Tate Ratledge, G, Georgia

Height: 6'6
Weight: 310 pounds

Strengths

• Technique: I could make a case that Tate Ratledge is the cleanest technician in the 2025 NFL Draft, right up there with LSU's Will Campbell. He's the complete package with his pad level, hand placement, footwork, and processing. His pedigree as the son of a former NFL player, Dean Ratledge, shows. 

• Play Strength: Ratledge has very good play strength in all phases of his game. He drives defenders off the ball with ease and can quickly send them to the turf. Despite lacking length, Ratledge shuts down bull rushes quickly inside and is nearly impossible to drive backward. When he can uncork and fire his hands, Ratledge shocks defenders out of their rush and quickly resets his hands to control the rep. 

• Athleticism: Believe it or not, but Ratledge used to play basketball in high school. He was also a track and field star and finished third in shot put at the 2019 State Championships in Georgia as a senior. While he isn't an elite athlete, Ratledge is more than capable of keeping up with NFL-caliber athletes. 

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Weaknesses

• Injury history: I have a feeling if Ratledge didn't have such an injury bug, we would be talking about him as a consensus early-round pick. Unfortunately, he's missed time in every season with an injury. He missed his first season in 2021 with an injury he suffered in the first game, he missed a game in 2022 and 2023 due to injury and was hurt in Week 3 of this season with an ankle injury that required tightrope surgery. 

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Player Evaluation

Tate Ratledge is a perfect example of a remarkably solid and quality player. He is, at worst, solid in every category I grade offensive linemen on and has several good to very good qualities that project well into the NFL. If he can stay healthy, there's no reason on film he can't be a capable long-term starter at the next level. 

Player Comparison

Kevin Zeitler (Detroit Lions)

Writing steady, dependable, and physical on Ratledge's scouting report immediately made me think of Kevin Zeitler, who has over 190 starts to his name in the NFL. Both aren't top-flight athletes in the same vein as guards like Chris Lindstrom or Wyatt Teller, but they are elite technicians who win with fundamentals, physicality, and play strength.

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A to Z Rankings

A to Z Big Board Ranking: #22 overall, #2 IOL 

A to Z Draft Grade: 8.73

Draft Projection: Late First Round