Welcome to draft season! This is the seventh of 11 positional breakdowns leading up to the NFL draft (April 27-29). Here are my top 10 defensive tackles:
— 1. Jalen Carter (Jr., Georgia, 6-foot-3, 314 pounds)
Carter was the most talented player on a historically-great Bulldogs defense that saw five prospects selected in the first round last year. He's a scheme-wrecker — there's a lot of one-handed tackles sprinkled throughout his highlights — and forces an offensive attack to focus its attention on him, making it substantially easier for his teammates to make plays. There were rumblings about some maturity issues with Carter before an arrest on misdemeanors for his alleged involvement in a deadly car accident involving his teammate and a Georgia staff member. Of course, most college kids are dealing with maturity issues and nothing I've come across would warrant the dreaded "character concern" label. Projected: Top 10
— 2. Bryan Bresee (So., Clemson, 6-5, 298)
Bresee was the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2020 recruiting class. He showed flashes of dominance as a true freshman in 2020, but only played 152 snaps in 2021 before tearing his ACL. Bresee was limited to 10 games and just 330 snaps this past year by a "non-football medical issue" and an off-the-field tragedy (sister Ella died from brain cancer). His performance in Indy — he produced a 4.86-second 40-yard dash — and continued health should go a long way in cementing him as the second defensive tackle selected in the first round. Projected: Round 1
— 3. Calijah Kancey (Jr., Pittsburgh, 6-1, 281)
There's something about Panthers' undersized defensive linemen who can get to the quarterback — Aaron Donald turned out alright. Kancey is almost a physical clone of Donald and led all interior defenders with a 92.4 pass-rushing grade this past fall, according to Pro Football Focus. He also ran the fastest time (4.67 seconds) in the 40-yard dash by a defensive tackle at the combine since 2006. His combination of explosiveness and natural leverage should offset his lack of length in the NFL. Projected: Rounds 1-2
— 4. Keeanu Benton (Sr., Wisconsin, 6-3, 309)
Benton was dominant throughout Senior Bowl week and looked explosive in Indy. This four-year starter, primarily at nose tackle, uses his powerful hands to destabilize offensive linemen. His role for the Badgers likely limited his production (only nine sacks in 45 career games). He was an accomplished wrestler as a prep, finishing with a 127-8 career record and was twice the Division I state runner up in the 285-pound division in Wisconsin. Projected: Rounds 2-3
— 5. Adetomiwa Adebawore (Sr., Northwestern, 6-1, 282)
Adebawore's natural power, speed and strength were on display in Mobile and it all carried over to Indy, where he ran the 40 in 4.49 seconds at 282 pounds, believed to be the fastest time for any player electronically timed at the combine who weighed in at 280 or more pounds. His explosive athleticism and versatility — he dominated from both the edge and inside — makes him a borderline first-rounder for me. Projected: Rounds 2-3
— 6. Mazi Smith (Jr., Michigan, 6-3, 323)
Smith was voted team captain prior to the 2022 season and is an impressive athlete for his size, ranked No. 1 on Bruce Feldman's Freaks List. He's an immovable object in the run game, but consistency is needed to unlock his potential as a pass rusher. Projected: Rounds 1-2
— 7. Zacch Pickens (Sr., South Carolina, 6-3, 291)
A five-star recruit, Pickens was the No. 1 defensive tackle in the 2019 recruiting class after being selected South Carolina's Mr. Football his senior year of high school. He was team captain, second-team All-SEC and Gamecocks MVP in 2022. He needs to learn some new tricks as a pass rusher and work on his approach vs. double teams against the run, but he features every trait a coach could possibly want in the NFL. Projected: Round 3
— 8. Gervon Dexter (Jr., Florida, 6-5, 310)
Dexter features NFL-ready size, strength and elite athleticism that will be hard for teams to ignore, but his technique against the run and pass can be sloppy at times. Coaching will be key in the pros to help him develop a skill set to go with his rare physical traits. A five-star recruit, Dexter was the No. 3 defensive tackle in the 2020 recruiting class (one spot ahead of Georgia's Carter). Projected: Round 2
— 9. Kobie Turner (Sr., Wake Forest, 6-2, 293)
Turner was one of the top combine snubs. He walked on at Richmond producing 16 sacks and 33.5 tackles for loss in four seasons before transferring to Winston-Salem, where he received the highest run-defense grade of any Power Five interior defender in 2022, according to Pro Football Focus. He finished with double-digit tackles for loss (third time in last four seasons) and led the Demon Deacons in forced fumbles (three) despite not starting a single game. Turner is a bit undersized, but his motor is non-stop and he plays even stronger than his weight suggests. Projected: Rounds 4-7
— 10. Karl Brooks (Sr., Bowling Green, 6-3, 296)
I'm still not sure why Brooks wasn't invited to the combine, especially after his impressive performance in Mobile, where he showcased a rare blend of power and speed for a player his size. He was highly productive for the Falcons in 2022, contributing 10 sacks and 69 QB hurries while playing on the edge — something he might not do much of in the pros, but it's nice to know he can. Brooks was a two-time team captain and led Bowling Green in sacks all five seasons. Not many college players can say that. Projected: Rounds 5-6
— BONUS: Siaki Ika (Jr., Baylor, 6-2, 335)
Any team struggling to stop the run will be in on the stout Ika. Of course, he plugs up the middle of the field, but there's upside as a pass rusher based on his 2021 performance. He played in 13 games as a true freshman at LSU and helped the program win the 2019 national championship before transferring to Waco. Projected: Rounds 2-3
— BONUS: Byron Young (Sr., Alabama, 6-3, 294)
Young was a four-year starter who showed significant growth as a pass rusher in 2022 — the same number of pressures (28) as his first three seasons combined. He was already one of the class' better run defenders. Young features average athleticism, but balances it with a skilled technique and massive hands. Projected: Rounds 3-4
— BONUS: Jaquelin Roy (Jr., LSU, 6-3, 305)
Roy was the No. 6 defensive tackle in the 2020 recruiting class as a four-star recruit. He's an athletic interior presence against the run who commands an offensive line's attention and has a prototypical frame. He has the physical tools to become an effective pass rusher in the NFL, but the production simply wasn't there in Baton Rouge. Projected: Rounds 4-5
— BONUS: Moro Ojomo (Sr., Texas, 6-2, 292)
Ojomo is a powerful, disruptive force at times who is still scratching the surface of his potential. He's already an NFL-ready run defender, but will need to develop his pass rush plan in the pros. He's only 21 despite being a five-year college player (four-year starter). Projected: Rounds 4-6
— BONUS: Jonah Tavai (Sr., San Diego State, 5-11, 283)
Tavai's measurables won't do him any favors in a scout's notebook or on draft boards, but they also don't do him justice. He was highly productive for the Aztecs, posting 19 sacks and 86 QB hurries the last two seasons. He wins with multiple pass rush moves (most notably a swim and hand swipe) and he's proven stout against the run, likely owed to his rugby background. If he doesn't get drafted, I'd be surprised if he doesn't earn a camp invite where he'll have an opportunity to prove himself, possibly on a practice squad. Projected: PFA
