to brace, anchor and deal with power must be there. Linemen also need good or better quickness to cover maximum ground in tight spaces while still needing to set for depth against certain alignments/matchups since many NFL 3-techniques are really aligned as 5/4i-techniques on passing downs. Successful players also need the hand dexterity to win and maintain leverage on blocks early in the down. These are all things that Campbell brings to the table.

Campbell is an outstanding run blocker who has a refined understanding on how to generate force, power and sustain through contact to finish while also being able to build his house and anchor to grind down the bull-rush. Campbell may wind up sticking at tackle and having a fine career, but I see a David DeCastro-level guard if he’s asked to make that transition.

• Missouri RT Armand Membou