INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (WGN) — It’s the final day of workouts at the NFL Scouting Combine, and Sunday’s position group is the one with the most buzz around them when it comes to the Chicago Bears—offensive line.
Here’s a list of offensive line prospects to keep an eye on that could see themselves in a Bears uniform come April.
Tackle
Will Campbell – LSU
According to NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein, Campbell is an athletic left tackle prospect who is durable and has been battle tested in a deep Southeastern Conference. But with being battle tested, comes a bit of high risk, high reward to Campbell’s game.
Zierlein said Campbell is a thumping run blocker who can clear out B-gaps with forceful down blocks and displace base blocks with his “strike and run” technique. Where Campbell struggles though, is his ability to win laterally. He will also lunge and miss against stunts and movement at times.
His play is “determined, spirited and aggressive,” but Campbell must learn to vary his pass-set technique and operate with optimal hand timing in order to thrive at offensive tackle.
Joshua Simmons – Ohio State
Also billed by Zierlein as an athletic left tackle prospect, Simmons is a consistently fluid mover who has the slide quickness to compete against NFL edge speed. Zierlein said he’s more positional than powerful in completing his run-blocking tasks, but he’s versatile enough to fit into any given scheme.
Improved hand placement and latch-in strength could help him better control opponents in both the run and the pass, but Simmons can still be susceptible to twists and counters in pass protection so, he might need a year to continue developing his craft before he is fully ready to take on NFL pass rushers every Sunday.
Kelvin Banks Jr. – Texas
Zierlein sees Banks Jr. as being somewhere between Peter Skoronski and Christian Darrisaw. He’s a three-year starter who will come into the NFL as an early starter, but his run-blocking is more pro-ready than his pass protection is.
Zierlein said he is technically sound and scrappy in the ground game, with the quickness and athleticism to get to all move blocks and the leverage and strain to hold his own at the point of attack.
Where Banks Jr. needs improvement, according to Zierlein, is in his proactivity in attacking power rushers and long-limbed attackers to prevent them from dictating terms on the edge.
Charles Grant – William & Mary
A three-year starter at left tackle for a run-heavy William & Mary football team, he has a lean, muscular build with solid measurables and athletic ability that should translate well at the NFL level.
According to Bleacher Report, Grant is an efficient zone run blocker with the burst, quickness and timing to cut off the backside, secure and climb on combinations, and erase second-level targets. He does a good job of maintaining control of defenders once latched due to his excellent effort and strain, combined with a physical demeanor to consistently take the fight to opposing defensive linemen.
Guard
Tyler Booker – Alabama
Standing at 6-foot-5-inches tall and weighing in at 335 pounds, Booker is a big, physically-imposing interior offensive lineman who has spent time at both guard spots while playing at Alabama.
According to nfldraftbuzz.com, Booker demonstrates impressive power at the point of attack and consistently moves defenders off the line of scrimmage. He also has quick feet for his size and displays a high football IQ, as in he’s adept at recognizing and picking up a variety of stunts and blitzes at a consistent rate.
Tate Ratledge – Georgia
Another physically imposing specimen at 6-foot-6-inches and 320 pounds, Ratledge earned second-team All-American honors from the Associated Press after starting 13 of 14 games during the 2023 college football season.
By the end of 2024, he earned third-team All American honors from the AP and looks to be one of the best interior pass-blocking offensive linemen in this draft class who can also win early in plays.
According to nfldraftbuzz.com, Ratledge is also a powerful run blocker with the ability to generate movement at the point of attack. He also possesses excellent hand placement and upper body strength to control defenders.
When it comes to pass protection, he displays a high football IQ when it comes to picking up stunts and blitzes, keeps a consistent pad level and leverage when engaging defenders and is a strong anchor against bull rushes from interior defensive linemen.
Center
Jonah Monheim – USC
Monheim is currently slated by most NFL mock drafts to be taken in the back half of the draft, but what makes him an interesting prospect for the Bears is his ties to Caleb Williams and his positional versatility.
While Williams played at USC from 2022-23, Monheim made starts at left tackle, right tackle and right guard. Not until 2024 did he transition to playing full time at center.
According to The Draft Network, Monheim displays excellent movement skills and core strength with the quickness and agility necessary to execute any block. His experience playing both tackle positions while also switching inside to guard and center has helped lay the ground work for the impressive footwork and striking ability he demonstrates in pass protection.
When it comes to running the football, USC often used Monheim as a pulling lead blocker in gap schemes, where his physicality and athleticism were on full display.
He projects as a starting interior offensive lineman once given time to develop, or a versatile first lineman off the bench that can be used as at a plug-and-play type — think Bill Murray on the Bears last year, but with a higher ceiling.
Seth McLaughlin – Ohio State
Another center who is landing somewhere in the range of rounds four through six, McLaughlin is an offensive line prospect with a high ceiling but a low floor where a stash and develop strategy could pay off further down the line.
According to the Draft Network’s Daniel Harms, McLaughlin is an athletic run blocker who excels at finishing and fighting through double teams to get to the second level. As a pass blocker, he exhibits a high football IQ, showing he can sift through blitzes and find pass rushers on stunts.
Where he’s struggled is snap location. Harms said when faced with a rusher head on, it can affect his snap location. This led to snaps so low they would sometimes hit the ground or throw off play timing to the point the quarterback would drop them. McLaughlin also has a tendency to lunge into blocks, making him susceptible to easy swim or push-pull moves.
Overall, Harms said, “McLaughlin is a power-run scheme fit that understands defensive structures and blitz looks to set protections. He has the body type and athleticism to play center or guard at the next level and, more importantly, the willingness to do what it takes to help the team win.”