top of page
This site was designed with the
.com
website builder. Create your website today.Start Now

Defensive Tackles

Photo: Ranker.com

Photo: 247Sports.com

Photo: Zimbio

Photo: NFL.com

Photo: Bleacher Report

Photo: Fansided.com

Photo: Bleacher Report

Louis Nix III, Notre Dame. 6'3/340

Louis Nix III is complete DT. He has outstanding functional strength and has obviously been well coached understanding leverage and hand usage. He has a powerful punch to jack up the center. The thing that really separates him is his movement skills. He is quick off the snap and has excellent lateral movement. He consistently resets the line of scrimmage and commands his gap. Stanford (2012) and Alabama (2012) were both forced to double team him despite having excellent lines. His 2013 performance was not up to 2012 levels. A team needs to determine if that was due to the injury issues that eventually caused him to have to shut it down for the season. Nix is one of the best players overall in this draft, in my opinion he is the 2nd best defensive player after Jadeveon Clowney.

 

Grade: Top Ten overall

Dominique Easley, Florida. 6'3/280

If not for his injury history (left knee ACL tear in 2011; right knee ACL tear in 2013) Easley would be a top 5 player in this draft. Easley’s game is based on his initial quickness. He is consistently off the ball quicker than any player on the field. He also maintains excellent pad level and converts the speed to power. He is a little undersized but I don’t think this will be an issue especially as a 4-3 3 technique DT. He will consistently impact with his interior pass rush and penetration vs the run.  Florida did play him at DE at times but I don’t see the close that would allow him to be a DE in the NFL. Bottom line, I see him as a guy that a team with an extra picks like the Rams or 49ners might take a chance on in the 2nd round. The injury history precludes him from being drafted as high as his talent would indicate.

 

Grade: 2nd Round due to injuries.

Ra’Shede Hageman, Minnesota 6’6/300

Hageman is an outstanding athlete especially for his size. He has great length and uses his hands very well with a heavy punch. He converts speed to power using that athleticism to bull rush the OG when he plays with good pad level. Good initial burst for his size. Hageman’s main issue for me is his inconsistent pad level. This allows him to be stood up & washed out of plays especially vs the run. I’d peg him as a mid to late 1st, early second. His best role is probably a 3-4 end in a defense that allows him to get up field. If he learns to play with better pad level/leverage, he’ll end one of the best defensive players in this class, if not he’ll still be a good starter due to his athleticism.

 

Grade: 1st Round

Aaron Donald, Pittsburgh 6'0/275

Donald will be downgraded due to his size by some team and the fact that he is not scheme diverse. He is a 4-3 3 technique tackle. Donald has explosive quickness laterally, powerful hands, and a nice array of pass rush moves. He’s also longer than you’d expect and he uses that length, powerful hands, burst, pass rush moves and low pad level to win especially as an interior pass rusher. Slow footed guards are going to have a handful with him, in my opinion. The only concern is with his size. NFL guards are going to be able to move him in the run game at times.  I could see him going anywhere from the late 1st to early 3rd range.

 

Grade: 2nd Round

Will Sutton, Arizona State 6'1/290

Will Sutton is a one gap penetrating tackle. He plays with excellent leverage with unusual bend for his size and his pad level is ideal. He is excellent at playing half the man, using his hands for over or in moves and getting penetration into the backfield. He does have issues anchoring if his initial move does not get him past the lineman. I saw him stopped at the line of scrimmage more than I’d like for a top 15 DT. At this point, he holds an early to mid-second round value for me.

 

Grade: 2nd Round

Timmy Jernigan, Florida State. 6'2/300

Jernigan plays with an excellent anchor especially for his size due to his strength, leverage, and hand usage. He has a powerful punch.  Jernigan really understands how to get his hands into the lineman’s chest, while playing with ideal pad level.  Timmy displays a high motor no matter what the situation may be.  I don’t see the off ball quickness of an elite interior lineman. In addition, he had issues getting off blocks once the offensive lineman locked on.  In a crowded 2nd and 3rd tier of defensive tackles, Jernigan should come off of the board in mid-second round range.

 

Grade: Late 2nd-Early 3rd

Daniel McCullers, Tennessee. 6'8/360

Daniel McCullers has something that you can’t teach; rare size.  He can eat up blockers and keep them off your LB’s in the run game.  I believe his best role is as a 3-4 NT.  He moves better down the line laterally than you’d think for a player his size.  He has clear issues with conditioning as he does get gassed and saw limited snaps during his time at Tennessee.  He’ll need to be rotated in the NFL.  He can disrupt the passing game on early downs with his height and long arms.  He can bull rush but pass rushing is not his strength.

 

Grade: Late 3rd-Early 4th

By Steven Morton (@smorton101368)

Anthony Johnson, LSU. 6'3/294

Johnson’s game is predicated on speed and quickness. He beats the offensive lineman off the ball when he is fresh and his lateral movement is well above average. He also flashes powerful hands to jolt the OG. His pad level discipline is inconsistent, sometimes really good, other times he stands up causing him to be washed out. If the OG can lock on, Johnson typically has trouble anchoring against the run. I’d assess his value nearly the same as Jernigan.  I think Jernigan is more scheme diverse with Johnson being the better athlete.

 

Grade: Late 2nd-Early 3rd

Brent Urban, Virginia. 6'7/295

Da'Quan Jones, Penn State. 6'3/318

Jones is a big bodied Tackle who stacks and anchors against the run. Clogs the middle and controls his gap.  He has heavy hands and a violent punch.  He’s not a zero on the pass rush, either. He has an effective bull rush and can use his hands to move the OG as well.  He does have a tendency to play too high and let the OG into his body on the pass rush.  In addition, his initial quickness is average (he’s by no mean a plodder though). From a Titans perspective, he would be an excellent complement to Jurrell Casey.

 

Grade: Late 2nd-Early 3rd

 

Urban has unusual length for the position.  He understands how to use that length to create space from the OG.  He uses his hands well to play half the man with both over and in moves.  His lateral movement is well above average for the position.  Virginia uses him on stunts and he has the quickness to get there and finish even on outside stunts.  Length causes trouble in the passing lanes.  He has only an average punch.  His pad level is average and he is susceptible to lineman getting into his legs (this is the downside of being 6’7). His anchor is also not a strength if the OG gets to his chest.  His best role is probably as a 3-4 DE.  I do expect that he’ll impress in venues like the combine.

 

Grade: Late 2nd-Early 3rd

Caraun Reid, Princeton. 6'2/305

Ego Ferguson, LSU. 6'3/309

I doubt he comes in at 6’2 as he is listed.  He does not have ideal length for the position.  However, he just killed Ivy league offensive lineman on tape.  He showed both elite initial quickness and power.  His ability to convert speed to power on the bull rush was up there with Nix, Easley and Donald.  He also flashed active hands and variety of pass rush moves.  Pad level was ideal as well.  No Ivy League lineman I saw moved him off the ball against the run either.  The main reason I have him this low is question of level of competition (i.e. would Anthony Johnson look as dominant on tape against Ivy League lineman instead of SEC lineman).  The Senior Bowl and Combine is going to be important to see Reid against better competition and to see if his workout supports an explosive athlete. If so, he is going to fly up my board.

 

Grade: 4th

First off, I’d be shocked if Ferguson measures at 6’3.  I don’t see that kind of length.  The good is he has a consistent motor and violent hands and also he understands aiming points. The bad is he tries to win with quickness and he doesn’t have even average off the ball explosion.  He also plays with inconsistent pad level. While he can get away with those at times because of his strength and motor, good OGs give him problems. I think his best role in the NFL is as a gap plugger.  I just don’t see an explosive athlete.

 

Grade: 6th

Photo: 247sports

Photo: Saturdays Down South

Photo: Philly.com

Photo: NFL.com

Photo: GoPrincetonTigers.com

bottom of page