2022 NFL draft: Top offensive tackles
From the Everything you need for the 2022 NFL Draft series
These tackles will be among the first linemen chosen in the 2022 NFL drft.
1. Evan Neal (Jr., Alabama, 6-foot-7, 337 pounds)
Neal improved every season in Tuscaloosa while thriving at both tackle positions and left guard after joining the Crimson Tide as a top-10 overall recruit in 2019. Projected: Top 5
Ikem Ekwonu (Jr., N.C. State, 6-4, 310)
Ekwonu tosses around defenders with all the vigor of a nightclub bouncer who truly enjoys his job. He was the most dominant run-blocking tackle in a Power 5 conference last season — it really wasn't close — and I envision him thriving at tackle or guard in the NFL. Projected: Top 5
3. Charles Cross (So., Mississippi State, 6-4, 307)
Cross has target-lock awareness as a pass protector. He gave up only 16 pressures on 719 pass-blocking snaps in 2021, according to Pro Football Focus, including shutting out Alabama pass rushers in 66 snaps. Projected: Round 1
4. Trevor Penning (Sr., Northern Iowa, 6-7, 325)
Penning faced superior competition in Mobile, Ala., for the Senior Bowl and didn't flinch while showcasing his athleticism at the combine. He plays with a nasty demeanor and tries to bury defenders in the run game. There's still work to do in pass protection. Projected: Round 1
5. Bernhard Raimann (Sr., Central Michigan, 6-6, 303)
The former tight end-turned-tackle is one of the most polished prospects in this group despite only playing the position for two years. He feasted on MAC competition, but play didn't suffer versus two SEC opponents (LSU and Missouri) in 2021. Projected: Round 1
6. Daniel Faalele (Sr., Minnesota, 6-8, 384)
You'd probably need a crane to move him backward. Faalele anchored one of the best offensive lines in the nation last season. He's a massive man who is relatively new to the sport. He grew up playing basketball and rugby in Australia. He learned football in 2016 so there's a lot of clay to mold. Projected: Rounds 2-3
7. Tyler Smith (So., Tulsa, 6-4, 324)
Smith is a work in progress as a pass protector and a flag magnet — he committed 16 penalties in 2021 — but a bully in the run game. You can't teach his power or movement skills. Projected: Rounds 1-2
8. Abraham Lucas (Sr., Washington State, 6-6, 315)
A four-year starter at right tackle for the pass-heavy Cougars, Lucas is an average athlete, but his size, hands and intelligence make him one of the more pro-ready prospects at the position. Projected: Rounds 2-3
9. Kellen Diesch (Sr., Arizona State, 6-7, 303)
Diesch allowed multiple pressures only once last season and allowed only seven all year long. Overall, he needs to improve his functional strength in pass protection to continue his success in the NFL, but his athleticism and size are solid building blocks for a potential starting left tackle. He will be a 25-year-old rookie. Projected: Rounds 3-5
10. Nicholas Petit-Frere (Jr., Ohio State, 6-5, 316)
Petit-Frere was the top tackle in the 2018 recruiting class. He features all the physical tools required to play left tackle in the NFL, but he shuffled between playing like a first-rounder and looking like a priority free agent too often in 2021. Projected: Rounds 2-4
Additional prospects:
Rasheed Walker (Jr., Penn State, 6-5, 313)
Walker was a three-year starter at left tackle for the Nittany Lions. He's a nasty run blocker with impressive athletic qualities. Inconsistency was a theme during his collegiate career. Projected: Rounds 3-5
Max Mitchell (Sr., Louisiana, 6-6, 307)
Mitchell is an athletic, aggressive lineman with experience at both tackle positions, who excels in the run game. Projected: Rounds 3-5
The NFL Draft takes place April 28-30 in Las Vegas. Here is everything you need to be prepared for the event.