'My guys' along the offensive line in the 2025 NFL Draft

The 10 OL from this class that I enjoyed studying the most and feel offer the best value in every range of the draft

Now that my work for the 2025 NFL Draft is complete, I have sorted through my top 73 graded offensive linemen and filtered out ten of my favorite prospects ranging from projected day one, two and three picks. Rather than just highlight my top ten overall, I prefer to vary the range of grades to discuss a diverse collection of talent and my personal favorite players to study. This also allows me to break down some ‘long shot’ prospects from later in the draft that I would be most comfortable betting on developing into featured players.

The outline will go as follows:

Round one favorite (1)

Round two favorites (2)

Round three favorites (3)

Round four favorites (2)

Mid/Late Day 3 favorites (2)

For reference: ‘My Guys” from the last four draft classes

2024

2023

2022 (no first round grades)

2021

Round 1 Favorite

• Ohio State LT Josh Simmons

  • Size: 6’5” 317 pounds

  • Stats: 32 career starts split across LT (19) and RT (13)

  • Age: Turns 23 years old on December 26th

  • Top traits:

    • Smooth and explosive mover

    • Very good contact balance and recovery skills

  • Reasons for concern:

    • Possible lingering effects from a left patella tendon injury

    • Small sample size at his 2024 level of play

  • Sales pitch: Simmons took a significant leap in his development from the 2023 to 2024 seasons by putting out dominant film through six weeks (injured on play 25 against Oregon) before going down with a patella injury that potentially carries some lingering concerns. It is a safe bet that if he didn’t get injured he would be considered the favorite to be LT1 in this draft. Simmons is a balanced, loose and fluid mover with explosive power who can pass protect on an island and be a featured piece of a run game.

  • Film Room

  • Grade: 1st

  • 32 play snapshot:

Round 2 Favorites

• Alabama G Tyler Booker

  • Size: 6’5” 326 pounds

  • Stats: 27 career starts at left guard (26) and one at left tackle

  • Age: Turned 21 years old on April 12th

  • Top traits:

    • Size, anchor and play strength

    • Competitive toughness, age and football character

  • Reasons for concern:

    • Mediocre foot quickness and redirect skills

  • Sales pitch: Booker is the quintessential ‘what you see is what you get’ OL prospect in this class. He doesn’t offer much wiggle or finesse but brings ideal size, play strength and competitive toughness to stop, move and punish defenders while setting the tone for a room on and off the field.

  • Film Room

  • Grade: Early 2nd

  • 25 play snapshot:

• Georgia G Tate Ratledge

  • Size: 6’6” 308 pounds

  • Stats: 37 career starts at RG

  • Age: Turns 24 years old on April 26th

  • Top traits:

    • Play strength and anchor

    • Processing skills and football character

  • Reasons for concern:

    • Mediocre length with erratic strike timing and hand placement

    • Body control and posture on drive blocks

  • Sales pitch: Ratledge will need to shore up his hand placement, strike timing and body control to limit clean losses. He checks all of the boxes from a physical traits and mental makeup perspective with his trump card traits being grip and anchor strength that allow him to stop rushers in their tracks once he latches. Ratledge isn’t a very flashy player on film but brings a sturdy, physical and reliable presence to an OL room that indicates he’s a long-term, solid starting guard.

  • Film Room

  • Grade: Late 2nd

  • 23 play snapshot:

Round 3 Favorites

• Boston College RT Ozzy Trapilo

  • Size: 6’8” 316 pounds

  • Stats: 36 career starts split across RT (24), LT (10), LG (one) and RG (one)

  • Age: Turns 24 years old on October 17th

  • Top traits:

    • Adept use of hands

    • Play strength and play speed

  • Reasons for concern:

    • Middling redirect skills and lateral quickness

  • Sales pitch: Trapilo has a polished, well-rounded skill-set at right tackle with good play strength and a firm understanding of leverages. This puts him in proper positions at the right time to consistently execute assignments, bolster his play speed and mitigate closer to average athletic ability. Trapilo’s projection to the NFL is reminiscent of current Rams RT Rob Havenstein’s when he was coming out of Wisconsin in 2015.

  • Grade: Early 3rd

  • 25 play snapshot:

• Purdue OL Marcus Mbow