Which Offensive Tackles Actually Have the Grit to Survive in Detroit?
With the 2026 draft just a day away, we’re diving into something that matters more than 40 times or bench press reps. The Grit Index. You know, that thing that separates the guys who fold when December rolls around from the ones who show up when it matters.
Offensive tackle is supposedly one of our biggest needs. Which, frankly, feels familiar. But this group of 35 prospects deserves some attention, so let’s see who actually has what it takes to protect our quarterback in Allen Park.
The Clear Winner: Blake Miller
Clemson’s Blake Miller sits at the top with a 9.67 grit score, putting him in the top 1% of the entire class. This isn’t some soft evaluation either.
Miller was a team captain at Clemson. Film junkie who translates that work to on-field production. Here’s the kicker though: despite growing up in Ohio with a dad who went to Ohio State, and getting an offer from the Buckeyes who were just in the College Football National Championship, he chose his own path at Clemson. That’s the kind of decision-making we need more of around here.
The resume speaks for itself. 54 straight starts over four seasons, a Clemson record. Broke his wrist during spring workouts, missed exactly one practice for surgery, then was back the next day. That practice was the only one he missed in his entire college career.
An NFL scout said it best: “The thought of letting down his coaches and teammates kills him.” Yeah, that sounds about right for what we need in Honolulu Blue.
The Other First Round Options
Spencer Fano from Utah scores 8.61, landing in the top 12%. Max Iheanachor from Arizona State hits 8.24. Francis Mauigoa from Miami comes in at 8.03.
Most analysts have Mauigoa and Fano as the top two tackles on their boards. Both land in Tier 2 of the grit rankings, which means they’d be in play if they slide to us. Iheanachor should be considered a sleeper with his untapped upside.
Then there’s Kadyn Proctor from Alabama at 6.77. Middle of the pack for grit, which won’t help him with evaluators already on the fence. Sure, the talent is tempting, but nothing in his history screams guarantee he’ll reach his potential. And yes, I know what you’re thinking. We’ve been down this road before.
Worth noting: Vega Ioane from Penn State scores 8.49 and might be the best offensive lineman in the entire class. If he’s available, we’d have to consider him.
If We Wait Until Round 2
Gennings Dunker from Iowa tops this group at 9.05, landing in the top 7%. Some analysts think he could play right tackle in our scheme, though his first-step quickness screams interior lineman to me. Still, a Tier 1 grit player from Iowa would be fun in Detroit.
Caleb Tiernan from Northwestern scores 8.52. Both Dunker and Tiernan might be the only prospects in this range who could actually challenge Larry Borom for a starting spot.
Day 3 and Beyond
Aamil Wagner from Notre Dame leads the late-round options with an 8.31 score. He’s the only remaining player to crack the top 20% on the Grit Index, though his talent suggests swing tackle duty in the NFL.
The rest of the class drops off significantly. Enrique Cruz from Kansas catches some attention with swing tackle experience and a 9.99 RAS Score, but his grit score sits in the bottom 20%. Sometimes that’s because a guy is raw and unknown. Sometimes it’s because he just doesn’t have it.
Look, we’ve seen enough soft players come through Ford Field over the years. At this point, give me the guy who breaks his wrist and shows up to practice the next day over the physical specimen who disappears when things get tough.
Are we finally going to draft tackles with actual backbone, or are we setting ourselves up for more of the same old disappointment? Drop your take below.
Blake Miller breaking his wrist and being back the next day? That’s the energy we need. I’m tired of watching soft tackles get pushed around in December. If we can get Miller, this could actually be different for us.
Look, I get the grit thing sounds cool but we’ve heard this story before with prospects who looked great on film. I hope Blake Miller is the real deal, but I’m not getting my hopes up until he actually proves it at the NFL level.
The whole mentality of wanting guys with backbone and toughness is what I’ve always believed in. Nice to see someone finally putting real weight on that instead of just looking at measurables. That’s the kind of thinking that actually builds something.
Gennings Dunker at 9.05 is wild, that grit score is nasty. If he falls to round 2 we have to jump on that. Iowa football breeds real toughness and this kid sounds like exactly what we need protecting Goff’s blind side.