New 2025 NFL mock draft links Georgia's Tate Ratledge to a Super Bowl contender

The 2024 NFL Draft has come and gone so naturally, it's time to dive into way-too-early 2025 NFL mock drafts.

Georgia had eight players go off the board in the draft last week and they should have around the same number of players selected in next year's. 

One of those Georgia products is expected to be offensive lineman Tate Ratledge. 

In A to Z Sports Travis May's latest 2025 NFL mock draft, Ratledge lands with the Detroit Lions at No. 29 overall. 

May believes Ratledge would be the missing piece that gets Detroit one step closer to a Super Bowl appearance: 

"Tate Ratledge is the best returning interior offensive lineman in all of college football. He's allowed just one sack in his last 1600 snaps and has posted a career pass block efficiency rate over 99%. Players who project as guards-only don't usually go too early, but Ratledge should be the exception. The Lions would fill out their last needed offensive line spot here to push for a Super Bowl in the near future," - Travis May. 

Ratledge, who started 13 games at right guard, played a key role in Georgia's offensive line which ranked first in the SEC and seventh nationally in sacks allowed in 2023. 

He could have declared for the 2024 draft but ultimately chose to stay for one more year. That was a huge relief for Georgia's offense line that lost starting right tackle Amarius Mims and center Sedrick Van Pran to the NFL. 

The Lions' O-line ranked amongst the best in 2023 and they're supposed to look even better this upcoming season. However, right guard Kevin Zeitler, whom they signed in NFL free agency, is on a one-year deal, so drafting Ratledge to take his place next year makes a lot of sense.  

The Lions were so close to a Super Bowl run last season after they went 12-5 in the regular season and won their first playoff game in over 30 years. They ended up losing the conference championship to the San Francisco 49ers. 

With not much expected to change between now and 2025 as long as Detriot locks in quarterback Jared Goff and a few other X factors, Ratledge would be very happy with this landing spot.