2021 NFL Draft Defensive Tackle Rankings Top Ten
10. Daviyon Nixon, Iowa
Size: 6-3, 313
The Good: One of the most productive interior pass rushers in the draft, he’s got good enough size to hold up against the run, but his real worth is as a backfield disruptor. He had a good first season with the Hawkeyes, and then he blew up last year with 45 tackles with 5.5 sacks and 13.5 tackles for loss. He’s an athlete for his size – he moves like a much smaller player.
The Not-So-Good: He’s just okay against the run. He’ll make plays, and he’s certainly not weak when it comes to getting pounded on, but he’s not going to hold up as an anchor that everything else works around. However …
NFL Draft College Perspective Thought: Don’t worry about him not being a brick wall against the run. If he’s on a line with mass right next to him and tough linebackers, all will be fine. The payoff will come on third downs when he makes quarterbacks fly out of the pocket as they get chased by a guy with bad intentions.
Projected Round: Third
9. Bobby Brown, Texas A&M
Size: 6-4, 321
The Good: This is how you want an NFL defensive tackle to look. He’s got the right frame, enough mass on it to be good without too much, and he uses it all well as an excellent run stopper. He might not be the immovable anchor some might want, but he’ll more than hold his own with good effort with the fight coming on every play.
The Not-So-Good: Don’t expect much in the pass rushing department at the next level. He’s not the best of athletes – call it a trade off for his size – but he was able to come up with 5.5 sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss last year mostly on power. His game will be about holding up against the run.
NFL Draft College Perspective Thought: Still improving, he’s a young player who can still do a whole lot more with his game. Don’t expect spectacular, but he’s a starter who’ll give you an honest day’s work as a solid part of a defensive tackle rotation. His best work might be ahead of him with just a little more physical maturing.
Projected Round: Third
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8. Osa Odighizuwa, UCLA
Size: 6-2, 280
The Good: If you can get past his lack of size, he’s a fun, dangerous interior pass rusher who’s always going with a non-stop motor and the production to match. Productive in his four years with the Bruins, he made 11.5 sacks with 27.5 tackles for loss and 120 stops as he learned how to do a little of everything right. He brought power to his pass rushing game to go along with his quickness, but ..
The Not-So-Good: A lot of what he did in college isn’t going to work at the next level. He’s not going to bruise his way through anyone, and he’ll lose his share of battles when he gets mashed and thrown out of the play. If he’s not getting to the quarterback and in the backfield, there’s a problem.
NFL Draft College Perspective Thought: If you’re looking for a guy who can be a devastating pocket collapser every once in a while from a variety of formations, here you go. He’s not going to be the steady run stuffer you might want, but if he’s surrounded by bulk or is asked to be a 3-4 end, he’ll thrive.
Projected Round: Third
7. Marvin Wilson, Florida State
Size: 6-4, 303
The Good: A big-time leader who’ll be the alpha male for the line and defense, when healthy he’s a dangerous interior pass rusher who’s always bringing the energy for the ground game, too. As a sophomore and junior he made 8.5 sacks with 12-5 tackles for loss and 85 tackles, but even though he can get being the line, he’s at his best as the take-on guy in the interior for everything to work around.
The Not-So-Good: Can he get back his groove? He looked like a top 20 overall draft pick after 2019, but he gained some weight, had to fight through an injury, and nothing was really right with his game or the team in 2020. He’s not an elite athlete for an interior pass rusher, and he’s missing the raw mass to be a true power tackle at the next level.
NFL Draft College Perspective Thought: Welcome to one of this year’s best value picks. There’s legitimate reason to be slightly concerned after such a mediocre 2020, but the talent and production are in there – we’ve all seen it. That guy who was so good in 2018 and 2019 is the main man for your D. There’s a chance he goes somewhere in the 70s and turns into the most productive tackle in the draft.
Projected Round: Third
6. Alim McNeill, NC State
Size: 6-2, 317
The Good: He doesn’t get moved. A short, powerful tackle, he gets the leverage to be used as an anchor but can also get behind the line. He wasn’t as much of a disruptive force last year as he was in 2019, but he’ll work his way into sacks and plays behind the line. A better athlete than it might seem, he’ll be a problem for the more lumbering interior linemen.
The Not-So-Good: If you care, he doesn’t quite look the part. He’s a little shorter than you might like and he doesn’t have the length. The raw mass is missing a bit, too. He can be used in a variety of ways, but he doesn’t have any one sure-thing spot that will guarantee any big-time success. However …
NFL Draft College Perspective Thought: In a weak draft for tackles, McNeill is your best-of-all-worlds type of option. He was asked to be The Guy for NC State, and he turned into just that with the rest of the defense working around him. Stick him in as a 3-4 end or on the nose or anywhere in between, and he’ll be fine.
Projected Round: Third