9. Defensive tackle
Starters: Kawann Short, Derrick Brown
Backups: Bravvion Roy, Zach Kerr, Chris Smith, Woodrow Hamilton, Austrian Robinson, Davonte Lambert
Analysis: Going into last year, this was the top position group on the team. After losing Gerald McCoy, Dontari Poe, Vernon Butler and Kyle Love, it’s now one of the weakest. Getting Short back after a season-ending shoulder injury should help a lot. He’ll need to return to his dominant, double-team commanding form to boost this interior group. The x-factor for this position is Brown. In order to justify picking him so high, he will need to become more than rust a run stopper. If Brown can develop into a pass-rushing threat, it will solve a lot of problems up front. An injury to either Brown or Short could prove devastating, though.