2018 NFL Draft by Position: Defensive Linemen (7/11)
In today's age of defensive schemes, it's outdated to group the front seven in the traditional categories of Defensive Tackles, Defensive Ends, Outside Linebackers and Inside Linebackers. Teams use a 4-3, a 3-4, or some even use hybrids with non-traditional positions like a Nickel Corner or a "Nitro" Strong Safety who plays more like a Linebacker. Because of this, I decided to categorize the first two lines of defense into three groups: Defensive Line (4-3 DT's; 3-4 NT, DT and DE), Edge Rushers (4-3 DE, 3-4 OLB) and Linebackers (4-3 OLBs and MLB; 3-4 ILB). Naturally, I'll begin with the Defensive Line, where one prospect has solidified himself as the top option: Vita Vea. He stands at 350 pounds and still find a way to be a sideline-to-sideline terror against the nation's top team, Alabama. Speaking of Alabama, Da'Ron Payne is almost a guaranteed first-round selection, and Florida's Taven Bryan has pretty good odds too. Michigan's Maurice Hurst has a slim chance to go on Day One, but he did get medically cleared and was a unanimous All-American. There are a lot of prospects seen as potential Day 2 or 3 sleepers, so teams have to do their work on the trench warriors inside.
1. Vita Vea, Washington - Mid 1st Round
At 350 pounds, I have no idea how Vita Vea has some of the lightest, quickest feet I've ever seen from a D-Line prospect. It's kind of scary to think he's still relatively raw, as he definitely flashed star potential but looked average on probably about a third of his tape. If Vea falls in the hands of good, aggressive defensive coaches, they could turn him into an dangerously explosive 3-4 Defensive End. He's the next Haloti Ngata, and Vea has just as much Pro Bowl potential.
2. Da'Ron Payne, Alabama - Mid/Late 1st Round
Da'Ron Payne has more strength and athleticism than most prospects in any draft class. He's the best run-stuffer in this class, and many scouts think he has the toolset to become dangerous in the pass attack with some coaching help. Payne is NFL-ready with a 6'2", 311-pound frame with long arms, and his game will immediately low down any opponent's run game. If teams don't coach his tools to also become a pass rushers, Payne will stay as a run-down specialist, but Payne has the dual-threat potential of a Pro Bowler if he lands in the right system.
3. Taven Bryan, Florida - Late 1st/Early 2nd Round
Taven Bryan's athleticism, flexibility and agility are off the charts. His lack of production reinforces the fact he's extremely raw and will need time to develop. The silver lining of that concern is that any team can mold Bryan into any type of Defensive Lineman they want. Inside, outside, it doesn't matter with Bryan. The instincts and feel aren't there, and his footwork also needs work, but Bryan has the mean streak, motor and toughness to realistically develop into a productive, disruptive and versatile D-Line starter in the NFL.
4. Maurice Hurst, Michigan - Late 1st/Mid 2nd Round
Maurice Hurst simply gets past blockers at an exceptionally consistent rate. As soon as the ball is snapped, he attacks low and fast, and his three-technique should be just as disruptive at the next level. Hurst's strength and frame (6'2", 282 lb.) are concerns, and theres' a good chance he'll get swallowed up by bigger blockers (especially on redirect blocks). The heart irregularities ended his combine before it started, but that red flag turned out to be temporary - he's cleared. As long as the heart issue stays in the past, Hurst has the realistic upside of a Maliek Collins-like quality 4-3 Defensive Tackle.
5. Harrison Phillips, Stanford - 2nd Round
Harrison Phillips is built more like a Guard at 6'4" and 310 pounds, but he's an absolute anchor on the other side of the trench. He's simply an anchor of a Defensive Tackle. Phillips can match up against any offensive scheme, and even on double teams, he swallows up blockers so linebackers can fly into the backfield. His lack of athleticism and far-too-high center of gravity may prevent him from seeing time on passing downs, but Phillips is more than ready to take on starting-level reps on run defense packages.
6. Rasheem Green, USC - 2nd/Mid 3rd Round
With Rasheem Green, teams have to look at what he can be instead of what he is today. He's 6'5" with long arms, and he's athletic with consistently fluid movements. There's a lot of work still to be done with Green, as he need to get a lot stronger, play tougher and develop a consistent technique of some kind. Green best projects as a 3-4 Defensive End, but teams can mold him into a 4-3 End as well, if they teach him good edge rushing technique. He's definitely a project, but Green has the realistic upside of a Carlos Dunlap-like impact starter in the NFL.
7. B.J. Hill, North Carolina State - Mid 2nd/Mid 3rd Round
B.J. Hill has impressive size (6'4", 315 lb.), but his play strength isn't as good as it should be. He's productive, finds the ball at an impressive rate given his size, and plugs the one-gap consistently. Hill's athleticism is decent, but he's not explosive and Hill either needs to develop explosiveness or a good amount of upper body strength if he wants to develop into anything more than a rotational D-Tackle option.
8. Da'Shawn Hand, Alabama - 3rd Round
Da'Shawn Hand was the top-rated recruit in the high school Class of 2014, but his production was never impressive. The NFL size (6'4", 297 lb.) is there, but his attitude and motor are both major concerns. Hand's versatility at the next level is a plus, giving teams an option at all four spots in a 4-3 or both outside spots in a 3-4. Teams that are confident in their D-Line coaches will love to get their hands on him early , but his NFL production is far from guaranteed.
9. Derrick Nnadi, Florida State - 3rd Round
Derrick Nnadi will almost certainly be slotted in as a 4-3 Defensive Tackle, and his build (6'1", 299 lb.) for that position is undersized for the NFL. He won't contribute much on passing downs, but Nnadi's tape is incredible as a powerful run stopper, always at the point of attack. He's rarely swallowed up on one-on-one blocks, and his high motor and hyperactive hands should help is case as a soon-to-be above-average NFL starter.
10. Tim Settle, Virginia Tech - 3rd/4th Round
At 6'3" and 335 pounds, Tim Settle is an immediate candidate for any Nose Tackle spot. He has good mass, upper body strength, quickness and agility - a rare combination. Settle lost weight and boosted his conditioning, leading to a massive jump in production in 2017. His disruption and versatility should translate well as a 4-3 Nose Tackle, a solid option on both passing and running downs. If he keeps his weight and conditioning in check, some scouts see Tim Settle with an All-Pro, Vince Wilfork-level potential.
11. Nathan Shepherd, Fort Hays State - 3rd/4th Round
Nathan Shepherd comes from Canada with an NFL-ready 6'5", 315-pound frame. He's very raw, and no part of his game outside of his size is ready for the next level. He flashed decent pass rushing technique, and if he lands to a team looking to develop a 3-4 End with a multi-technique skill set, he had the upside of an Akiem Hicks-level quality NFL starter.
12. Jalyn Holmes, Ohio State - 3rd/5th Round
Jalyn Holmes is stuck positionally at the next level. He's not a good enough edge rusher to be a 4-3 End, and he's not strong enough to play as a 3-4 end. Holmes despereately needs to add lower body strength and improve his hand usage if he wants to see significant time in any defense set. His 6'5", 285-pound frame and upper body strength is attractive enough for some NFL teams to think they can develop into a decent 3-4 End.
13. R.J. McIntosh, Miami - Late 3rd/5th Round
For 6'4" and 295 pounds, R.J. McIntosh's speed and quickness on the line was incredible. Unfortunately, his poor core strength is going to gem him in a lot of trouble against the run. If McIntosh can learn to use his hands well when pass rushing, he'll be much more usable. Until then, his lack of play strength will prevent him from seeing a significant amount of reps as a 3-4 End or 4-3 Defensive Tackle.
14. Andrew Brown, Virginia - 4th/5th Round
Andrew Brown plays with an attractive mean streak and NFL size at 6'4" and 295 pounds. His tape isn't great, however, becuase his poor quickness and explosiveness prevented him from providing any difference-making plays. Brown's energy and attitude make him a coachable prospect, and his intentional weight gain shows Brown has listened to scouts and knows his next-level position would be best as a rotational 4-3 Defensive Tackle or 3-4 End.
15. Trenton Thompson, Georgia - 4th/5th Round
Trenton Thompson has a great combination of toughness, athleticism and a great frame (6'4", 295 lb.). He just can't stay healthy, which is taking a big hit on his draft stock. Thompson can play through the pain, but his tape rarely shows any production. He fits well as a low-celing, rotational 4-3 Defensive Tackle, and if Thompson can find a way to stay healthy, he could round out as a quality fill-in starter if need be.
16. Breeland Speaks, Ole Miss - 4th/6th Round
Breeland Speaks came out of nowhere to tally six sacks in the last six games for Ole Miss. However, like his former D-Line colleage Robert Nkemdiche, Speaks has a lot of growing up to do. His technique is consistent and translates well as a 3-4 End in the NFL, and while he could develop into a decent starter like Rickey Jean Francois with the help of good coaching, Speaks' struggles with maturity and inconsistency at the point of attack give him a Day 3 floor with realistic bust potential.
17. P.J. Hall, Sam Houston State - 4th/6th Round
P.J. Hall doesn't have next-level height (6'1), weight (310 lb.) or length, but his power, quickness and explosiveness will make up for it. His tape is killer, but just like any other small school prospect, his poor level of competition is a concern. Hall will have to hold his own facing up against bigger O-Linemen, but if he can, Hall has a realistic upside of a Grady Jarrett-like starting 4-3 Defensive Tackle.
18. Folorunso Fatukasi, Connecticut - 5th/6th Round
At 6'4" and 315 pounds, Foley Fatukasi is definitely NFL built. His tape defends his versatility, as he can be used pretty much anywhere on the front line in any NFL defensive package. Like most other prospects coming out of UConn in recent years, Fatukasi is extremely raw. His initial attack is very poor, but the power and disruption he conveys is a major plus. If Fatukasi's attitude is good, a well-staffed NFL team could develop him into an every-down versatile D-Line starter.
19. Deadrin Senat, South Florida - 6th Round/Undrafted
The 6-foot, 314 pound Deadrin Senat will be restricted to solely a 4-3 Defensive Tackle role at the next level. His tape shows a strong, efficient lineman who despite his short stature, has long arms and plays above his physical body's length. Senat only got better throughout his senior campaign, and his hand quickness should be an advantage in his initial attack at the NFL level. Senat's ceiling is limited, but he does have good odds at becoming a dependable backup 4-3 D-Tackle.
20. Kendrick Norton, Miami - 6th Round/Undrafted
For teams looking for run-stopping D-Tackle options, Kendrick Norton is your man. At 6'3" and 312 pounds, he can be used at DT in both even or odd fronts, adding value to his draft stock. Despite his good size, Norton doesn't use it well, and his technique will have to be re-coached over a good period of time if he wants to become anything more than a fill-in option on running downs.
21. Poona Ford, Texas - 7th Round/Undrafted
Poona Ford has good tape, but his build (5'11", 303 lb.) is a major disadvantage. The only part of his Longhorn-taught technique that will translate well is his initial attack. If a team is looking for a traditional Nose Tackle on Day 3, Ford has a chance of hearing his name. Otherwise, he'll have to work his way up in camp just for a shot of making a 53-man roster.
22. Lowell Lotulelei, Utah - 7th Round/Undrafted
After incredible 2015 and 2016 campaigns, Lowell Lotulelei completely disappeared in 2017. He has the strength and the size (6'2", 327 lb.) to earn a roster spot, but nearly every scouts has serious concerns regarding his attitude and love for the game. If he doesn't kick his butt into gear in camp, he's not going to make any team's 53-man roster come September.
Other Defensive Linemen with training camp chances: Justin Jones, North Carolina State; Bilal Nichols, Delaware; Jullian Taylor, Temple; Taylor Stallworth, South Carolina; Joshua Frazier, Alabama; Conor Sheehy, Wisconsin.
