2018 NFL Draft – Defensive Tackle

Complete NFL Draft Rankings – DT:

You are currently viewing the 181 best defensive tackles in the 2018 NFL Draft. Our top defensive tackle prospects are selected after thousands of hours carefully scouting the best interior defensive linemen in college football. Even though only about 20 will get selected in the draft, dozens more are signed as free agents, and many more receive a training camp invite. Find who is a first round talent, and who is likely nothing more than a training camp body. Find draft sleepers, draft stars, who will be a bust, and who is being undervalued.

BNB Football is the best place for in-depth analysis of 2018 defensive tackle prospects at all levels of college football. To view other positions, follow the links below.

(Last Updated: April 26, 2018)

2018:  | QB | WR | RB | FB | TE | OT | G | C | DT | DE | OLB | ILB | S | CB | K | P | LS | OVERALL |

Vita Vea is a huge defensive tackle who can really disrupt the run game with his immense size and power. At 6’4" 347 pounds, Vea is by far the biggest of any top-end DT prospects, and he is also a good athlete for his size. He will never be great at rushing the passer, but knocked down a solid 4 passes his final season at the line of scrimmage. His entire body is brute power, with thick legs and hips to drive and affect running lanes. He also put up 41 reps at 225 pounds which is incredible. Vea has solid pursuit abilities as well, and is athletic that he even played some 3-4 defensive end. If he can refine his technique and improve his poor get-off, he’ll be a menace.

2017 Stats

12 games played, 43 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, and 4 passes defended.

DaRon Payne lost a lot of weight while at Alabama, and worked hard to maintain his power by refining his body. Payne is a menace on the defensive end, with a powerful rush that often requires a double team to stop, even for the best offensive lines. Payne has exceptional technique, and is very aware of the best way to counter double teams and other blocking tendencies. Payne leads by example, and is always running to the ball. Even though he only had 1 tackle for loss his final year, he stopped players for no gain numerous times, and recorded a solid 27 QB pressures. He is exceptionally powerful and more refined than most players his age.

2017 Stats

14 games played, 53 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 1 sack, 4 passes defended, and 1 interception.

Taven Bryan is very athletic, and greatly improved his play this past season with increased time. His lateral quickness is the best of anyone at the position, allowing him to excel when twisting and giving him great potential as a pass rusher. Bryan plays at a high speed, and is able to work sideline to sideline to disrupt outside runs and short passes. He has a defensive end skill set in the body of a defensive tackle. His best fit might be outside in a 3-4 system. To play inside consistently, he’ll need to widen his base. Speed alone won’t get it done for him, so he’s fairly raw right now.

2017 Stats

10 games played, 37 tackles, 6 tackles for loss, 4 sacks.

Harrison Phillips was an incredible playmaker for Stanford. His senior season he had 98 tackles, incredible for a defensive lineman, and had a very impressive 17 tackles for loss. He is very active, has great pursuit, and never takes a play off. He put up 42 reps at the combine which led all players, and his other measurables were pretty good as well. Teams question if he’s fast enough to play the 3-technique or big enough to play nose tackle. While he may not always play with enough strength for nose guard, he has enough athleticism and ability as a playmaker to play multiple d-line spots really well.

2017 Stats

14 games played, 98 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks.

BJ Hill played for an incredible defensive line at NC State and was the best run defender on the team. Hill makes tackles all around the field, and is an incredible athlete. He ran a 4.99 at 311 pounds, and put up a very solid 35 reps. The best part of his game is his pre-snap reads and initial get-off. He has a quick first step and has good leverage at the point of attack. He uses angles well and bends to get around the outside on twists. Hill has a variety of moves and doesn’t get discouraged if he isn’t getting to the QB.

2017 Stats

13 games played, 55 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, and 3 passes defended.

Complete draft rankings for 2018 – Defensive Tackle

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2018:  | QB | WR | RB | FB | TE | OT | G | C | DT | DE | OLB | ILB | S | CB | K | P | LS | OVERALL |