DRAFT TRACKER 2023

When assessing a player’s draft grade, we take into consideration areas like traits, toughness, explosiveness, skill level, potential for growth and positional projections. Across the board, Carter checks out in a big way. However, his maturity will need to be vetted by each team as they make their evaluations. The tape shows a defender with odd- or even-front versatility and a rare blend of first-step quickness and leverage through contact. He’s capable of finding quick wins against sloppy guard play and finishes the play once he’s in the backfield. His hand usage can be violent or subtle, but the feet are always active and searching for an opening. Based upon talent, traits and projection, Carter appears ready to step into the NFL and become a productive three-down talent with Pro Bowl potential.

Undersized, one-gapping defensive tackle who is explosive and productive. He’s a strong and determined player, but Kancey is still going to be a hit-or-miss run defender due to his lack of mass and length. While he will get pushed around at times, his first-step quickness and short memory allow him to make tackles in the backfield. He’s a nightmare for offenses as a pass rusher. His twitchy feet can slide and reset points of attack. His leverage and motor are often too much for guards to handle alone. Kancey might be most effective as a rotational run defender and full-time, sub-package rusher, but his size will not define him in the NFL.

Burly but athletic interior tackle who plays with a strong desire to get past the man in front of him. Bresee rarely gets caught up in long block engagements and possesses a deep anchor to battle double teams. He operates with subtle hand fighting that helps puts pressure on blockers but currently lacks the rush sophistication and shed technique to make more plays in the backfield. If he can stay healthy and gain much-needed experience, Bresee should continue to progress at his position and become a good run defender with an ability to disrupt the pocket within his first few NFL seasons.

Dontari Poe might be the physical and athletic player comparison for Smith, but more consistency from Smith is needed before he finds the Pro Bowl, as Poe did twice in his career. Smith’s blend of size and quickness is rare. He can punch and control a base block with relative ease. However, he struggles to match the initial movement of move blockers, which diminishes his effectiveness. He has space-eating potential but needs to become more consistent at taking on double teams and securing his gap. Smith’s size and testing could give his draft slotting some juice but he’s more of a Day 2 talent with exciting upside than a plug-and-play starter.

Benton is a powerful interior defensive lineman with size and persistence. However, he needs to play with consistent explosiveness early in the rep for decisive wins at the point of attack at the pro level. Block engagements become drawn-out brawls at times, but he does a nice job of defeating block sustains and often finds himself near the play. He lacks a wide base and sturdy anchor, so he’ll need to improve his pad level to prevent double teams from moving him around too easily. He’s solid and has flashed starting potential, but he needs to become a more consistently impactful force in the middle to make noise as an NFL starter.

Athletic interior defender with experience and length as a gap-control tackle but the quickness and play traits that might be better-suited to attacking upfield. Pickens has a disruptive first step that creates advantages for him as both a run defender and pass rusher. He plays with harmonious hands and feet to elude blockers or play off them, but he’s likely to get moved around by NFL drive blockers. Pickens has the ability to play both tackle spots in a one-gapping front and has rotational value with the potential to see starter’s reps.

Girthy interior force with heavy hands and a combative nature at the point of attack. Ika is made for gap control with his wide frame and ready anchor. While he has the potential to become a highly effective block-eater as an odd or even front nose tackle, he’s quick enough off the snap to penetrate and disrupt play design if teams try to block him one-on-one. While he’s unlikely to see passing downs, Ika does have enough athleticism and hand work to challenge the pocket from time to time. If he’s able to manage his weight, Ika could become an early starter and help improve a leaky run defense.

Naturally powerful prospect who is able to take on capable challengers and come out in good shape despite playing with an elevated pad level. Young plays with early hands and a heavy punch to gain positioning quickly against single blocks. He has the core power and contact balance to force double teams to work. Also, he does a nice job of fighting against wash-down blocks and maintaining gap integrity against zone. He has the size, length and strength to become a proficient run defender but offers very little as a pass rusher. While Young will be seen as a natural nose tackle, he could see snaps as a 5-technique as well.

The more you watch, the more you like the way Roy plays the game. He’s a little tight in his lower body, which prevents consistent gap leverage as a run defender, but he has outstanding upper body power and plays with unbridled energy. Roy has one-gapping snap quickness and two-gapping potential if he can become more consistent with taking on blocks. Despite limited starting experience at LSU, he already displays signs of a rush plan and the athletic talent to execute it. Roy is an ascending talent with the potential to become a quality starter.

Turner will be an interesting litmus test for how much teams value tape and production versus traits and athleticism. He’s extremely powerful, with the ability to jolt opponents with heavy hands, and he's infrequently beaten and sustained by single blockers. He lacks ideal mass and length, has trouble holding his ground against double teams and might find it tougher to disengage from NFL blockers, due to his lack of length. However, motor, determination, toughness and strength fuel Turner’s inevitable forward progress as both a run defender and pass-rush irritant, despite his lack of NFL measurables. He should become a talented rotational defender with a chance to do more.

Adebawore seems like a positional tweener, checking in a little short for the edge and a little light for the interior. However, he was able to handle himself at the point of attack at the Senior Bowl and is just a few hearty meals away from checking in at a weight that could pass for an even front three-technique. He’s a powerful man who wins with force over fluidity. He will need better play recognition in the future, but his explosive first contact and ability to play under his opponent’s pads could earn him a spot as a base end with sub-package rush ability or simply as a rotational interior defender.

Interior defensive lineman with the play traits and versatility to align in odd or even fronts. Young has decent length and is well-schooled at attacking blocks with good technical savvy. He’s much better as a read-react defender than a one-gapper and must win with power and balance over quickness. He’s likely to fit into a rotational role early on but could develop into an average starter down the road.

A stout but athletic nose tackle with nimble feet, Coburn can sit down and muddy run lanes or create difficulties for pin-and-pull blocking schemes with his interior agility. While he’s not a three-down lineman, he does have the bull rush and activity level to cause issues as a rusher. He’s more than capable of pressing and separating from blocks as a two-gapping plugger but requires more consistent technique to improve his consistency in that area. Coburn’s blend of girth, power and agility could be coveted by teams looking for help along the interior.

Dexter is frequently slow off snap, which tends to have a domino effect on both his hands and positioning in a negative way. His size and traits help him make plays even after being blocked early in the rep, but he will need to improve his hand usage as a pro. He’s a limited pass rusher with below average quickness and rush skill but can get there eventually if the play extends. Dexter’s physical profile might be hard for teams to ignore, and he could become a more consistent performer in a 3-4 defense.

Naturally powerful defensive lineman caught somewhere between end and tackle. Ojomo is best-suited as a base end but doesn’t really have the get-off quickness to exploit interior blockers as an inside rusher on passing downs. He’s tight in his lower body, and his movements lack fluidity, but he can fight his way through blocks with upper-body power and a will to make it happen. Ojomo plays hard throughout the rep and will find production with his secondary effort, but he might cap out as a solid backup in either an odd or even front.

Undersized nose tackle with good play strength and technique to make up for a lack of desired mass and length. Dale was a three-year starter for a talent-rich defense, using nimble feet and sudden hands to keep from being engulfed by bigger bodies. He can set edges or attack gaps but matchups against bigger NFL interior defenders will be much more challenging. A lack of desired size and pass rush might put a ceiling on his draft stock, but he should offer immediate rotational help as a middle-rounder.

Stills lacks the girth of a 4-3 three-technique, the get-off of a 4-3 end and the two-gapping take-on of a traditional odd-front end. However, he has physical/play attributes that have allowed him to play in all three spots. Finding a fit for him will be paramount, but his quickness and agility will be valued in schemes employing gaming, active fronts. He can be a handful as a twisting interior rusher, but he needs to develop go-to rush moves to help create additional value in that area. Stills could find rotational reps as an odd- or even-front end with the ability to rush from the interior.

You won’t see standout measurables or exciting production from Slade, but you will find a squarely built powerhouse with the ability to play with terrific pound-for-pound strength and contact balance. He might need to add more weight to his frame, but he is already tough to move and has the upper-body strength to knock blockers around. He could become a solid NFL backup as a 4-3 nose tackle.

Redmond's NFL Scouting Combine testing was outstanding, as he displayed quickness and explosiveness that doesn't always show up on his college tape. He possesses plenty of toughness but moves on heavy feet. His lack of bend makes him a linear mover with limited playmaking potential. While he might not fill up an NFL stat sheet, he does have the base strength for consideration as a rotational 4-3 nose tackle with some block-eating elements to his game.

Space-eating nose tackle for consideration in both odd and even fronts. Martin’s size and length will be coveted by NFL teams, but his impact on games can be blunted at times due to a lack of leverage to hold his anchor. If he can play with a little better bend and quicker hands, he has the awareness and ability to handle two-gapping duties. He can take on double teams with better technique and more work. Martin’s traits and talent create Day 3 draft value as a rotational interior lineman.

Lewan’s measurables, athletic testing and flashes on tape should earn him consideration from NFL teams. He’s a former tight end who has packed on close to 60 pounds at Illinois State, but he still displays good athleticism and movement. He’s tough enough to play in an odd front but needs to be more proactive to establish advantages. Stat scouting won’t offer enough insight into his pass rush potential, with power and athleticism both coming into play. Lewan might go undrafted, but he has the makeup to become an NFL backup.

Nose tackle whose size is a double-edged sword. Clark lacks the build and body type of a true NFL nose, so additional weight limits his natural athleticism inside. He needs to make better use of his length to begin stacking blocks and controlling the point of attack. Clark is a former high school tight end with decent feet, so improved quickness could help him become a more disruptive interior talent.

Maxwell possesses slightly below-average measurables relative to NFL interior defenders, but he’s quick and strong for his size, and is fairly skilled as a rusher. He doesn’t play with the anchor or hand control to muddy gaps as a run defender, but he can disrupt the blocking scheme on the move. He’s an instinctive pass rusher who sets up his counters and has the athleticism to threaten an NFL pocket with more work. Maxwell could find a roster spot in a one-gapping scheme.

Interior plugger set for duties as a nose tackle in a 4-3 front. Silvera is fairly nimble and can get into blockers quickly. He plays with knockback power and can hold his ground against single blockers. He struggles to feel and respond to down blocks. Also, he has trouble reading and reacting to lateral steps looking to seal him behind the play. Silvera has talent and is very active. He could make noise in camp as a late-round pick or priority free agent.

Matlock might fit best as a 4i or five-technique, where he can avoid interior blockers a little more often while activating his motor and athleticism. He’s not going to be a consistent block-beater or take on double teams unless he’s able to get bigger and stronger, but he does show flashes as a rusher and as a penetrator against the run. He could have late-round value.

Teams won’t find tackle-for-loss production or disruption as a pass rusher when they watch tape of Avery, but they will find a wide-framed space-eater willing to battle for his gaps inside. Avery displayed an impressive combination of power and hip explosion at his pro day. He has some bully in him against single blocks but can be a little too straight-legged, which causes inconsistency in his anchor against edge pressure. He’s an early down, rotational nose tackle but could find NFL work even if he goes undrafted.

Vohasek possesses average size but above-average upper-body power for his size. He’s heavy handed and lands strikes with good accuracy. He is efficient working around blocks. He needs to improve at making a quick diagnosis of movement to avoid being sealed and is still adding to his rush repertoire. He might need to add more mass, but, more importantly, he will need to stay healthy and available in the pros.

Durden was often stuck at a zero-technique nose tackle spot but is more likely to be considered as an even-front three-technique at the next level. His body control and contact balance are often spotty due to his upright playing style, but he finds ways to recover and get himself back in the play. He’s good at locating the football and hustles hard to chase the play down, but Durden lacks the ability to control the point of attack or consistently disrupt NFL blocking schemes.

Bell is an interior defender with decent lateral quickness and power at the point of attack. He lacks the overall mass and anchor to eat up blocks inside, though. He has enough foot quickness and hand usage to work his way around blockers but might find his success rate plummet against NFL-caliber competition. Bell has traits to get a look as a one-gapping, even-front nose tackle but might need to fight for a spot as an undrafted free agent.

Riley is a rotational nose tackle with a proportional frame carrying good thickness. He’s capable of battling against double teams and absorbing contact, but he needs to improve his technique and work on taking control of the action. He’s primarily a block-eater and is unlikely to make many plays, but his size will be appealing.

Mustipher was a high-character leader for the Nittany Lions and brings good thickness to the position. He’s a little too gradual off the snap to create stress for blockers and fails to control the action with force or hand usage. Mustipher’s below-average athletic profile and limited impact on games will make it difficult for him to work his way onto an NFL roster.

Interior defender with average size, good length and below-average tape. The Ohio State scheme didn’t ask Cage to make many plays, but he might not have had the play strength or talent to do so if needed. He has decent feet and plays with effort through the snap, but it appears he won’t be able to control blockers or threaten the pocket often enough to make it as a pro.

Vincent is smallish for the interior and lacks ideal length, but he does show some hand quickness. He needs to be able to play in the gaps and disrupt the blocking scheme, but he appears to lack explosiveness despite his decent lateral quickness.