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- Ty Hamilton – Ohio State
Hamilton is a true 4-3 defensive tackle with great movement for a player of his size. He is explosive, showcases outstanding recovery strength and manages to always maintain a strong base. Hamilton has some serious thunder as a tackler and his ability against the run is excellent. As a pass rusher, he has a tough bull rush and is disciplined with active hands. He won’t offer a ton of pass rush value and he does tend to hesitate on twists and stunts. Hamilton gets too focused on driving offensive linemen backwards that he can miss open gaps.
Player Comparisons: Jaden Crumendy / Da’Shawn Hand
Projection: 5th – 7th Round
Best Fits: 49ers, Raiders, Bengals (Wild Card – Saints)
- Jamaree Campbell – Oregon
Campbell could align as a nose tackle in either a 3-4 or odd front 4-3 scheme. He is a very stout run defender with a heavy build and dense frame. Campbell actually has some decent movement out of his first step, pairing that with his strength and ability to shoot gaps down the middle. He can shed blockers quite well and his recognition is solid. Campbell plays with a nice motor and continuous effort. His arms are short for a nose tackle and his offers very little pass rush. Often times, he tries to attack double teams instead of just absorbing and anchoring to free up space for his teammates. He could work on refining his tackling and improve conditioning, so he doesn’t fatigue as much late in games.
Player Comparisons: McKinnley Jackson / Justin Rogers
Projection: 5th – 6th Round
Best Fits: Dolphins, Rams, Eagles (Wild Card – Seahawks)
- Shemar Turner – Texas A&M
Turner could either align at 3-4 DE or 4-3 DT in pass rush sets. He has a great first step, versatility and happens to be a fluid mover. Turner displays some good length, can hold his ground versus tough offensive lines and turns his speed to power. He has some counter moves in his arsenal and can actually redirect quickly. It would be nice to see him expand his list of moves and become consistent as a run defender. He is developing but the potential is there in the right scheme.
Player Comparisons: Zacch Pickens / Mekhi Wingo
Projection: 4th – 6th Round
Best Fits: Ravens, Dolphins, Raiders (Wild Card – Lions)
- Joshua Farmer – Florida State
Farmer is a 4-3 defensive tackle with the ability to show his talent the closer he gets to the football. He has a nasty push-pull-swim combo and gets under the pads of opposing linemen. Farmer has some serious punch and some juice as a pass rusher. His balanced frame, ability to close space in a hurry and some impressive film makes him appear like a really nice prospect. Farmer was wildly inconsistent though in college and his struggles versus double teams should be taken into account. Some of his rushes are wasted due to poor timing. He likely doesn’t have a lot of versatility but there is promise in a 4-3.
Player Comparisons: Cameron Young / Keith Randolph Jr.
Projection: 4th – 6th Round
Best Fits: Bengals, Saints, 49ers (Wild Card – Raiders)
- Omarr Norman-Lott – Tennessee
Norman-Lott could either fit as a 4-3 DT or 3-4 DT. He is a natural at turning his speed into power. Norman-Lott is a nasty hand fighter, quick processor and his explosive get off is quicker than most other defensive tackles. He is a quick processor and his motor always runs hot. Norman-Lott also displays an advanced feel for pass rush moves and his bull rush is fairly consistent. He has put some really dominant reps on film. Norman-Lott on has limited length and size and his snap counts in college have also been limited. He is a raw run defender and in space he has had some struggles tackling. When the play is a run, he tends to get caught guessing rather than read the play.
Player Comparisons: Levi Onwuzurike / Neville Gallimore
Projection: 3rd – 5th Round
Best Fits: Rams, Jets, Chiefs (Wild Card – Panthers)
- Jordan Phillips – Maryland
Phillips has the size to be a 3-4 NT but also enough athleticism to do well as a traditional 4-3 DT. He boasts some explosive power, a fantastic lateral sidestep move and appears nimble navigating through traffic to stop the run. He knows how to anchor and hold his ground, but Phillips is also one to generate an immediate vertical push right after the snap. His heavy hands, mobility and high ceiling should make him a potential mid-draft steal. Phillips is a poor processor at times and relies too much on his bull rush. His arm length is only modest compared to others in this class and his production in college was also limited.
Player Comparisons: Tyler Davis / Alim McNeill
Projection: 4th – 5th Round
Best Fits: Bills, Texans, Cardinals (Wild Card – Cowboys)
- Deone Walker – Kentucky
Walker is a true nose tackle who best aligns in a 3-4 scheme but could also work in an odd front 4-3 scheme. He has a rare blend of size and mobility, natural power and knows how to shed blockers. His interior pass rush comes from his bull rush skills and game predicated on power. Walker has some short-area quickness, can easily take away rushing lanes and has had flashes of dominance. A perk of drafting Walker is that he was a proven college player. His conditioning will likely be the main concern with some inconsistent burst and the tendency to raise his pad level when tired. He will be hot and cold at times unless he improves his stamina. Walker could also afford to improve his pass rush.
Player Comparisons: Phidarian Mathis / Gervon Dexter Sr.
Projection: 3rd – 4th Round
Best Fits: Rams, Dolphins, Lions (Wild Card – Bengals)
- Alfred Collins – Texas
Collins is another true nose tackle who works best in a 3-4 base defense but could fit in an odd front 4-3 scheme. He showcases a long, huge frame and his strength is off the charts. Collins diagnoses pulling guards and shuts down the play with his run gap integrity and natural leverage. His arm length, patience, timing to bat down passes and ability to anchor makes him a solid nose tackle. Collins lacks a pass rush arsenal and his explosiveness is below average. He also lacks lateral agility and his spin move is not productive. His ceiling might be a bit limited, but he is the ideal true nose tackle.
Player Comparisons: Jordan Davis / T’Vondre Sweat
Projection: 3rd – 4th Round
Best Fits: Dolphins, Rams, Eagles (Wild Card – Steelers)
- T.J. Sanders – South Carolina
Sanders is a versatile defensive lineman with 4-3 DT/3-4 DE ability. He has some pop at the point of attack, great natural leverage and flexibility and his pass rush repertoire is also fairly impressive. His competitive toughness shines each game and his explosive first step helps him make plays regardless of alignment. Sanders has some agility and short-area quickness which helps him be scheme versatile as a smaller defensive tackle. He doesn’t have the traditional mass or true power of a defensive tackle and is inconsistent versus the run. When Sanders tires late in the game, he will sometimes stop moving his feet on contact resulting in no push.
Player Comparisons: Mike Hall Jr. / Tyler Lacy
Projection: 3rd – 5th Round
Best Fits: Chargers, 49ers, Rams (Wild Card – Saints)
- Darius Alexander – Toledo
Alexander could fit in the NFL as either a 4-3 DT or a 3-4 DT. He is explosive off the snap and possesses a tank like lower body, mass and mobility and long arms. His scheme versatility, natural feel for rushing lanes and an incredible understanding of leverage and angles makes Alexander a top-tier defensive tackle in this class. He also offers great value on special teams thanks to his ability to block kicks. Alexander will sometimes lose gap control and has random hands along with a random pass rush plan. His motor can go hot and cold at times, but Alexander is a force to deal with on most snaps.
Player Comparisons: Harrison Phillips / Daron Payne
Projection: 3rd – 4th Round
Best Fits: Panthers, Cowboys, Vikings (Wild Card – Packers)
- Walter Nolen – Ole Miss
Nolen is a true 4-3 defensive tackle with some burst, solid pad level and strength and the ability to get underneath taller guards. His lateral agility, processing skills and nasty demeanor help him be an effective contributor on defense. Nolen does have the ability to rush the passer. He will fatigue late in games and his pass rush skills are still developing. Nolen’s counter moves are a work in progress and his gap discipline is also inconsistent. His average arm length allows offensive linemen to get to his chest a little easier.
Player Comparisons: Ruke Orhorhoro / Adam Gotsis
Projection: 2nd – 3rd Round
Best Fits: Bengals, Jets, Texans (Wild Card – Rams)
- Tyleik Williams – Ohio State
Williams is a defensive tackle with 4-3 or 3-4 scheme versatility thanks to his ability to move really well for a prospect with a stout and heavy frame. He has plenty of raw power, advanced hand usage and great balance while fighting throw contact or traffic. Williams has a natural feel for both run and pass, while also boasting an alpha dog mentality on the defensive line. Prior to his rookie season, Williams would be well suited to improve his pad level consistency, add some counter moves and work on his conditioning. Williams only has below average arm length and he can be overaggressive getting up field.
Player Comparisons: Larry Ogunjobi / Davon Hamilton
Projection: 2nd – 3rd Round
Best Fits: 49ers, Saints, Cowboys (Wild Card – Broncos)
Watch as Cole unveils the top 3 – highlights included!
