2024 NFL Draft Prospect Rankings: Offensive tackles

Editor’s note: The U-T’s Eddie Brown is breaking down prospects, position by position, leading up to the NFL Draft (April 25-27). Here are his top 10 offensive tackles, plus “bonus” players he believes will be drafted or signed as a priority free agent:

1. Joe Alt (Jr., Notre Dame, 6-foot-8, 321 pounds)
The massive Irish tackle amassed several All-American honors after another successful season in South Bend. Alt only allowed a single sack in 774 pass-block snaps the last two years and he’s a true finisher in the run game. There were a few technical areas that needed polish after his sophomore season, but those are all gone now. Alt is a prototypical blindside protector, and his smooth athleticism is indicative of a former tight end. The junior captain turned 21 in February, but has an advanced understanding of pass pro dynamics, and almost never gets fooled by stunts or blitzes. He would be the first overall pick if this draft were lacking premium QB prospects. Alt’s father (John) was drafted in the first round (No. 21) by the Kansas City Chiefs in 1984 and played 13 seasons, earning All-Pro honors in 1990 and two Pro Bowl selections. Projected: Top 10

2. Olu Fashanu (Jr., Penn St., 6-6, 312)
The former three-star recruit blocked for the presumptive No. 1 overall pick in this draft, Caleb Williams, who was one grade below him in high school. Fashanu would’ve likely ended up a first-round selection had he declared after his sophomore season. There’s still room for improvement in the run game, but he’s already an elite pass-protector — he didn’t allow a single sack in 733 career pass-block snaps for the Nittany Lions. Fashanu was Penn State’s first consensus All-American on the offensive line since 1995 (Jeff Hartings). He faced off against two really good pass-rushers in practice who will be playing on Sundays (Chop Robinson and Adisa Isaac), so he knows what it looks like. Fashanu was No. 23 on Bruce Feldman’s 2023 “Freak List.” Projected: Top 15

3. Taliese Fuaga (Jr., Oregon St., 6-5, 324)
Fuaga is a well-rounded mauler at tackle and could be the Beavers’ first offensive lineman ever selected in the first round of the draft. His arm length doesn’t meet the NFL standard for tackles, but the first-team All-American’s pass protection technique is outstanding, and he possesses the athleticism to mirror and match rush movements. Some teams see him as a guard, where he could improve their interior protection, but I believe he’ll make an impact either way. He’s a bulldozer in the run game, if that bulldozer was angry at the soil for some reason and wanted to send it flying in an indiscriminate direction. Fuaga was voted the top offensive tackle on the Senior Bowl’s National team during the week of practice in Mobile. Projected: Round 1

4. JC Latham (Jr., Alabama, 6-5, 342)
Latham was the No. 1 offensive tackle in the 2021 recruiting class and turned 21 in February. He’s a super-sized tackle with elite strength and movement skills. His footwork is impressive for a man his size. He has undisciplined tendencies, committing 18 penalties the last two seasons, and he’s surprisingly susceptible to losing ground against a well-executed bull rush considering how big he is — both are coachable transgressions. Latham has a bully mentality and his premium physical traits and talent sets his ceiling at Pro-Bowl-caliber right tackle or guard. Projected: Round 1

5. Amarius Mims (Jr., Georgia, 6-7, 340)
Mims was ranked No. 8 overall nationally in the 2021 recruiting class. He is still very raw, and he dealt with multiple ankle injuries last season, but he towers over most of the competition and he moves easily considering his size. The journey to the quarterback is made more difficult simply because of his long arms and incredible wingspan (almost 87 inches), and that’s before you factor in his natural ability. Mims only had eight career starts — the first two came in the 2022 College Football Playoff where he was very good and helped the Bulldogs repeat as national champions. His athletic potential and his 2022 tape will be hard to ignore despite the inexperience. Projected: Rounds 1-2

6. Kingsley Suamataia (So., BYU, 6-4, 326)
Suamataia was a five-star recruit who originally landed with Oregon before transferring to Provo. He was No. 3 on Bruce Feldman’s annual college football “Freaks List” behind only South Carolina wide receiver Nyckoles Harbor — a true freshman last year — at No. 1 and Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. at No. 2. Suamataia has double-digit starts at both tackle positions and was voted captain as a sophomore. His premium athleticism shows in the run game, but there’s still a lot of work to do with developing his technique as a pass protector. Suamataia is cousins with the Sewell brothers (Penei and Noah). Projected: Round 2

7. Patrick Paul (Jr., Houston, 6-7, 331)
Paul was a four-year starter at left tackle for the Cougars. His technique is a work-in-progress, especially as a run blocker, but you can’t teach his size or athleticism. He’s an aggressive striker who plays with top-flight power and a bad attitude. The two-time team captain earned first-team All-Conference honors the last three seasons in two conferences (American Athletic and Big 12). He suffered a sprained ankle and torn ligament in his foot as a freshman, requiring season-ending surgery. Projected: Rounds 2-3

8. Tyler Guyton (Jr., Oklahoma, 6-7, 322)
Guyton is a former defensive end who primarily played right tackle for the Sooners after transferring from TCU, where his only start came at tight end. He has the prototypical size, premium athletic traits and fundamental skills to switch to the left side in the pros, but he’s still very early in his development. Guyton only has 15 career starts and missed five games because of injuries his two seasons in Norman. Projected: Rounds 1-2

9. Jordan Morgan (Sr., Arizona, 6-5, 311)
Morgan was a four-year starter at left tackle for the Wildcats, who had the trust of his coaching staff and almost never received help in pass-protection. He features the size, technique and quickness to stick there in the NFL depending on the scheme, but his arm length is lacking, which might necessitate a move inside. Morgan has battled ankle injuries and suffered a torn ACL towards the end of his junior season, which is why he returned to school for a fifth season. Projected: Rounds 1-2

10. Roger Rosengarten (Jr., Washington, 6-5, 308)
Rosengarten is a former four-star recruit who also lettered in basketball and baseball in high school. He ran the fastest 40-yard dash (4.92) among the offensive lineman at the combine. Rosengarten moved to the right side before his sophomore season when Michael Penix Jr. transferred to Seattle, so he could protect the left-handed QB’s blindside, but he practiced as a left tackle his first two years with the Huskies. Keeping Penix upright for most of the season helped deliver the Washington O-line the Joe Moore Award (nation’s top offensive line). Projected: Rounds 2-3

BONUS: Kiran Amegadjie (Sr., Yale, 6-5, 323)
Amegadjie is one of the premier small-school prospects in this draft class. The relatively low level of competition always deserves to be a consideration, but his body is built for the NFL, he features a rare blend of premium athletic traits and IQ certainly shouldn’t be an issue. Amegadjie started double-digit games at both left tackle (14) and right guard (10) during his three seasons with the Bulldogs. He is capable of locating and finishing as a blocker on the second-level at either position. He suffered a partially torn left quad during practice last October and required season-ending surgery, which also sidelined him for most of the pre-draft process. It would’ve been nice to see him face better competition at the Senior Bowl. Projected: Rounds 2-3

BONUS: Blake Fisher (So., Notre Dame, 6-5, 310)
Fisher was the No. 8 offensive tackle in the 2021 recruiting class. I felt he needed a little more seasoning in South Bend, potentially developing into a first-round prospect in 2025, but there’s a lot to like here. He’s a physical, imposing run-blocker with heavy hands. As a pass protector, he features the size, length and athleticism NFL teams demand from tackle prospects, but he’ll need to develop a more consistent technique in the pros. Fisher suffered a torn meniscus in his first career game, which required surgery and sidelined him for the rest of the regular season, but he returned for the Irish’s bowl game. Projected: Rounds 2-4

BONUS: Brandon Coleman (Sr., TCU, 6-4, 313)
A former no-star recruit developed into a three-star junior-college recruit at Trinity Valley Community College in Texas. Coleman was a three-year starter and team captain in 2023. He has outstanding length, but he’s being scouted primarily as a guard. He had an impressive combine, receiving an athletic score of 88 from NFL Next Gen Stats, which would place him third-best among all guards. Coleman played snaps at every offensive line position for the Horned Frogs except center. He held his own against the vaunted Georgia pass-rush in the 2022 National Championship game despite the lopsided outcome. Coleman missed most of his first season in Fort Worth after tearing ligaments in his left wrist, which required surgery, and battled through knee and ankle issues for most of last season. Projected: Rounds 3-4

BONUS: Christian Jones (Sr., Texas, 6-5, 305)
Jones is a former three-star recruit who grew up playing soccer with hopes of going professional and had zero prior experience playing football until his junior season in high school. He has athletic limitations that can be covered up by his strength, dogged mentality, outstanding wingspan and huge hands. Jones was a four-year starter and two-time honorable mention All-Big 12 for the Longhorns, with double-digit starts at right tackle (35) and left tackle (13). Projected: Rounds 3-4

BONUS: Javon Foster (Sr., Missouri, 6-5, 313)
Foster was first-team All-SEC and team captain as a super senior in 2023. He played primarily at left tackle, but he does have experience on the right side. He’s a durable three-year starter whose arm length and cerebral approach as a pass-protector provides more than enough for an offensive line coach to work with. Improving below-average footwork should be the first point of emphasis. Foster’s father (Jerome) was a defensive lineman who was a fifth-round pick (No. 139 overall) in the 1983 NFL Draft, playing four seasons with the Houston Oilers, Miami Dolphins and New York Jets. Projected: Rounds 4-5

BONUS: Matt Goncalves (Sr., Pittsburgh, 6-6, 317)
Goncalves is a former three-star recruit who lettered all four years in basketball as a prep. He’s limited athletically, and his arm length is borderline for a tackle — he split his college snaps between right and left tackle — but his size, strength and competitive nature could help him potentially find a home as an interior blocker. Projected: Rounds 4-5

BONUS: Caedan Wallace (Sr., Penn St., 6-4, 314)
Wallace was the No. 3 offensive guard in the 2019 recruiting class. He became entrenched as the right tackle at State College, starting 40 games at the position, after breaking into the starting lineup as a red-shirt freshman. Wallace features NFL size, a solid technique and should find work as a backup with the potential to start as a guard or tackle. Projected: Rounds 4-7

BONUS: Walter Rouse (Sr., Oklahoma, 6-5, 314)
The former three-star recruit and Eagle Scout was two-time honorable mention All-Pac-12 in four seasons at Stanford before joining the Sooners for his final collegiate season. Rouse improved significantly during his short amount of time in Norman. He features functional athleticism, but coaches will appreciate his size and intelligence. Rouse has played exclusively as a left tackle (52 starts) but could be considered as a solid swing tackle prospect with some upside. Projected: Rounds 5-6

BONUS: Ladarius Henderson (Sr., Michigan, 6-4, 309)
A former three-star recruit with zero football experience prior to his junior season of high school, spent four seasons with Arizona St. before transferring to Ann Arbor. Henderson was a team captain his final year in Tempe and earned first-team All-Big Ten honors his only season with the Wolverines. His playing time was almost evenly split between left tackle (20 starts) and left guard (19 starts). Henderson possesses the athleticism and length an NFL offensive line coach will be happy to work, but there’s a lot of development still required when it comes to technique considering his inexperience. Projected: Rounds 6-7

BONUS: Julian Pearl (Sr., Illinois, 6-6, 312)
Pearl features NFL size with big hands and long arms. He’s agile enough to handle speed rushers off the edge and has proven capable as a puller in the run game. He’s a three-year starter with experience at both tackle positions and right guard. The two-time All-Big Ten honoree was sidelined for the combine and Illini pro day with a hamstring issue. Pearl will turn 25 in October. Projected: Rounds 6-7

BONUS: Frank Crum (Sr., Wyoming, 6-8, 313)
Crum was a third-generation player for the Cowboys. He features imposing size, and impressive athleticism (albeit a little stiff). He’s a better run blocker than pass-protector at this point and will need to continue to develop his footwork and play strength — finds himself on the ground too often. Crum is dependable with double-digit starts at both left and right tackle (57 career games played), missing only one game because of injury. Projected: Round 7-PFA

BONUS: Josiah Ezirim (Sr., Eastern Kentucky, 6-5, 329)
A former three-star recruit at defensive end, Ezirim transitioned to the offensive line midway through his collegiate career where he started 19 games at right tackle and showed gradual improvement the last two seasons, holding his own against the FBS opponents (Cincinnati, Kentucky) on the Colonel’s schedule. Ezirim is a big, athletic project who will need time with a patient coaching staff, but he has a lot of talent and the work ethic to payoff his potential. Projected: Round 7-PFA

BONUS: Anim Dankwah (Sr., Howard, 6-7, 349)
Dankwah was raised in Ghana by his mother before moving to Ontario to live with his father at the age of 9. He’s enormous and moves gracefully for a man the size of a French door refrigerator. Bull rushers have no chance (it’s like running into a black hole). Dankwah doesn’t have a large sample size against high-level competition, and his instincts are still a work in progress, which is expected considering his inexperience. He missed chunks of his sophomore and junior seasons because of injuries, but size and power matter a lot to NFL teams. Projected: Round 7-PFA

BONUS: Jalen Sundell (Sr., North Dakota St., 6-5, 301)
Sundell battled injuries as a sophomore and junior, including a fractured foot, but replaced second-round draft pick Cody Mauch at left tackle in 2023 and had his best season. He had played center his previous three seasons for the Jackrabbits. He needs to get stronger, but he’s athletic and would be at his best in a move-blocking scheme that allows him to pull or get out in space. Projected: PFA

BONUS: Giovanni Manu (Sr., British Columbia, 6-7, 352)
The former high school basketball standout, nicknamed “Baby Shaq,” played left tackle and left guard for the Thunderbirds, earning All-Canadian honors his last two seasons. He features rare athletic traits for a man his size and would make an intriguing developmental tackle. He was born in Tonga before moving to Canada at age 11. Projected: PFA