Read Dane Brugler’s previous summer scouting reports: Quarterbacks | Running backs | Wide receivers | Tight ends

With eight players selected in the top 32, the offensive tackle was the most represented position in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Naturally, the 2025 class won’t be as top-heavy at the position — we might never again see eight offensive tackles drafted in the first round.

But it has a chance to be a strong position nonetheless, both in Round 1 and in terms of overall depth. LSU has never produced a first-round offensive tackle (which is kind of mind-blowing), but the program might have two next April.

(Notes: An asterisk represents a draft-eligible underclassman. Heights and weights are what NFL teams currently have on file for each player, with  “v” representing verified measurements and “e” for estimates.)

What he does best: Plays efficient and balanced

Offensive line play is all about staying on time, which comes naturally for Campbell due to his mental and physical talent. He plays with foot quickness and hip/joint flexibility to match up with explosive pass rushers, but he also understands technique, leverage and strike timing to stay balanced regardless of what the rusher is throwing at him.

Campbell had a fun battle against Alabama’s Dallas Turner last season, with wins on both sides. On this play, Turner (who was drafted in Round 1 by the Minnesota Vikings) attempts a long-arm stab to set up his ghost move. But Campbell reads the rusher, stays balanced and doesn’t overshoot, which disrupts Turner’s cadence and keeps him from dipping or swinging his hips around the corner.

Must improve: Compensating for mediocre length

Campbell is compactly built with NFL-desired height and weight. But he doesn’t possess ideal arm length, which was especially noticeable against the better opponents on the 2023 schedule. Turner’s long-arm moves gave him trouble at times; Campbell lost the length battle against Missouri’s Darius Robinson and was overwhelmed if Robinson’s timing was perfect. Although he can’t make his arms grow, Campbell can continue to develop the ways he can compensate for having average length.

2024 season/2025 NFL Draft outlook

A native of Monroe, La., Campbell grew up wanting to play at LSU and has made that dream come true in a big way. One of the top recruits in the state a few years ago, he started the 2022 season opener as a true freshman left tackle and hasn’t looked back, starting all 26 games there the last two seasons. An All-SEC player in each of his first two seasons, Campbell has been a model of consistency and rarely leaves the field (he was the only player on the LSU offense with 800-plus snaps in 2023).

The LSU offense will have a new look in 2024 with Jayden Daniels, Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. now in the NFL, but Campbell gives the Tigers consistency at a key position and is on a trajectory to join his former teammates as first-round picks. Even if he lacks ideal length, Campbell has the talent and makeup to start in the NFL for a long time.

What he does best: Relies on physical gifts

With his length, body movements and recovery skills, Jones has the physical gifts that put him high on the NFL radar. He springs out of his stance with the long arms to keep rushers at bay when his footwork and landmark depths are on point. Even when his sloppy tendencies lead to him getting caught in compromised positions, Jones’ ability to dig himself out of those bad spots and recover illustrates his impressive physical gifts.

Former Ole Miss pass rusher Cedric Johnson was drafted this past April because of his explosive burst at 260 pounds, but Jones looked comfortable handling him — as he does on this play:

Must improve: Throws his hands too early

Though he has the base power and reaction skills to recover, Jones needs to be more consistent with his strike timing to control rushers earlier in the rep. His mechanical consistency took a noticeable jump between his freshman and sophomore seasons, and if his technical timing continues to catch up to his physical ability, Jones could pass Campbell for the OT1 crown this season.

2024 season/2025 NFL Draft outlook

In this past draft class, several college programs had two tackles drafted in the first three rounds — Notre Dame (Joe Alt, Blake Fisher), Washington (Troy Fautanu, Roger Rosengarten) and Penn State (Olu Fashanu, Caedan Wallace). Not only are both of LSU’s tackles future NFL draft picks, but Campbell and Jones are legitimate contenders for OT1 and potential top-15 selections.

Jones wasn’t as highly recruited as Campbell, but he also was thrust into the starting lineup as a freshman and has more than held his own. I love his aggressive nature on the field, but the main objective in 2024 for the Baton Rouge native will be to introduce more control without sacrificing his violence. And that description brings back flashes of Ickey Ekwonu, a top-10 draft pick out of NC State.

What he does best: Stays controlled in his pass sets

With his smooth body control, Banks has the initial quickness to reach his depth landmarks and stay square to rushers. He can handle wide rushers or cut off inside moves thanks to his controlled movements — but also because he has the football IQ to understand what rushers are throwing at him. Scouts say the Texas coaches rave about the way Banks is wired in his preparation and how it plays out in games.

Even when long-armed rushers can reach his chest, Banks maintains his square base, breaks contact and shields his quarterback in space.

Must improve: Run-blocking adjustments

Though he plays controlled in pass protection, Banks needs to improve his body positioning and hand usage to reset and consistently gain the upper hand in the run game. He has the feet to execute a wide array of blocks but needs to cut down on the forward lean and improve his adjustments, especially in space.

2024 season/2025 NFL Draft outlook

A highly recruited five-star player, Banks was one of the first major wins of the Steve Sarkisian era in Austin. Not only did Banks earn the starting left tackle job as a freshman, but several Longhorns players have told me that he established himself as one of the team leaders his first summer with the program. He faced several talented pass rushers over his first two seasons at Texas and more than held his own, separating himself as an All-American.

The Texas offense has been highly productive the past two seasons with star skill players like Bijan Robinson, Jonathon Brooks, Xavier Worthy and Adonai Mitchell, who all were drafted in the first two rounds. But consistency on the offensive line has been a substantial reason for the Longhorns’ rise, which should continue in 2024. Some NFL scouts believe Banks’ NFL future will be inside at guard, but regardless, he has the tangible and intangible talent to secure first-round status next April.

What he does best: Big man movements and power

I had high expectations for the first three players on this list going into the summer. But Ersery was a pleasant surprise when I studied his tape, because of the way he moves at 6-foot-6, 337 pounds. He has the traits to fit any blocking scheme, and he naturally transfers power from his hips to his fingertips while showing the required foot quickness to fit his target.

Ersery is a better run blocker at this point in his development, but he also moves well in pass protection and had a strong performance against Ohio State’s pass rushers last season.

Must improve: Hand usage/counters

Ersery has 34-plus-inch arms with strength in his hands to control the man in front of him. The next step in his development will be to play with better control when hand fighting and reacting to moves. Ersery showed a ton of promise in 2023, but there were times (see the Michigan and Illinois tapes) when he wasn’t able to play with sound hand technique and found himself off balance.

2024 season/2025 NFL Draft outlook

A three-star recruit out of Kansas City, Ersery didn’t see much action his first two seasons on campus before earning the starting left tackle job in 2022. He showed noticeable improvement last season and is poised for another jump as a fifth-year senior in 2024.

With his size and budding talent, Ersery is a future NFL starter and has the tools to command a lucrative second contract down the line. He’s not a household name by any means, but the Gophers’ left tackle isn’t a secret among NFL scouts — and I promise you will start to read/hear his name more and more as we inch closer to the 2025 NFL Draft.

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5. Wyatt Milum, West Virginia (6-6 1/4v, 318v)

What he does best: Block finisher

It will be very easy for NFL offensive line coaches to appreciate Milum’s rugged attitude and killer instinct as a blocker. In closed spaces, the Mountaineers’ left tackle generates torque once engaged to uproot and finish with authority. When sealing or blocking out in space, Milum has the footwork and alert, aggressive demeanor to spring runners.

Must improve: Pass-pro leverage

Milum is a taller blocker but has shorter arms (32 inches), which can disrupt his rhythm at times, especially when he’s on an island in pass protection. Better consistency when dropping his hips and widening his base are vital for Milum to leverage himself versus both edge speed and power rushers.

2024 season/2025 NFL Draft outlook

The priority for Mountaineers head coach Neal Brown (and every major college football coach) is to keep the top high school talent in the state. With Milum, Brown had to fight off Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State and several other SEC and Big Ten programs. After starting at right tackle as a true freshman, Milum moved to left tackle the past two seasons and is poised for an All-American season as a senior in 2024.

In last year’s draft process, NFL scouts raved about former West Virginia center Zach Frazier’s grit, toughness and nasty demeanor. And a lot of similar adjectives will be used to describe Milum’s play style throughout the upcoming draft process. Whether his NFL future is at tackle or guard, Milum has a starting-caliber skill set and will be competing for early-round consideration.

Preseason top-25 senior offensive tackles

(Note: Heights and weights for senior TEs listed below are NFL verified.) 

1. Ersery
2. Milum
3. Fa’alili Fa’amoe, Washington State (6-4 3/4, 324)
4. Jack Nelson, Wisconsin (6-6 5/8, 310)
5. Anthony Belton, NC State (6-5 1/2, 354)
6. Chase Lundt, UConn (6-6 3/4, 295)
7. Jalen Rivers, Miami (Fla.) (6-5 3/8, 337)
8. Ajani Cornelius, Oregon (6-4 3/8, 319)
9. John Williams, Cincinnati (6-3 7/8, 321)
10. Kahlil Benson, Colorado (6-5 3/4, 304)
11. Jeremy James, Ole Miss (6-5 1/8, 337)
12. Xavier Truss, Georgia (6-6 3/4, 304)
13. Ozzy Trapilo, Boston College (6-7 7/8, 314)
14. John Campbell Jr., Tennessee (6-5 3/8, 320)
15. Myles Hinton, Michigan (6-6 1/2, 332)
16. J.C. Davis, Illinois (6-4, 321)
17. Quinn Carroll, Minnesota (6-6 7/8, 308)
18. Nick Kidwell, Indiana (6-4 1/2, 319)
19. Marques Cox, Kentucky (6-4 5/8, 312)
20. Dalton Cooper, Oklahoma State (6-5 1/4, 318)
21. Branson Taylor, Pittsburgh (6-5 7/8, 333)
22. Caleb Rogers, Texas Tech (6-4 3/8, 303)
23. Savion Washington, Syracuse (6-8 1/4, 324)
24. Easton Kilty, Kansas State (6-5 1/2, 309)
25. Gerald Mincey, Kentucky (6-5 3/8, 334)

Texas OT Kelvin Banks Jr. has started 27 games at left tackle over the past two seasons. (Nick Tre. Smith / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Preseason top-10 draft-eligible underclassmen

(Note: All measurements for underclassman TEs listed below are estimates.) 

1. Campbell
2. Jones
3. Banks
4. Josh Conerly Jr., Oregon (6-4, 305)
5. Josh Simmons, Ohio State (6-5, 305)
6. Earnest Greene III, Georgia (6-4, 320)
7. Trey Zuhn III, Texas A&M (6-7, 315)
8. Fernando Carmona Jr., Arkansas (6-5, 325)
9. Blake Miller, Clemson (6-7, 300)
10. Xavier Chaplin, Virginia Tech (6-6, 325)

(Illustration: Dan Goldfarb / The Athletic; top photo of Will Campbell: Scott Winters / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)