2024 NFL Draft: DT Rankings
1
Byron Murphy
School: Texas
Ht/Wt: 6’1”, 297 lbs
Strengths:
Murphy is an explosive player with the ability to penetrate gaps quickly and disturb plays. His get-off makes it so that interior offensive lineman have to be near perfect off of the snap to avoid being at a disadvantage. Murphy’s ability to shoot gaps naturally makes him a big asset as a pass rusher. He creates a lot of disruption, and even if he doesn’t get home every time, the impact level is still high. This ability to shoot gaps has also helped against the run, whether it is meeting the RB at/behind the line of scrimmage, or forcing him to bounce it outside, often right into another defender that is waiting. Murphy isn’t the biggest guy, but he still plays with quite a bit of power. He has shown capable of bench pressing guys off of him, which helps him get free to make a tackle, or continue his pursuit of the QB. I love how high his motor can get. At his best, his hands are active, and he seems to be playing with a sense of urgency, making it much harder for his opponent to anchor. He combines this with an array of rush moves, which has been a significant part of his success. The rip move has been highly effective for him, and he has also thrown in some spins and swim moves from time to time. He even has success straight bull rushing on occasion, which shows his strength, relative to his size.
Weaknesses:
Size will be the obvious concern for Murphy over the course of the draft process. He does quote well to limit the problems that it causes, but they do still show up sometimes. When his motor is running high, he can be very tough to contain. However, there are times where he will become more stationary. His feet stop moving, which allows his opponent to anchor. In a battle of pure strength, with no other methods of attack being thrown in, it is a battle he’ll lose more often than not. He needs to keep his feet moving. Double teams have also given him some issues at times. Much of what I already said also applies here. When he keeps the motor running, and attacks with a more diverse plan, he can overcome double teams. But the consistency isn’t always there, especially when he is just fighting power with power. Against the run, Murphy will need to find more consistency when looking to get off blocks. As well, his lack of ideal length has led to some missed tackles from time to time. Athletically speaking, Murphy is up there in quality. However, I wouldn’t say his lateral mobility is there with his burst. While it is still good in a general sense, you would ideally be getting more, when factoring in size. For a smaller guy, he isn’t always able to muster up enough bend to get around the rush edge, which has led to some issued sack opportunities.
Summary:
Murphy has shown to be a dynamic player in the interior thanks to his outstanding get-off and ability to penetrate gaps. This allows him to make plays as both a pass rusher and run stopper. Murphy does lack ideal size, so you won’t be getting a “complete package” kind of player, but his strength is still pretty solid, and I do think he can still add some more. Murphy will be a 3T at the next level. With his burst and refined technical ability as a pass rusher, he should be able to have an early impact for a team needing help inside. There will be inconsistencies due to his size, but as he gets stronger, he can hopefully limit them.
| Grade: 87.3 | Round Grade: 1st |
2
Jer’Zhan Newton
School: Illinois
Ht/Wt: 6’2”, 304 lbs
Strengths:
Newton is a standout pass rusher, and his hands are a huge reason why. Firstly, they are active all the time, barely giving opponents a chance to even get a strike in. And really this is the case with his play as a whole. Newton is a high motor guy, and this has helped him overwhelm opponents. But back to his hand usage, this area of his game is not only impressive because of how active they are, but also because his rush moves are so nicely developed, and he comes with a diverse plan of attack as a pass rusher. Newton plays with good leverage, often using a push/pull move to create more of it for himself. For a smaller guy, he has good strength, which also helps here. As well, he is constantly looking to chop at or swipe away his opponents arms as they try to engage, and then follows it up with a rip move that gets him into the backfield. In college, Newton was double teamed quite a bit, and I thought he handled it alright. Obviously it will hurt your production to some degree, but he was able to battle through it more than I was expecting. Against the run, his instincts really stand out. He catches things early, and on outside runs, can move along the line of scrimmage and meet the ball carrier closer towards the sideline for a loss or short gain. His leverage and ability to get off of blocks also helps him make some stops in the middle.
Weaknesses:
Size is somewhat of a concern for Newton. Though I don’t really think it is much of one when it comes to strength, length may be a different story. Naturally, as a smaller guy, his arm length won’t match that of the bigger players at the position. Against NFL competition, he will have to work to get off of blocks, especially against offensive linemen with bigger frames. When it comes to smaller defensive linemen, elite, or at least higher end, athleticism is something that usually comes with the size concerns. However, I wouldn’t say that Newton pops athletically. He is pretty fluid, but his get-off and speed in pursuit left me wanting a little more. Overall, he just seemed to look a bit sluggish off of the snap at times, and it was more often good hand technique and a high effort level that allowed him to win his reps.
Summary:
Newton is a high end interior defensive line prospect thanks to his elite hand technique for a prospect, high motor, and ability to wreak havoc as a pass rusher. His instincts and strength also give him ability against the run, but length issues may lead to some missed tackles, while also making it harder to get off of blocks. As well, for a smaller guy, I was disappointed by his speed and burst. But all of that said, his ability to win in other ways should allow him to overcome some of the other issues. Newton is well developed in enough areas, and still projects as a high end player at the next level.
| Grade: 87.2 | Round Grade: 1st |
3
Darius Robinson
School: Missouri
Ht/Wt: 6’5”, 285 lbs
Strengths:
Robinson played on the edge primarily, but was moved all around the formation at Missouri. The versatility is great, I like him best on the inside. Despite having a bit of a lanky frame, he has the strength to walk his opponents backwards. Robinson does a good job of either falling off of blocks, or using an arm over to disengage from his block and make a play in the ball carrier. Robinson’s bull rush is effective, and from the inside, he should have an athletic advantage over most of his opponents. He also has good length to win leverage. As a pass rusher, he has the ability to penetrate gaps to make a play. His great performance during the Senior Bowl week should boost his stock. Against the run he uses his length and strength to fall off of blocks, or go together to get what we got.
Weaknesses:
Robinson shows flashes of rush moves, but still tries to win with traits too often. He has the length to use more techniques on a consistent basis. Judging him as an interior player, he will need to fill out and add some muscle. Looking at his play on the edge, Robinson seems to lack a bit of the required bend or twitch to have consistent success there.
Summary:
Robinson has the traits to be a highly effective defensive lineman. But while many have him as a DE, I see him as a DT at the next level. His strength, athleticism, and length make him a nice fit on the inside.That said, he will need a lot of work on developing his pass rush technique. There have been flashes, but a truly diverse plan could take his game to new heights. In the meantime, Robinson can still contribute. His length is a problem for opponents, he has gap penetrating athleticism, and also plays with quite a bit of power as a bull rusher. He should be a day 1 starter, with versatility to line up all over.
| Grade: 83.6 | Round Grade: 2nd |
4
Michael Hall
School: Ohio State
Ht/Wt: 6’3”, 290 lbs
Strengths:
Hall is an athletic DT who shows the ability to play with agility, burst, and bend. There is quick penetration ability in his game, which can be a big problem for offenses. As well, his swim move has been highly effective, both as a pass rusher and a run stopper. Hall has decent strength and can create some push in certain matchups. His lateral agility allows him to move across the line to track the ball carrier on run plays. Hall’s motor allows him not only to create quick penetration on plays, but also to clean things up late in a play. He remains persistent, even as the play drags on.
Weaknesses:
Hall has fine functional strength, but his frame is a bit light for an interior guy, and some matchups are tougher for him, just from a power perspective. He can be hit or miss when it comes to bull rushing and creating push. There are times where his hand placement could be better, and he could give his opponent less of an opportunity to land their lands. At this point, I wouldn’t say he is particularly good against double teams. He seems, oftentimes, unable to even begin to chip through it, which is something he’ll have to figure out how to take on more effectively. Hall has a good swim move, but a few more tools in the box would serve him well.
Summary:
Hall is a high upside player thanks to his abundance of athleticism, and lateral agility that allows him to track really well against the run. He can penetrate gaps, and has a swim move that works for his pass rush. Getting stronger and improving against double teams will be important for his development. Adding a few more rush moves would also be good. Hall isn’t a finished product, but should be a good rotational contributor early on, with high end stater upside for the future.
| Grade: 81.7 | Round Grade: 2nd |
5
Braden Fiske
School: Florida State
Ht/Wt: 6’4”, 292 lbs
Strengths:
Fiske has a high motor, which he pairs with good athleticism to create a lot of disruption for opposing OL’s. He shoots out of his stance and can be tough to contain there. As well, he has underrated strength, and is able to sometimes bully his way into the backfield. Fiske uses an effective swim move as a pass rusher. Despite not having the longest arms, he manages to somehow find ways to get that arm over, and then penetrate into the backfield.
Weaknesses:
Fiske has decent strength, but if you just look at his frame, you will see that he is undersized. Bigger opponents definitely can still push him around. As well, there are times where he gets his pad level too high, and his opponent then can get under his pads and push him backwards. Given his size and lack of reach, he is hit or miss when it comes to block shedding. This is the case vs the run and the pass.
Summary:
Fiske has a high running motor and good athleticism, which allows him to be successful as a pass rusher. He shoots gaps in no time at all, and can send offensive linemen into desperation mode. As well, although he is lacking mass, he makes up for it in strength. Still size will be an issue that follows him . He’ll also need to work on keeping his pad level down in order to maximize his leverage. At the next level, Fiske should have success as an early starter. He is good against the run and pass, with room to grow.
| Grade: 81.3 | Round Grade: 2nd |
6
T’Vondre Sweat
School: Texas
Ht/Wt: 6’5”, 366 lbs
Strengths:
Sweat is a massive NT prospect that can completely eat up gaps on the inside. His size and strength make him look like a boulder out there, while opponents try to move him using double teams. But more often than not, they end up stalemating, which is a fine result for a NT against a double team. With an offensive line’s inability to push him off his spot, Sweat is able to clog gaps and either make a tackle on the ball carrier trying to fit through, or force the ball carrier to change directions. Along with his high end strength, he uses his length advantage to push opponents off of him. I was impressed with his ability to get off of blocks. And when he makes a play on the ball carrier, he rarely misses a tackle. As a pass rusher, Sweat offers more than most NT’s do. In saying that, I don’t mean that he does anything fancy, but he does a great job of using his bull rush to push the pocket and make things uneasy on the QB. As well, he was sometimes able to chop his opponent’s arms, and then use a rip move to get into the backfield and after the QB. When his hand usage is on point, it can be quite effective.
Weaknesses:
While Sweat has a lot of natural ability, he also has limitations to his game. Athletically, there isn’t a lot to get excited about. His get-off is quite slow, and there isn’t a ton when it comes to lateral mobility. And this is something that is almost always the tradeoff when looking at prospects of his size. This is the case with most NT’s, and you have to take them as they are. As a pass rusher, he already offers more than most NT’s. But that said, he still has room for improvement. As I mentioned before, his hand usage is quite effective when on point. But the “when on point” that I threw in there at the end makes a big difference. When looking at his game as a whole, his hand placement and timing are both off quite often, and it limits him to whatever his physical tools are able to do for him on those plays. Winning in more ways than just because of physical traits is something that is necessary when playing in the NFL. On this note, it would be good to see him use more counter moves when he is rushing the passer. While his pocket pushing ability is good, there is no need to settle for just that. I think he can still bring more to the table, if his technique is developed. At his best, Sweat is an effective player, but his motor comes and goes, and he seems to slow down as the game goes on. The issue seems more to do with stamina than effort. It’s something to work in as he transitions to the next level.
Summary:
Sweat is a high end NT prospect that should be able to contribute, at least as a rotational player, right away. He is arguably the best NT to enter the draft since Dexter Lawrence back in 2019. His natural size, length, and strength give him the ability to bully opponents when matched up 1 on 1, hold his ground against double teams, and get off of blocks when he has to. Sweat is already highly effective against the run, and his ability to push the pocket gives him more to offer than most NT’s. He has some athletic limitations, but that usually comes with the position. He is someone that should be a starter within the next year or two, and some development to his technique could really take his game to the next level.
| Grade: 81.2 | Grade: 2nd |
7
Kris Jenkins
School: Michigan
Ht/Wt: 6’3”, 299 lbs
Strengths:
Jenkins is a twitched up athlete who has the potential to bring some dynamic playmaking ability to a defensive line. His athleticism makes him an ideal gap penetrator. And in these instances, he is able to shrink himself down to squeeze through. Though he isn’t the biggest guy, I was pleasantly surprised with how well he was able to fall off of blocks when defending the run. His twitch then allowed him to redirect and make a play on the ball carrier. Along with his burst and bend, Jenkins has a high motor. He never gives up on plays, and can step up and make a play late if things have broken down.
Weaknesses:
The biggest issue with his game is that he lacks any sort of pass rush plan. Play after play, he’ll try to win with speed/agility, or sometimes just power his way through. The odd time he has thrown a spin move into the mix, but almost all of the time, it consists of him just trying to win with his physical traits. This plan of attack doesn’t work in the NFL, and he will need to work on really diversifying what he is able to do. Size is the other thing to note with Jenkins. He isn’t weak, as noted by his work against the run. But naturally, he isn’t exactly a powerful player either. Bull rushes and stuff of the sort aren’t his forte. Lack of production in college was a concern, and he is very much a projection.
Summary:
Jenkins has the tools and motor to be an impact player at the next level, but is lacking the technical refinement that is necessary to succeed against the best competition. This lack of development contributed to his lack of production at the college level. At the very least, his athleticism gives him a bit of value as a rotational player, while his play against the run is reliable enough. But his drafting team will be looking for the ceiling, not the floor. There is some risk here, but Jenkins has a lot of upside, if he can make the necessary adjustments.
| Grade: 77.4 | Round Grade: 3rd |
8
Ruke Orhorhoro
School: Clemson
Ht/Wt: 6’4”, 294 lbs
Strengths:
Orhorhoro has a good combination of strength and athleticism, which currently makes up the foundation of his game. He is a twitchy athlete, showing the agility to slip into gaps and turn the corner in pursuit of the QB. His strength was really good, which maybe was a bit unexpected for his mass. He isn’t a huge player, but he’s got some power to his game. Orhoro effectively uses a bull rush to get into the backfield. It is probably his go to move right now. He also does a good job of pushing opponents off of him in order to make a play against the run.
Weaknesses:
His pass rush plan is very basic right now, and being too predictable at the NFL level will not be the way to find success. Power is his go to, with athleticism as the secondary option, but he rarely shows intention of winning with hand technique. A much more diverse plan of attack will be needed. His awareness against the run also needs improvement. There are instances where the play will just pass him by.
Summary:
I like the upside that Orhorhoro will take with him into the NFL. He isn’t a huge player, but he plays with power and athleticism, which isn’t something you see every day. His rush plan needs significant diversification, and his awareness in certain situations will have to improve. Looks like a rotational guy early, but has starting potential.
| Grade: 74.6 | Round Grade: 4th |
9
Brandon Dorlus
School: Oregon
Ht/Wt: 6’3”, 283 lbs
Strengths:
Dorlus is a long, lean player with inside/outside versatility. His burst off of the line is good, and he has the agility and speed to make his way into the backfield. Dorlus is a finesse winner, using jukes to beat his opponent, as well as an effective swim move that makes flash appearances from time to time. His length helps him play with better leverage against bigger opponents, and it gives him a good tackle radius to make plays against the run.
Weaknesses:
His leaner frame means that it can sometimes be a little more difficult to matchup against powerful offensive lineman. His power moves are inconsistent, as is his play against the run. Though some of his issues against the run are not just due to his frame. He sometimes has some trouble tracking run plays. A lack of urgency can also creep into his game at times, which hurts his ability to pick up on things. Dorlus did not have the production that his talent should have been able to produce. Implementing a more diverse rush plan is something that could help spark things at the next level.
Summary:
Dorlus is a good athlete, showing the ability to play on the edge or the inside as a twitchier player. I prefer him on the inside, but the versatility is good. The athletic upside is there, but I’d like to see him play with better technique and add more rush moves to his game. His recognition and urgency against the run will have to improve. As well, Dorlus could stand to get stronger, which would help him to better handle power. Dorlus projects as a solid rotational guy early on, with future starter potential if he can develop.
| Grade: 74.5 | Round Grade: 4th |
10
Khristian Boyd
School: Northern Iowa
Ht/Wt: 6’2”, 329 lbs
Strengths:
Boyd is a big, beefy defensive tackle, but actually stands out for his athleticism on the field. He explodes into gaps, posing as a constant threat to whoever is assigned to block him. As well, he possesses the bend and the twitch to make it through even the smaller gaps, where there is only a split second available to get through it. His array of rush moves is decent, and as a small school prospect, I would expect there to be a lot more developmental upside as well. Boyd’s size allows him to be an asset against the run, as well. He can clog up gaps and force ball carriers to redirect their focus.
Weaknesses:
Boyd, for a bigger guy, doesn’t always play to his size. He is built like a run stuffing NT, yet he looks much more effective as a pass rusher, and can sometimes get out muscled in the trenches. I think his technique is something he’ll have to work on when it comes to his approaches with power. There are instances where he leans into his block too much, and isn’t able to get enough leverage to win his matchup.
Summary:
It is funny. Boyd is built like a run stuffing NT, but plays like a 3T that is there to rush the passer. And this isn’t just a stylistic observation. Boyd actually is a very effective pass rusher. His athleticism for his size is very impressive. But at the next level, teams will surely want to tap into the additional upside that comes with his size. Playing with better technique could unlock a new size to his game, and make him a complete player. Even as a small school prospect, I like the floor, and I love the upside.
| Grade: 74.1 | Round Grade: 4th |
11
Fabian Lovett
School: Florida State
Ht/Wt: 6’4”, 314 lbs
Strengths:
Lovett is a massive NT prospect who shows a tremendous ability to win with strength and power. He bullies opponents at the line and is able to generate a significant amount of push. Run stopping is where he excels the most. And I intentionally used the word stopping and not stuffing. Lovett isn’t just sitting at the line clogging gaps and stuffing it when it comes to him. He forces his way into the backfield and will make a stop well behind the line of scrimmage. Lovett offers more pass rush ability than you see from a typical NT. This is because of the effectiveness of his bull rush. He can get after it, walking his opponent backwards, and then disengaging to make his final push towards the QB.
Weaknesses:
Lovett has a lot of power, but doesn’t bring much athleticism to the table. He is slow and lacks explosion and twitch. This makes his plan of attack very predictable. His success as a run defender is likely to translate to the next level. However, pass rush production will be harder to come by. He plays with power, but his lack of athleticism will be predictable. As well, he lacks any rush moves, outside of his bull rush. Developing some moves would help him quite a bit, but the athletic issues still cap the ceiling.
Summary:
Lovett projects as a starting NT at the next level. He should be a 2 down run stuffer right away, and his power could add sporadic pass rush contributions as well. If he is to become a 3 down player, he’ll need to improve his pass rush. This won’t come through athleticism, so it will need to come through improved technique and a diversified attack. Either way, his pass rush won’t be what he is known for, even if he does flash in that area. His quality play against the run will be what earns him his paycheck.
| Grade: 67.5 | Round Grade: 5th |
12
Tyler Davis
School: Clemson
Ht/Wt: 6’2”, 301 lbs
Strengths:
Davis plays with a visible spring in his step on most snaps, and a high motor. He has good burst off the line, and looks to quickly penetrate through the gap. Interior lineman who lack quick feet will have a tough time containing him, as Davis has the lateral agility to swerve in and out, and unleash different methods of attack. Davis has also shown flashes of good hand technique and pass rush moves. Against the run, he is able to follow the ball carrier horizontally before the time comes to burst forward to make a stop.
Weaknesses:
Size is a visible concern. Bigger offensive lineman will engulf him before he can even generate momentum on some plays. He lacks the arm length to create a good amount of leverage for himself, so he is often at the mercy of his athleticism, relying on however much he can do with that. His bull rushes often get stifled and against the run, mauling iOL can move him out of the way.
Summary:
Davis will be limited because of his size and length. However, he is a twitched up player that has the skill set to make splash plays in a rotational role. He holds his own against the run, but his limitations make me wonder how effective he’d be in this area at the next level, and further indicates that he is best suited for a rotational role. But even without being a starter, Davis is someone who has the talent to be an impact player that can hunt the QB. And as a potential mid round prospect, he could prove to be an underrated pickup.
| Grade: 67.4 | Round Grade: 5th |
13
Mekhi Wingo
School: LSU
Ht/Wt: 6’0”, 284 lbs
Strengths:
Wingo is a small, but extremely twitched up interior pass rusher. He is a handful to deal with, especially for guards who are lacking quick feet. His energized rush approach includes shooting gaps, pushing/pulling, and using a swim move. All have been effective, but his best wins have come just with pure athleticism. Wingo has the speed to chase down ball carriers from behind, if they’ve gotten 5 or so yards up the field. This helps limit what could have been a much bigger gain. Wingo has a stout frame. He certainly won’t be pushing anyone around, but I wouldn’t say that he gets pushed around either.
Weaknesses:
Size is the main one here. He is extremely undersized for the position. Though he does have good strength for his size, bigger offensive linemen are still able to engulf his rush attempt and keep him from doing much else. As well, his behind the line impact against the run is very minimal. He makes tackles past the line, but lacks the power to make an impact beyond shooting gaps with the hope of disrupting the play. His lack of length also hurts him. This adds even more issues getting off blocks, and also means that he has a small tackle radius.
Summary:
At his size, I don’t know if Wingo can be a 3 down player. However, his dynamic athleticism and ability to shoot gaps makes him a very interesting situational pass rusher in the mid rounds. He can have a big impact in the right role, but his style won’t be for everyone.
| Grade: 67.0 | Round Grade: 5th |
14
Marcus Harris
School: Auburn
Ht/Wt: 6’2”, 286 lbs
Strengths:
Harris plays with some tenacity, showing the will and fight to keep on pushing, even when his initial attack is stifled. He utilizes moves, such as the push/pull or a swim move in an attempt to get by his opponent, and he has had success using these methods. Harris shows glimpses of explosion, especially when his path to the QB finally opens up. He’ll take it up a notch in his last pursuit of the QB in an attempt to get home for the sack. Harris is an instinctive player and can read plays well in order to maximize his output as a run defender.
Weaknesses:
Harris is instinctive and plays with good technique. However, he is lacking when it comes to physical measurables. He is on the small side and gets bumped around quite a bit. Sometimes his tenacity helps him overcome it, but sometimes he is taken out of the play. Similarly, his athleticism isn’t the best. There are glimpses of burst and a little twitch, but he doesn’t dominate athletically like you would hope a smaller guy might be able to. With both of these issues, he has trouble stopping the run, as a result, and can also be inconsistent as a pass rusher.
Summary:
Harris is lacking high end physical traits to be a true difference maker. These kinds of players often fall in the draft. However, his sound technique still gives him a chance to carve out a role as a solid rotational player. His rush moves are good, and he can read the field well. This will give him a shot, even in spite of the limitations.
| Grade: 66.0 | Round Grade: 5th |
15
McKinnley Jackson
School: Texas A&M
Ht/Wt: 6’2”, 326 lbs
Strengths:
Jackson is a big, beefy interior lineman at the next level, whose role will be that of a NT. He has the strength to hold up against the run. Jackson can bench press opponents off him when the time is approaching to make a play on the ball carrier. He also clogs gaps well enough to open things up for his fellow linemen. There was more burst and explosion on his tape than I was expecting. Even though his pass rush mostly consists of power, this suggests that there could be more upside with some development.
Weaknesses:
For a run stopper, there weren’t as many plays as I would have liked to see. Against the run and pass, he will have to significantly improve his hand technique and also add more tools to the toolbox. His attack is very one dimensional and predictable. Jackson has good burst, but lacks the agility to give him a higher ceiling as a pass rusher. He can make some improvements, like as I mentioned about his rush moves. But he is closer to his ceiling already.
Summary:
Jackson projects as a run stuffing NT at the next level. He can stand to be more consistent, but he does a solid job of getting off of blocks and taking up gaps. His pass rush consists of power only, at this point. More rush moves will be needed, some of which could also be used to help him as a run defender. Though he isn’t a twitchy athlete, he is more explosive than I was expecting. Even still, the ceiling is relatively modest, but with development, he can be good in his role.
| Grade: 65.2 | Round Grade: 5th |
16
DeWayne Carter
School: Duke
Ht/Wt: 6’2”, 302 lbs
Strengths:
Carter has a dense frame and brings a lot of strength to the table. His bull rush is quite effective. Even against double teams, he still manages to create some push, which is impressive. He effectively uses a swim move to enter the backfield. This works for his pass rush, and also has been effective against the run, where he is able to free himself up to make a play. Carter sees the field well, tracking the ball carrier horizontally to still make a play. As well, he senses when the QB is about to throw, and will get his arms up to try and bat it down.
Weaknesses:
Carter seems to be lacking the lateral agility to max out the other traits that he possesses. While his strength and technique are good, he often lacks the ability to turn that last corner or accelerate to finish the play off. Carter uses rush moves, but I’d like to see a bit more creativeness when it comes to counters after his initial rush has been stopped. As well, he needs to be better when it comes to his hand strikes. Some fail to land, or are too weak, which limits their effectiveness.
Summary:
Carter’s strength and technical flashes give him enough to make some contributions on defence. He can play the run, while also adding a bit as a pass rusher. However, he is a limited athlete, which will put a cap on what he is actually able to do, production wise. Carter seems best suited as a rotational depth piece, where he isn’t being relied on to be spectacular, but can come in and hold his own in both phases.
| Grade: 61.8 | Round Grade: 6th |
17
Maason Smith
School: LSU
Ht/Wt: 6’5”, 306 lbs
Strengths:
Smith is a big player with great length and a good get off. The early part of his rep is where he looks the most threatening, and he is capable of shooting through gaps. His motor is decent, and he’ll put in the work to stop the run. His large tackle radius is ideal and allows him to wrap up the ball carrier. Smith has shown flashes of a good swim move. As well, his length allows him to keep a good distance between himself and his opponent when he is looking to quickly get off the block.
Weaknesses:
Smith is a raw player, with injuries playing a part in his lack of experience. He often lacks control in his footwork and will also play with a high pad level. This significantly limits his ability to push the pocket and gain any kind of leverage. It also doesn’t help that he has average strength for his size. Production was limited in college and his traits are what you are going by when drafting him.
Summary:
Smith has a big frame and good length, along with solid enough athleticism for his position. Given his size, you’d like to see more strength, but that can be added. Smith is an inexperienced player and it shows in his lack of polished technique. He didn’t produce a ton, so using an early pick will be hard to justify. But the traits point to enough upside to use a later pick on him.
| Grade: 59.7 | Round Grade: 7th |
18
Jordan Jefferson
School: LSU
Ht/Wt: 6’3”, 313 lbs
Strengths:
Jefferson is a run stuffing NT with better burst than you typically see from these kinds of players. His get off is impressive, and allows him to get an early jump on his opponent. Though I wish I saw it a bit more consistently, there were times where you could see a super high motor. Jefferson, at times, can be very persistent, not giving up, and showing a sense of urgency or desperation to get past his opponent. Flashes show up on tape on an arm over move, that worked for him against the run. Jefferson has good length, which helps him play with leverage, and gives him a large tackle radius, allowing him to wrap up nicely.
Weaknesses:
Jefferson isn’t much of a pass rusher, beyond a few flashes. For the most part, he doesn’t work rush moves into his attack. Instead, he mostly goes to his bull rush. But the thing with that is that he only has average strength for a NT. He creates some push, at times, but it isn’t anything significant. Jefferson can sometimes play with a high pad level. This offsets some of the leverage advantage that his long arms would provide.
Summary:
Jefferson has a good get off and can make an impact against the run. However, he is a lacklustre pass rusher and doesn’t always play with good technique. He gets his pad level too high, and can concede leverage. For a NT, he doesn’t quite have as much strength as you’d like to see. His ability to stop the run still warrants a draft selection, but it will likely come later in the draft.
| Grade: 58.9 | Round Grade: 7th |
19
Myles Murphy
School: North Carolina
Ht/Wt: 6’4”, 309 lbs
Strengths:
Murphy is a big body who plays with good strength in both phases of the game. Against the run, he clogs up gaps and can detach from his blocks to make a play on the ball carrier. He shows active hands as a pass rusher. Power is certainly his go to move, and he can create a good amount of push. But he doesn’t just latch on and try to bulldoze his way forward. There are times where he’ll use several quicker jabs to knock his opponent off balance, before then attacking at the chest. Murphy turned in a good performance at the East-West Shrine Game, which could help his stock on draft day.
Weaknesses
On tape, Murphy looks like an average to below average athlete. He isn’t a gap penetrator and can miss out on tackles if he is asked to redirect beyond what his agility will allow for. Outside of what I mentioned above, there isn’t much diversity to his rush plan. You don’t see him use rush moves very often, and he doesn’t have the athleticism to shoot gaps.
Summary:
On tape, Murphy looks like a run stuffer at the next level, who can also create some push in the pocket as a pass rusher. I don’t see much athleticism on his game tape to suggest more upside. However, his performance at the East-West Shrine Game does add an interesting element to the evaluation. There, I thought he looked a bit quicker, so perhaps there is more than what meets the eye in his game film. Still, that sample size is small enough that it likely won’t have an impact on his draft grades before the last couple of rounds.
| Grade: 57.5 | Round Grade: 7th |
DT Rankings:
- Byron Murphy (87.3, Rd 1)
- Jer’Zhan Newton (87.2, Rd 1)
- Darius Robinson (83.6, Rd 2)
- Michael Hall (81.7, Rd 2)
- Braden Fiske (81.3, Rd 2)
- T’Vondre Sweat (81.2, Rd 2)
- Kris Jenkins (77.4, Rd 3)
- Ruke Orhorhoro (74.6, Rd 4)
- Brandon Dorlus (74.5, Rd 4)
- Khristian Boyd (74.1, Rd 4)
- Fabian Lovett (67.5, Rd 5)
- Tyer Davis (67.4, Rd 5)
- Mekhi Wingo (67.0, Rd 5)
- Marcus Harris (66.0, Rd 5)
- McKinnley Jackson (65.2, Rd 5)
- DeWayne Carter (61.8, Rd 6)
- Maason Smith (59.7, Rd 7)
- Jordan Jefferson (58.9, Rd 7)
- Myles Murphy (57.5, Rd 7)
Notables Not Graded:
- Gabe Hall
- Leonard Taylor
- Justin Rogers
- Jaden Crumedy
- Justin Eboigbe
- Keith Randolph
