With the 2026 NFL Draft just a day away, we recently released our latest iteration of the Grit Index, a metric designed to identify desirable character traits that the Detroit Lions actively seek. In our first article unveiling this year’s character metric, we explored the top 30 highest-scoring prospects on our grit scale, and today, we will dive deeper into a single position group: Offensive tackles.
Offensive tackle is believed to be one of, if not the biggest, needs on the Lions roster, so we felt this group of 35 prospects deserved some further attention.
From a grit standpoint, Clemson’s Blake Miller is the clear top dog amongst offensive tackles. A powerful mauler, Miller wins with a finisher’s mentality and plays through the echo of the whistle. Throughout the Grit Index, Miller was acknowledged for a variety of traits, including:
Intelligence: Film junkie translates to on-field production.
Perseverance: Despite growing up in Ohio, his dad being an Ohio State graduate, and receiving an offer from the Buckeyes (who were just in the College Football National Championship), he opted to forge his own path at Clemson.
Dependability/Work Ethic: Doesn’t cheat his teammates or himself with his commitment to the team.
Durability: 54 straight starts over four seasons (Clemson record).
Toughness: Broke wrist in spring workouts, missed just one practice (for the surgery), and was back on the field the next day.
Preparation: That practice was the only one he missed during his career at Clemson.
Intangibles: Began weight lifting at age eight, then wrestling in high school (State Champion).
Football character: Quote from NFL Scout (via Dane Brugler’s The Beast), “I think he missed one practice in four years. The thought of letting down his coaches and teammates kills him.”
When you combine these “Grit” intangibles with Miller’s athleticism and on-field performance, it’s easy to see why he should be high on the Lions’ draft board and very much in play at pick No. 17 overall.
From an on-field talent perspective, the top two offensive tackles on most analysts’ draft boards are Mauigoa and Fano, and both land in Tier 2 of the Grit index. Both tackles would surely be in play for the Lions if they happen to slide and become available. Iheanachor also lands firmly in Tier 2, and with his untapped upside, he should be considered a sleeper option for Detroit. While Freeling and Lomu drop into Tier 3, that still puts them in the top third of this draft class for grit, a very respectable score.
Proctor is the wild card of the group, and his grit score lands him in the middle of the pack, which won’t help him get an edge for those evaluators who are on the fence with his evaluation. From a talent perspective, I would completely understand the Lions being tempted to gamble on his upside, but there’s not a lot in his history that suggests any guarantees that he reaches his potential.
While this article is focused on offensive tackles, I’d be negligent if I didn’t mention the fact that Ioane is in the conversation as the best offensive lineman in this draft class. If he’s available, the Lions would likely consider him. Highly competitive with a strong work ethic and a high level of intelligence, Ioane is an exciting blend of talent and grit.
If the Lions opt not to select an offensive tackle in Round 1, there is a drop-off in talent, but the above players have the potential to compete for a starting role now or in the future.
While I have Dunker listed as a guard on my Lions-based draft board (I think his first-step quickness is that of an interior player), there are several analysts that I respect who believe he could play right tackle in the Lions’ scheme, so I included him in this group. If the Lions are looking for a tackle in Round 2, the highly competitive Tier 1 grit player from Iowa would be a lot of fun in Detroit. Dunker and Tiernan are right next to each other on my draft board, and they may be the only prospects in this section who could truly give Lions right tackle Larry Borom a legitimate run for a starting role.
If the Lions end up on Day 3 looking for an offensive tackle, a player’s grit component will likely become even more important, as that player will have a lot of work ahead of them to make an impact on the roster. Wagner is the only remaining player to crack the top 20% on the Grit Index, but his talent points to him being a late-round pick and likely a swing tackle in the NFL.
Of the players in this group, Cruz is the one who garners the majority of my attention. With swing tackle experience (playing both left and right tackle) and a 9.99 RAS Score, there’s an upside to his game that is appealing. While his Grit Score is less than ideal (bottom 20%), some of that is because he is still raw and a bit of an unknown, which leads to limited information.