Niki Prongos
Stanford#138 overallDraft Movement
Down 38 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. He grades as a developmental mid-round prospect and one of the top-15 tackles in the class, with a pro comp to Kellen Diesch. The athletic foundation is legitimate: he covers ground laterally and climbs to the second level with rare fluidity for his frame. He graded among the top pass-blocking left tackles in the ACC in 2025, 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. His UCLA line coach, 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
- graded among the top pass-blocking left tackles in the ACC in 2025
- 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
- a weak career run-blocking grade
- raw recognition against twists and games
NFL Comparison
Kellen Diesch (athletic, light-anchor developmental swing tackle who needs strength); Yodny Cajuste (long, fluid tackle with availability and refinement questions); Jalen Mayfield (athletic Power Five tackle pushed by power before he was ready); Prince Tega Wanogho (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
College Market Value
Our model prices him at $1.05M on the open college market, built from production, pedigree, role and Stanford's program money. No credible deal has been reported for him this season.
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Measurables
Awards & Honors
Grades as a top-5 offensive line prospect on some boards and a developmental mid-round tackle on others; consensus third-round projection; back-half Day 3 big-board grade; earned a 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)