Detroit found a starter in Tate Ratledge. Can the second-year guard make the jump from promising rookie to one of the NFC’s best?
As my Detroit Lions player profile series continues through the offensive line, it’s time to take a closer look at second-year guard Tate Ratledge. After previously breaking down Penei Sewell and Blake Miller, the focus now shifts to one of Detroit’s most promising young interior linemen.
The Lions selected Ratledge with the No. 57 overall pick in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft after an outstanding career at Georgia. During his five seasons with the Bulldogs, Ratledge appeared in 41 games, making 37 starts, all at right guard. He earned back-to-back All-American and All-SEC honors while establishing himself as one of the nation’s top interior offensive linemen.
Over his final two collegiate seasons, Ratledge allowed just 12 total pressures and one sack. In 2024, he played 10 games and surrendered only seven pressures and one sack across 311 pass-blocking snaps. The year before, he started 13 games and gave up just five pressures without allowing a sack in 418 pass-blocking snaps.
At 6-foot-6 and 320 pounds, Ratledge is one of the biggest offensive linemen on Detroit’s roster. He also impressed at the NFL Scouting Combine, posting a 4.97-second 40-yard dash, which ranked in the 93rd percentile among offensive linemen.
Ratledge’s transition to the NFL wasn’t completely smooth. Contract negotiations delayed the signing of his rookie deal until July 17, just weeks before training camp. However, the late signing had little impact on his development. Ratledge quickly won the starting right guard job and never looked back.
Because of his experience playing center during his time at Georgia, there was legitimate speculation that Ratledge could move to center after the Lions parted ways with Graham Glasgow. General manager Brad Holmes even acknowledged the possibility, saying, “I think that’s a real option… there’s still promise for Tate to move to the position.”
Ultimately, Detroit addressed the position by signing free-agent center Cade Mays to a three-year contract, allowing Ratledge to remain at right guard.
Ratledge showed flashes of high-level play during his rookie season. He went two consecutive games, Weeks 9 and 10, without allowing a single quarterback pressure and steadily improved as the season progressed.
According to Pro Football Focus, Ratledge finished the 2025 season with a 70.3 overall grade, ranking 24th among 81 qualified guards. He logged 1,088 offensive snaps while earning a 73.5 run-blocking grade, which ranked 12th at his position. His 58.5 pass-blocking grade ranked 60th among qualified guards.
Ratledge allowed 24 total pressures, including two sacks and nine quarterback hits, while being penalized seven times throughout the season.
His best performance came against the Baltimore Ravens, where he earned a 91.4 overall PFF grade. His toughest outing came against the Philadelphia Eagles, as he faced one of the NFL’s most dominant defensive tackle duos in Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis. Ratledge finished that game with a 35.9 overall PFF grade.
The 2026 season presents a new challenge. For the first time in his NFL career, Ratledge won’t have Penei Sewell lining up next to him. Instead, he’ll likely play alongside either rookie Blake Miller or veteran Larry Borom, neither of whom has Sewell’s proven track record.
Even so, Ratledge appears poised to take another step forward. With a full season of starting experience under his belt and continued development in both the run and pass game, he has the potential to emerge as one of the NFC’s better young guards. If that progression continues, a Pro Bowl selection is well within reach.
