NFL Draft: DT Rankings
1
Peter Woods
School: Clemson
Ht/Wt: 6’3”, 298 lbs
Strengths:
– Athletic player.
– Quick first step off of the line.
– Can make himself skinny to slip through gaps.
– High motor, especially noticeable against the run.
– Plays with a decent amount of power. Gets some pop in his punches.
– Stacks blocks well.
Weaknesses:
– Extremely short arms.
– Short arms especially noticeable against the run.
– Instances where lack of reach prevents him from making a true attempt on the ball carrier.
– Pass rush toolbox is lacking.
– Instances of a swim move, but otherwise lacks hand moves, instead trying to win with physical traits and effort.
– Pad level gets a little bit high at times.
– Short arms can make it easier for opponents to gain leverage and push him back.
Summary:
Woods has the athleticism and intensity to become an impact player at the NFL level. He penetrates gaps pretty often, and is able to be a disruptive force in the backfield, both against the pass and run. His short arms will obviously get a lot of talk, but his other tools do make up for them, to some extent, though issues do still show up against the run. Still, he has the potential to become an impact player, especially as a pass rusher. My biggest thing with him is that he will need to develop pass rush moves. His ability to penetrate gaps has helped him, but his production hasn’t always been there. Improving in this area will help his attack become less predictable against NFL opponents, and should help him be more productive from a statistical standpoint. That is the ceiling. Without much improvement there, he should still be effective as a rotational guy, and perhaps still find his way into a starting spot if he is able to use his athleticism effectively.
| Grade: 86.5 | Round Grade: 1st |
2
Caleb Banks
School: Florida
Ht/Wt: 6’6”, 327 lbs
Strengths:
– Physical specimen.
– Height/weight/athleticism combo.
– Seems to have a pretty good get-off.
– Length gives him the opportunity for a leverage advantage over his opponent.
– Able to bench press his opponent off of him to free himself up to make a tackle.
– Has the strength to create considerable push with his bull rush.
– Wouldn’t necessarily call him a gap shooter, but he has enough juice to threaten.
– Flashes of a good swim move.
– Good compete level.
– Good Senior Bowl performance.
Weaknesses:
– Injury will have to check out.
– Missed most of 2025. Have to go back to 2024 to get a feel for him at his peak.
– Tall frame causes him to sometimes play with a high pad level, which leaves him prone to being taken out of the play.
– Flashes a rush move here and there, but his pass rush plan is typically pretty basic. Adding to his toolbox would mix nicely with the physical traits, but work needs to be done.
– Needs to be more consistent with his hand technique and placement.
Summary:
Banks is a bit of a projection if you look at him in the context of a 1st rounder. Afterall, his technique needs a decent bit of work, and outside of a few flashes, he hasn’t shown much in terms of rush moves. And that is before even factoring in the injury from this past year. However, assuming we again see the 2024 version, I think his floor is high enough that it may not be as risky as initially thought (separate from the injury risk). It will take some time and work for him to reach the ceiling, but he looked like a plus run defender, showing the ability to get off blocks and make tackles. His high motor also helped. Additionally, he was able to collapse the pocket by creating push. Of course, you’d like more than a pocket pushing run defender from a 1st round pick, but sometimes you take a chance on upside. The point I’m making is that he should still be a solid starter, even if he doesn’t quite reach that potential. If he can consistently play at a lower pad level and develop an array of rush moves, Banks could become dangerous on the defensive line.
| Grade: 85.0 | Round Grade: 1st |
3
Christen Miller
School: Georgia
Ht/Wt: 6’4”, 321 lbs
Strengths:
– Decent sized frame and has made some standout plays against the run.
– Deceptively athletic. His speed is pretty solid and his quickness caught me off guard.
– They used him on twists and he was able to threaten.
– Hand strikes generate a lot of pop. Helps when rushing or playing the run, just to create some space for himself.
– Penetration allows him to blow up run plays.
– Athleticism suggests untapped potential as a pass rusher.
Weaknesses:
– Anchoring ability looked a bit inconsistent. Strong player, but he gets pushed around a little more than he should. Size is good, but doesn’t match that of a NT. His frame is a bit lean for someone whose calling card is his run defence.
– Doesn’t show much of a pass rush plan. Glimpses here and there of hand moves, but he usually tries to win with traits.
– Little pass rush production to speak of.
– Sometimes is slow getting out of his stance.
– Hand placement needs to improve.
Summary:
Miller is an interesting evaluation. His frame is on the leaner side, but right now, he makes his money in the run game. He generates a lot of power with his hand strikes, which helps him create space for himself to make tackles. His athleticism also allows him to penetrate gaps, and blow plays up. However, there are times where he also struggles against players with more mass. For consistency against the run at the next level, I’d like to see him get a bit stronger. Right now, Miller doesn’t produce much as a pass rusher, partly due to unrefined technique. However, his athleticism and twitch were a lot better than I expected going in. He’s got some juice to be a contributor in this area, but will need to develop a rush plan and add some moves to his toolbox in order to reach that potential. Getting out of his stance quicker would also help. Miller, by no means, is a finished product. But he is good enough against the run, with room to improve, and he seems to show genuine upside as a pass rusher, despite lacking production. With developmental guys, there will always be risk. That being said, in the right spot, I’d be tempted by the potential of Miller as a finished product.
| Grade: 79.2 | Round Grade: 3rd |
4
Kayden McDonald
School: Ohio State
Ht/Wt: 6’2”, 326 lbs
Strengths:
– Thick, well built frame.
– Plays with good strength, creates push with his bull rush.
– Eats up a lot of space, can make things tough for RB’s carrying it up the middle.
– Decent at getting off blocks, able to make tackles at or behind the line of scrimmage.
– Good tackle production.
– Has a knack for finding the ball carrier when he is able to get through.
Weaknesses:
– Low running motor.
– Looks sluggish on plays that require him to cover more ground.
– Lacks a pass rush plan. It is pretty much bull rush or bust. Very predictable.
– Won’t give much as a pass rusher in terms of statistical production.
– Hand placement is inconsistent, and offensive linemen sometimes are able to strike his chest.
– Pad level sometimes gets too high, which costs him leverage.
Summary:
McDonald is a pretty typical NT, but maybe brings a bit more juice athletically than you usually see. But a higher motor would help bring out those traits more often. He is a big, strong player who excels against the run. The strength shows up often when he gets off blocks and stuffs the ball carrier at the line. The odd time, he also is able to penetrate through, which is a good way for him to rack up tackles for a loss. His bull rush is decent enough, but otherwise, McDonald doesn’t offer anything as a pass rusher. There isn’t any plan to his rush. It is bull rush, and if that stalls out, his rep stalls out. With that in mind, it is hard for me to have him even as an early day 2 guy. But as a pro, I’d expect him to be a high end run defender, and that is while saying he can even get better if he cleans up some of his technique. NT’s aren’t usually expected to rush the produce as pass rushers, so I’m not going to be too hard on him, but the positional value does factor in. Maybe a team reaches for the need and his high floor. But I see him as a round 3 guy, but he should be able to start early in his career for a team in need of a NT.
| Grade: 77.6 | Round Grade: 3rd |
5
LT Overton
School: Alabama
Ht/Wt: 6’3”, 274 lbs
Strengths:
– A powerful player.
– Good bull rush.
– Good dip/rip move.
– A space eater who makes an impact against the run.
– Plays at a low pad level, maximizing his leverage.
– Powerful handstrikes.
– Able to bench press opponents off of him to make a tack on the RB.
– Good footwork and hand technique. A very technical player.
– Experience lining up all across the DL.
Weaknesses:
– Lacks bend for a DE, but some would consider him too small for a DT.
– Lateral quickness is okay by DT standards, but falls short at DE.
– Needs to implement more counter rush moves into his toolbox.
– Get-off could be better. A bit slow out of his stance.
Summary:
Overton was a college DE, but lined up in other spots too. I’m projecting him inside at DT, as some others probably are as well. On the inside, twitch and quickness aren’t as important as they are on the edge, and he can use his natural power to win matchups. On the inside, he’ll probably need to add weight, but I’ve seen him get reps on the inside, and he should be ready to make an impact regardless. His bull rush is effective, and he has a good dip/rip move. His strength also makes him impactful against the run. As he makes the NFL jump, I’d like to see him add some counter moves to his tool box to use once his bull rush reaches its capacity. Overton has starter potential at the NFL level.
| Grade: 75.2 | Round Grade: 3rd |
6
Tyler Onyedim
School: Texas A&M
Ht/Wt: 6’4”, 292 lbs
Strengths:
– A solid all around skill set.
– Has experience playing in different positions (though I like him as a 3T).
– Has a good get-off, and good enough athleticism to shoot gaps and bend around the corner.
– Good length that helps him get off blocks.
– Has shown the ability to get a RB from behind 5+ yards down the field.
– Decent strength and bull rush.
– Good on twists.
Weaknesses:
– A bit lighter than your typical DT.
– Plays with decent strength, but has room for more.
– Needs to develop some go-to counter moves to use when his initial rush stalls out.
– Hand placement is a bit off.
– Pad level sometimes elevates and he loses leverage.
Summary:
Onyedim doesn’t seem to have any elite traits, but has a decent enough blend that gives him a chance to eventually start at the next level. He is a solid athlete with good burst out of his stance. He has good twitch, but is also stronger than his size would suggest. Now, he can stand to fill out and add more strength. But what would really round things out for him is better technique. Improving his hand placement, keeping a low pad level, and adding counter moves to his pass rush toolbox would go a long way. He isn’t a finished product yet, but should contribute early as a rotational guy. In time, he has a chance to start.
| Grade: 75.1 | Round Grade: 3rd |
7
Jayden Loving
School: Wake Forest
Ht/Wt: 6’1”, 309 lbs
Strengths:
– Elite athleticism. He looks like he’s got 10 springs in his step.
– Shoots out of his stance and immediately makes it a test for his opponent.
– He is a twitched up athlete who can execute stunts. He also sometimes just reverses the direction of his rush, as the QB moves around.
– Got a good chunk of early wins.
– Solid strength for his size.
– High motor.
Weaknesses:
– Undersized.
– Lacks length. This makes it tough for him, in some instances, to disengage from blocks. More so shows up when playing the run.
– Pass rush plan is basic. He just tries to win with physical traits. Will need to add rush moves to his tool box in order to maximize chances against NFL competition.
– Hand placement and timing can improve.
– Had a few missed tackles show up on tape.
– Instincts are a work in progress.
Summary:
Loving is an elite athlete at DT, and you see it right from the second the ball is snapped. He shoots out of his stance and has the speed and bend to threaten as the rep progresses. Size is a bit of a concern, and how it will translate. Bigger offensive linemen will probably cause some issues for him. Lack of length doesn’t help. His athleticism will help him overcome these issues, but he will need to develop some rush moves to go with the natural tools. Though a starting role will be hard to achieve at his size, I don’t want to rule it out. If not, he should be a highly effective rotational player.
| Grade: 74.9 | Round Grade: 4th |
8
Zane Durant
School: Penn State
Ht/Wt: 6’1”, 290 lbs
Strengths:
– Twitched up athlete.
– Comes with the ability to shoot gaps.
– Great on stunts.
– A threat to the rush edges.
– Underrated strength and is able to create push.
– Plays at a low pad level and gains leverage.
– Good motor.
Weaknesses:
– Lacks length.
– Longer offensive linemen engage first and wipe him out of the play.
– He is a strong player, but can’t match with some of the G’s he’ll face.
– Not as good against the run as he is the pass.
– Undersized by DT standards.
Summary:
Durant is an undersized, but twitched up DT. He makes an impact as a pass rusher by shooting gaps. He has the kind of get-off that threatens quick wins and embarrassing reps for interior offensive linemen. Durant, for his size, has solid strength, but could still add a little more. His power element as a rusher is decent, but he could stand to bring more against the run. His skill set translates at least to situational pass rusher, but with refined technique, more rush moves, and a bit more mass added to his frame, Durant can be a quality starter.
| Grade: | Round Grade: |
9
Zxavian Harris
School: Ole Miss
Ht/Wt: 6’8”, 330 lbs
Strengths:
– Crazy length for an interior player.
– Able to bat down passes.
– Long arms are useful in winning with a swim move.
– Also gives him a good tackle radius, which helps prevent ball carriers from slipping through.
– Get-off is pretty good for someone of his size.
– Height allowed him to block a handful of kicks.
Weaknesses:
– Off-field concerns after multiple arrests.
– Not very quick and doesn’t have much bend, which hurts him at the top of his rush.
– Consistently plays at a pad level that is way too high, which hurts him in leverage battles. It is not uncommon for bigger players, but he’ll have to find a way to keep it down.
– Doesn’t always play as strong as his size would suggest.
– Has balance issues.
Summary:
Harris is a traits-based prospect that comes with perhaps a lower floor, but also an intriguing ceiling. His size and length isn’t common for an interior lineman, and his straight line speed is pretty good for that size. You see glimpses where his reach allows him to win with a swim move, or get off blocks to make a smothering tackle as a run defender. But for the flashes, you see a player who is highly unrefined. He is big, but often plays smaller due to balance issues and a consistently high pad level, which costs him leverage. The swim move comes in flashes, but he often rushes like someone without a plan. And other than the swim move, there aren’t any other finesse moves that he really looks to utilize. All of these issues will have to be worked on, and he could need a few years before he sees anything more than a rotational/depth role. But in the right environment, where a team can tap into the potential, he could end up as a starter that can line up in various spots around the defensive line. Where he goes in the draft depends on the appetite for the risk vs reward, and that is before even factoring in the off field concerts that teams will be looking into.
| Grade: 73.2 | Round Grade: 4th |
10
Domonique Orange
School: Iowa State
Ht/Wt: 6’2”, 322 lbs
Strengths:
– Massive frame.
– Eats up space in the middle.
– Has the kind of size that should make an impact against the run.
– Surprisingly agile for his size. Actually has some spring out of his stance, and is pretty nimble and fluid as he navigates.
– Long arms, which show when he uses an arm over move.
– Has some moves that allow him to disengage before attempting a tackle.
– Unleashes a spin move from time to time.
Weaknesses:
– Doesn’t generate as much power as his frame would suggest.
– Sometimes gets washed out of the play.
– Good size/athleticism combination with the use of hand moves, yet he could never even remotely threaten as a pass rusher.
– Bush rush doesn’t create much push.
Summary:
Orange was a strange watch. I found myself consistently impressed with the athleticism that he showed for his size, yet the play would never really go anywhere. His hand moves allowed him to sometimes disengage, and he made a tackle. But even those most of those instances were well beyond the line of scrimmage. His lack of consistency was a bit puzzling, since he has a lot of things going for him. He’ll need to find a way to play with more power at the next level, while also implementing more counter moves. His drafting team will be looking at traits, and hoping they can get more out of him. I suppose entering the NFL, he is a developmental guy.
| Grade: 71.0 | Round Grade: 4th |
11
Landon Robinson
School: Navy
Ht/Wt: 5’11”, 293 lbs
Strengths:
– Fun tape.
– Very athletic player. Exposes the rush edges of stuff G’s. Has the burst to shoot through and the bend to turn the corner and get to the QB.
– High end speed when in pursuit.
– Stronger than he looks with a subtly effective hand strike.
– High motor player.
– Gap shooting ability can disrupt the run game.
Weaknesses:
– Extremely undersized. I don’t know if I can recall a DL that was under 6 feet tall.
– Bigger G’s can absorb the contact.
– Can sometimes get washed away in the run game.
– NFL linemen will have an easier time anchoring.
– Lacks length.
Summary:
Robinson is a rare case of a DL that is listed under 6 feet tall. But you know, he managed to make it work. He is a twitched up athlete and can penetrate gaps thanks to his high end burst and speed. His bend makes it tough for stiffer G’s to handle. Of course, when they are able to initiate the contact, then they get to dictate the rep. And it will happen more in the NFL. But still, against someone as athletic as Robinson, it is easier said than done. Despite the flashes, becoming a regular starter will be a tough challenge for Robinson. But he projects as a rotational guy who can make a difference on passing downs.
| Grade: 70.9 | Round Grade: 4th |
12
Gracen Halton
School: Oklahoma
Ht/Wt: 6’3”, 293 lbs
Strengths:
– Athletic player who shows some flashes.
– Can shoot gaps or make himself skinny to slip through.
– Good motor which pairs well with his athleticism.
– Can threaten G’s around their rush edges.
– Has a couple of rush moves, including a swim.
Weaknesses:
– Length isn’t great.
– Sometimes gets his pad level high.
– Mediocre bull rush.
– Modest amount of power.
– Bigger G’s can pave him out of the way in the run game.
– Is on the light side for a DT.
– Hand placement needs improvement.
Summary:
Halton is a twitchy pass rushing 3T with the ability to shoot gaps and create some disruption. His athleticism is his calling card, and he is able to threaten the edges of interior linemen. His lack of mass and power allows him to be moved in the run game. Perhaps if he gets stronger, he can develop into a starting role. Entering the NFL, he seems poised for a rotational role that can spotlight his pass rush ability.
| Grade: 69.9 | Round Grade: 5th |
13
Lee Hunter
School: Texas Tech
Ht/Wt: 6’4”, 318 lbs
Strengths:
– Strong build with good length.
– Eats up space and then can get off blocks to stuff the ball carrier at the line.
– Overall, a good run defender.
– Bull rush is solid. Not crazy good or anything, but it makes an impact.
– Flashes a decent arm over move.
– Athleticism isn’t elite or anything, but decent enough for a NT. Probably has more twitch than you’d see from a typical NT.
Weaknesses:
– Bull rush is decent, but as a whole, he doesn’t offer much as a pass rusher.
– Without improvement, will be limited to being a 2 down player.
– His get-off could improve.
– For his size, there is room for improvement when being double teamed. He is not as physically imposing as he could be.
– Hand technique and placement needs work.
Summary:
Hunter profiles as you typical NT – solid against the run, decent bull rush but otherwise little as a pass rusher. He is a bit more athletic than your typical NT, perhaps. Not in terms of speed, but instead agility. Hunter gets push before disengaging at the right time when defending the run. He can make technical improvements in order to become more consistent, but I don’t think it will change his outlook that much. Solid 2 down NT.
| Grade: 68.8 | Round Grade: 5th |
14
Demonte Capehart
School: Clemson
Ht/Wt: 6’5”, 313 lbs
Strengths:
– Good build to hold up in the trenches.
– Also has good length.
– Generates some power with his bull rush. A little inconsistent, but when he’s on, he is driving people several steps backwards.
– Eats up space.
– Takes on blocks and is then able to disengage and make a tackle.
– Decent enough athlete.
Weaknesses:
– Overager prospect.
– Doesn’t have much of a plan.
– It is mostly bull rush or bust for his pass rush. He might be a bit more productive with some counters.
– Even as a power rusher he is inconsistent.
Summary:
Capehart has good size, length, and decent enough athleticism. However, despite the traits, there isn’t much production to speak of. He goes in with zero plan other than power, and he seems to just hope for the best. If you just watch highlights, you see someone generating several steps of forward push. But a lot of the other times, he generates nothing. At least against the run, he takes on blocks and is able to make some stops. But to improve as a pass rusher and be more than a 2 down player, he’ll need to develop some rush moves.
| Grade: 65.2 | Round Grade: 5th |
15
Kaleb Proctor
School: Southeastern Louisiana
Ht/Wt: 6’2”, 291 lbs
Strengths:
– Good athlete with the ability to impact the game through his ability to communicate with her.
– Great burst off the line.
– Has the bend to turn the corner.
– Disruptive when left alone.
– As a couple of moves in the toolbox.
Weaknesses:
– Shows flashes of power, but strength is lacking in the conversation.
– Has some rush moves, but needs to use them more.
– Outside of a couple of games, his competition level was much lower.
– Will face a jump in the NFL.
– Not at his best against the run.
– Is a bit undersized by NFL standards.
Summary:
Proctor is a good athlete at DT and should contribute at the next level. He is lacking in certain traits and whatnot. He’ll need to diversify his attack and get better in his rush. Proctor projects as a rotational guy at the next level, however, he may get to battle for a bigger role if he really impresses.
| Grade: 62.5 | Round Grade: 6th |
16
Albert Regis
School: Texas A&M
Ht/Wt: 6’1”, 295 lbs
Strengths:
– Good get-off out of his stance.
– Shorter player who plays at a lower pad level and is able to gain some leverage.
– Instances where he gets some push.
– Tough, gritty playing style.
Weaknesses:
– Frame is a bit light.
– Length falls below standards.
– Hasn’t been able to find that last bit as a rusher.
– Opponent can anchor despite him having a good get-off.
– Pass rush production is unimpressive and he lacks rush moves.
Summary:
Regis is a smaller player who knows how to take his low centre of gravity and gain leverage for himself. This and a good get-off should serve as a decent advantage, but his pass rush is otherwise lacklustre. He doesn’t have that gap shooting ability that you want to see from smaller guys. Regis holds up decently well at the point of attack, for his size, and has some solid moments as a run defender. But he seems to bring a relatively low ceiling. If he adds some rush moves to his repertoire, perhaps he can reach a new level.
| Grade: 62.3 | Round Grade: 6th |
17
Jackie Marshall
School: Baylor
Ht/Wt: 6’3”, 293 lbs
Strengths:
– Good overall athlete.
– Good lateral quickness.
– Burst to threaten the gaps.
– More power than expected for his size.
Weaknesses:
– Frame is on the lean side.
– Gets stood up at the point of attack.
– Gets his pad level up a bit too high.
– Undersized for the position.
– Can have his share of issues defending the run.
Summary:
Marshall is a good enough athlete to threaten gaps and push the limits of interior linemen. However, his frame is on the lean side and there are inconsistencies. He will need to get stronger, which should help in both phases. As well, diversifying his attack could help his pass rush. He will need work to become a starter, but Marshal has enough to become a solid rotational player.
| Grade: 61.6 | Round Grade: 6th |
18
Brandon Cleveland
School: North Carolina State
Ht/Wt: 6’3”, 307 lbs
Strengths:
– Brings an honest effort on a play to play basis.
– Decent strength to sometimes threaten with power.
– Able to absorb contact and get off blocks when defending the run.
– Plays with good balance.
Weaknesses:
– Rarely was able to get home.
– Would sometimes get to the backfield, but lacked the bend to really threaten the QB.
– Sub-par athlete for the position/
– Lacks length.
Summary:
Cleveland lacks the length and athleticism to be a true threat, but brings enough power to catch on as back-end depth. He gives you an honest effort, and does chip in sometimes with help in run support.
| Grade: 56.1 | Round Grade: 7th |
DT Rankings:
1. Peter Woods (86.5, Rd 1)
2. Caleb Banks (85.0, Rd 1)
3. Christen Miller (79.2, Rd 3)
4. Kayden McDonald (77.6, Rd 3)
5. LT Overton (75.2, Rd 3)
6. Tyler Onyedian (75.1, Rd 3)
7. Jayden Loving (74.9, Rd 4)
8. Zane Durant (73.7, Rd 4)
9. Zxavian Harris (73.2, Rd 4)
10. Doonique Orange (71.0, Rd 4)
11. Landon Robinson (70.9, Rd 4)
12. Gracen Halton (69.9, Rd 5)
13. Lee Hunter (68.8, Rd 5)
14. Demontae Capehart (65.2, Rd 5)
15. Kaleb Proctor (62.5, Rd 6)
16. Albert Regis (62.3, Rd 6)
17. Jackie Marshall (61.6, Rd 6)
18. Brandon Cleveland (56.1, Rd 7)
Notables Not Graded:
– Darrell Jackson
– Chris McClellan
– Rayshaun Benny
– Nick Barrett
– Damonic Williams
