This offseason, one of the Dallas Cowboys' biggest needs comes up front across the offensive line. After watching 9-time Pro Bowler Zack Martin call it a career, Dallas officially needed to find a replacement.
Over the course of free agency and leading up to the 2025 NFL Draft, Dallas has yet to find one.
Enter: Georgia guard Tate Ratledge.
The former Bulldog comes into the league as one of the better guard prospects in his class and, although he has his limitations, Ratledge should end up being a fine player in the NFL. Let's dive in further into one of this year's top interior linemen.
Georgia G Tate Ratledge 2025 NFL Draft Scouting Report
Notes
- Height: 6-6
- Weight: 308
- Three-year starter
- First-Team All-SEC in 2024
Positives
- Power is his game, first and foremost; has a blue-collar mentality and comes to work hard every day
- Tremendous core strength for a big man
- Powerful hands come with a firm grip; if he has his man within his grasp, he's not letting go and will drive 'til the end of the play
- Patience and vision come into play when blocking at second level
If there is a team looking for sheer strength and will power, look no further. Ratledge is a pure football player, through and through. He isn't the flashy type, but Ratledge's RAS score at the NFL Combine would beg to tell a different story. If we know one thing, it's that he is going to punch and punch hard. And when he punches, he keeps on trucking.
He will fit best in power schemes that look to play smash-mouth football from the back field, on up. His floor is extremely high for a college prospect that might not be a first-round talent, but certainly a prospect who is carved out to start, eventually.
Negatives
- Shorter arms are a bit of a concern
- Slower reaction time paired with late footwork can come back to bite him
- Stands too far upright often times
If a team implements a scheme featuring a lot of pulls from the interior and a ton of movement, overall, then Ratledge isn't going to be the best fit. He isn't the type of athlete you want to count on in too many pulling situations. If he's allowed to play in a phone booth, that's where he'll shine the most.
Tate Ratledge NFL Player Comparison: Kevin Dotson
From a pure power perspective, Ratledge lines up with what Kevin Dotson does well. He isn't going to blow you away with nimble feet or speed getting to the second level, but Ratledge does a fine job moving piles forward and holding his own.
Tate Ratledge 2025 NFL Draft Grade: Rounds 2/3
Ratledge makes sense as a Day 2 pick, depending on how badly a team needs a guard. It will also depend on how desperate a team might be for a rookie to start, and not just come in as adequate depth. He grades out as a player who should wind up hitting on his draft billing rather than being labeled as a risk or a potential bust.
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