Complete 2026 NFL Draft DT Rankings:
You are currently viewing our defensive tackle rankings for the 2026 NFL Draft. The 2026 DT class needs to get better depth, how will that change as the season progresses?
Our top defensive tackle prospects are selected after thousands of hours carefully scouting the most talented defensive linemen in college football. Even though only about 20-25 will get selected in the draft, dozens more are signed as free agents, and many more receive a training camp invite.
We’ll provide you with inside information to help you know who will be a star, who will be a bust, and which sleepers will shock the world.
BNB Football is the best place for in-depth analysis of 2026 NFL draft defensive tackle prospects at all levels of college football. To view other positions, follow the links below.
(Last Updated: March 5, 2026)
1. Peter Woods, Clemson
DT | 6’3″ | 298 lbs | 3rd Year
Peter Woods Scouting Report
Peter Woods entered the season as a unanimous top-5 overall prospect, and while he didn’t have nearly the production everyone expected in 2025, he remains one of the better defensive prospects in the class. Woods was double teamed as much as any defender in college football, and his tape is dramatically better than the box score suggests.
He is a powerful, explosive interior defender with rare strength, burst, and lateral quickness for his size, consistently disrupting pockets and collapsing run lanes. Woods plays with heavy hands and excellent leverage, forcing offenses to account for him on every snap. Even when not finishing plays, he consistently creates pressure, draws attention, and frees up teammates. His effort and motor remain strong despite constant attention.
Woods needs to be better at finishing plays after missing some tackles this past season, and will need to improve his pad level to get better leverage at the point of attack.
Peter Woods 2025 Stats
12 games: 30 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 1 pass defended
2. Kayden McDonald, Ohio State
DT | 6’2″ | 326 lbs | 3rd Year
Kayden McDonald Scouting Report
Kayden McDonald has been a steady, physical presence along Ohio State’s defensive line, quietly doing a lot of the dirty work that fans tend to overlook. Stats should never be a big consideration for a bigger iDL, but McDonald actually put up some decent production on the season with an impressive total of tackles and TFLs.
McDonald brings excellent size, play strength, and length, allowing him to anchor against double teams and control gaps in the run game. He plays with heavy hands and good leverage, routinely holding his ground and forcing runners to bounce or hesitate. McDonald also flashes push as a pass rusher, collapsing pockets with power even if he isn’t a true finisher. His role has often been about stability and allowing others to make plays, which limits raw production.
He is not an explosive or twitchy interior penetrator, and his pass rush plan can stall once his initial move is stalled. Still, his strength, discipline, and reliability make him a valuable early down interior defender with clear NFL utility.
Kayden McDonald 2025 Stats
14 games: 65 tackles, 9 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 1 pass defended, 2 fumbles forced
3. Lee Hunter, Texas Tech
NT | 6’4″ | 318 lbs | 5th Year
Lee Hunter Scouting Report
I’ve been all in on Lee Hunter since I first saw him break out for UCF in 2023. At a position where production is more modest, it’s refreshing to see a player like Hunter who relentlessly works sideline to sideline from the interior, wracking up tackles while also being able to work his way into the backfield and finish TFLs.
Hunter looks the part of an NFL nose tackle, with a thick 6’4″ 320 pound frame which demands double teams to move in the run game. Hunter is very aware and does a great job of keeping his eyes in the backfield, with a fast reaction time and coordination to escape blocks quickly.
Hunter doesn’t have great athletic ability, even relative to his size. He doesn’t really bend at the knees, and can instead lean a bit and get himself in trouble. He still plays with elite power and un-coachable instincts that will translate to any scheme.
Lee Hunter 2025 Stats
14 games: 41 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, 1 fumble forced
4. Caleb Banks, Florida
DT | 6’6″ | 327 lbs | 5th Year
Caleb Banks Scouting Report
Caleb Banks is one of the more fascinating evaluation puzzles in the 2026 class thanks to a rare blend of size and athletic ability that stands out immediately on Florida’s defensive line. He graduated high school as a 6’6″ 255lb defensive end, but added over 70 pounds while shifting to the inside.
Banks has elite length, a powerful frame, and surprising movement skills for a player his size, flashing the ability to disrupt both as a run defender and interior pass rusher. When he times the snap well, he can overwhelm blockers with raw strength and quickness. His season was cut very short due to injury, limiting his ability to build momentum and stack consistent tape.
Even when healthy, he has remained fairly raw for a fifth year player, with flashes far outweighing sustained production. His hand usage and rush plan are still developing, and you want more finish given the tools and experience. Still, the upside is obvious, and teams will be betting on traits and development rather than past numbers.
Caleb Banks 2025 Stats
3 games: 6 tackles, 1 tackle for loss
5. Christen Miller, Georgia
DT | 6’4″ | 321 lbs | 4th Year
Christen Miller Scouting Report
Christen Miller is set to continue the pipeline of Georgia defensive lineman to the NFL. He 100% looks the part, with a prototypical frame and good short-area quickness.
Miller brings the size, length, and power you expect from a Georgia interior defender, and he has enough athleticism to line up across the defensive line in multiple fronts. He flashes disruptive reps as a pass rusher, showing the ability to win with an initial burst and strength when his timing is right.
The talent is obvious, but the results have been uneven. Miller needs to show better gap discipline in the run game, where he can freelance and open lanes. His production has lagged behind his tools, and teams will want to see him turn flashes into sustained impact. That being said, the quick feet and full body strength are an intriguing mix that you just can’t coach.
Christen Miller 2025 Stats
14 games: 23 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks
6. Chris McClellan, Missouri
DT | 6’4″ | 313 lbs | 4th Year
Chris McClellan Scouting Report
Chris McClellan has an NFL-ready, grown man build with a decent all-around skillset that should allow him to contribute early. McClellan improved every year of his career, earning snaps as a true freshman at Florida before blossoming into one of the better d-linemen in the SEC by his senior year.
McClellan is powerful at the point of attack, controlling his gap and maintaining eyes in the backfield while showing a consistent ability to shed blockers and make a play on the runner. His pass rush moves have improved significantly throughout the years. He isn’t exceptionally twitchy, but has enough fluidity and power to beat his blockers at a high rate.
There’s still room to continue improving his countermoves and to rush with a better plan when plays get muddy. He’s also much better moving straight forward than he is moving laterally, where he can struggle to sink his hips and maintain his power.
Chris McClellan 2025 Stats
13 games: 48 tackles, 8 tackles for loss, 6 sacks, 2 passes defended
7. Gracen Halton, Oklahoma
DT | 6’3″ | 293 lbs | 4th Year
Gracen Halton Scouting Report
Gracen Halton is an incredibly disruptive pass rusher who has steadily improved as a run stopper, showcasing the twitchiness and high motor NFL teams are desperately searching for in defensive tackles.
Halton’s impact as a pass rusher goes far beyond the traditional stats, as he recorded more pressures this past season than Peter Woods and Kayden McDonald combined. His burst off the line and powerful upper body help him consistently win, with an impressive overall athletic profile and flexibility to match the testing numbers.
There are plenty of athletic traits, but he needs to play a lot more under control and work to maintain better leverage. He has short arms and a somewhat narrow frame that will make it difficult for him to command a lot of space, and he can give ground in run defense because of a poor anchor. He can succeed and turn into a phenomenal player in a scheme that gives him pass rushing freedom, or one that is able to get the same effort out of his in run defense as he gives in pass defense.
Gracen Halton 2025 Stats
13 games: 33 tackles, 7 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, 2 passes defended, 1 fumble forced
8. Albert Regis, Texas A&M
DT | 6’1″ | 295 lbs | 5th Year
Albert Regis Scouting Report
Albert Regis is one of the most underrated players in the draft class, constantly playing with an insanely hot motor and doing all the little things that often go unnoticed. He’s not the biggest d-lineman out there, standing about 6’1″ 310 with fairly short arms (cut weight to run faster at the combine). But he is incredibly powerful, playing with ideal leverage and a very strong base.
Regis is one of the best run stoppers in the draft with a technically sound approach, strong hands, and a good anchor to control his gap. He works sideline to sideline, routinely chasing down plays, and compliments his strong motor with a high football IQ. If he isn’t able to get home, he’s been very effective batting down passes at the line of scrimmage, totaling 9 over the past two seasons.
The big issue for Regis is going to be length. Is arms are notably shorter than NFL teams would look for, and you can occasionally see it show up on film with some missed tackles in space. He also has never turned into much of a pass rusher, needing to rush with a better plan in obvious passing scenarios.
Albert Regis 2025 Stats
13 games: 49 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 3 passes defended, 1 fumble forced
9. Darrell Jackson Jr., Florida State
DT | 6’5″ | 315 lbs | 5th Year
Darrell Jackson Jr. Scouting Report
Darrell Jackson Jr. was an immediate contributor as a true freshman at Maryland in 2021, transferred to Miami and took a step forward in 2022, and then transferred again where he really settled in for Florida State.
Jackson is a massive interior presence with outstanding length, power, and the ability to eat up space in the middle of the defense. He plays with heavy hands and a strong anchor, making him difficult to move off his spot in the run game. When his pad level is right, he can collapse the pocket with power and force quarterbacks to move. His game has matured with experience, showing better discipline and awareness than earlier in his career.
He is not a high end twitch athlete and will never be a big sack producer, but his value comes from controlling the line and creating chaos indirectly. He projects as a dependable interior defender whose impact extends beyond the stat sheet.
Darrell Jackson Jr. 2025 Stats
12 games: 45 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 1 sack
10. Domonique Orange, Iowa State
DT | 6’2″ | 322 lbs | 5th Year
Domonique Orange Scouting Report
Domonique Orange, AKA “Big Citrus” is another traits based defensive lineman whose evaluation requires balancing flashes against a lack of production.
Orange has good size, length, and functional strength, and he looks capable of holding up physically at the next level. He shows flashes of interior push and can occupy blockers, allowing others to make plays, which partially explains the role he’s played. Still, the numbers are hard to ignore. He finished the year with zero sacks and just 0.5 tackles for loss, and at some point that has to matter.
There are reps where he wins early but doesn’t finish, and others where his rush plan stalls out quickly. His pad level can rise, and he can lose leverage against stronger interior linemen. The tools are there, and teams will see a rotational body with upside, but he’ll need to show more consistent disruption to justify betting on projection alone.
Domonique Orange 2025 Stats
12 games: 18 tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss, 1 pass defended
Complete 2026 NFL Draft Defensive Tackle Rankings
| RANK | NAME | SCHOOL | AGE | HT | WT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Peter Woods | Clemson | 3rd | 6'3" | 298 |
| 2 | Kayden McDonald | Ohio State | 3rd | 6'2" | 326 |
| 3 | Lee Hunter | Texas Tech | 5th | 6'4" | 318 |
| 4 | Caleb Banks | Florida | 5th | 6'6" | 327 |
| 5 | Christen Miller | Georgia | 4th | 6'4" | 321 |
| 6 | Chris McClellan | Missouri | 4th | 6'4" | 313 |
| 7 | Gracen Halton | Oklahoma | 4th | 6'3" | 293 |
| 8 | Albert Regis | Texas A&M | 5th | 6'1" | 295 |
| 9 | Darrell Jackson Jr. | Florida State | 5th | 6'6" | 315 |
| 10 | Domonique Orange | Iowa State | 5th | 6'2" | 322 |
| 11 | Zane Durant | Penn State | 4th | 6'1" | 290 |
| 12 | Dontay Corleone | Cincinnati | 5th | 6'1" | 340 |
| 13 | Tim Keenan III | Alabama | 5th | 6'1" | 327 |
| 14 | DeMonte Capehart | Clemson | 6th | 6'5" | 313 |
| 15 | Deven Eastern | Minnesota | 5th | 6'5" | 315 |
| 16 | Cameron Ball | Arkansas | 5th | 6'4" | 310 |
| 17 | Brandon Cleveland | NC State | 4th | 6'3" | 307 |
| 18 | Tyler Onyedim | Texas A&M | 5th | 6'4" | 292 |
| 19 | Rayshaun Benny | Michigan | 5th | 6'3" | 298 |
| 20 | Kaleb Proctor | SE Louisiana | 4th | 6'2" | 291 |
| 21 | Zxavian Harris | Ole Miss | 4th | 6'8" | 330 |
| 22 | Nick Barrett | South Carolina | 5th | 6'3" | 312 |
| 23 | Jackie Marshall | Baylor | 5th | 6'3" | 293 |
| 24 | Skyler Gill-Howard | Texas Tech | 5th | 6'1" | 280 |
| 25 | Landon Robinson | Navy | 4th | 5'11" | 291 |
| 26 | Aaron Graves | Iowa | 4th | 6'4" | 300 |
| 27 | Rene Konga | Louisville | 6th | 6'4" | 300 |
| 28 | Damonic Williams | Oklahoma | 4th | 6'2" | 305 |
| 29 | Jordan Van den berg | Georgia Tech | 6th | 6'3" | 310 |
| 30 | Gary Smith III | UCLA | 6th | 6'1" | 319 |
| 31 | Bryson Eason | Tennessee | 6th | 6'2" | 323 |
| 32 | David Oke | Arkansas | 4th | 6'2" | 315 |
| 33 | Damon Payne Jr. | Michigan | 5th | 6'4" | 315 |
| 34 | Cole Brevard | Texas | 6th | 6'3" | 335 |
| 35 | James Thompson Jr. | Illinois | 6th | 6'5" | 301 |
| 36 | Aaron Hall | Duke | 5th | 6'4" | 296 |
| 37 | Carlos Allen Jr. | Houston | 6th | 6'1" | 295 |
| 38 | Bobby Jamison-Travis | Auburn | 5th | 6'3" | 328 |
| 39 | Dominic Bailey | Tennessee | 6th | 6'3" | 295 |
| 40 | Terry Webb | SMU | 5th | 6'3" | 310 |
| 41 | Jeffrey M'ba | SMU | 6th | 6'6" | 316 |
| 42 | Amari McNeill | Colorado | 5th | 6'4" | 300 |
| 43 | Tywone Malone | Ohio State | 5th | 6'4" | 310 |
| 44 | David Gusta | Kentucky | 5th | 6'2" | 308 |
| 45 | David Blay | Miami (FL) | 5th | 6'2" | 302 |
| 46 | KD Johnson | UTEP | 5th | 6'1" | 275 |
| 47 | Aidan Keanaaina | California | 6th | 6'3" | 320 |
| 48 | Uso Seumalo | Kansas State | 6th | 6'2" | 347 |
| 49 | Tre Williams | Michigan | 6th | 6'2" | 305 |
| 50 | Jacobian Guillory | LSU | 6th | 6'1" | 318 |
| 51 | Cam Rice | Maryland | 5th | 6'2" | 305 |
| 52 | Tyre West | Tennessee | 4th | 6'3" | 290 |
| 53 | Aliki Vimahi | Utah | 6th | 6'4" | 305 |
| 54 | Immanuel Bush | James Madison | 6th | 6'1" | 345 |
| 55 | Keeshawn Silver | USC | 5th | 6'5" | 315 |
| 56 | Deshawn McKnight | Arizona | 5th | 6'3' | 290 |
| 57 | Jayden Loving | Wake Forest | 5th | 6'2" | 315 |
| 58 | Paul Brott | Montana State | 5th | 6'3" | 300 |
| 59 | TJ Burke | Lehigh | 4th | 6'2" | 305 |
| 60 | Tiaoalii Savea | Arizona | 5th | 6'4" | 300 |
| 61 | Brodarius Lewis | Southern Miss | 6th | 6'1" | 281 |
| 62 | John Sullivan | North Central (IL) | 4th | 6'2" | 270 |
| 63 | Martez Poynter | Toledo | 6th | 6'4" | 290 |
| 64 | Damonte Smith | Mid Tenn State | 5th | 6'1" | 291 |
| 65 | Dion Wilson Jr. | Syracuse | 6th | 6'5" | 295 |
| 66 | Monkell Goodwine | South Carolina | 5th | 6'3" | 317 |
| 67 | John Taumoepeau | BYU | 5th | 6'2" | 300 |
| 68 | Bernard Gooden | LSU | 6th | 6'1" | 280 |
| 69 | Tony Rountree | Savannah State | 5th | 6'3" | 330 |
| 70 | Anterio Thompson | Washington | 4th | 6'4" | 310 |
| 71 | Luis Medina | Troy | 6th | 6'1" | 305 |
| 72 | Michael Otty | Bryant | 5th | 6'1" | 290 |
| 73 | Travis Shaw | Texas | 5th | 6'5" | 340 |
| 74 | Damian Ilalio | Kansas State | 5th | 6'2" | 300 |
| 75 | Jeremiah Williams | Jackson State | 6th | 6'2" | 315 |
| 76 | Yilanan Ouattara | Vanderbilt | 4th | 6'7" | 320 |
| 77 | Nahki Johnson | Tulsa | 5th | 6'3" | 295 |
| 78 | Josiah Green | Duke | 5th | 6'1" | 280 |
| 79 | Tommy Dunn Jr. | Kansas | 5th | 6'3" | 305 |
| 80 | Jahmeer Carter | Virginia | 6th | 6'2" | 310 |
| 81 | Jalen Hunt | Cincinnati | 6th | 6'3" | 315 |
| 82 | Gabriel Rubio | Notre Dame | 5th | 6'5" | 320 |
| 83 | Olasunkonmi Agunloye | Florida International | 6th | 6'5" | 314 |
| 84 | Dominique Ratcliff | Indiana | 6th | 6'3" | 295 |
| 85 | Siale Taupaki | UCLA | 7th | 6'4" | 310 |
| 86 | Edward Vesterinen | West Virginia | 5th | 6'3" | 280 |
| 87 | Jared Dawson | Notre Dame | 6th | 6'1" | 290 |
| 88 | JD Lampley | East Carolina | 4th | 6'3" | 270 |
| 89 | Zaylin Wood | Vanderbilt | 7th | 6'0" | 280 |
| 90 | Jalen Logan-Redding | Minnesota | 6th | 6'4" | 295 |
| 91 | Alonzo Ford Jr. | Penn State | 5th | 6'3" | 306 |
| 92 | De'Jon Benton | Hawaii | 7th | 6'2" | 270 |
| 93 | Jonah Pace | Iowa | 5th | 6'5" | 287 |
| 94 | Keanu Williams | UCLA | 5th | 6'5" | 310 |
| 95 | Pooda Walker | Memphis | 5th | 6'1" | 320 |
| 96 | Gabriel Iniguez Jr. | Utah State | 5th | 6'2" | 290 |
| 97 | DJ Withers | Kansas | 5th | 6'4" | 302 |
| 98 | Obinna Nwobodo | Villanova | 6th | 6'3" | 300 |
| 99 | Chima Iwuagwu | Tennessee Tech | 6th | 6'1" | 300 |
| 100 | Rushawn Lawrence | Minnesota | 7th | 6'2" | 270 |
| 101 | Denzel Lowry | Louisville | 5th | 6'1" | 290 |
| 102 | Carson Fehlhafer | Concordia (NE) | 4th | 6'4" | 325 |
| 103 | Christian Smith | NC Central | 5th | 6'2" | 285 |
| 104 | Tylon Dunlap | Kennesaw State | 5th | 6'1" | 265 |
| 105 | Deshawn Lynch | Washington | 6th | 6'2" | 287 |
| 106 | Chris Thomas | Syracuse | 5th | 6'6" | 315 |
| 107 | Gafa Faga | San Jose State | 4th | 6'2" | 305 |
| 108 | Braxton Fely | Boise State | 4th | 6'1" | 295 |
| 109 | Ky Thomas | Stephen F. Austin | 6th | 6'4" | 265 |
| 110 | Ahmad Bradley | SE Louisiana | 6th | 6'0" | 332 |
| 111 | Zykeivous Walker | Auburn | 6th | 6'4" | 295 |
| 112 | Dyshier Clary | Stony Brook | 6th | 6'2" | 270 |
| 113 | AJ Ackerman | Duquesne | 7th | 6'5" | 300 |
| 114 | Adam Watkins | Kennesaw State | 5th | 6'0" | 305 |
| 115 | Kody Huisman | Virginia Tech | 5th | 6'4" | 295 |
| 116 | Rayyan Buell | Memphis | 7th | 6'3" | 275 |
| 117 | Brandon Maina | Wofford | 5th | 6'0" | 275 |
| 118 | Brandon Tolvert | Tarleton State | 5th | 6'1" | 295 |
| 119 | Edward Bobino III | Stephen F. Austin | 5th | 6'1" | 340 |
| 120 | Gentle Hunt | Illinois | 6th | 5'11" | 295 |
| 121 | Justice Akinmoladun | New Hampshire | 5th | 5'11" | 301 |
| 122 | Andrew Taddeo | James Madison | 5th | 6'0" | 290 |
| 123 | Jordan Swain | Mercer | 6th | 6'3" | 290 |
| 124 | Simeon Mitchell | Arkansas State | 4th | 6'3" | 290 |
| 125 | Naki Fahina | Utah State | 7th | 5'11" | 295 |
| 126 | Clifton Thompson | Central Connecticut | 4th | 6'1" | 340 |
| 127 | Clayton Power | NW Missouri State | 5th | 6'2" | 285 |
| 128 | Ethan Rodriguez | Cal Poly | 6th | 6'3" | 270 |
| 129 | Toby Camp | UT-Martin | 5th | 6'3" | 300 |
| 130 | Jacob Auen | Drake | 4th | 6'5" | 290 |
| 131 | Jalen Bell | Memphis | 7th | 5'11" | 263 |
| 132 | Ben Florentine | Wyoming | 5th | 6'1" | 280 |
| 133 | Raishein Thomas | Mississippi State | 6th | 6'4" | 300 |
| 134 | Payton Zdroik | Air Force | 4th | 6'0" | 275 |
| 135 | Robert Porter | Presbyterian | 5th | 6'2" | 295 |
| 136 | Kevin Kurzinger | Duquesne | 6th | 6'2" | 275 |
| 137 | Aneesh Vyas | Wyoming | 5th | 6'2" | 300 |
| 138 | Alec Eckert | Montana State | 5th | 6'2" | 285 |
| 139 | Keyshawn Hunter | Delaware | 5th | 6'0" | 288 |
| 140 | Kobe Clayborne | South Dakota State | 6th | 6'0" | 280 |
| 141 | Matei Fitz | Richmond | 5th | 6'2" | 275 |
| 142 | Chazz Wallace | NC State | 5th | 6'2" | 308 |
| 143 | Jaxon Duttenhefer | North Dakota State | 5th | 6'2" | 290 |
| 144 | Zach Frank | St. John's | 5th | 6'3" | 270 |
| 145 | Tai Lologo | Keiser | 7th | 6'1" | 325 |
| 146 | Mike Sandjo | Washington State | 5th | 6'2" | 305 |
| 147 | Jake Louro | Elon | 6th | 6'1" | 280 |
| 148 | Eric Taylor | Coastal Carolina | 6th | 6'4" | 325 |
| 149 | Tyler Huenemann | Harvard | 6th | 6'3" | 285 |
| 150 | Trystin Voss | Northwestern (IA) | 4th | 6'3" | 265 |
| 151 | Jack DelGarbino | Princeton | 5th | 6'0" | 275 |
| 152 | Tyler Walker | Montana Western | 6th | 6'1" | 250 |
| 153 | Michael Clark | Berry | 4th | 5'8" | 280 |
MORE NFL DRAFT RANKINGS
Traits That Make a Defensive Tackle Prospect Great
Interior defensive linemen don’t always put up glamorous stats, but they play pinnacle roles on every defense. Power, lateral quickness, explosion, and flexibility in the core/lower body are among some of the most important factors of scouting the top defensive line prospects.
Some of the factors we consider when scouting are included below.
Power
Having a powerful frame can’t be overlooked in defensive tackle rankings. A great d-lineman will be able fill their gap defensively without getting pushed off, while also disrupting offensive linemen with power moves. Power can help in pass rush, but is a necessity for plugging up holes against the run.
Lateral Quickness
Not all running plays go right up the middle, and the quarterback doesn’t always stay still in the pocket on pass plays. The ability to move swiftly side-to-side will help lineman fortify the defensive line on outside plays and react to backdoor cuts.
Flexibility
Big defensive linemen needs to still have flexibility in the hips, knees, and ankles to change directions and stay in their gap. Being stiff or upright is a recipe for getting beaten consistently, so being smooth and bendy provides a massive advantage for all defensive linemen.
Burst
While stopping the run is usually the primarily goal of a defensive tackle, elite interior pass rushers are as valuable as any defensive role in football. Having a quick, powerful burst off the line of scrimmage will help with that. An explosive get-off allows defensive linemen to initiate contact and shoot through gaps.
2026 DT Draft Prospects FAQs
Who is the best DT in the 2026 NFL Draft?
Experts will vary between two names for the best defensive tackle in the draft, either Peter Woods or Kayden McDonald.
McDonald narrowly earns the title of the best DT in the 2026 draft for most analysts. The 325 pound nose tackle shows an elite combination of size, athleticism, and technique while absolutely stuffing the stat sheet this past season.
I still have Peter Woods in the top spot, who is smaller and less productive but is much more fluid of an athlete, offering better upside as a pass rusher.
How good is the defensive tackle draft class in 2026?
After a very strong 2025 group, the 2026 center draft class is looking fairly average. There are several stars at the top, and reasonably good depth through the middle rounds.
