Defensive Tackles
There were twenty DTs taken in the 2020 draft. There was a solid offering of talent in each round throughout the draft, with nine players drafted within the first 3 rounds.
1) Levi Onwuzurike | 6'2 | 293 | DT | Washington
2) Daviyon Nixon | 6'3 | 305 | DT | Iowa
11/28 - Nebraska - Nixon blew up the stat sheet, posting 8 tackles, 5 solo stops and 1 sack. On the plus side, he was very dangerous when allowed to shoot the gap hard and not hold gap assignment through stacking. On the down side, when he did have to stack he often left his chest exposed and was too easy to hem up.
3) Jay Tufele | 6'3 | 313 | DT | USC - (Opting Out)
Tufele has good size and plays with measured intensity. While he fires off the ball, he's controlled and does a good job keeping his eyes in then backfield, reading the play. His hand usage is some of the best you'll see within this class, as he makes it very challenging for blockers to latch onto him. He stacks well against the run and does a good job shedding blocks to get into the backfield vs. the run and pass. He had 4.5 sacks in 2019.
4) Christian Barmore | 6'5 | 310 | DT | Alabama
10/17 - Georgia - Barmore showed a good first step and power at times, but he played too high and was taken to the task a number of times. He needs time, work.
10/24 - Tennessee - Barmore flashed at times, was average on others. He showed the ability to create challenges up front, but wasn't a consistent force. That said, he drew two NFL-caliber OG's.
11/21 - Kentucky - Here we go. Barmore had an impressive game. He played with plus power, doing and excellent job of stacking at the LOS and throwing guys aside to make plays on the ball. While credited with just 2 tackles, his frenetic play was on display.
11/28 - Auburn - Barmore was very good in the stack and wait, stack and shed game. He held up well at the LOS, showed the ability to close in on the play himself or allow others to do so.
12/19 - Florida - Barmore stood out a couple times, but more times than not, he was just another body out there.
5) Jaylen Twyman | 6'2 | 290 | DT | Pittsburgh - (Opting Out)
Twyman had good size, strength and quickness as a whole. He's a guy who can beat his opponents in a number of different ways. He's far too athletic for most blockers, is able to work past them just by being the better athlete. However, he's nuanced at the LOS. He uses his hands well to push/pull the blocker to get him off-base, as well as hand-slapping them so they can't latch onto him. He will get too erect at times and expose his chest. When he stays low, reads his keys and uses his technique he's real good.
6) Marlon Tuipulotu | 6'3 | 305 | DT | USC
11/7 - Arizona State - Tuipulotu had a monster game, posting 8 tackles (6 solo). While he did a great job stacking at the LOS, it was his ability to disengage and close in on the ball which really stood out. he was a headache for blockers throughout the game.
11/14 - Arizona - Tuipulotu had another great outing. He paced his team in tackles with 8. He again played with power and disrupted things up front. He also showed good quickness and tracking speed for a big man. In just two games he's already looked like one of the nation's best DTs.
11/21 - Utah - Tuipulotu had a solid, but not great game. While he was a stout run defender at times, he didn't always locate the ball, let some run plays go by him. As a pass rusher, he spent too much time dancing at the LOS vs. charting a course and creating pressure.
7) Tyler Shelvin | 6'2 | 346 | DT | LSU - (Opting Out)
One-dimensional players seldom end up real high on my board unless they excel at the one dimension. Shelvin is one of those guys. He's not a pass-rusher and does little directly in that regard. However. he's a monstrous-sized dude who eats things up at the LOS vs. the run. He brings too much size and logjam ability to not draw attention. If you need a big NT to dam up the river, he's a viable option.
8) Tommy Togiai | 6'2 | 300 | DT | Ohio State
12/5 - Michigan State - Togiai had a monster game, really impressed. While credited with just one tackle, he was menace along the interior all game. He often drew an extra blocker, and even in those instances he was able to put a debt in the pocket. He kept his shoulders square and routinely did well in the stack and shed game. He was strong against the run and pass, looked like an NFL starter.
9) Alim McNeil | 6'2 | 300 | DT | NC State
9/19 - Wake Forest - McNeil had a very solid game. He manned his zero technique with stout play, not easily being moved off his spot. While he didn't do much as a pass rusher, he was doubled often. And, that really isn't his job. He squated on run plays and force "meshed" runs outside. He amassed 2 TFLs.
10/3 - Pittsburgh - McNeil had a great game. He was very stout against the run, would not be unseated from his zero technique assignment. Jimmy Morrissey is a fine pivot man, yet he could gain no leverage on McNeil. McNeil did little against the pass, but that wasn't his focus.
10/10 - Virginia - McNeil had another good outing. He operated well at the LOS, made run plays very challenging. While he didn't do much as a pass rusher, he carried out his run defense assignments.
10) Darius Stills | 6'1 | 290 | DT | West Virginia -
Stills lacks prototypical size, but that actually plays to his advantage more times than not. He plays with a low center of gravity, and when coupled with his lightning quick get-off he's really tough to get a hat on. He's frenetic in attacking the ball, plays with a constant motor that runs hot. He can squat well vs. the run, and is a menace when going after the QB. While he has the versatility and experience to line up as a zero technique or off-shade, I like him better at the latter. His 10-tackle, 3-sack performance against the then ranked #12 Baylor Bears in 2019 was damn impressive.
9/12 - Eastern Kentucky - His stat line was empty, but Stills had a nice game. He was quick off the snap and into blockers, gunning up plays in the middle. He used his hands well to free himself of blockers, showed good hustle.
10/3 - Baylor - Stills had a monster game. He posted 3.5 TFLs and was in Baylor's backfield countless times. He exploded off the ball and was violent with his hand usage to get free of blocks. His motor ran hot all game.
10/24 - Texas Tech - Stills had a good game. He routinely fired away at the LOS, caused disruption several times. Even when he wasn't in on the tackle, he was close by, played with an active motor. He posted 5 tackles, 1 sack.
11) Tedarrell Slaton | 6'5 | 355 | DT | Florida
9/12 - Ole Miss - Slaton was very one-dimensional, operated as a big clog in the middle of the LOS. He wasn't flashy, but he made it nearly impossible for Ole Miss to get much yardage on inside runs when he was in the game.
10/3 - South Carolina - Slaton was neutralized by Hutcherson, but he flashed on several of his play when not going up against the great OG. Slaton played with power, held his ground well.
10/31 - Missouri - Slaton had a very good game, was quite effective gumming up the works at the LOS. When Rountree only rushes for 36 yards, you know something is good well.
11/7 - Georgia - Slaton impressed several times in this game. He actually led his squad in tackles with 5, evidencing his impact on the run game. Trey Hill is a promising center prospect, but Slaton owned him at times and simply created problems up front. His power was too much to contend with several times.
11/21 - Vanderbilt - Slaton wasn't sexy or flashy by any means, but he drew constant attention, freeing up others. He was stout at the LOS, wasn't easily moved off his spot. Aside from not always locating the ball, he was solid.
11/28 - Kentucky- Slaton had a very good game. he was in on 7 tackles, was an absolute monster on some snaps, simply couldn't be hemmed up.
12) Cameron Sample | 6'3 | 274 | DT | Tulane
13) Osa Odighizuwa | 6'2 | 280 | DE | UCLA
11/7 - Colorado - Odighizuwa had a tough day. While listed as a DE, UCLA often had him line up along the interior, and he got pushed around quite a bit. While he was productive with 5 solo stops, he gave up a lot as well. The Buffs rushed for 264 yards.
11/14 - California - Odighizuwa had a nice bounce back game. He was active force in the middle, looked a lot more adept as to what he needed to do assignment-wise and how to make an impact. He played with a good first step and power, often drew a double team block. He ended up with 5 tackles, 1.5 sacks.
14) Marvin Wilson | 6'4 | 311 | DT | Florida State -
Wilson is a thick, powerful prospect who offers up abilities in all facets. While he has the size and strength to play the zero technique as a run clog, he offers up much more than just that. He has a commanding bull rush and uses his hands well to swat would-be blockers off of him. When operating with a full head of steam, he's very challenging to hem up. He deservedly draws plenty of double teams. He had 5 sacks last season, 4 of which came against two teams.
9/12 - Georgia Tech - Wilson looked the part a few times, but was neutralized on several snaps. While he showed good fight, he was hemmed up t the LOS too often, couldn't free himself of blocks consistently. While he didn't look bad by any means, it didn't look like a bona fide 1st-rounder.
10/10 - Notre Dame - No player is falling down my board right now faster than Wilson is. He was neutralized throughout this game, held in check by every interior player ND suited up, including a backup LG. He simply didn't show the ability to work off blocks and make plays on the ball. He had just 1 tackle.
10/24 - Louisville - Wilson had a solid game. He fired off the ball and played with resolute strength. He hustled well and also showed some ability to create pressure in passing situations.
15) Bobby Brown | 6'4 | 325 | DT | Texas A&M
11/28 - LSU - While not that nimble or fluid, Brown was a pest along the interior and commanding attention. He had 3 tackles, 1.5 TFLs. He's a big reason why LSU had no ground game.
16) Jonathan Marshall | 6'2 | 317 | DT | Arkansas
11/21 - LSU - Marshall had a very good game. Marshall was credited with 4 tackles, but it belies just how impactful he was in this game. He was quick out of his stance and into a blocker and/or gap. He got upfield in a hurry, especially for a big man.
17) Naquan Jones | 6'3 | 339 | DT | Michigan State
10/24 - Rutgers - Jones had a very solid outing. He was a handful at the LOS, often stout against the run. While he held his stack too long vs. shedding, he was generally very sound. While not great as a pass rusher, he showed some ability to do so. He had a decent motor for a big man.
10/31 - Michigan - Prior to getting banged up, Jones was stout and disruptive up front, too much to handle at times.
12/5 - Ohio State - Despite going up against a COVID-depleted O-line, Jones stood out just a couple times, was otherwise neutralized.
18) Austin Faoliu | 6'3 | 292 | DT | Oregon
11/7 - Stanford - Faoliu had a decent game, showing solid explosion off the snap and some anchor strength against the run.
11/14 - Washington State - WSU got the ball out fast, so there was little opportunity to shine.
19) Kyree Campbell | 6'3 | 304 | DT | Florida
10/31 - Missouri - It was good to see Campbell back in the mix. He showed some "get off" quickness at the LOS, stacked well against he run.
11/7 - Georgia - Campbell didn't wow, but he worked well with Slaton to gum up the works along the interior.
11/21 - Vanderbilt - Campbell actually paced his team with 9 tackles. While none were solo, he was around the ball often and created problems up front.
20) Jordon Scott | 6'1 | 335 | DT | Oregon
11/7 - Stanford - Scott did a decent job of holding his ground, but he wasn't as stout in his play as we've seen prior. Stanford was able to run the ball at him with few issues.
11/14 - Washington State - WSU got the ball out fast, so there was little opportunity for Scott to shine.
21) Jerome Johnson | 6'2 | 304 | DT | Indiana
22) Khyiris Tonga | 6'3 | 321 | DT | BYU
10/31 - Western Kentucky - Tonga had a solid game. He did a good job of squatting on run plays and challenging inside runs. He came away with 5 tackles.
11/6 - Boise State - Tonga played his part again, operating as a clog in the middle of the LOS. He wasn't flashy, but showed decent strength anchoring.
12/5 - Coastal Carolina - Tonga had a very good game. While he couldn't always locate the ball real well, he was in on 10 tackles and was a force up front.
999) Jordan Davis | 6'6 | 330 | DT | Georgia
999) Haskell Garrett | 6'2 | 300 | DT | Ohio State
999) Devonte Wyatt | 6'3 | 300 | DT | Georgia
999) Phidarian Mathis | 6'3 | 313 | DT | Alabama
999) Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa | 6'2 | 282 | DT | Notre Dame
999) Thomas Booker | 6'3 | 310 | DT | Stanford
999) Keyshon Camp | 6'3 | 285 | DT | Pittsburgh
999) Kobie Whiteside | 6'1 | 310 | DT | Missouri
999) Lorenzo Neal | 6'3 | 315 | DT | Purdue
999) Dion Novil | 6'4 | 330 | DT | North Texas
999) Tyrone Truesdell | 6'2 | 310 | DT | Auburn
999) Cory Durden | 6'5 | 312 | DT | Florida State
999) Glen Logan | 6'3 | 309 | DT | LSU
999) Aubrey Solomon | 6'4 | 315 | DT | Tennessee
999) Nyles Pinckney | 6'1 | 295 | DT | Clemson
999) Matthew Butler | 6'3 | 291 | DT | Tennessee
999) Jordan Williams | 6'3 | 310 | DT | Clemson
999) PJ Mustipher | 6'3 | 300 | DT | Penn State
999) Dante Stills | 6'3 | 275 | DT/DE | West Virginia