There have been three defensive tackles taken with the first overall pick in pro football history: Junious “Buck” Buchanan by the Kansas City Chiefs in 1963, Russell Maryland by the Dallas Cowboys in 1991, and Dan “Big Daddy” Wilkinson by the Cincinnati Bengals in 1994. Results have been mixed. Buchanan was a Hall of Famer and one of the greatest defensive players in AFL history, Maryland made a Pro Bowl and has three Super Bowl rings, and Wilkinson played decently for four NFL teams without any specific accolades.
Based on what we’ve seen from draftable prospects over the last two seasons, it would be difficult to argue that Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter isn’t the best prospect in the upcoming 2023 draft. The splash plays are all over the place, the flaws are few and far between, and given the necessity for interior pressure in today’s quick-game league, it’s possible that Carter could find himself as the fourth such player to go first overall.
