Combine Day 5 recap: Campbell viewed as OT

Hear from the offensive linemen at the combine

INDIANAPOLIS — There was plenty of beef during the final media session of the NFL Combine as the offensive linemen stepped up to the podium. Meanwhile, the Las Vegas Raiders have a significant need at guard and could use a long-term solution at left tackle since Kolton Miller is entering a contract year.

With that, let’s hear what the big boys had to say.

LSU’s Will Campbell is widely considered the best offensive lineman in the draft, but there’s been some debate about whether he’d be better at guard or tackle in the NFL. Campbell discussed that chatter on Saturday and said most teams he’s talked to view him as a guard. Arm length is the primary reason some suggest the position switch, which the former Tiger also addressed with the media.

Senior Bowl standout and North Dakota State product Grey Zabel is another lineman with some position flexibility. That was one of the main takeaways during Zabel’s media session as he answered several questions about lining up at different spots.

Georgia’s Tate Ratledge is one of the top interior offensive linemen this year, as he’s a nasty blocker in the trenches. Ratledge is also known for being a leader on the Bulldogs’ o-line and for battling through an injury this past season. He dove into both topics on Saturday while sounding like Stone Cold Steve Austin.

On a similar note, Alabama’s Tyler Booker dove into his leadership style. Booker will also be one of the first interior guys to hear his name called in April.

Circling back to the theme of versatility, an argument could be made that Jalen Rivers from Miami is the most versatile lineman in the class. Not only does Rivers have experience playing both tackle and guard, he also flipped back and forth between the two positions during games. The former Hurricane dove into that at the podium.

Oregon’s right tackle Ajani Cornelius has a connection to the Raiders, having played with Jackson Powers-Johnson in college during the 2023 campaign. I got a chance to ask Cornelius about his relationship with Powers-Johnson and if he’d like to reunite with his former teammate in Las Vegas.

Finally, Ohio State’s Donovan Jackson fits the Silver and Black’s need at guard and has a connection to the club with offensive coordinator Chip Kelly. Jackson also has experience playing tackle as the Buckeyes suffered several mid-season injuries up front, and he dove into how that helped his development as well as what type of scheme he’d like to play in.

My flight home forced me to leave in the middle of the quarterback and skill positions workouts. So unfortunately, I don’t have a recap of who stood out and will miss the live session. However, I’ll follow up with a few thoughts on the quarterbacks early next week after diving into the tape.