Kelly: A breakdown of the NFL’s 2025 class of defensive tackles | Opinion
Skill position players sell tickets and drive the NFL’s growth via fantasy football and gambling, but it’s trench play that separates the contenders from the pretenders.
Own the line of scrimmage and you control the game. The Philadelphia Eagles showed that during this past Super Bowl win taking down the mighty Patrick Mahomes and his arsenal of weapons.
The great equalizer in football is the line of scrimmage, which is why a team that can protect its quarterback and run the football, and then defensively harass the quarterback and stop the run will usually have a chance to produce a win on any level of football, no matter who they are playing.
To achieve line-of-scrimmage dominance teams need strong defensive line play, and this year’s draft class is filled with potential starters who can help NFL teams get there.
No position group in this draft class has more top-50 talent than defensive tackle, and there’s a different flavor for whatever style of scheme your team is running.
Top Prospects
▪ Michigan’s Mason Graham — Graham, who recorded 108 tackles (17 for loss), nine sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery in his three collegiate seasons, plays with a quickness that makes him effective when single blocked. He’s a well-rounded prospect who will likely be a top-15 selection, but the floor is higher than the ceiling with this try-hard prospect.
▪ Ole Miss’ Walter Nolen — Nolen, who produced 114 tackles (25 for loss), 11.5 sacks, one forced fumble and three fumbles recovered in his three collegiate seasons, has the ideal blend of athleticism and power. He’s explosive for a 6-foot-4, 296 pound interior lineman. But the fact he hasn’t worked out at the NFL Combine or his Pro Day, and has some character concerns might keep him from being a top-20 selection.
▪ Michigan’s Kenneth Grant — Grant is a stout nose tackle who eats up double-team blocks on just about every snap, but he doesn’t have the stamina needed to play 40 snaps a game. He’s a smart player who is quick to diagnose what’s in front of him, but provides very little value as a pass rusher. A 3-4 team will likely target him as a top-50 selection.
▪ Ohio State’s Tyleik Williams — Williams, who recorded 136 tackles (27 for loss), 11.5 sacks and forced and recovered one fumble in his four collegiate seasons, is one of the more dominant run-stuffers in this draft class. At 6-3, 327 pounds, Williams is viewed as a two-down player which will likely make him a late first-, early second-round target for most teams. But Williams has the makings of a rookie starter who could potentially blossom with proper coaching.
▪ Oregon’s Derrick Harmon — Harmon is explosive off the snap, and has the versatility to play up and down the line in multiple fronts. He’s an aggressive defender who has a nose for the ball, but needs to learn to be more disciplined to avoid evacuating his gap. Some technique improvements could help this 21-year-old unlock All-Pro potential.
▪ Sleeper: South Carolina’s T.J. Sanders — Sanders, who produced 109 tackles (17.5 for loss) and 9.5 sacks in his three collegiate seasons, is a do-it-all defensive lineman who effectively stacks and sheds blocks from would-be tacklers. He played with leverage consistently, and features a great change of direction. But the 6-4, 297-pounder struggles to shed blocks at times, which is why he will likely be a Day 2 pick.
▪ Best of the rest — Texas A&M’s Shemar Turner, Toledo’s Darius Alexander, Texas’ Alfred Collins, and Kentucky’s Deone Walker will likely be taken before the third day of the NFL draft because they round out the dozen or so defensive linemen who could become rookie starters. Then there’s a crop of third-day possibilities such as Florida State’s Joshua Farmer, Oregon’s Jamaree Caldwell, Ohio State’s Ty Hamilton, Maryland’s Jordan Phillips, Indiana’s C.J. West, Iowa’s Yahya Black and Virginia Tech’s Aenaes Peebles who could be late-round gems for NFL teams.
Teams in need — The Jets, Saints, Bears, 49ers, Dolphins, Cardinals, Bengals, Broncos, Chargers, Vikings, Texans, Ravens and Chiefs could all select a defensive linemen in the draft’s first two rounds. The defensive line crop of talent in this draft is so deep don’t be surprised if all 32 teams select one at some point in the three days of this draft.
Dolphins focus — Zach Sieler, who has produced back-to-back double-digit sack seasons, is one of the most productive defensive linemen in today’s NFL. Problem is, he can’t anchor Anthony Weaver’s front alone, and that’s what the Dolphins have him doing at this point despite the re-signing of Benito Jones, Matt Dickerson and Neil Farrell, who should all be described as NFL journeymen. The Dolphins need to add a veteran nose tackle, and a two-technique defensive lineman who can immediately challenge for a starting role.
