Niki Prongos

OT·Stanford#121 overall
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Draft Movement

#100 · Jun 8#121 · now

Down 21 spots since Jun 8

Scouting Report

Niki Prongos is one of the most unconventional developmental tackles in the 2027 class, a 6-foot-7, 315-pound mover who did not strap on football pads until his senior year at Marin Catholic and played just three games before tearing an ACL. He walked on at UCLA in 2022 as an unranked recruit, redshirted, then broke through in 2024 by starting eight games across left tackle, right guard, and right tackle while adding roughly 60 pounds and earning a scholarship under DeShaun Foster. He transferred to Stanford for 2025 and started all 12 games at left tackle, the only Cardinal lineman to start every game at one spot. Brandon Thorn of Bleacher Report graded him 6.4 (Developmental, 5th Round), ranking him OT11 and No. 157 overall with a Kellen Diesch pro comp. NFL Mock Draft Database lists a consensus rank of No. 96 with a projected third-round landing. The athletic foundation is legitimate: he covers ground laterally and climbs to the second level with rare fluidity for his frame. PFF charted a 75.4 pass-blocking grade in 2025, fourth among ACC starting left tackles, helping QB Ben Gulbranson throw for 444 yards against San Jose State. The flags are play strength and a robotic, predictable hand approach that savvy rushers exploit. UCLA line coach Juan Castillo, a 28-year NFL veteran, has called him a possible top-three-round talent if development continues. With fewer than 25 career games, he is pure projection over production.

Strengths

  • Rare movement skills for a 6-7, 315-pound tackle, mirroring edge rushers and covering ground laterally
  • quick feet and smooth hips allow easy climbs to the second level to intersect linebackers on combo blocks
  • aggressive attack-first mentality in pass protection, establishing first contact on his terms
  • long arms (80-plus inch wingspan) to control rush angles even when footwork slips
  • delivers genuine pop when he lands a clean strike, jolting rushers and creating run-game movement
  • positional versatility with starts at LT, RT, and RG
  • posted a 75.4 PFF pass-block grade in 2025, fourth among ACC starting left tackles
  • only Stanford OL to start all 12 games at one position

Weaknesses

  • Below-average play strength and anchor, gets walked back by power rushers who reach his chest
  • robotic, mechanical pass-pro approach with predictable hand placement that experienced rushers counter
  • strikes down the middle with his outside hand, creating short corners and inside speed-to-power lanes
  • dips his head and lunges on contact against movement across his face, losing vision and leverage on angle blocks
  • fewer than 25 total games at any level, still learning situational football and can look lost versus exotic pressures and stunts
  • run blocking lags his pass protection
  • weak 53.6 PFF career run-blocking grade
  • raw recognition against twists and games

NFL Comparison

Kellen Diesch (Bleacher Report comp): athletic, light-anchor developmental swing tackle who needs strength; Yodny Cajuste (74% MDD trajectory match): long, fluid tackle with availability and refinement questions; Jalen Mayfield (69% match): athletic Power Five tackle pushed by power before he was ready; Prince Tega Wanogho (67% match): late-to-football, traits-over-technique developmental tackle

College Stats

Career (UCLA 2022-2024, Stanford 2025): 22 games, 502 run-blocking snaps, 758 pass-blocking snaps; allowed 6 sacks and 40 total pressures (5.2% pressure rate); 8 penalties on 1,260 snaps; PFF career grades 53.6 run block, 69.1 pass block; 2025 Stanford: started all 12 games at LT, 75.4 PFF pass-block grade (4th among ACC starting LTs), protected QB for 444-yard passing game vs San Jose State

Measurables

Height
6-7
Weight
315

Awards & Honors

NFLDraftBuzz OL5, 83.2 player rating; Bleacher Report OT11, No. 157 overall, 6.4 developmental grade; NFL Mock Draft Database consensus No. 96, projected 3rd round; Sam Teets New Year's Top 300 Big Board No. 213; Vikings Wire / Buccaneers Wire 2027 Summer Scouting feature; earned scholarship at UCLA (2024) after walking on; HS state titles in football and baseball; member of Lithuanian national baseball team (2021 European Championship Qualifier)