Charles McDonald's other draft profiles: Abdul Carter | Shemar Stewart
Football is still a simple game. In a world where skill players are grabbing the headlines and dictating how many people feel about a draft class, linemen still dictate so much of how games are won and lost. The most recent Super Bowl between the Chiefs and the Eagles highlighted that fact in a glaring way as the offseason opened. Kansas City’s offensive line was in such a poor spot that even Patrick Mahomes was completely put into a blender by the Philadelphia’s defense en route to a blowout win. On the flip side, the Eagles rode a dominant offensive line through the regular season and the playoffs, mashing their opponents on the ground while providing pristine protection for quarterback Jalen Hurts.
Every offseason, there are a slew of big contracts and trades along the offensive line, showcasing how desperately teams are searching for a unit to just provide enough competence where they can run an offense. Those needs that weren’t filled when the league year opened will have to be filled in the draft — which, luckily for the league, is filled with blockers that have a chance to be long-term starters. The offensive line talent in this class is strong, which will provide a chance for teams to solidify arguably the hardest position to fill with quality talent.
The 2025 class doesn’t have too many blue-chip, easily elite talents, but there’s a ton of quality players that will go off the board in the first two days of the draft. While the quarterbacks and skill players will continue to grab the interest of fans, here are a handful of players that can solidify the core function of their offense and potentially be the last pieces for offensive lines that are missing a player or two.