Editor鈥檚 note: This is fourth in a series of position previews for the 2025 NFL draft. Today: Interior offensive linemen.
The North Dakota State football program has become a mini-factory for offensive linemen.
Grey Zabel is sure to become the school鈥檚 third interior offensive lineman in the past five years to get drafted in the first two rounds. In fact, numerous mock drafts project Zabel to go in the middle of the first round.
The Bison offensive line alumni includes Cody Mauch, a second-round pick of Tampa Bay in 2023, and Dillon Radunz, a second-rounder in 2021 who signed last month with New Orleans.
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Zabel played left tackle in the fall for the Bison, who won their 10th Football Championship Subdivision national title in the last 15 years. But Zabel has played four O-line positions in his career and projects as an immediate NFL starter at either guard or center. He starred against top competition at the Senior Bowl.
鈥淕oing down to the Senior Bowl and competing well against top talent just goes to show that football is football,鈥 Zabel said at the NFL scouting combine. 鈥淓veryone puts on the shoulder pads the same way. Everyone bleeds red. If you鈥檙e a good football player, teams are going to find you, no matter where you played.鈥
鈥淗e is someone that has really good balance, he鈥檚 always under control,鈥 said NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah. 鈥淗e鈥檚 never on the ground. He鈥檚 got strong hands. He鈥檚 really aware in terms of seeing things and picking things up.鈥
Bills great Phil Hansen is a North Dakota State alumnus. So are NFL linemen Billy Turner and Cordell Volson.
The 2025 draft class is only average at guard and below average at center.
Overall position ranking: 4/10.
Bills starting left guard David Edwards, right, is entering the last year of his contract.
Bills view: Both center Connor McGovern and left guard David Edwards are entering the final season of their contracts. Right guard O鈥機yrus Torrence has two years left on his deal. Alec Anderson, a backup at guard and tackle, will be a restricted free agent after 2025. The Bills have a developing center prospect in Sedrick Van Pran-Granger. They signed three-year veteran guard Kendrick Green as depth insurance.
It鈥檚 easy to imagine either McGovern or Edwards, or both, staying with the Bills for 2026 and beyond. But it鈥檚 not a given, and it wouldn鈥檛 hurt to have another young prospect with future starter potential. Look for the Bills to draft a guard/center prospect on Day 3.
Bills need ranking: 5/10.
The best: Zabel is No. 1. Ohio State鈥檚 Donovan Jackson and Alabama鈥檚 Tyler Booker are the top guards, both of whom could go in the top 40 picks. Arizona guard Jonah Savaiinaea is a possible top-60 pick.
Names to know: Centers who might be able to flex to left guard include Georgia鈥檚 Jared Wilson and Ohio State鈥檚 Seth McLaughlin. Wilson may be a late second-round pick. McLaughlin is a Day 3 pick who started 25 games at Alabama before transferring for 2024. He won the Rimington Trophy as the nation鈥檚 top center but tore an Achilles tendon on Nov. 19. Boston College鈥檚 Drew Kendall and Texas鈥 Jake Majors are smart, tough centers. Kendall鈥檚 dad, Pete, played center for 13 years in the NFL. Wisconsin鈥檚 Joe Huber and LSU鈥檚 Miles Frazier are Day 3 guards with good size. Huber was a standout high school wrestler.
Sleeper: North Carolina鈥檚 Willie Lampkin. Only 5-foot-11 and 270 pounds, he started 57 games in his college career over three years at Coastal Carolina and two at Chapel Hill. He鈥檚 way below NFL offensive line size standards but he鈥檚 quick, athletic and a fierce blocker on the move. He might project as a great fullback. He鈥檚 also a former Florida state champion wrestler. If Baltimore drafts him, watch out. ... Late-round prospect Jared Penning is a big tackle with traits who projects to guard. He鈥檚 from Northern Iowa, alma mater of the Bills鈥 Spencer Brown.
