Ranking the defensive tackles in the 2025 draft

Over the next two weeks, as I finish watching prospects for this draft, I’ll release some of my position tiers for this draft. Next week, I’ll post my full horizontal big board. Here is a link to my last post evaluating defensive ends.

The tiers

I watched 19 defensive tackles in this draft class. As a reminder, here is how I tier players:

Top-10: Day 1 star, one of the best players at his position, resets the market when signing a second contract. Consistent All-Pro player.

First round: Blue-chip player, foundational part of your team. Makes Pro Bowl teams, doesn’t necessarily reset the market when signing an extension, but consistently in the upper tier of contracts/rankings.

Second round: An above-average starter that you reward with a good second contract. Maybe makes one or two Pro Bowls. Not a star or building block, but rounds out your team.

Third round: Average starter — a quality player for whom you won’t necessarily pay a big second contract.

Fourth round: A fringe starter or rotational player. Has a narrower role compared to your better players.

Day 3: A fringe roster or practice squad player. I don’t have any Day 3 grades in this group from the list I watched.

Let’s get started.

Top 10

First round

Mason Graham, Michigan
Derrick Harmon, Oregon
Walter Nolen, Ole Miss

Kenneth Grant, Michigan

Player Spotlight: Kenneth Grant

I have written profiles on both Derrick Harmon and Walter Nolen, so hit those links if you want my thoughts on both.

I’m a bit lower on Graham than the consensus. I think he’s going to be a really good starter that makes Pro Bowl teams, but I find his ceiling lower than most. He’s undersized and without top-tier athleticism. He’s an awesome run defender and a quality pass rusher, but I don’t see the ceiling to say he’s a definite All-Pro player, which is required for me to give him a top-10 grade.

Regardless, Graham won’t be in range for the Chiefs. Kenneth Grant might. Nose tackle prospects tend to be my favorites — and I typically end up overrating them. However, it’s hard not to watch Grant’s tape and get excited.

As a run defender, he checks all the boxes — elite size, good length, requisite pad level to win leverage. He can take on double teams and anchor well, but also move his feet laterally on zone blocks. Grant can be a plugger for any team.

What makes Grant intriguing is his pass-rush upside. With most nose tackles, pass rush skill tends to be theoretical, but not for Grant. Grant has a good first step and agile feet to win with quickness. He can shoot a gap and win upfield. His bag of moves is already well-developed for a nose tackle. He will never be a 10-sack guy, but for a nose tackle, he’ll be a presence as a pass rusher.

The reason I buy Grant as a safe option is that I think he plays with a great motor. Even on a bad Michigan team, Grant played hard through every game. I never questioned his motor and effort. I see no issues with his shape or playing plenty of snaps, which is big for his projection.

Second round

Player Spotlight: Shemar Turner

I’ve given thoughts on Sanders and Williams, so let’s talk Turner.

I had trouble ranking Turner; I oscillated between Round 2 and 3. Turner is an impressive athlete. His speed, explosiveness and size are all impressive. He has elite traits to be a disruptive pass rusher. When Turner is playing well, his high-end reps look incredibly impressive.

That being said, I think he needs some coaching. I don’t question his effort, but I think he needs more work on pass-rush moves. He works hard to play upfield, but doesn’t always use technique to get there.

As a run defender, Turner shows enough good reps to get excited. He’s good against zone blocks going laterally. Double teams could give him some problems, but he shows good pad level and leverage to set his anchor. I see him more as a three-technique.

Turner has some rough moments, but his high-end talent and motor are worth taking top-50.

Third round

Darius Alexander, Toledo
Alfred Collins, Texas
Deone Walker, Kentucky
Vernon Broughton, Texas

Player Spotlight: Deone Walker

Walker is one of the most polarizing players in the class. His film either oscillates between being top 10 and Day 3.

His high-end reps are crazy. For a guy with his frame, the agility and burst he shows getting upfield is insane. There are moments where he dominates games and looks like one of the best players in the country.

The issue? His motor is not consistent. He plays with a very high pad level and struggles to lower his center of gravity. His get-off can be poor. When Walker isn’t running hot, he’s near unplayable.

I picked Walker in the third round because, with good coaching, in theory, he could be a star, but he might also flame out. You could tell me any career outcome for him, and I’d believe it.

Fourth round

Ty Hamilton, Ohio State
Nazir Stackhouse, Georgia
Howard Cross III, Notre Dame

Joshua Farmer, Florida State

Omarr Norman-Latt, Tennessee
Ty Robinson, Nebraska

Player Spotlight: Howard Cross III

Cross is very undersized, but I still like his upside as a rotational pass rusher. He lacks the size to ever play on run downs, but his pass rush film excites me. He wins with quickness and agility. He can turn a tight arc on the interior and shoot gaps to get into the backfield. He can fire his hands into blockers and use a bull rush. Cross is agile enough to slant and be used on stunts.

If you’re a team looking for pass rush juice from the interior, Cross will be a good value. He’s going to be 24 and will always have a limited role, but it’s hard to find pass-rush juice, and Cross has plenty of it.

Day 3

Riley Mills, Notre Dame
Jordan Phillips, Maryland