As the 2026 NFL Draft approaches, franchises desperate to protect their quarterbacks are finalizing their draft boards. But according to former Las Vegas Raiders general manager and renowned draft analyst Mike Mayock, teams looking for a cornerstone offensive tackle might find themselves in a highly precarious situation come draft night.
How the Mid-Round Offensive Tackle Shortage Could Force Teams to Reach
Appearing on “The Rich Eisen Show,” Mayock laid out a scenario where pure positional panic will dictate the middle and back half of the first round. The reason? A severe and sudden talent cliff.
According to Mayock’s film evaluation, the 2026 offensive tackle class is extremely top-heavy, lacking the mid-round value that teams typically rely on to build offensive line depth. This glaring gap between the top prospects and the rest of the pack is going to force teams to draft tackles earlier than their overall grades might suggest.
“I got seven offensive tackles up fairly high,” Mayock explained to Eisen. “But when they dry up, there could be a run in the first round. There could be seven tackles taken in the first round because after that, there’s a fairly steep drop-off.”
The former executive was blunt about just how barren the second tier of the draft class is, saying, “I don’t think I have a grade on a tackle to the third round after that.”
This massive void in Day 2 talent means that once the premier names begin to come off the board, a domino effect will inevitably ensue. Mayock pointed out that when the undisputed top-tier prospects like Francis Mauigoa, Monroe Freeling, and Spencer Fano hear their names called, the pressure will immediately skyrocket for front offices waiting in the wings.
“If you’re a tackle-needy team and all of a sudden Mauigoa, Freeling, [and] Fano were gone, you’re looking at [Kadyn] Proctor, [Blake] Miller, [Caleb] Lomu, and the kid from Arizona State [Max Iheanachor],” Mayock said. “Once that run starts, teams are going to get nervous towards the middle to the end of the first round at the tackle position.”
Amidst this predicted frenzy, one prospect is shooting up draft boards faster than anyone else: Freeling, the Georgia left tackle. Despite a limited collegiate resume, Mayock believes the Bulldogs standout possesses the highest ceiling in the entire class.
According to PFSN’s CFB OT Impact metric, Freeling finished 2025 with a score of 77.5, a C+. Out of the seven top offensive tackles listed by Mayock, Spencer Fano, Kadyn Proctor, and Francis Mauigoa all earned a 90.4, or an A-, or above.
“I think the Freeling kid from Georgia has probably moved up more than any other player in the draft since the end of the season,” Mayock said. “He was a one-year starter at left tackle for Georgia… but I think he’s going to be the best left tackle coming out of this draft three years from now.”
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Because of his immense upside, Mayock doesn’t expect Freeling to wait long in the green room, saying, “He’s young, he’s inexperienced… [but] he’s going to go higher, I think, than people think. I mean, I could see him as early as six to the Browns.”
With a glaring gap between the top seven tackles and the rest of the developmental projects, the 2026 NFL Draft is primed for chaos in the trenches. If Mayock’s assessment holds true, expect general managers to aggressively reach for offensive linemen to ensure they aren’t left empty-handed.
