Continuing our new Summer Scouting series here at NFLTR, I’ll be going position by position breaking down my preliminary top prospects to set the table for the upcoming collegiate season and 2025 NFL Draft cycle. You can find the other positions done so far here:
Next up, we have offensive tackles. Outside of quarterbacks, this is one of the classic premium positions teams are the most willing to use high draft picks on. Every year there are more teams looking to bolster the trenches than there are ones content with the current lineup. It’s rare for a team to become a perennial contender with a weak offensive line and it’s tough to have a good offensive line without being strong at tackle.
This year’s crop has two players who would have challenged Chargers LT Joe Alt to be the first tackle taken in the 2024 draft, plus two others I have rated as first-round talents. There’s a dropoff after those names, but behind them are a bunch of intriguing Day 2 options. It wouldn’t surprise me to see one or more of them take a big leap this year.
Let’s take a look at the early top tackles in 2025:
1: Will Campbell, LSU
The best left tackle in college football, Campbell is stepping into his true junior season looking to pad his résumé even further. As a freshman in 2022, he started right away and played the full season at left tackle, following that up as a sophomore with another full campaign. He’s allowed two sacks in his career and only committed six penalties, a remarkable run of consistent, high-level production. Campbell made the first-team All-SEC in 2023 and is the presumptive top tackle in the 2025 draft heading into this college season.
Standing at 6-6 and 325, Campbell has a prototypical left tackle build. But it’s not just his frame, he’s a true athlete for the position. You can see this in the way he moves on tape — fluidly running down defenders in space, kicking out to start his pass sets with smooth hips and reliable feet, and deftly engaging pass rushers on his own terms. This athleticism extends to his core strength and balance. He’s able to move quickly, extend beyond his frame or anchor down, all while maintaining positioning and leverage.
Campbell’s footwork is excellent, displaying clean, sharp movements in repeatable sets. He gets into his sets quickly with the length and balance to recover back to the inside when necessary. In run blocking, he’s a smart player, setting the edge well and knowing how to set up his blocks to quickly advance to the second level. He moves well in space and is a terror on the run. Notably, he can handle double teams and crowds of rushers, effectively communicating and passing off assignments as needed. He’s a disciplined, fundamentally sound blocker.
As far as weaknesses go, there aren’t many to name. A lot of them come down to a lack of experience relative to some of his opponents. When he is beaten by an edge rusher, they typically either surprise him with a move he wasn’t expecting or outwork him after he expects the play to be over. You’d like to see him play harder through the whistle on those snaps, but it’s not like he has a consistent effort issue or anything. More experience will help him learn what the best edge rushers are capable of even late in plays.
It’s not that Campbell is a perfect prospect, but he does fit everything the NFL looks for when drafting offensive tackles. He’s a refined run and pass blocker, with an ideal NFL build and reliable technique. I have a first-round grade on him, and he’s a great candidate to receive the blue-chip label in final evaluations. Most draft analysts are projecting him to be a top-five pick in April. With another strong season at LSU, he can lock in that projection and potentially push to go even higher than that.
2: Kelvin Banks Jr., Texas
Widely considered one of the top prospects in the 2025 draft, Banks is a decorated college player. A two-year starter at left tackle, he enters his true junior season having only allowed three sacks in his Texas career. He was a freshman All-American in 2022 and first-team All-Big 12 in 2023. Putting together another top season is a priority for Banks, who could challenge Campbell to be the first offensive tackle selected in the 2025 draft.
Banks utilizes his 6-4, 324-pound frame well, demonstrating a strong punch off the line in both pass protection and run blocking. He’s quick on his feet and gets low in his stance, maximizing his leverage and his ability to react to a pass rusher’s moves. He sets a strong base, kicking out quickly to gain depth without overcommitting to either shoulder. Edge rushers simply can’t get around him, as he’s adept at reacting to counters while still defending his outside shoulder. Rushers usually can’t get through him, either, as he anchors incredibly well. On a good set, Banks presents an impenetrable wall protecting his quarterback.
In the running game, Banks uses his quickness and fluidity on the move to reach linebackers and safeties, clearing running lanes with ease. He plays aggressively, locking onto his assignments and bulldozing them through the play. This translates to his pass protection as well — he locks in his blocks better than anyone else in this class, making it difficult for defenders to disengage and pursue a scrambling quarterback or even to properly hand fight. This strength and tenacity combine with his agility to form a remarkable tackle prospect. You could say it’s as if he was built in a lab for it.
Where Banks can go wrong is that he can be too aggressive at times, particularly in his pass sets. He’ll get caught lunging at rushers instead of playing patiently or engaging them with a firmer base. This leads to off-balance plays and the majority of his losses. Other than that, there aren’t any holes in his game. Banks is a sound, well-rounded prospect.
Like Campbell, Banks is expected to be a first-round lock. I certainly have a first-round grade on him, and he could also push to go top five. Tackles go early and often in the draft, as teams are always looking for reliable, lockdown protectors. Banks fits that mold perfectly. Another season to solidify his game even further and the sky is the limit with him. It’s early, but he’s one of 2025’s top prospects.
3: Jonah Savaiinaea, Arizona
A massive 6-5, 330-pound lineman from Honolulu, Savaiinaea enters his junior season in 2024 as one of the anchors for an excellent Arizona squad. He started 12 games at right guard as a freshman before moving to right tackle as a sophomore last season, starting all 13 games. Beyond just showcasing his versatility, he’s allowed four total sacks in his two years as a college starter, demonstrating his reliability as well. With freshman All-America honors in 2022 and honorable mention All-Pac 12 honors in both 2022 and 2023, Savaiinaea is expected to take another step forward this year as one of college football’s premiere offensive tackles.
As a tackle, Savaiinaea has remarkable quickness in his feet for a man of his size. He starts out of his stance with a jolt, rarely caught stepping slowly or failing to fire off the line. This foot speed extends to his pass sets, where he doesn’t need to overextend his initial sets. He gets good initial depth and width without getting off-balance or overcommitting to his outside shoulder. Because of this, he protects himself against counters and speed-to-power bull rushes, trusting his length and technique to hold up. For a player who started at guard, it is extremely impressive that Savaiinaea adapted to operating out in space in the span of a single season playing tackle. The continued growth potential here is alluring.
Savaiinaea is built well for a tackle, with long arms and a strong core. He anchors well in pass protection, sinking his hips and using his hands to dissuade rushers. Against stunts, delayed blitzes, and other advanced defensive schemes, Savaiinaea showcases intelligence and studiousness in how he can diagnose and react in real time. He’s clearly watched film on his opponents and has been well-coached in how to respond to a variety of potential schemes and blitzes. His hand usage helps here too, as he stays disciplined and can peel off and catch rushers accordingly.
Run blocking is much more of a work in progress for Savaiinaea. He doesn’t play with as much aggressiveness as you’d like to see for a blocker with his size and strength, often seeming hesitant and slow to react, especially at the second level. While he can lock onto and bury a defender off the line of scrimmage, he doesn’t look comfortable operating in space, which limits his effectiveness in many run-blocking schemes. Some of his guard tendencies and limitations can be seen against the fastest edge rushers he faced last season, who were sometimes able to bend the edge against him.
Despite his youth and inexperience, Savaiinaea is already an advanced pass protector with great traits. He’s long and well-built, with a strong core and quick feet. I have a solid first-round grade on him, though his struggles as a run blocker may cap his ceiling on draft day. The hope is that with more experience playing tackle, he can continue to refine his game and improve on his weaknesses. Even if he doesn’t erase them completely, that would be enough to make him a high-end NFL tackle prospect.
4: Emery Jones, LSU
LSU’s other offensive tackle is a pretty good prospect in his own right. Jones is a 6-6, 335-pound athlete entering his junior season entrenched as the starter at right tackle. Like Campbell, Jones has started every game in his career, including his entire true freshman season in 2022. While his play has been more up-and-down than his counterpart on the left side of the line, Jones has flashed immense upside. He was a freshman All-American in 2022 and made second-team All-SEC in 2023. Now in his third year in the LSU program, he’ll look to solidify his game and announce himself as a no-brainer first-round pick.
Jones’s biggest strength is his agility. He stays light on his feet and has the natural quickness and bend to mirror even the fastest edge rushers. It’s difficult for rushers to win the edge and bend around him to the quarterback, as Jones will simply pivot, kick out, and keep them in front of them. Unlike many other tackles, Jones protects himself against counters by simply being fast enough to recover. While he can sometimes get himself into trouble by overcommitting to the inside and relying purely on his speed and fluidity to defend his outside shoulder, that usually works, even against some of the best competition he faced.
Not only is he fast and agile, but he’s strong, too. Jones delivers huge hits with his hands, keeping good leverage and preventing pass rushers from getting into his chest. He can stop defenders in their tracks with his initial contact and counterpunches, anchoring with his frame and using his hands well to ward off bull rushes and attempted long-arms. In the run game, Jones fires off the line and plows through defenders, paving massive rushing lanes and staying connected on his blocks down the field.
Consistency is the difference between Jones being a good draft prospect and a great one. As good as he is kicking out and moving his feet, he sometimes…just doesn’t do that. His feet can get stuck and he’ll get caught lunging or reaching for rushers instead of keeping his body in front of them. His footwork needs improvement, particularly in run blocking, where he doesn’t appear coordinated when striking out or climbing to the second level. Generally speaking, his hand fighting and placement is raw; despite the power he can deliver, he needs to be more consistent with his punch and more advanced in how he fights for leverage.
All this paints a picture of an immensely talented prospect who’s still learning the intricacies of the position. I have a late first-round grade on Jones, as his tools are simply too good to rate any lower and he does a lot of things well already. This isn’t a case of a player purely relying on size or athleticism. Jones is advanced in a lot of what he does, he just needs to get more consistent and add some refinement in other areas of his game. If he can do that, he could push to be a top-ten pick.
5: Ajani Cornelius, Oregon
After spending his first three seasons at Rhode Island, Cornelius transferred to Oregon in 2023 and helped anchor one of the best offensive lines in football. Back for his fifth season thanks to his Covid year, Cornelius is now looking to take another step forward in his development. Oregon projects to be one of the best teams in the Big 10 in their first year in the conference, and Cornelius has a chance to make himself a household name with a big season.
A slimmer tackle at 6-5 and 308, Cornelius is nonetheless a nasty run blocker. He thrives on the move, demolishing defenders and regularly pancaking his opposing linemen. Effort is never a concern for him, as he plays through the whistle every snap and isn’t afraid to bury someone. He can climb to the second level effectively and stays connected on his blocks well.
In pass protection, Cornelius knows how to set the edge and plays with sharp instincts. He primarily plays right tackle and didn’t have a sack allowed last season. He has a good base and strong initial punch, keeping pass rushers at arm’s length and preventing them from getting into his chest. He picks up on stunts and blitzes well, maintaining a good anchor and flexible hips to meet additional rushers. Additionally, Cornelius showcases excellent hand placement, utilizing his length and technique to keep edge rushers off balance and not allowing them to get into their moves.
Despite his strength and savvy, he has trouble mirroring faster edge rushers. This is a concern given his lighter weight profile. Cornelius simply doesn’t have the foot speed on tape to defend his outside shoulder against the league’s best pass rushers. He’s comfortable on an island and can anchor well but can’t defend against the bendiest rushers. This has to improve if he wants to be considered in the first-round discussion, and it could force a move inside to guard.
Cornelius is a technically sound right tackle who does a lot of things the right way. He’s a mauler in the run game and isn’t afraid to take on edge rushers one-on-one. I have a third-round grade on him, he simply needs to be quicker to succeed as a starter in the NFL. That’s not impossible, and a faster kick set could turn him into a first-round pick almost immediately. Even as it stands, though, Cornelius would be an attractive Day 2 selection as a developmental prospect or a quality swing tackle.
Best Of The Rest
6 — Josh Conerly Jr., Oregon: Incredibly fluid athlete with the speed and length to be an elite pass blocker. Needs to get stronger to hold up in the NFL.
7 — Josh Simmons, Ohio State: Quick-twitch athlete with good size and speed combo. Needs to get stronger and more experienced.
8 — Earnest Greene III, Georgia: Wide tackle with good hands and a run blocking mentality coaches will love. Slower in his feet than you’d like and needs to improve his pass-blocking sets.
9 — Blake Miller, Clemson: Hard-nosed, smooth mover with potential guard flexibility. Needs a lot of refinement in pass protection.
10 — Aireontae Ersery, Minnesota: Prototypical tackle build with eye-popping athleticism. Needs to be faster in his lower body and just get more experience.
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