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It never fails. Every year, there are late risers who find their way into round one conversations, while not even being mentioned at all during the regular season. This year, I would argue there is no bigger case than Georgia offensive tackle Monroe Freeling. We did not hear his name once all season, but as soon as the season ended, he was being mocked as one of the top tackles on the board. Is this all hype, or is the juice worth the squeeze?
Let's talk about it.
Freeling, a former four-star recruit out of Oceanside Collegiate Academy in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, was the number 32 overall recruit nationally and the fifth-ranked tackle coming out. He saw the field early and often, appearing in eight games as a true freshman, and 14 appearances in 2024 with five starts. In 2025, he'd start 13 games for the Bulldogs, earning Second Team All-SEC honors.
Monroe Freeling is a plus-plus pass blocker, which, coming out of the SEC, is huge given his level of competition. He allowed minimal pressure across almost 750 snaps. His basketball background shows, as he is athletic for someone his size at 6'7. This is evident in his first step out of his stance, as he always seems to reach his spot before his defender arrives. When his first punch doesn't land where he wants, he does a great job resetting his hands to where they need to be, which is not commonly seen among tackles in this class. His massive wingspan allows him to land early, too, which helps matters.
Freeling definitely has the advantage in pass protection, but struggles in the run game. His tape shows him struggling to get to his gap and seal defenders on outside runs, and doesn't really climb as much as you'd think someone with his athletic profile would suggest. Unless he adds muscle this offseason, he might struggle early against bull rushers, even with a long wingspan, as play strength doesn't show. There should also be more questions surrounding his limited starting experience.
Monroe Freeling is certainly a curious case. I can understand where the hype is coming from, as he appears to be projecting as a plus pass blocker, but his shortcomings in the run game leave me hesitant to pull the trigger early. However, I still landed with a mid-second round grade, as I could see him developing into a nice starter with decent upside once he earns more reps.
This article originally appeared on Vikings Wire: 2026 NFL Draft scouting report on Georgia OT Monroe Freeling
Continue reading...
Let's talk about it.
Freeling, a former four-star recruit out of Oceanside Collegiate Academy in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, was the number 32 overall recruit nationally and the fifth-ranked tackle coming out. He saw the field early and often, appearing in eight games as a true freshman, and 14 appearances in 2024 with five starts. In 2025, he'd start 13 games for the Bulldogs, earning Second Team All-SEC honors.
Monroe Freeling is a plus-plus pass blocker, which, coming out of the SEC, is huge given his level of competition. He allowed minimal pressure across almost 750 snaps. His basketball background shows, as he is athletic for someone his size at 6'7. This is evident in his first step out of his stance, as he always seems to reach his spot before his defender arrives. When his first punch doesn't land where he wants, he does a great job resetting his hands to where they need to be, which is not commonly seen among tackles in this class. His massive wingspan allows him to land early, too, which helps matters.
Freeling definitely has the advantage in pass protection, but struggles in the run game. His tape shows him struggling to get to his gap and seal defenders on outside runs, and doesn't really climb as much as you'd think someone with his athletic profile would suggest. Unless he adds muscle this offseason, he might struggle early against bull rushers, even with a long wingspan, as play strength doesn't show. There should also be more questions surrounding his limited starting experience.
Monroe Freeling is certainly a curious case. I can understand where the hype is coming from, as he appears to be projecting as a plus pass blocker, but his shortcomings in the run game leave me hesitant to pull the trigger early. However, I still landed with a mid-second round grade, as I could see him developing into a nice starter with decent upside once he earns more reps.
This article originally appeared on Vikings Wire: 2026 NFL Draft scouting report on Georgia OT Monroe Freeling
Continue reading...
