Troy Fautanu, Cooper Beebe, and Christian Mahogany lead the 2024 NFL Draft offensive guard class

The 2024 NFL Draft offensive guard class is a strong group in terms of both depth and high-quality talent. The group is led by Washington’s Troy Fautanu who has all the talent to be an All-Pro in the NFL. While Cooper Beebe and Christian Mahogany carry day two draft grades on my board there is no doubt they have the talent to start as rookies.

In terms of depth, this group features several prospects who will go on day three yet will make a big impact as a rookie. One of those players is Layden Robinson of Texas A&M, who is an impressive athlete who had a strong 2023 season. Another prospect who fits this description is Marcus Tate of Clemson. Tate is one of the most impressive run blockers in this class and if he can stay healthy could be a steal in the 2024 NFL Draft.

2024 NFL Draft offensive guard class ranking No. 1-4

1. Troy Fautanu, Washington: Going into the 2023 season Washington offensive guard Troy Fautanu was named the offensive guard I would stand on table for, and after an elite 2023 season, other draftniks are seeing why I was so high on him. Fautanu has all the tools to be an All-Pro offensive guard and should be a first-round pick come April. The first thing that stands out about Fautanu is his elite athletic ability. He shows a great burst off the ball and looks extremely comfortable in space. This mobility should allow him to be a great fit in a zone-blocking scheme. In addition to being one of the most athletic offensive linemen in the 2024 NFL Draft, he also plays with good aggression and fights through the whistle. The only concern I have with his game is that due to his aggressive playing style, he can sometimes get out of position. Draft Grade: First Round

2. Cooper Beebe, Kansas State: It is hard to find a more decorated offensive lineman in the 2024 NFL Draft than Kansas State’s Cooper Beebe. He was named the Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year in both 2023 and 2021, and is the first offensive lineman in school history to be named a consensus All-American. He also has the traits coaches in a gap-blocking scheme will love including impressive strength. He shows this strength in the passing game and is someone who is almost impossible to bull-rush. In the run game he consistently wins at the point of attack and is one of the best run blockers in college football. While he will be a great fit for a power running game, his limitations will prevent him from playing in a zone scheme. These limitations include being an average athlete, and having short arms. Draft Grade: Second Round

"“Oh, absolutely not. For me being a captain and being a leader, especially with us being down a lot of players and this being my last game, I felt like if I’m going to start something I’m going to finish it. As a leader, I’m going to send this team off right and I’m going to play in the bowl game.”"

Cooper Beebe about not skipping bowl gam

3. Christian Mahogany, Boston College: Boston College offensive guard Christian Mahogany looked like his old self this year, after coming back from a torn ACL. His presence was a big boost for the Eagles helping the team finish second in the ACC this season in rushing which is a 137 yards improvement over the 63 yards they averaged per game in 2022. As a pro prospect, his most impressive trait is his athletic ability. He flies off the ball and also looks comfortable blocking in space or when pulling. Another positive is his strength which allows him to consistently open up running lanes and hold up well in pass protection. One area that will likely cause concern for scouts is how he often he gets off balance due to him lunging when blocking, and also not having the best footwork. Draft Grade: Third Round

4. Layden Robinson, Texas A&M: Texas A&M’s Layden Robinson had a much better season this year after struggling in 2022. As a junior, he allowed 36 pressures leading to a 56.6 grade from Pro Football Focus which was the lowest score of his college career. This season however, he only allowed 16 pressures and only gave up one sack and received a much better PFF grade of 69.4. Part of the reason he looked better this season is he looked much more athletic after losing 20 pounds off season. At this lower weight he showed a good burst off the ball and looked much better blocking in space. He also kept his strength at this lower weight and continued to be a strong run blocker. In order to take full advantage of his raw skills he will need to do a better job of identifying stunts and blitzes, which is the main reason he allowed 52 pressures over the past two seasons. Draft Grade: Third Round

2024 NFL Draft offensive guard class ranking No. 5-8

5. Zak Zinter, Michigan: A player who will have plenty of medical questions going into the 2024 NFL Draft is Michigan Zak Zinter. Zinter suffered a season-ending broken fibula and tibia in the Ohio State game. Despite coming off this injury he should still be a third-round pick. One of the reasons for this is Zinter is a strong run blocker who shows impressive pop off the ball. He also shows good athletic ability for a lineman 6-foot-6 and 322 pounds. An area he can improve on is his balance since he has trouble staying on his feet at times, especially when blocking in space. Draft Grade: Third Round

6. Isaiah Adams, Illinois: One of the more versatile linemen in the 2024 NFL Draft is Illinois’s Isaiah Adams. During his two years in Champaign, he has seen time at all offensive line positions except center. Another positive with him is he has the mobility to get to the second level, and should be a good fit with an offensive line that prefers athletic guards. He also has ideal length coming in at 6-foot-5 and displaying long arms to keep defenders at bay. He will need to work on his fundamentals to play in the NFL though. His hand use needs to improve especially when it comes to delivering an initial first punch. His footwork also could use some NFL coaching as he tends to stop his feet when a defensive lineman makes a second move on him. Overall, Adams is a player who has the potential to start in the NFL but he will need some time to become a more polished player. Draft Grade: Third Round

7. Joshua Gray, Oregon State: Oregon State’s Joshua Gray has been a four-year starter at left tackle, but due to a lack of length he will likely be forced inside to offensive guard. In this position, he should continue to be a strong run blocker having had the top run-blocking grade in the Pac-12 in 2022 according to Pro Football Focus. What makes him such a strong run blocker is his athletic ability which sees him consistently get to the second level. One of the reasons he will likely fall to the third day of the draft is his lack of body control, which causes him to get off balance at times. His lack of bulk (305 pounds) could also cause him some issues with bigger defensive tackles especially if asked to block in a gap-blocking scheme. Draft Grade: Fifth Round

8. Javion Cohen, Miami: Javion Cohen’s college career got off to a slow start having allowed 34 pressures in 2021 which according to Pro Football Focus was nine more than any other Power Five guard that season. However, since then he was named second-team All-SEC in 2022 and after transferring from Miami to Alabama this year he was named All-ACC Honorable Mention. When looking at how his game translates to the NFL some positives with his game include his good initial punch, overall athletic ability, and aggressive style of play. He does need to improve his hand use after initial contact and keeping his feet moving on contact. Draft Grade: Fifth Round

2024 NFL Draft offensive guard class ranking No. 9-12

9. Delmar Glaze, Maryland: One of the top pass blockers in college football the past two seasons in the Big Ten was Maryland’s Delmar Glaze. This season he was named third-team All-Big Ten and in 2022 he was the second-highest-graded pass-blocking tackle in the Big Ten and seventh in the FBS with an 85.7 grade according to Pro Football Focus. While he lacks the quickness to protect the edge in the NFL he should be a good offensive guard at the next level. His top pro trait is his powerful grip which allows him to control his defender consistently. He also shows enough mobility to hold up at this spot. Draft Grade: Fifth Round

10. Marcus Tate, Clemson: A sleeper in this year’s offensive line class is Clemson’s Marcus Tate. What shines through with Tate is his run blocking. He shows impressive strength and routinely pancakes his man by just tossing him to the ground. He also shows a great understanding of the game which should help him transition to the NFL The biggest concern with him in the predraft process is he has had back-to-back season-ending injuries. His lack of mobility will likely make him the best fit for a gap-blocking scheme since he struggles to block in space. However, if he can go to the right team the franchise that picks him could be getting a starter late in the 2024 NFL Draft. Draft Grade: Sixth Round

11. Sataoa Laumea, Utah: Another offensive lineman who could be an ideal fit as a guard in a zone-blocking scheme is Utah’s Sataoa Laumea. Laumea who has played both tackle and guard for the Utes is an impressive athlete who shows elite quickness off the ball. He also blocks well in space and has no trouble making the wide-reach block. The reason why he carries a sixth-round grade on my board though is his lack of power. He is routinely pushed back by college defensive ends due to his high pad level and overall lack of strength. This raises concerns about how he will hold up against NFL defensive tackles if asked to block them one-on-one. Draft Grade: Sixth Round

12. Dominick Puni, Kansas: An offensive guard who is viewed as a day-two prospect by other draftniks but carries a seventh-round grade on my board is Kansas’s Dominick Puni. The reason I only have a late-round grade on him is his limited athletic ability. He doesn’t look comfortable in space, plays upright, and overall looks like the 0 star recruit he was coming out of high school. In addition to not being a very impressive athlete, he also has short arms which will likely cause him trouble in the NFL. On the positive side, he does show good strength and has a chance of making it as a backup offensive guard in a power-running scheme. Draft Grade: Seventh Round

2024 NFL Draft offensive guard class ranking No. 13 and 14

13. Trevor Keegan, Michigan: Teams looking for a tone-setter on the offensive line will want to take a close look at Michigan’s Trevor Keegan. Keegan consistently plays through the whistle and his personality showed though when he had the best quote in Michigan’s National Championship celebration when he said ““We came here to chew bubble gum and kick butt — and we were all out of bubble gum.” In addition to having the type of personality NFL coaches will love he also shows good strength in the run game, and didn’t allow a single sack this year in pass protection. Unfortunately, he has limited potential due to being an average athlete and lacks quickness off the ball. Draft Grade: Seventh Round

14. McKade Mettauer, Oklahoma: Another offensive lineman with a late-round draft grade who has the personality to play in the NFL is Oklahoma’s McKade Mettauer. This was backed up when he was ejected in game against West Virginia, for sticking up for a teammate. While he may have lost his cool every player in the NFL wants to play with players that will go to bat with them which is the case with Mettauer. In addition to being a good teammate Mettauer is a physical lineman that plays with good strength. I fully expect Mettauer to make it in the NFL as a backup offensive guard. Draft Grade: Seventh Round