
Lions 2025 draft prospect profile: Grey Zabel, IOL, North Dakota State
One of the positions most likely for a prospect to make the big jump from the FCS level to success in the NFL is the offensive line. Lions head coach Dan Campbell has firsthand experience from his Saints days with two small-school prospects who became Pro Bowl linemen in the NFL in Jahri Evans and Terron Armstead.
Grey Zabel from North Dakota State has an opportunity to prove he can be the next FCS standout to become a very good NFL starting offensive lineman.
Grey Zabel, OL, North Dakota State
The Bison star played left tackle as a fifth-year senior after two seasons of splitting time (roughly 70/30) playing right tackle and left guard. Zabel earned his spot in the Senior Bowl and thrived during the week of practices in Mobile while primarily playing center--a position he only had played sparingly (14 snaps) as a sophomore. The offensive coordinator at NDSU for the first four years of his career was current Lions TE coach Tyler Roehl. Because of his short arm reach (32 inches), Zabel projects as an interior-only lineman in the NFL.
Measured at 6-foot-6 and 312 pounds
Has nearly 1,000 snaps at both left tackle and right tackle
Allowed just 4 career sacks in over 1,100 pass protection snaps
1st-team All-American as a senior
Voted top Senior Bowl practice player by the players
Turned 23 in March
Games watched: Colorado, Illinois State, Montana State and South Dakota State (playoffs), Senior Bowl week (in person)
Positives
Comes from a pro-style offense with a similar gap/power blocking scheme to Detroit's
Outstanding lower-body quickness and flexibility for a taller lineman
Quick-footed off the snap in any direction
Very good at resetting his hands and staying square against speed-to-power
Active eyes and quick reactions; tough to fool him on a twist or blitz
Finishes well in the run game
Decent power and consistent pad level in run blocking
Negatives
Quicker pass rushers were able to dictate first contact due to his short arms
Will lean into run blocks outside his initial reach
Will be playing a new position while also making a massive jump in level of competition
Gives up his chest too readily in pass protection at times
He's not lacking grit by any means, but Zabel doesn't play with violence to his game
Overall
Zabel brought an impressive résumé to the Senior Bowl from the premier FCS-level program, but he had to shift from tackle to center (and guard). It took about three practice reps before Zabel asserted his dominance at the new position, and did so against many Day 2 defensive linemen prospects. Zabel's quickness, agility and technical savvy are all high-level traits. Lions TE coach Tyler Roehl knows him very well, and that's invaluable for helping Zabel potentially transition to the next level. His game reminds me more than a little of 7-time Pro Bowl center Alex Mack. Zabel should absolutely be in consideration for the Lions first-round pick--if he's still on the board. Like Mack (No. 21 overall back in 2009), Zabel should be a top-25 pick.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Fox News
12 minutes ago
- Fox News
DK Metcalf shares bizarre rule Aaron Rodgers imposed for Steelers training camp: 'Toilet is super loud'
Aaron Rodgers is apparently a big fan of uninterrupted sleep, and that has prompted an odd rule for his roommate, DK Metcalf. The two are sharing a dorm separated by a shared bathroom at Saint Vincent College for Pittsburgh Steelers training camp, which began earlier this week. And while the pairing is a way for the two to build a connection off the field, it comes with stipulations. "The toilet is super loud," Metcalf told Yahoo Sports Thursday. "So [Rodgers] was like, 'Yeah, at night, if we got to p---, just don't flush the toilet.' I was like, 'All right, bet.'" Metcalf told the outlet that, on Wednesday night, he sent Rodgers a text saying, "You asleep yet?" after feeling the urge. Rodgers responded that he was still awake. So, Metcalf flushed away. "All right, bet," he recalled of his text, "I'm about to flush the toilet." Despite the bathroom rules, Rodgers appears to be enjoying dorm life. "I'm on the first floor here, which is a good start," he said, speaking to reporters after practice Thursday. "I got DK as my suitemate, so we're sharing a toilet and a shower. But I love this idea, this opportunity to be out here and to stay here and connect with the guys." The four-time league MVP said he was relieved to get paired with Metcalf, adding he "was secretly kind of hoping it wasn't a big lineman or something, maybe somebody that cared about their hygiene a little bit." Rodgers opened training camp this week with an interception on his first pass, but the veteran NFL player remained optimistic about the team's chances this season. "There's going to be picks, for sure. I'm going to try to fit certain things in. You gotta deal with some sweat on the ball from time to time. So, it's going to be a good challenge for me throwing in this heat every single day. I look forward to it, but I'm gonna throw some picks. But I'm gonna throw some touchdowns, too." Rodgers added that there are around 10 to 12 teams that have a "legitimate" chance at winning the Super Bowl, and he believes — at least "on paper" — that the Steelers are one of them.
Yahoo
40 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Dallas Cowboys fans shout at Jerry Jones to pay Micah Parsons
Dallas Cowboys edge rusher Micah Parsons has a significant (and loud) ally on his side during his ongoing contract extension dispute with the team: Cowboys fans. Fans attending the Cowboys' "Opening Day Ceremony" at training camp let team owner Jerry Jones know exactly where they stood on the Parsons issue on Saturday, July 26. As Jones, flanked by cheerleaders, took the stage to give a speech to the energetic crowd in Oxnard, California, multiple fans shouted, "Pay Micah!" The demand was clearly audible in a video that Jon Machota of The Athletic posted to social media site X. Parsons is still awaiting a contract extension from the Cowboys as he enters the 2025 season on an expiring rookie contract. Saturday's heckling made it clear that the fans are more interested in Jones getting a deal done than in hearing his promises about an improved roster. MICAH PARSONS CONTRACT: Jerry Jones comments on negotiations: 'You can get hit by a car' Micah Parsons' contract dispute, explained Parsons is set to enter the fifth-year option season, the last year of his rookie contract, in 2025. The four-time Pro Bowler is one of multiple star players across the NFL who have voiced discontent about his current contract ahead of the 2025 season. "I will never understand it," Parsons said in an interview with WWE wrestler Mark Calaway, better known as The Undertaker. "We wanted to do the contract last year – then you go out there and perform again. You would think, 'All right, we'll get it done early, we know some guys are about to get re-paid.' There's Myles [Garrett], Maxx [Crosby] is going, so you would think, 'Hey, let's get ahead of that.' "You can't want us to take less (now) because you're the one that decided to wait." Garrett, Crosby and now Steelers edge rusher T.J. Watt are all fellow edge rushers who have signed massive contract extensions this offseason – Garrett and Watt's deals have each surpassed $40 million in average annual value. As Parsons pointed out, the longer the Cowboys wait, the higher his price will rise as other players' deals push new boundaries for the edge rusher market. Parsons has reported to the Cowboys' mandatory offseason activities – June minicamp and the start of training camp this month – while still making clear his desire for a new contract. MICAH PARSONS: Cowboys edge rusher questions contract standoff Jerry Jones' comments on Micah Parsons negotiations Jones himself shared his stance on the ongoing dispute during a media availability session at Cowboys training camp earlier in the week. "Just because we sign him doesn't mean we're going to have him," Jones said. "He was hurt six games last year, seriously. (Note: Parsons missed only four games last year with a high ankle sprain.) We've signed, I remember signing a player for the highest-paid at the position in the league and he got knocked out two-thirds of the year in (quarterback) Dak Prescott. "Contracts are four, five years, OK? There's a lot of water under the bridge if you step out there and do something in the first two or three. You can get hit by a car. Seriously." Given the reaction to the Cowboys owner's training camp appearance on Saturday, it seems the team's fans are less than satisfied with the explanation. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Micah Parsons contract: Cowboys fans tell Jerry Jones, 'Pay Micah!'
Yahoo
40 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Can Shedeur Sanders win the quarterback battle in Cleveland?
Yahoo Sports fantasy analyst Matt Harmon and NFL writer Charles McDonald discuss the Cleveland Browns quarterback battle and why they feel like Shedeur Sanders is getting too much hype. Hear the full conversation on 'Football 301' - and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you listen. View more Video Transcript How can the Browns actually have a quarterback competition and get a look at all these guys, or is the answer just that they're not? They're not, they're just not. OK, maybe, maybe preseason games, that's probably going to be the most amount of reps that someone like Shado Sanders sees, and look, man, I mean, OK, did you see, did you see the new brown uniforms today? Yeah, those. Am I tripping, or was that black? Like, that didn't look brown to me. OK, it's not just that it's an all-brown uniform. They're sponsored by Dude Wipes. Like, come on, like, and that's what the Browns are serving to us with this quarterback competition. I have truly, truly been baffled at the amount of care that has gone into a 5th round rookie quarterback. Can we just deal with reality for a second? The reality of the situation: Shadoor Sanders, he's probably going to be out of a job by December, and I don't mean off the Browns roster. I mean eliminated from having the chance to be the long-term starting quarterback. Am I really supposed to get excited and hyped up about a 5th round quarterback who's on a rebuilding team that we know isn't good, that's rebuilding the offensive line, that's got 2 first-round picks for next year. I don't understand the fervor outside of just like Deion Sanders' worship, which he's not playing. It's not that interesting. Like, he's not a part of this anymore. It's just a 5th round rookie quarterback truly fighting for his NFL career and that's just not something that ever sticks in the NFL for teams that are trying to rebuild. They're just going to draft like Lenore Sellers or maybe Arch Manning next year. And that sucks to hear, but we have to stop talking about this as if it's a real thing because it's not. He's a 5th quarterback on a really bad team and he's not going to get a whole lot of practice reps because all the other quarterbacks that they invest more in are also new. If he was a 1st round pick, or even a 2nd round pick, I'll give it to you. I'm talking about a 5th round rookie quarterback who wasn't even the first quarterback that his team drafted in the goddamn draft. Stop, stop. Close