The offensive linemen in today’s league have shown tons of talent; in reality, there have been top players like Jason Kelce Trent Williams, and Zack Martin who are Hall-of-Fame players. However, the Offensive Tackles are even more impressive, and in this list, I will be ranking each player based on factors like how they are generally ranked throughout the years and PFF grading and stats as of this season.
Number Ten: Orlando Brown Jr.
Orlando Brown Jr. was a disappointing draft prospect but has turned out to be a fantastic player in his future years after his combine performance which included one of the slowest 40-yard dashes in the history of the NFL. Only showcasing a 5.85 time, this negatively affected his draft stock dropping from a late first-round to an early second-round pick to him being selected in the third round at pick 83. He’s shown incredible improvement and has so far in his career since 2018 boasted four Pro Bowls and one Super Bowl win with the Kansas City Chiefs. But, he now plays with the Cincinnati Bengals.
Number Nine: Rashawn Slater
Rashawn Slater, the Chargers tackle, has shown to be a productive player throughout his career. While not hoisting an astounding grade on PFF, he still has a 76.6 grade while being ranked fourth in snaps played. Only allowing three sacks, even though the Chargers took Joe Alt in this draft to boost the strength of the offensive line, he still shows to be in the top ten.
Number Eight: Jordan Mailata
Jordan Mailata, the left tackle for the Philadelphia Eagles, has shown to be a great player in his time playing football after his career in Rugby. Selected in the seventh round by the Eagles with the 233rd pick, Mailata is one of the best seventh-rounders in the league. He’s shown impressive blocking skills with him only allowing three sacks this 2023 season with 1147 snaps played in the season, which ranks him amongst the top seven in snaps played. He’s improved massively since his Super Bowl loss in the 2022-23 season against the Chiefs. He’s received a PFF grading of 84.1, and I believe he deserves to be put in the top ten
Number Seven: Christian Darrisaw
The Minnesota Vikings had an unfortunate season this year when they seemed to be looking so good at the beginning of the year. The new rookie receiver looked even more than promising and Kirk Cousins looked like he was going to make history in the season. Unfortunately, injuries made the team turn into a deflated balloon, an empty and disappointing sight indeed. However, the offensive tackle duo was one of the best in the league, with both Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neil doing very well at their position respectively for their standards. Christian Darrisaw has been and will be for years to come one of the best offensive tackles, and it’ll be exciting to see what he can and will do in the future.
Number Six: Laremy Tunsil
Going from Ole Miss to being drafted by the Miami Dolphins and then being traded to the Houston Texans in 2019, Laremy Tunsil is that guy. Not only is he a good player for the Texans, but his film is something tons of younger players could learn from. Even though the sacks allowed show a poor player compared to the players below him, I truly believe that he is a bit unwieldy when it comes to this list. He’s been a top player in the position, and I think he will stay for years to come. And therefore, puts him at number six on the list.
Number Five: Lane Johnson
Being alongside Jason Kelce for plenty of years, Lane Johnson and Jason Kelce both show incredible careers. Jason Kelce ranks in the top-tier centers of all time, and Johnson reveals a hall-of-fame-worthy career. Achieving two first-team All-Pros, two second-team All-Pros, five Pro Bowls, and a ring he truly is an astonishing player. And for him and Jordan Mailata to make the list, truly shows how incredible and scary that offensive line is. Lane Johnson goes against plenty of players who should give him tons of trouble and yet he consistently performs well against them each time.
Number Four: Andrew Thomas
For a team like the New York Giants, it’s common to find a star player stuck in a poor position. The offense ranks #29 or worse in offensive stats; The team truly sucked. However, that does not mean every part of the team was poor. Andrew Thomas, being a young offensive tackle, produced heavily for the team and was the saving grace when it came to the team. He hadn’t gotten to play as much this season, but I still believe he was very good. It’s not pleasant to watch teams play so poorly, especially on offense, but it’s always nice to see a player like Thomas perform at a high level each year.
Number Three: Tristan Wirfs
While the stats didn’t seem as great seeing how he allowed five sacks this season, Tristan Wirfs was a massive piece of the offense in the Buccaneers. He made Rachaad White look like a top-tier running back when he wasn’t. Being drafted in 2020, he has shown an incredible amount of grit and playmaking skills from the start. I hope to see Wirfs receive contracts that will keep him in Tampa which he rightfully deserves, as an incredible run-blocking tackle, I’m putting him at number three.
Number Two: Trent Williams
As surprising and as biased as it seems to put Trent Williams anywhere but one, I believe that this Hall-of-Fame Tackle is one of the most monumental players to play at San Francisco. Having achieved 11 Pro Bowls and four All-Pro teams, he’s one of the most impactful players when it comes to upcoming high school and college football players. His play style is so impressive not allowing a singular sack this whole season and achieving an astounding 89.7 PFF grade; Trent Williams is a clear-cut Hall-of-Fame player.
Number One: Penei Sewell
Only allowing a singular sack in this season, Penei Sewell is a monster amongst men. Being tied for first in offensive snaps played at 1178, he’s a monster compared to all of the other Tackles. If this were a letter ranking column, only Penei and Trent Williams would be at the top tier. He’s been an absolute monster for the team in the years he’s played so far and it’s only more exciting to see what’s to come. He’s achieved a 90.7 PFF grade and fans are already aware of how good he is. He’s able to lead block on screenplays, make receptions, pull, and do many other things the number one player should be able to do. While it may seem biased to put him over someone who seems to be the clear-cut number-one player (Trent Williams) he truly is the greatest tackle in the league this year.
With a list that seems a bit disorderly compared to stats, I believe that my list is very solid and every player here is and will continue to produce and show off their talents for many more years to come except for some of the older players.
