The 2021 class of defensive tackles isn’t an all-timer, but there’s a lot of talent if you know where to look.
In the 2020 NFL season, per Sports Info Solutions, quarterbacks threw from 0-3 step drops on 12,252 dropbacks. Conversely, quarterbacks threw from 5-7 step drops on 4,760 dropbacks. When you have an increasing quick game, and RPO concepts have become the order of the day, there often isn’t enough time for edge-rushers to upset the quarterback’s timing and rhythm.
Because of this, the importance of interior defensive pressure has become more crucial than ever in today’s NFL. It’s a simple matter of the shortest distance and a straight line, and the inside guys have the advantage. There are many reasons that Aaron Donald is the most important defensive player in the NFL, but that’s certainly one of them.
Beyond Donald, there are other interior defensive linemen who have proven their importance to their defenses without a doubt. The Steelers had the NFL’s best defense and best pass defense per Football Outsiders’ DVOA metrics, and that wouldn’t have happened without the efforts of Cameron Heyward and Stephon Tuitt, who combined for an incredible 135 total pressures, mostly on the interior. And two of the NFL’s five best interior disruptors wound up in the Super Bowl — Kansas City’s Chris Jones (70 total pressures in 2020) and Tampa Bay’s Ndamukong Suh (62 total pressures).
If you want to drill down to the importance of a run-stopping defensive tackle, let’s stick with the Super Bowl champs, who lost tackle Vita Vea to injury from Week 5 through the NFC Championship game due to injury. Without Vea in the lineup, the Bucs’ run defense was pretty good, allowing 4.0 yards per carry. But with Vea on the field, Tampa Bay allowed just 2.8 yards per carry.
That’s how one very large man can make a very large difference on the field.
The 2021 class of interior defensive linemen isn’t stocked with those kinds of difference-makers, but even in a relatively sparse class, there’s talent to be taken based on team and scheme.
Note: The percentiles in parentheses listed next to pro day data are compared to all historical athletic testing (combine and pro day) at the respective position of the player. Kudos to Pro Football Focus, and their Pro Day Schedule and Results Tracker, for this. As there was no scouting combine in 2021, and pro day schedules vary, we may not have all testing information for all prospects at publication time.
PFF’s NFC East three round mock draft lands the Cowboys four talented players.
There are just 24 days left until the Dallas Cowboys are on the clock for the 2021 NFL Draft and mock draft season is in full-swing. While the unpredictable nature of the draft can render even the most tuned-in mock draft meaningless, it’s always an interesting exercise to analyze possible draft picks for Dallas. At this point in the offseason, the Cowboys needs heading into the draft are pretty clear; In no particular order, cornerback, safety, linebacker, defensive line and offensive line are all positions Dallas could address in the upcoming draft.
Pro Football Focus’ Seth Galina recently released a three-round mock draft for every team in the NFC East, with the Cowboys coming away with four players. When discussing the draft, there will always be a debate for drafting the teams biggest need or the best player available. However, the melding of the two beliefs sometimes works out the best. So lets get into Galina’s three-round Dallas Cowboys mock draft.Â
At this point in the pre-draft process Patrick Surtain II is the player most easily associated with the Cowboys. The overload of information during this draft season has seemed to sour some fans on Surtain, however Dallas would be overjoyed to pair the Alabama product with his former college teammate Trevon Diggs. While Surtain is not the consensus top defensive player on all draft boards, The Athletics’ Dane Brugler, has him ranked as his top defender and the 10th best player overall in the 2021 draft. If the Cowboys wind up drafting the 6-foot-2 corner it would be a result of having one of their highest-rated players at arguably their biggest positional need.
In the second round Dallas would select Alim McNeill, defensive tackle out of NC State. A 320-pound nose tackle, McNeill could immediately help the defense anchor down against the run. However, there is a belief McNeill could take time some to develop into a eventual three-down player. McNeill has athletic traits, but has only been playing on the defensive line since joining the Wolfpack. After taking two top-100 picks in the 2019 and 2020 draft at DT, McNeill might be a reach for Dallas with the 44th overall pick, especially when a higher rated safety, linebacker or offensive tackle would likely still be on the board.
Houston’s Payton Turner could be an intriguing pick at 75 for the Cowboys. Turner could slide into the role that recently-retired Tyrone Crawford once filled. At 6-foot-5 270 pounds, Turner has the ability to play outside and inside on the defensive line. According to Dane Brugler of The Athletic,
“Turner is among the best effort players in this draft class who uses his long strides and speed to chase down ball carriers . . . does a great job keeping his hands and feet in lock step to attack and work off blocks . . . He projects as an eventual NFL starter with inside/outside versatility.”
Turner would be an even better pick for Dallas, if they were able to land a starter in the second round of this mock draft.
While tight end might not be considered a need for the Cowboys, Tommy Tremble from Notre Dame could be a blinking light player for Dallas at pick 99. With the loss of Blake Bell in free agency, the Cowboys could use a tight end that can come in and contribute in the run game. Tremble offers that and more.
Tremble was under utilized as a receiver in college, but has enough upside to develop into a starter.
Overall PFF’s NFC East mock draft gave the Cowboys a decent haul of talent for the future. While a DT in the second round could be viewed as a reach, having a big body in the middle of the defensive line would help this defense against the run. However, the highlight of the draft would be Patrick Surtain as he we would be the perfect balance of need and best player available for Dallas.
With free agency on the doorstep and the Cowboys looking to fill multiple needs, what could their draft strategy look like?
Dallas Cowboys fans rejoiced this week as franchise quarterback Dak Prescott was signed to a four-year deal worth up to $164 million. Locking in Prescott allows the teams to silence questions regarding his future and focus on free agency and the draft. The team has worked on clearing cap space this week, both with avoiding a second Prescott franchise tag and the restructuring of highly-paid players.
These moves will allow the Cowboys to be a buyer in a loaded free-agent market. The team has quite a few holes to fill, especially on the defensive side of the ball and there are plenty of free agents who could help accomplish that goal but this coming draft is lining up well with the glaring needs the team has. Here’s a potential three-round mock scenario for the Cowboys front office using the Pro Football Network Mock Draft Simulator.
Check out Draft Wire’s exclusive interview with North Carolina State defensive line prospect Alim McNeill
The nose tackle position is one that generally goes unnoticed, so when a player is able to stand out in that role, you know that player is especially talented.
Such is the case for North Carolina State’s Alim McNeill.
With 10 sacks and 17.5 tackles for a loss in his three seasons with the Wolfpack, he was able to not only eat up gaps and free up his teammates to make plays, but he made his fair share of big plays, as well. Though a reliable contributor throughout his time in college, he truly broke out in 2020, when he was named an AP second-team All-American and a first-team All-ACC player.
An explosive athlete with a high ceiling in the NFL, McNeill looks to carry on his successes at the collegiate level to the pros.
Draft Wire recently spoke exclusively with McNeill about his multi-sport background, the toughest competition he’s ever faced, his blossoming talent in music, and more.
JI: You played quite a bit as a 0-technique nose tackle at NC State. What’s your favorite part about playing a position that might not be the flashiest position out there?
AM: That’s just it for me. It’s not the flashiest, but you do your job, you get the job done. The recognition will come later with it. I really like it. You just get to strike – you destroy the center every time you get the chance to. It’s just a real physical position. I like it just because of the role itself. It’s not the flashiest or anything; you do your job, you do it well, and great things will happen.
JI: It’s super important because you get to eat up gaps and free up space for your teammates to make big plays, right?
AM: That was the biggest thing, too: just being able to see guys make plays, other people doing their job, perfecting their role, and that’s something I really like to see.
Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports
JI: You had quite the sports background in high school. You were a running back, linebacker, and even an outfielder for your baseball team. How has that diverse experience helped you out at defensive tackle?
AM: I think it helps tremendously. It just builds overall athleticism, hand-eye coordination, just different things within the mind, thinking pace and stuff like that. I think it helps tremendously. I also played a little basketball – I only played two years organized and a lot of pickup. I think overall, playing a lot of sports can help you out, definitely, with any sport.
JI: You’re a great athlete, especially for your position. How do you work to keep your speed while adding muscle to your frame?
AM: There’s nothing special to it, I just make sure I’m getting the work in, the extra work that I need to be able to keep my athleticism. Going through NC State really helped me with that a lot [through] the strength staff, and also being [in California] at Sports Academy has helped me tremendously. Just making sure I’m stretching good, eating good, and doing everything I can to be able to remain the same athlete.
AM: I thought it was a pretty cool honor to have. It’s what I expect out of myself, though, but I thought it was cool. I was really honored to have that.
JI: Who’s the best offensive lineman you’ve gone up against in the ACC?
AM: I’d say Jimmy Morrissey from Pitt. He’s a really sound center, really good technique, quick guy, and he had good hands. I would say that’s, by far, the best center I’ve played against.
JI: Is it true that you were once able to eat 30 chicken wings in one sitting?
AM: That was a joke (laughs). I know [NC State offensive lineman] Joe Sculthrope said that. I don’t know why he said that. I definitely can’t do that.
Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports
JI: Do you know many wings you’d be able to eat? If he threw such a big number out, I’d think that indicates you could eat a bunch of them.
AM: I really don’t know where he got that from (laughs). I could probably eat, like, 10 in a sitting and be done. I can’t really eat that many wings; I don’t know why he put that out there.
JI: Outside of football, you’ve been pretty active working with music. What can you tell us about that?
AM: It’s just something I do for fun, really, usually as an escape, I guess you could say. If I’ve got some time to do it or if I’m bored, I’ll just make a beat or make a song, produce it. I actually get help from one of my teammates, too: [defensive lineman] Dante Johnson, he produces a lot of the songs and engineers them for me. It’s just something I like to do; it’s a cool hobby.
JI: Do you have any musical influences?
AM: Not per se, really. I like listening to all music, a lot of different artists, so I wouldn’t say I have a specific influence. I just go with the flow of what I’m feeling.
Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports
JI: How else do you like to spend your free time outside of football?
AM: I like adventuring, riding around, stuff like that. I’ve done a lot of that since I’ve been here in California. Music is really the only thing I can get into. Shopping, I like clothes, fashion and whatnot. [I like] music more than anything.
JI: How’s your training coming along as you’re preparing for the draft?
AM: It’s going really good. I’ve dropped a ton of body fat. I’m just loving it out here, just getting it in, increasing my athleticism. We do a lot of cognition work here, too, sharpening the mind and whatnot. I really love it out here, it’s going great.
JI: Let’s say I’m an NFL general manager. What would I be getting if I drafted you to my team?
AM: Just an athletic player who makes plays. Great teammate, leadership role guy. You’re going to get a full package out of a guy like me. I’m just going to give my all every day, 100 percent, to make sure I’m doing the right thing to best contribute to my team’s success. I think that’s the biggest thing, and being a great teammate, doing what’s right for the team. That’s definitely what you’re going to get out of me.
Colts virtually met with NC State DT Alim McNeill.
The Indianapolis Colts will be meeting virtually with several prospects throughout the coming months as they prepare for the 2021 NFL draft and its arrival at the end of April.
Among those players the Colts have met with reportedly is former NC State defensive tackle Alim McNeill, per Justin Melo of Draft Wire.
McNeill is a powerful interior defensive lineman who will work mostly as a one-technique in an even front and a zero-technique in odd fronts. The junior out of NC State recorded 4.5 tackles for loss and 1.0 sack in 2020.
The Colts are pretty set on the interior but we know how much Chris Ballard likes to buildup the defensive line. With Grover Stewart under contract for the next three seasons after signing an extension, Indy could be looking for some depth behind him. They also re-signed Taylor Stallworth earlier in this offseason after he had a solid showing in a limited role in 2020.
Regardless, the Colts could be eying McNeill at some point during the draft, and it will be interesting to see if they are the ones to grab him at the end of April.
