North Dakota State’s Grey Zabel has been one of the most talked about small-school prospects in the 2025 class for multiple years now. Here is a 2025 NFL Draft Early Scouting Report and film analysis on him.
Overview, Film Analysis, And Early 2025 Scouting Report Of North Dakota State OL Grey Zabel
Measurables:
- 6’6”
- 305 lbs
Player Background:
A South Dakota native and originally an unranked recruit, Grey Zabel committed to North Dakota State out of T.F. Riggs HS. The 2020 graduate worked his way into a sizable role quickly, getting onto the field by the middle of his freshman season. He missed the team’s playoff games with an injury but started the last three games at right guard. He was a backup lineman the following season and saw limited time in 11 of the Bison’s 15 games.
Zabel filled in for an injured Mason Miller in 2022 at the end of the season and appeared in all 15 games. He played all over the line, filling in at left guard and right tackle at the highest frequency. 2023 was the first season he became a full-time starter and he excelled as the RT for the fourth-best FCS rushing offense. He anchored the team’s offensive line at left tackle in 2024 and was a big part of their FCS National Championship victory.
Accolades:
- Freshman All-American (2021)
Strengths/Pros:
Zabel plays every snap like it’s the last time he’ll ever touch a football field. He has the aggression that scouts dream of and a pure desire to force defenders into the ground whenever he gets his hands on them. He’s also a smart blocker when working within lanes and knows where to move defenders to create the most space. He stays in his stance throughout the play, maintaining his power and attacking when necessary.
His size should work well on the interior and he has tons of natural strength and power. He can compete at the line with just about anyone he goes up against and absolutely loves contact. Despite all the aggression, Zabel still remains patient through stunts and more advanced pass rushes. He forces defenders to reveal their hand before he counters and moves well around the line of scrimmage to do so successfully.
Weaknesses/Cons:
Zabel’s patience is undoubtedly one of his strengths, but he runs into stretches where he’s far too chaotic in his movements. He’ll try to move way too much in the run game, accidentally closing holes instead of opening them. On top of that, he struggles with recovering when losing his leverage and will have times when he simply gets caught in between all the actions. He’s also a bit leaner than most linemen, with less strength in his anchor than desired.
His hand technique is very raw and he gets way too reliant on his drive instead of tactically winning blocks. Zabel’s feet can get way too heavy at times, taking the long road to get into position and getting beat by faster defenders. His length isn’t great, rendering him unable to lash out when getting caught in his heels. That issue extends to defending outside rushes, getting positioned too far inside, and struggling to extend outward.
Potential Team Fits:
NFL Projection:
Like most offensive linemen, Zabel is sure to go through a decently long rough patch at the start of his career. He needs to refine much of his technique and learn to adapt to his physical shortcomings instead of ignoring them. He’s an absolutely nasty lineman through his mentality though, and is a good bet to work himself into a rotation. If given proper time to both develop on his own and fail in live situations, Zabel could emerge as a quality starting interior lineman.
Prospect Grade:
- Mid 3rd Round
Film Exposures:
- 2024 vs. Colorado
- 2024 vs. Towson
- 2024 vs. Northern Iowa
Main Image: Samantha Laurey – USA Today Sports
