The Kansas City Chiefs have the best interior offensive line in the NFL but risk losing Trey Smith this spring and Joe Thuney the following year. It’s unlikely the team keeps both guards beyond next season, which means Brett Veach should select interior offensive line depth in the 2025 NFL draft.
According to Senior Bowl Director Jim Nagy, LSU Tigers standout Garrett Dellinger is a verified 6’4.5″, 320 lbs. His thick frame packs impressive power in pass protection. Defensive linemen lack the power to rush through Dellinger’s frame. He needs to tighten his hand usage to protect his chest more, but his raw power lets him succeed with poor technique.
Dellinger’s anchor isn’t his only weapon in pass protection. He delivers impressive power through his hands. His punches and shoves send defensive linemen stumbling away. Dellinger’s limited arm length prevents him from maximizing this power, but his highlights in pass protection rank among the best in the 2025 class.
Dellinger plays with an elevated pad level and inconsistent hand usage. His frame limits his agility and foot speed. He struggles to mirror twitchy defenders and sometimes stops moving his feet when he extends to punch the rusher. These flaws prevent Dellinger from earning a top 60 grade in the class.
Dellinger’s impact in the run game varies. His movement skills help him execute some reach blocks and pull for gap runs, but he lacks the ideal open field speed and agility to mirror defenders. Dellinger uses his power to displace or seal defenders to create massive run lanes. He climbs to the second level on combo blocks to eliminate linebackers.
LSU has 4 OL who will be drafted farily high in the 2025 NFL draft and my two favorites are LT Will Campbell (Top 15) and LG Garrett Dellinger (Day two) and here they serve up the rare synchronized pancake pic.twitter.com/kalcxgixZs
— Chicago Football Connection (@CFCBears) October 15, 2024
Dellinger’s inconsistent balance causes him to fall off some blocks in the run game. He lunges into blocks, which makes him vulnerable to swim moves. When he makes solid contact, Dellinger uses his leg drive to displace and pancake defenders. He doesn’t post those dominant plays consistently.
Dellinger missed time late in the season with a high ankle sprain that he suffered versus Texas A&M. He plans to add more tape before the draft by attending the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala. in late January. Dellinger projects as a third or fourth-round selection.
