Grey Zabel Scouting Report: 3 best landing spots for North Dakota State OL

FCS powerhouse North Dakota State continues to churn out draftable prospects and this year's entrant is offensive lineman Grey Zabel. He spent four years at North Dakota State and was rewarded for it this year with a first-time FCS all-American performance.

Grey Zabel's scouting profile

Grey Zabel is a 6-foot-5, 316-pound offensive lineman who played left tackle for the North Dakota State Bison this past season. He was an unranked recruit in 2020.

He is lauded for his versatility, and that should help him on an NFL roster. He had started at every position other than center in his college football career. He can do both pass and run protection equally well.

He impressed at the Senior Bowl and was named Overall Practice Player-of-Week by a poll of NFL executives present. He even had a drive playing center during the Senior Bowl game.

He continued rising up draft boards at the NFL combine with a 36 1/2-inch vertical jump. It is the third-best mark by an offensive lineman since 2003.

He can project as a good starter for many years at both tackles and guard spots, although he might not have the elite traits to anchor down a pass-blocking left tackle role permanently.

Like former Bison tackles Dillon Radunz (53rd pick in the 2021 NFL draft) and Cody Mauch (48th pick in the 2023 NFL draft), Zabel should hear his name called early on Day 2 of the 2025 NFL draft.

3 best landing spots for North Dakota State OL Grey Zabel in 2025 NFL Draft

3) Las Vegas Raiders

New head coach Pete Carroll has always stressed the need for rushing to balance the offense. Having a dominant offensive line is a step in the right direction. The team drafted offensive linemen Jackson Powers-Johnson in the second round and Delmar Glaze in the third round of the 2024 NFL draft, but the line still needs more work.

Kolton Miller is the veteran of the group and he started all 17 games at left tackle last year. However, the guard starters were a rotating door, with Andre James, Cody Whitehair and Dylan Parham all missing time. Zabel can fit into the mix in any of the positions or as a swing tackle to solidify the line.

The Raiders' top two picks are the 6th and 39th overall picks.

2) Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Buccaneers could reunite North Dakota State alumni Cody Mauch and Grey Zabel at the guard position. Mauch is entrenched as the right guard, but the left guard spot has been a recurring problem for the Bucs since Ali Marpet retired in 2022. Ben Bredeson was the starter last season on a one-year contract. He played all 17 games last season and could still return after testing free agency.

If he does not, Zabel would be able to step in right away to fill that spot. The Bucs have the 19th and 53rd overall draft picks.

1) Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins badly need bodies along the offensive line. Both of last year's guard starters, Liam Eichenberg and Robert Jones, are heading into free agency, and neither played particularly well to warrant a new contract. Starting left tackle Terron Armstead is contemplating retirement.

Grey Zabel will be a piece that they can move around the offensive line and plug any holes they fail to fill in free agency.

The Dolphins have the 13th and 48th picks in the NFL draft.