Before ranking the Top 10 Best Offensive Tackles of All Time let’s breakdown the position. The Offensive Tackle position might be one of the most important positions on the football field and one that has seen it grow in popularity in the last 20 years as the game continues to evolve. While offensive lineman tend to get overlooked as some of the game’s best talent’s, it’s hard to imagine a team having any success without having a great offensive line including having at least one great talent blocking on the blind side for the quarterback.

From protecting the quarterback from blitzing lineman to ensuring running lanes for the running back, the offensive tackle position is key to allowing success on the offensive side of the ball while allowing the quarterback to stay healthy. Over the history of the National Football League, the game has produced some great tackles from the likes of Anthony Munoz to Art Shell to Jonathan Ogden to Ron Mix to Walter Jones. 

While these are just a few, here is our list of the Top 10 Best Offensive Tackles All Time.

Honorable Mention

Ron Mix

Team(s): Los Angeles Chargers / San Diego Chargers & Oakland Raiders

Just missing the cut is Ron Mix who dominated the AFL during his playing days while being a key member of the San Diego Chargers team that beat the Boston Patriots in the AFL Championship game in 1963. 

Mix who had the six and strength dominated opposing defensive lines while allowing the Chargers offensive attack a chance to make the big play. Mix was an eight-time AFL All-Star, nine-time All-AFL selection while also being selected for the AFL All-Time team. 

Tony Boselli

Team(s): Jacksonville Jaguars & Houston Texans

One of the faces of the Jacksonville Jaguars, Tony Boselli was the team’s second overall pick during the 1995 NFL draft and the team’s first player drafted in the team’s history. 

While Boseli has yet to be named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, he is considered one of the best tackles of his generation and was named to the 1990’s All-Decade team. The Jaguars star was a three time First-Team All-Pro and five time Pro Bowler. 

Top 10 Best Offensive Tackles of All Time

10. Willie Roaf

Team(s): New Orleans Saints & Kansas City Chiefs

“Nasty” was the eight pick overall during the 1993 NFL draft out of Louisiana Tech to the home team New Orleans Saints. Roaf who would go on to play nine seasons with the Saints before finishing the next four seasons with the Chiefs. 

Over his career, Roaf dominance was showcased at a high level during his entire playing career. Roaf was selected to both the 1990’s All-Decade team as well as the 2000’s All-Decade team. When his career was over, Roaf finished with six First-Team All-Pro selections, three Second Team All-Pro selections and 11 trips to the NFL Pro Bowl.

9. Ron Yary

Team(s): Minnesota Vikings & Los Angeles Rams

Playing offensive line during the 1950’s, 1960’s and throughout the 1970’s consisted of some of the greatest players to play the game while not getting the recognition in today’s game. 

One of those players as a right tackle is the great Ron Yary who was a key member of the Giants and was also the first offensive lineman to ever be selected number one overall after putting together a tremendous career with the USC Trojans. 

Yary would go on to make seven Pro Bowl teams and be voted a member of the 1970’s All-Decade team as well as being considered one of the great tackles to play the game.

8. Orlando Pace

Team(s): St. Louis Rams & Chicago Bears

One of the best offensive lineman to play in the NFL during the 1990s and 2000’s is the great Orlando Pace. Pace, who was selected number one overall by the St. Louis Rams during the 1997 NFL draft, helped build an offensive line that transformed the Rams into the greatest show on turf and a Super Bowl champion. 

During his career with the Rams, no other team was able to rack up more offensive yards than his Rams teams. Pace was a seven-time Pro Bowler and three time First-Team All-Pro. With Pace at tackle, the Rams running attack with Marshall Faulk was unstoppable while the team’s passing attack was as good as any teams in the NFL. 

7. Roosevelt Brown

Team(s): New York Giants

Coming in at number six on the Top 10 Offensive Tackle All-Time list is the great Roosevelt Brown of the New York Giants. He would be a staple of the Giants offensive line after being selected by the team during the 1953 NFL draft. 

Brown would play his entire NFL career spanning across 13 NFL seasons with the Giants while appearing in all but four games. He was a key member of the Giants 1956 championship team and a member of the 1950’s All-Decade team. Brown was selected as a First-Team All-Pro in six seasons while making nine Pro Bowl teams.

6. Forrest Gregg

Team(s); Green Bay Packers & Dallas Cowboys

While the offensive tackle was overshadowed during the early days of football, the importance of the position was one that has always been there. Luckily for the Green Bay Packers, the team had Forrest Gregg on their roster to help anchor down the tackle position while helping to allow the Packers to have the success they were able to achieve. 

Gregg helped guide the Packers to three Super Bowl titles and six NFL championships during his playing career while being selected as an All-Pro in nine different seasons. 

5. Joe Thomas

Team(s): Cleveland Browns

It is hard to put in words how good Joe Thomas was and how much he meant to the Cleveland Browns organization. While the team struggled to find consistency at nearly every other position, Thomas was recognized as being one of the best left tackles of all time. 

Thomas was selected third overall by the Browns during the 2007 NFL career and eventually would spend his entire NFL career with the club. 

During his career, Thomas made 10 straight Pro Bowl trips and was named a First-Team All-Pro in six different seasons in an ERA of football that featured some of the most athletic defensive players to play the game.

4. Art Shell

Team(s): Oakland Raiders 

One name that can be slotted in the Top 10 Offensive Tackle All-Time is the former Oakland Raiders great Art Shell. Shell, who formed a dynamic duo with guard Gene Upshaw, was one of the top tackles in the NFL during his playing days. 

Through the offensive line’s success with Shell at tackle, the team put together a stellar running winning Super Bowl XI and Super Bowl XV. Meanwhile Shell was an eight time Pro Bowler and two time First-Team All-Pro during his career with the team between 1968 to 1982. 

3. Walter Jones

Team(s): Seattle Seahawks

A third left tackle that dominated on the field is the former Florida State Seminoles and Seattle Seahawks great Walter Jones. Jones, who was the sixth overall pick during the 1997 NFL draft, put together a stellar NFL career. 

During his career, Jones allowed just 23 total sacks in 180 career starts while also helping to form one of the best offensive lines in the NFL. An offensive line that helped block for Shaun Alexander’s MVP season. Jones was a nine time Pro Bowler and six time All-Pro selection while being voted to the 2000’s All-Decade team. 

2. Jonathan Ogden

Team(s): Baltimore Ravens 

The Baltimore Ravens inaugural draft selection Jonathan Ogden didn’t let the organization down as he became a household name around the NFL while helping to block for a Ravens team that loved to run the football. He was a key part of the offensive line that helped block for Jamal Lewis as well as a Ravens team that won Super Bowl XXXV. 

Ogden made 11 straight Pro Bowls during his career while being named First-Team All-Pro in four different seasons. Ogden possessed both size and power, allowing the left side of the field to open up for Lewis and the Ravens running attack.

1. Anthony Munoz

Team(s): Cincinnati Bengals

While a few of the top offensive tackles on this list are well deserving of the top spot, it is hard to list any of those players above the Cincinnati Bengals great Anthony Munoz. He was selected third overall by the Bengals during the 1980 NFL draft dominated the position from his start to his finish after the 1992 NFL season. 

Munoz didn’t collect accolades as some of the other greats to play positions that built up statistics, he did however help block from some great Bengals teams including teams that made the Super Bowl twice. Munoz was a nine time First Team All-Pro and 11 time Pro Bowler during his playing career.

How would you rank the Best Offensive Tackles of All Time in the NFL? Rank below to be added in the Power Rankings.

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