2025 NFL draft's top 10 DT prospects: Mason Graham leads deep position group
We're down to one month until the 2025 NFL draft. In just a few weeks, the wait will be over to see where the top prospects in the class end up at the next level.
The 2024 draft class brought a handful of promising young quarterbacks to the NFL as well as a stable of talented wide receivers and offensive linemen. Offenses across the league look different with the infusion of talent they selected in the 2024 draft.
This year will be different than last April. This year's draft class is marked by depth at a few positions, none more so than defensive line. It's a deep class at both edge rusher and interior defensive line. If your favorite team is looking for help in the trenches on defense, this is the class for you.
It wouldn't be surprising to see a handful of defensive tackles selected in the first round of the draft come April. Nearly another dozen will likely hear their names called on Day 2. There are different types of interior prospects, too. Some are ready-made run defenders while others are long-armed pass rushers who could provide interior pressure for NFL defenses.
Here's how we stack up the top 10 defensive tackle prospects.
2025 NFL draft: Top 10 DT prospects
1. Mason Graham, Michigan
- Strengths: Leverage ace with impressive first step, ideal strength and power to get into blockers quickly. Fantastic body control from his background as a wrestler. Quick feet allows him to work well on stunts and twists. Lateral quickness makes him a great penetrator and wide base swallows up one-on-one blocks, forcing teams to double him and free up defenders behind him.
- Weaknesses: Short arms for his height will likely limit his ceiling as a pass rusher and he will need to improve his hand usage. Not a finisher as a pass rusher at this point. Pad level consistency needs some improvement.
- Draftprojection: Round 1 (top 10).
2. Walter Nolen, Ole Miss
- Strengths: Great size and strength and good athleticism for the position. Ideal twitch off the snap and converts that into a powerful punch against blockers. Change of direction is promising for the NFL level on stunts or as a looper. Physicality at the point of attack helps him gain leverage against blockers.
- Weaknesses: Hands need to be faster at the NFL level. Can sometimes stand up out of his stance, which hurts his pad level and leverage. Arm length is a bit on the shorter side, which may hurt him as a pass rusher.
- Draftprojection: Round 1.
3. Derrick Harmon, Oregon
- Strengths: Ideal size at 6-foot-5 and 313 pounds with some of the longest arms in the class (34⅜ inches). Mix of size and play strength make him tough to move off his spot. Great first step to get an aggressive advantage at the point of attack. Wide base, good pad level helps him stay in his gap against blockers. Proven rip move that's useful against the run or pass.
- Weaknesses: Tight hips can limit his overall bend and slow his reactions. Needs to improve his angles for first contact. Could use more moves to deploy when initial plan doesn't work.
- Draftprojection: Late Round 1/early Round 2.
4. Kenneth Grant, Michigan
- Strengths: Elite athleticism given his size (6-foot-4, 331 pounds). Ideal for a nose tackle role with a great wingspan to take on blocks and plug inside gaps. Good anchor that provides a solid base for his power. Strong enough to knock blockers off their points and take on double teams.
- Weaknesses: Limited pass rush production. Inconsistent at times in 2024. Surprisingly poor first step given his athleticism and power. Hand placement needs improvement and he can struggle against outside runs.
- Draftprojection: Late Round 1/early Round 2.
5. Tyleik Williams, Ohio State
- Strengths: Great run defender already with violent hands and great footwork for his size (6-foot-3, 334 pounds). Elite strength to extend or shed blocks quickly. Great hands for his stage of development, especially in run defense. Absorbs blockers with his agility, size and strength.
- Weaknesses: Only had flashes as a pass rusher at Ohio State. Average arm length may hinder him against longer guards. Pad level can be inconsistent.
- Draftprojection: Late Round 1/early Round 2.
6. Darius Alexander, Toledo
- Strengths: Good size (6-foot-4, 305 pounds) with some of the longest arms in the class, making him a movable piece on the defensive line. Powerful defender with a proven bull rush. Elite length sets him up for success against tackles or guards. Active hands that he uses to his advantage in run defense.
- Weaknesses: Needs to be more consistent on a per-play basis. Timing off the snap needs improvement to maximize his athleticism. Pad level and leverage are inconsistent as well, undoing his length and power advantages.
- Draftprojection: Round 2.
7. TJ Sanders, South Carolina
- Strengths: Explosive athlete off the line who can win consistently with his first step and second gear. Strong enough to shed blocks at 6-foot-4 and 297 pounds. Strong core to stay upright throughout the play. Fast hands that can swipe away blockers and use his power. Experienced at different alignments in college. Deploys counters to maximize pass rush.
- Weaknesses: Pad level may leave him vulnerable against double teams or combo blocks. Needs to improve his conditioning. Slightly undersized, which may make things tough against bigger guards despite his power. Agility is limited by tight hips.
- Draftprojection: Round 2.
8. Alfred Collins, Texas
- Strengths: Massive talent on the interior at 6-foot-6 and 332 pounds with 34⅝-inch-long arms. Dense, powerful build that combines with that length to become a near-immovable force on the interior. Quick enough to line up in either the A or B gaps. Solid base to take on combo blocks. Great block shedder thanks to his length and strength. Flashed a swim move in pass rush.
- Weaknesses: Limited first step, which lowers his ceiling as a pass rusher. Only one year of dominance at Texas. Needs to improve pad level discipline to avoid giving blockers a big surface to block.
- Draftprojection: Round 2.
9. Deone Walker, Kentucky
- Strengths: Outlier athleticism for his size (6-foot-7, 331 pounds) with surprisingly quick feet. That athleticism makes him a potential force penetrating from the A or B gaps. Overwhelms blocker with strength, length and athleticism.
- Weaknesses: Mostly projection as a pass rusher at this stage. Needs to improve his technique to take on blocks and stay consistent with leverage. Pops up out of his stance too often and isn't explosive out of his stance. Conditioning has been an issue, as well.
- Draftprojection: Late Round 2/early Round 3.
10. Shemar Turner, Texas A&M
- Strengths: A bit of a "tweener" due to his size (6-foot-3, 290 pounds) but he packs a powerful punch in his frame. Violent at the point of attack and relentless motor to pair with good athleticism. Quick off the line with a proven swim move. Can break down blocks and tackle in the trenches.
- Weaknesses: Production may have been helped by first-round teammates on the edges (Nic Scourton, Shemar Stewart). Too many penalties at the college level. May struggle with his smaller frame to handle bigger blockers or double teams.
- Draftprojection: Late Round 2/early Round 3.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: 2025 NFL draft: Mason Graham leads top 10 DT prospects
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