It seems that you cannot go a day without hearing how deep this year’s draft class is for running backs and edge rushers.
The cornucopia of potential franchise running backs and premiere edge rushers has been well-documented, but there’s another position group equally deserving of praise – the interior defensive linemen.
Talent at the position in this class is considerable, not to mention abundant, and it is headlined by all but certain top-five pick, Leonard Williams (USC).
Scheme versatile and physically gifted, Williams is arguably the best player in this year’s class, irrespective of position, and is currently being eyed covetously by teams around the NFL. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who own the first overall pick in the draft, seem committed to going down the quarterback route with their pick, but any side following in their wake could be a potential home for Williams.
He is an immediate upgrade to a team’s run defense, whilst he also has the athleticism to get the quarterback, potentially making him part of an elite group in the NFL. His combination with Jurrell Casey would be fun to watch if the Tennessee Titans take him with the second overall pick, but if not, the fits he would have with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Oakland Raiders and Washington surely mean that he will not fall out of the top five.
Hot on Williams’ heels is nose tackle Danny Shelton (Washington), who has already drawn comparisons to perennial Pro Bowler Haloti Ngata. Finding starting-caliber nose tackles is difficult at the best of times, but finding one with the dynamism and nasty on-field edge that Shelton shows is basically winning the run-stuffing jackpot in the lottery.
The difficulty in finding these behemoths, who typically anchor 3-4 defenses, is illustrated by the last three drafts. During that time, only two ‘true’ nose tackles, Dontari Poe and Brandon Williams, have become starters in the NFL.
Although Shelton would likely see the recent average met or even exceeded on his own, there are two more prospects at the position currently flirting with being first round picks in next month’s draft, both of whom are capable of contributing in their rookie seasons. Those prospects are Jordan Phillips (Oklahoma) and Eddie Goldman (Florida State).
Phillips is more impressive athletically than Goldman, but the former Seminole is a more technically-refined player, and would likely provide a more immediate improvement to a team’s run defense. The way both players will be utilized in the NFL will obviously depend on which teams they land with, but both are capable of developing into premiere nose tackles, possibly after short stints as 4-techniques.
There are also plenty of 4-3 defensive tackles worthy of attention, including Malcolm Brown (Texas), Michael Bennett (Ohio State), Carl Davis (Iowa) and Xavier Cooper (Washington State).
Brown leads the group, displaying no discernible weaknesses and capable of playing in different schemes and roles along the defensive line. He’s the probably the best prospect to come out of Texas since Earl Thomas came out in 2010.
Davis could be considered a nose tackle, a job he did very well at Iowa, but whether he has the size and strength to deal with double teams in the NFL is questionable, regardless of how proficiently he did so in college. He could be a great second round pick up for any team looking to get more solid on their defensive line and stop the run, but teams cannot expect him to cause carnage in the backfield, as that simply isn’t his game.
Both Bennett and Cooper are smaller tackles, built similarly to Aaron Donald. Bennett, in particular, is a prolific rusher on the inside, capable not only of causing disruption, but also getting deep into the backfield and making plays. Cooper is not as refined a player just yet, but he has all the intangibles required to also prosper in this role, and teams may just have to exhibit a bit more patience.
Lastly, but certainly not least, is Arik Armstead (Oregon). The former Duck stands an impressive 6’ 7”, whilst he also weighs in at 292 lbs, and he will have NFL teams salivating at the prospect of what he could bring to the trenches. He projects extremely well as a defensive end in a 3-4 defense, where he would instantly draw comparisons to Calais Campbell, but there’s nothing to say he couldn’t also play inside on a four-man front.
There is significant ‘boom or bust’ potential with Armstead, however. His technique is limited and he currently relies on his considerable physical gifts to make plays, but with the right coaching, Armstead could become something very special. It’s difficult to find 3-4 defensive linemen capable of making plays in the fashion Campbell and JJ Watt do, but Armstead has that potential, he just needs to find the right home to help him achieve it. Both the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers have bigger needs, but their devotion to their front sevens would make them great landing spots for Armstead.
One of the biggest takeaways from this group is that it’s a good year to be a 3-4 team looking to stock up on front seven players. There are a number of players capable of being the foundations of a potent defensive line for the next decade available in the top two rounds, whilst many of the vaunted edge rushers are projected to be better outside linebackers than defensive ends.
All the prospects mentioned have the ability to contribute in their rookie seasons and it would not be surprising to see them all off the board by the middle of the second round. The edge rushers may be stealing the defensive limelight right now, but this could be the best class of interior defensive linemen for years.
Alex Shaw 