Highest-graded offensive tackles from the 2023 NFL season: Detroit Lions' Penei Sewell takes the top spot | NFL News, Rankings and Statistics | PFF (2024)

• Penei Sewell vaults himself to the top: The Lions' right tackle led the way with a 92.8 PFF grade.

• San Francisco’s unsung superstar: Trent Williams once again provided a glowing example of elite offensive line play, earning his fourth straight 90.0-plus PFF grade.

• Dig into the numbers for yourself: PFF's Premium Stats is the most in-depth collection of NFL and NCAA player performance data. Subscribe today to get full access!

Estimated Reading Time: 6 minutes

Click here for more draft tools:

2024 Mock Draft Simulator | 2024 Big Board | 2024 Draft Guide
2024 Player Profiles | 2024 Mock Drafts | NCAA Premium Stats

Before we go full steam ahead into free agency and the 2024 NFL Draft, we’re taking one last look at the top players in the NFL at each position.

Here were the top 20 offensive tackles in the NFL by overall PFF grade in 2023. Subscribe to PFF+ to dig into the numbers for yourself!

1. Penei Sewell, Detroit Lions: 92.8

Not only was the second-year pro PFF’s highest-graded offensive tackle, but he also led all tackles in total snap count across the regular season and playoffs. In all, he allowed just one sack and committed just seven penalties.

Sewell's 95.1 run-blocking grade was as elite as it gets, coming in as the second-highest run-blocking grade for an offensive tackle — behind only the untouchable 2021 season from the next man on this list — since 2008.

Highest run-blocking grades: Offensive tackles since 2006

2. Trent Williams, San Francisco 49ers: 92.5

The perennial Pro Bowler posted his sixth 90.0-plus overall grade and received his fourth All-Pro nod on the way to a Super Bowl appearance.

Paving the way for Kyle Shanahan’s dynamic rushing attack with a 92.5 run-blocking grade, Williams remains the epitome of modern tackle play in all facets. He didn't allow a single sack in 2023 despite matching up against high-level pass rushers — Micah Parsons, Myles Garrett, Josh Allen, Leonard Williamsand Alex Highsmith, among others — almost weekly.

3. Jordan Mailata: Philadelphia Eagles: 84.8

The former rugby star finds himself among elite company for the third straight season, as he put up a career-high 84.5 pass-blocking grade on over 700 pass-blocking snaps in 2023.

Mailata also remains an excellent run-blocker, serving as one of the linchpins for the Eagles' near-unstoppable short-yardage running game. His 83.9 run-blocking grade ranked fifth at his position this season.

4. Tyron Smith, Dallas Cowboys: 83.7

Smith continued to defy Father Time in his 13th NFL season without a noticeable drop in play.

Posting his eighth 80.0-plus PFF grade and leading the NFL with an 89.3 pass-blocking grade, Smith remains a premier pass protector. He allowed 21 pressures across 610 pass-blocking snaps and committed just three penalties. And two of his three sacks allowed came against Green Bay in Dallas' wild-card game.

5. Tristan Wirfs, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 83.5

The 2020 first-round pick has now posted an 80.0-plus grade in each of his first four seasons and has proven to be an elite pass protector, even if he’s not the dominant road grader some of his peers are.

Despite a switch from right to left tackle, he did not miss a beat in pass protection in 2023, earning a second-ranked 86.1 pass-blocking grade and allowing just 24 QB pressures across 777 pass-blocking snaps.

6. Braden Smith, Indianapolis Colts: 83.3

Smith missed eight games with hip and knee injuries but played at an extremely high level when on the field.

The sixth-year pro posted a career-high overall grade (83.3), with his elite 90.1 run-blocking grade falling just short of the likes of Sewell and Williams. He has proven to be one of the best run-blocking tackles in the league and continues to make strides as a pass protector after posting a career-high pass-blocking efficiency of 97.7.

7. Christian Darrisaw – Minnesota Vikings 82.4

The 23rd pick of the 2021 NFL Draft, Darrisaw made a massive leap from Year 1 to Year 2 and followed up his strong sophom*ore season with another strong showing in 2023.

Despite a slight regression in run-blocking grade, he posted a career-high 85.3 pass-blocking grade — while protecting the blindside for Kirk Cousins, Joshua Dobbs, Nick Mullens and Jaren Hall — a number that was good for third-best in the NFL this season.

8. Bernhard Raimann, Indianapolis Colts: 82.3

In his second season of NFL action, the 2022 third-rounder has quickly proven not to be just an insane athlete but potentially a long-term option at left tackle for the Colts.

Raimann saw massive leaps in snap count (709 to 1,012), overall grade (73.3 to 82.3) and pass-blocking grade (71.4 to 80.6) in 2023, teasing even more untapped potential.

9. Taylor Decker, Detroit Lions: 81.1

Following his eighth NFL season, Decker remains a reliable blindside protector and steady run-blocker for Ben Johnson’s offense. Decker played a career-high 1,243 snaps in 2023 but showed marked improvement in his grades over a “down” season in 2022, capped off by his 81.1 overall grade — his highest since 2020.

10. Morgan Moses, Baltimore Ravens: 80.4

The veteran right tackle spent his second season in Baltimore in 2023 after seven seasons in Washington and a one-year stop with the Jets, helping the Ravens reach the AFC championship game for the first time since 2012.

This past season saw Moses post a career-high overall grade (80.4) and pass-blocking grade (77.0). He allowed just 26 total pressures and six sacks across 524 pass-blocking snaps.

T-11. Trent Brown: New England Patriots: 80.2

Now set to hit free agency this offseason, the hulking tackle struggled to put together a full season once again in 2023. He played just 11 games — including two with fewer than 35 total snaps — but when healthy, he was at the top of his game.

The Patriots tackle posted career highs in offensive grade (80.2) and run-blocking grade (80.7) and gave up just 17 total pressures on 346 pass-blocking snaps, showing there is definitely something left in the tank.

T-11. Kolton Miller, Las Vegas Raiders: 80.2

Miller continued his streak of impressive tackle play, posting his third consecutive 80.0-plus overall grade. Despite struggling with a shoulder injury down the stretch of the regular season that cost him a few games, Miller remained a high-level pass protector, allowing just 16 pressures on 428 pass-blocking snaps.

13. Lane Johnson, Philadelphia Eagles: 80.1

Johnson has remained among the top offensive tackles, regardless of side, for years. That trend continued into 2023, as he posted grades over 75.0 in run blocking and pass protection for the third straight season and the eighth season overall.

Though the veteran gave up a somewhat bloated pressure total of 35, he allowed just three sacks on over 600 pass-blocking snaps, holding dominant edge rushers like Nick Bosa, Montez Sweatand Jaelan Phillips without a sack or QB hit in their matchups.

14. Rob Havenstein, Los Angeles Rams: 79.8

The longtime Ram remains one of the most consistent right tackles in the league and has represented the only real continuity on that line for almost a decade.

Excluding his rookie campaign, Havenstein posted career lows in QB knockdowns and total pressures allowed and showed that he is still among the elite run-blocking tackles in the league, as his 85.6 run-blocking grade nearly surpassed his career-high.

15. Zach Tom, Green Bay Packers: 79.7

In his first year as a full-time starter, Tom burst onto the scene as a premier right tackle, earning an 81.2 run-blocking grade that was good for sixth in the NFL and represented an improvement of over 25 points from his rookie season.

His 72.3 pass-blocking grade was a slight regression, but his pass-blocking efficiency of 97.1 was up there with the best of the best.

16. Terron Armstead, Miami Dolphins: 79.3

The former New Orleans Saint had another tumultuous season in 2023 while dealing with back and knee injuries, but he remained a stalwart of consistent left tackle play when healthy in his 11th season.

On over 360 pass-blocking snaps, Armstead allowed just seven pressures — and just one sack — with his 98.9 pass-blocking efficiency pacing the league.

17. Rashawn Slater, Los Angeles Chargers: 76.6

From an overall grading perspective, Slater’s 2023 season was a bit of a step back from his dominant rookie and sophom*ore campaigns. This was mostly due to a massive regression in his run-blocking grade, which dipped from 80.0-plus in each of his first two seasons to a 59.5 mark in 2023.

Despite this, Slater remains a high-level pass protector at left tackle, as his 84.7 pass-blocking grade ranked fifth in the NFL and represented a career-high.

18. Andrew Thomas, New York Giants: 76.1

Oftentimes the lone bright spot on a massively underwhelming Giants offensive line, the ceiling remains sky high for the fourth-year pro despite losing seven games to a hamstring injury early in the year.

Thomas' grading took a step backward in 2023, especially in the run-blocking department (81.0 in 2022 to 64.1 in 2023), but he continued to show he can be a potential franchise cornerstone at left tackle, earning his third straight 80.0-plus pass-blocking grade.

19. Garett Bolles, Denver Broncos: 75.9

Aside from an elite 90.6 overall grade in 2020, Bolles has been remarkably consistent across his seven-year career, never posting an offensive grade below 72.8 and never higher than 76.6.

He produced another strong showing in 2023, posting the second-highest pass-blocking grade of his career (83.8) despite having to deal with a strong crop of edge rushers in the AFC East.

T-20. Kaleb McGary, Atlanta Falcons: 75.5

After a breakout 2022 season that saw him post elite numbers nearly across the board, McGary saw a bit of regression in his run-blocking numbers but remained a solid contributor on the ground with a 76.5 run-blocking grade.

This past season did represent a career year in the pass protection department, though, as he posted a 69.5 pass-blocking grade and allowed just 17 pressures across 478 snaps.

T-20. Laremy Tunsil, Houston Texans: 75.5

In his fifth season with Houston and eighth season overall, Tunsil found himself among the league’s best once again due to his pass-blocking acumen.

Tunsil allowed just 23 pressures on over 600 pass-blocking snaps in 2023. His 84.9 pass-blocking grade ranked fourth in the NFL, while his 66.7 run-blocking grade was his highest since 2019.