To some, it was perplexing when Monroe Freeling declared for the NFL Draft following his junior season at Georgia. With just one season as a full-time starter at left tackle, the South Carolina native isn’t quite a finished product, but as the draft process continues, Freeling’s decision to depart Georgia early looks better and better.
It’s not a particularly strong offensive tackle class in 2026, and on Sunday, the NFL Scouting Combine revealed that many of the other potential first-round tackles have major red flags.
Utah’s Spencer Fano tested incredibly well, running a 4.91-second 40-yard dash with a 7.34-second three-cone drill, and Miami’s Francis Mauigoa looked the part of a first-time All-American. However, both had concerning measurements that could scare off teams picking in the top 10 this spring.
Spencer Fano and Francis Mauigoa’s arm-length concerns could vault Monroe Freeling to OT1
Fano’s arm length measurement came in at 32 ⅛ inches, which falls in the third percentile among offensive tackle prospects. Mauigoa’s arms measured at 33 ¼ inches, an 18th percentile measurement for tackles.
Coming off a Super Bowl in which last year’s No. 4 overall pick Will Campbell, whose arms measured in at 32 ⅝ inches, struggled mightily in pass protection at left tackle for the New England Patriots, those measurements are going to be a huge concern. It will slide both players, at least incrementally, down draft boards, and could slide them inside to guard, where they would become significantly less valuable from a roster construction perspective.
Freeling, however, at 6-foot-7 and 315 pounds with 34 ¾ inch arms, is a prototypical left tackle prospect with all of the tools to stick at the position in the NFL. His 4.93-second 40-yard dash, 33.5-inch vertical, and 9-foot-7 broad jump only served to bolster his case, not just to be a first-rounder, but to be OT1.
Coming out of the NFL combine, both because of his performance and his contemporary’s flaws, Freeling is likely to be the most significant riser, along with combine freaks like Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love and Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles.
He’s consistently been mocked to teams in the back half of the first round, but now Freeling will be in contention as early as No. 3 overall to the Arizona Cardinals, who are in need of a tackle to pair with Paris Johnson Jr. Beyond the Cardinals, Freeling will be an option at No. 4 to the Tennessee Titans, and at this point, it feels unlikely that he gets past No. 6 where the Cleveland Browns currently sit.