The 2025 NFL Combine kicks off in the final week of February, and we are exploring each position group ahead of the big event. In this article, we dive into the trenches by examining the offensive tackle prospects that should be on general manager Brad Holmes’ radar.
In case you’ve missed any of this series, so far, we have already previewed:
Note: Offensive line prospects participating in on-field drills will take the field on Sunday, March 1.
Team need
With starting left tackle Taylor Decker openly considering retirement, and perennial OT3 Dan Skipper already retired (and on the Lions coaching staff), the Lions have to consider making a major investment in the offensive tackle position this offseason.
Decker is still under contract, if he decides to return, as is All-Pro Penei Sewell. 2024 fourth-round pick Giovanni Manu and Devin Cochran, who spent the season on the practice squad, round out the group. With Manu still developing and Cochran not playing a snap for the Lions in 2025, the Lions may be looking at adding at least two offensive tackles capable of contributing in 2026, including one starter-level player.
Fortunately for the Lions, Sewell is capable of playing right and left tackle at a high level, meaning the Lions have the opportunity to simply target the best player available instead of looking for a side-specific player.
What to watch for
The Lions prefer their offensive linemen to be athletic, big, and strong, with a high level of intelligence and exposure to both gap and zone run-blocking schemes.
During on-field drills, keep an eye on the following traits:
- Balance through their hips and butt
- Knee bend — ideally not hunching over and bending at the waist
- Lateral movement skills
- Drills like the kick slide and lateral shuffle will help expose stiffness
- Pull and drive drills will illustrate a player’s athleticism and ability to work in space
- Reactionary time and fluidity in all drills
Blue-chip prospects
Mauigoa was arguably the most consistent offensive tackle in college football this season, and his blend of size, speed, power, and athleticism matches what the Lions look for in an offensive tackle.
In pass protection, he is comfortable on an island, demonstrates a firm anchor, and has terrific balance, making it tough for defenders to overpower him. He’s patient and on time with his hands and delivers a pop when initiating contact. While capable of handling speed and power rushers, pass rushers with a bag of tricks can give him problems, as he can get overaggressive and overcommit at times.
Mauigoa’s core strength shows up in the run game, and his understanding of leverage allows him to control defenders by latching on and driving them. His knock-back power is evident against everyone, but smaller defenders can get dominated quickly. His football intelligence allows him to stick at right tackle or potentially move to left, or inside to guard.
Fano is a terrific fluid athlete who excels as a pass protector. His quick feet and balance allow him to set up fast, flow in his mirror, and easily handle speed rushers. His main weakness is core strength, which shows up against power rushers, but he usually has enough in his bag to hold his ground. Additionally, keep an eye on his length measurables, as it has come into question with some struggled handling inside moves.
In the run game, Fano leans on his ability to leverage opponents and can latch-and-drive defenders with his quick feet. These traits allowed him to excel in Utah’s outside zone rushing scheme. With experience at left and right tackle, along with above-average effort/motor, he has a chance to be an immediate, solid NFL starter.
Fighting for OT3
The most polarizing tackle prospect in this class, as some analysts believe he is the best tackle in this class, while others believe he could slide to Day 2.
With rare physical traits, Proctor is a rare athlete in a gargantuan frame. While incredibly gifted, he’s become too dependent on his natural gifts, and as a result, his technique has become inconsistent and flawed at times. As a pass protector, his feet are surprisingly quick, and he works to stay in a rhythm with his footwork, but if his timing wavers or his concentration of his surroundings lapses, he’ll miss blocks. These inconsistencies in space have led some analysts to project him inside to guard. That being said, his first step is so quick that when he sets his anchor, it’s nearly impossible to bull rush him.
Proctor is a dominant run blocker with elite power and smooth movement, winning with size and athleticism. You’d like to see him keep his pads lower and polish some technique, but he’s a scary force on the move and can engulf defenders. If he gets a hold of a defender, he’s relocating them. Alabama also schemed up trick plays that featured him as a receiver.
Freeling is young and has limited experience (just 16 starts), but he has a ready-made NFL frame and has shown the ability to develop quickly, and represents huge upside as an NFL left or right tackle.
In pass protection, his athleticism shines with above-average bend, quick feet, fluidity in his base, and the ability to live on an island. He’s at his best when initiating contact, but needs to be more patient to not get caught overextending or playing too high. In space, he’s a fluid mover, both in pass protection and the run game, allowing him to latch-and-drive defenders with power—though he could use a bit more strength via an NFL weight room. He showed solid and consistent growth throughout the season as a drive defender, operating in-line, in space, and out on screens.
As a redshirt sophomore, Lomu is still developing at the position, but he has a good feel for the left tackle spot and is an above-average athlete who doesn’t panic in tough spots, especially in pass protection.
As a pass protector, Lomu stays square with defenders with quick feet and active hands. He’s not often fooled by defensive line eye candy, and in situations where he is beat (he can miss landmarks at times), he has above-average recovery skills because he maintains body control and hand placement. His biggest issue is a lack of core strength—though he has the frame to add power—and it shows up on drive blocks, making him more of a sustain blocker than pusher. He is comfortable working in space (Utah ran an outside zone blocking scheme) and can reach second-level defenders without issue.
Miller is a high-character, durable (54 starts over 4 years with no games missed) NFL starting right tackle right out of the box. His size, length (projected 35+-inch arms), and aggressive mentality will be very appealing to the Lions.
In pass protection, Miller is quick out of his stance, finds his anchor point, and uses his length to land his punch first. His lateral quickness allows him to be comfortable in space, take good angles/mirror, and control speed rushers. His physicality at the point of attack affords him the opportunity to be aggressive with his hands, and pairs well with a finisher’s mentality (Note: I wrote down “finisher” more times in my notes than with any other offensive lineman I scouted). His aggression can work against him at times, leading him to getting too high in his stance or lunging and thus get outleveraged, but his wrestling background provides him with some good recovery skills.
Iheanachor grew up in Nigeria playing soccer and basketball, moved to the United States as a teen, but didn’t start playing football until he was at a Junior College in 2021. Needless to say, he’s still raw for the position, and his technique/footwork is inconsistent, but he has the floor to win a starting role in the NFL and the developmental upside to become more.
With his terrific size and athleticism (his multi-sport past shows) on display at the Senior Bowl, he turned heads and likely changed some expectations. His balance and body control show up in pass protection, as does his foot quickness and easy movement in space. However, while he usually hits his marks, he can drift at times, making him susceptible to counter moves. In the pocket, he stays square to defenders, but his anchor can be too passive, leading to an inconsistent punch, though his strength helps him recover. His ability to pull, then latch-and-drive with power in the run game will be appealing in GAP schemes, but he’ll need to show he’s technical enough to stick in outside zone concepts.
Tiernan, a Detroit Country Day alum, is a durable lineman with experience at both left and right tackle, and the range to kick inside to guard—where some analysts project he may be best due to his length.
In pass protection, he has a balanced and technical skill set, but it’s hard to point to any elite skills. His feet are fast, properly placed, and under control, allowing him to set a firm anchor and absorb power rushers. HE’s comfortable in space but can be susceptible to inside moves, but his strike-first hand usage can help him get ahead of that challenge. While not a drive blocker in the run game, his technical mechanics allow him to control defenders.
Day 3 Swing OTs
Bell is a towering human with great length, surprisingly light feet, which help him be impactful in pass protection and the run game. He’s a fluid mover with a strike-first mentality that will allow him to overwhelm defenders and clear gaps as a drive blocker. His height can lead to him being too upright at times, and overall, he’s an average athlete who is still developing his technique, but there’s immediate swing tackle promise as an OT3 during his rookie season.
Casey is a solid all-around athlete who is tough, experienced, and positionally flexible enough to be a swing tackle and guard depth. In pass protection, he has a solid anchor, gets square to his defender with an above-average mirror technique, and takes proper angles with his assignments. His strength shows up in his hands with a strong punch in pass protection and latch-and-drive finishing power in the run game. He handles power better than speed, but he can be stiff in his movement and get too upright at times, leading to consistency issues, and some projections have him shifting inside to guard.
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