Sorting through the grittiest offensive linemen in the 2025 NFL Draft and looking for Detroit Lions-type guys.
The Grit Index has returned and we’re unveiling the results in a new series of articles. We have already examined the grittiest offensive skill players in the 2025 NFL Draft class, and next up, we take a look at which offensive linemen should be on the Detroit Lions radar.
In a recent article, we detailed how our process of developing the Grit Index has evolved over the past three offseasons, but the CliffsNotes version is that we’ve expanded our tiers from three to five, and have scaled out the scoring on a 0-100 grading system. Tier 1 players score 80+, Tier 2 land between 70-79, Tier 3 is 60-69, Tier 4 covers 50-59, and anything 49 and below is Tier 5.
It’s important to remember that this entire system is based on collecting data from draft analysts’ opinions of prospects, making it an imperfect system. However, we’ve tried to counter those flaws by adding volume and giving weight to analysts who have proven trustworthy. Every analyst has a different set of values in their assessments and our formula is our best attempt at aggregating imperfect and incomplete information.
In our offensive skill players feature , we explored four position groups, yet only had two prospects achieve Tier 1 status: Ohio State wide receiver Emeka Egbuka and Penn State tight end Tyler Warren. As we shift to the trenches, we see five more players added to the Tier 1 mix.
Tyler Booker, LG, Alabama: 97.3
Booker reset the curve on our scale with a near-perfect score. In virtually every article, draft board ranking, player profile, or interview we read/saw, Booker was described in a way that landed him into one of our six grit categories. Sometimes, he’d land in all six in just one sitting. Booker’s interview at the NFL Combine was drenched in grit throughout his 15 minutes, and he managed to land one of the best quotes of the offseason (bolding was added for emphasis):
“It’s legal assault out there, and I love football because of the brand of football I play,” Booker said at the Combine podium. “I make guys not love football anymore… My tenacity and my relentlessness make me the best offensive lineman in this class. What you see on play one is what you’re going to see on play eighty. I’m always trying to finish, I’m always trying to put you on your back.”
Tate Ratledge, RG, Georgia: 86.3
Ratledge—who describes himself as a “dirtbag” on the field—would be a fun player to pair with Christian Mahogany, who Lions general manager Brad Holmes called a dirtbag in his opening press conference. ESPN’s Matt Bowen had this to say about the Georgia right guard’s demeanor :
“Ratledge plays angry up front, with a tenacious demeanor displayed on the tape. He’s a culture-setter who could add an old-school feel to an offensive line room.”
Will Campbell, LT, LSU
: 85.3
Campbell figures to be one of, if not the first offensive lineman selected and it’s not just because of his disciplined and tenacious play on the field. Off the field, he is an altruistic member of the community and utilizes his leadership to inspire others and/or raise funds for charity.
Grey Zabel, IOL, North Dakota State: 83.4
Zabel is country-strong, position-flexible, and a tremendous leader on and off the football field. An NFL scout told The Athletic’s Dane Brugler (via The Beast) , “Football, farming, and his family – not sure he cares about much else.”
Donovan Jackson, OL, Ohio State: 80.9
Jackson is a two-time All-American and put his team first when he switched, without complaint, from left guard to left tackle in the middle of the Buckeyes’ Championship run. Texas edge rusher Barryn Sorrell—who faced off against Jackson in the College Football Playoff—called Jackson the toughest player he’s faced “because of his preparation” (also via The Beast). Jackson’s high level of leadership was also frequently mentioned throughout the materials we sourced on him.
Let’s take a look at the rest of the offensive linemen in this class starting with the offensive tackles.
Offensive tackle
Kelvin Banks has been connected to the Lions in the last few Mock Draft Roundups , and his landing in Tier 2 should help further solidify that potential marriage. Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian gave Banks one of the biggest compliments we’ve seen this offseason (via The Beast): “Whenever somebody comes to me and asks, ‘Coach, what do I need to do and how do I need to do it?’ I say, ‘Be like Kelvin.’”
Interior offensive line
Of the top five interior offensive linemen on my Lions-based draft board, the only one I have yet to talk about in this article is Jonah Savaiinaea—who checks in with a Tier 2 Grit score. Savaiinaea played left and right tackle at Arizona but projects as a right guard in the NFL.
At the Combine, his smile lit up when asked about why he likes studying Lions All-Pro tackle Penei Sewell’s game: “Just that Poly (Polynesian) inside of you,” Savaiinaea said . “You can’t explain that — if you’re a Poly, you go out there and you be a dog.”
Kyle Crabbs of the 33rd Team appears to share that sentiment, as he describes Savaiinaea as “a physical mauler in the trenches. He boasts positional versatility across his college resume, but his brute force power and heavy anchor will be best optimized at guard in the NFL.”