North Dakota State has sent multiple offensive linemen to the NFL in recent years, and the Bison have another star coming in Grey Zabel.
With significant starting experience at four of the five offensive line positions, Zabel was an FCS All-American in 2024 and projects as arguably the top small-school prospect in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Grey Zabel’s Draft Profile and Measurements
- Height: 6’5″
- Weight: 316 pounds
- Position: Offensive Lineman
- School: North Dakota State
- Current Year: Senior
Zabel’s Scouting Report
As an unranked player coming out of high school, Zabel fell under the radar in recruiting cycles at T.F. Riggs High School in Pierre, South Dakota. This came in despite of his being named a two-time all-state offensive lineman. Nonetheless, he ended up committing to North Dakota State to play college football.
In a COVID-postponed freshman season, Zabel started as a backup but ended up starting three of the five games North Dakota State played in the spring 2021 campaign. The Bison slid him into the right guard position, though he ended up missing their two playoff games due to injury.
Zabel returned back to the bench for the 2021 fall season, with future NFLers Cody Mauch, Cordell Volson, Jalen Sundell, Nash Jensen and Jake Kubas all taking up the offensive line. He ended up playing as a reserve in 11 games, primarily as either a left or right guard, in an FCS championship-winning season.
In the 2022 season, Zabel ended up starting seven of the 15 games he played. He saw some playing time as North Dakota State’s sixth offensive lineman, and he finished his junior year with 378 reps at right tackle, 152 at left guard, 14 at center and 13 at left tackle.
The 2023 season saw Zabel really come into his own, cracking the starting lineup as a full-time contributor for the Bison’s offensive line. He started all 15 games he played, with three of them coming at left guard and the rest at right tackle. In 411 pass-blocking reps, he allowed just two sacks over the course of the season.
Though Zabel had generated some NFL buzz heading into his fifth-year 2024 season, he surpassed expectations with how he performed. He ended up a first-team FCS All-American, allowing just one sack in 453 pass-blocking reps at left tackle. The Bison ended up winning a national championship, and Zabel played a big role in their offensive execution being as strong as it was.
Strengths
- Positional versatility should increase his chances of being a plug-and-play starter in the pros.
- Has played all five offensive line positions, with over at least 200 reps at four of them.
- Effective zone-run blocker who generates good movement at the point of attack.
- Offers solid short-area quickness with good initial burst coming off the line of scrimmage.
- Has a sturdy frame with well-proportioned power throughout.
- Blocks with a nasty demeanor, showcasing the power and the determination needed to drive defenders off the line of scrimmage.
- Packs a powerful punch at the initial point of contact.
- Showcased improved flexibility in his lower half in the 2024 season.
- Capable of clearing cross-chops and arm-overs from opponents with ideal strike placement and quickness against finesse rushes.
- Does a good job of finding work in space and is more than capable of executing combo blocks.
- Rolls his hips well through contact to seal off defenders in the run game.
Weaknesses
- Will likely have to kick inside at the NFL level, and interior linemen typically get drafted later than tackles early on.
- Plays at the FCS level, and though he performed well at the Senior Bowl, he’ll have a larger jump in competition than the average draft pick.
- Should he end up as a center in the NFL, he only has 17 collegiate reps there and is fairly unproven.
- Weight distribution still a work in progress, as his center of gravity is a bit too high.
- Though his flexibility improved a bit in 2024, he can do a better job of generating knee bend when engaged with defenders.
- More of a player who absorbs punishment against the pass rush, rather than one who dishes it out.
- Short arms limit his blocking range and can make it easier for opposing defenders to get inside placement, which could happen more often with smarter NFL rushers.
Current Draft Projection and Summary
If you’re a fan of nasty road-pavers in the run game, Grey Zabel could be the guy for you in this class.
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A versatile lineman with the ability to play just about anywhere along the offensive line, Zabel likely projects best as an interior player in the NFL. With the thin center class in the 2025 NFL Draft – as well as Zabel’s accurate snaps at the Senior Bowl – he could project best as a center in this particular class.
Zabel played primarily in a gap-run system at North Dakota State, but he had his best season in 2024 when they switched to a more zone-heavy approach. He’s a powerful offensive lineman who generates serious push as a blocker on the move. He applies a “take no prisoners” mentality when he locks up at the point of attack.
As a shorter-armed blocker who needs to work on his knee bend, Zabel could face some limitations at the NFL, particularly in his rookie year. Ideally, keeping him at center limits how much area he has to block and neutralize his lack of blocking range.
On tape, Zabel looks the part of a second-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. If he tests well enough, there’s a chance he sneaks into the first round if a team is high enough on him. He’s certainly a hot prospect this time of year, and he feels like a safe bet to be a top-50 pick, though teams may like him even higher than that.
