Cayden Green
Missouri#19 overallDraft Movement
Up 1 spot since Jun 8
Scouting Report
A thickly built, naturally powerful blocker who started his career at Oklahoma before transferring home to Missouri, Green profiles as a developmental swing lineman with real upside if his technique catches up to his frame. Brandon Thorn of Trench Warfare graded him a 6.4 (developmental, fifth-round) prospect, OT16 and No. 169 overall, calling him long, raw and erratic with pad level. FantasyPros pegged him a Round 4 projection who looks more suited to kicking back inside to guard, where his power plays in a phone booth and masks limited lateral range. Mel Kiper listed him 91st on his board as a guard, and NFL Mock Draft Database shows a much rosier consensus, a 2027 first-round projection at No. 25 across 74 mock appearances. The film shows a wall-off blocker whose bulk and grip strength are difficult to work around once he latches, with a solid anchor he drops early to hold the point against bull rushers. PFF describes him as a downhill mauler with a strong initial punch and good upper-body strength to throw defenders. The questions are consistency and motor: scouts flag upright play, inconsistent hand placement, a habit of dipping his head into contact, and a tendency to coast before the whistle. He surprised on the blind side in 2025 (a 2-7 pressure season at left tackle per FantasyPros) despite middling foot speed, but most evaluators see a guard or right tackle in a power-gap scheme at the next level rather than a long-term blind-side anchor.
Strengths
- Naturally thick, broad frame with a strong power base that walls off lanes once he latches
- Easy, early-dropping anchor that holds the point of attack against power rushers (PFF, FantasyPros)
- Strong initial punch and good upper-body strength to throw and reset defenders downhill
- Casts a wide net with his length to widen and harden edges when strike timing is dialed in
- Effective snatch-trap technique to defeat the long-arm and drop leaning rushers
- Plays with patience on an island and avoids overcommitting early in reps
- Three-year starter with experience at left guard and left tackle for two major programs (Oklahoma, Missouri)
- Versatile scheme fit who has handled both gap and primarily zone-based run concepts at Missouri
Weaknesses
- Upright playing style with erratic, catch-and-ride hand placement that saps leverage and control
- Habit of dipping his head into contact and overextending when the picture changes
- Limited lateral quickness and range
- PFF questions his foot speed for consistent zone-blocking success
- Inconsistent work rate and finish, often seen standing around before the whistle
- Top-heavy weight distribution that can compromise balance
- Struggles against cross-face pass-rush moves and wide outside rushers
- Most evaluators project him inside to guard rather than as a long-term tackle
NFL Comparison
Asim Richards (Brandon Thorn pro comp; power-scheme interior swing blocker); Javon Foster (Thorn comparable-grade lineman, Day 3 developmental tackle/guard); Kaleb McGary (MDDB 72% trajectory match, big-bodied mauler who needed pro coaching to refine pass sets); Tyler Smith (MDDB match; powerful, raw guard/tackle convert who wins with strength over polish)
College Stats
2022 (Oklahoma): five starts at left guard, 568 snaps, zero sacks allowed (0-12 pressures); 2024 (Missouri): 13 starts at left guard, anchored an OL ranking 4th in SEC in TFL allowed (4.62/gm) and 7th in sacks allowed (2.00/gm); 2025 (Missouri): moved to left tackle, ~2-7 pressures on the year (FantasyPros); career: 24 games / 18 starts entering 2025; PFF entering 2025: 62.4 run-block grade, 74.0 pass-block grade over 668 run and 711 pass-block snaps
Measurables
Awards & Honors
All-SEC First Team (LT); Under Armour All-American and MaxPreps All-American (2022); consensus four-star recruit (No. 2 in Missouri); Brandon Thorn No. 169 overall / OT16; Mel Kiper No. 91 overall (G); NFLDraftBuzz position rank OT2 (33.5 avg overall); NFL Mock Draft Database 2027 consensus No. 25