10. Javon Hargrave, Philadelphia Eagles
Nose tackles are a bit of a dying breed in today’s NFL, with so many defenses moving to a four-man front in a base 4-2-5 package. But there are players with the talent to transcend such a movement, and Hargrave is certainly among them. 2019 was a career year for the fifth-year defender out of South Carolina State, as he tallied career-high numbers in quarterback pressures (49), tackles (35) and quarterback hurries (43, far surpassing his previous career-high mark of 23 set his rookie season).
What makes Hargrave more than a nose tackle is his ability to play along the defensive front. He can align as a defensive tackle or even a defensive end in a three-man front, and this flexibility gives the Steelers – and now the Eagles – a variety of options defensively. On this sack of Lamar Jackson, Hargrave actually aligns as a 3 (or a 4i technique) defensive tackle as part of a four-man front, and then shows the upper body and hand strength to disengage for a sack of the Ravens’ quarterback:
This sack came late in the game and helped the Steelers hold Baltimore to a field goal, keeping them out of the end zone for what could have been a game winning touchdown. Instead, the game went to overtime.
Now in Philadelphia, with Fletcher Cox to run with, Hargrave is a great position to continue his elite level of play.