This is the ninth in a series of position previews for the 2024 NFL draft. Today: Defensive tackles.
At the start of the offseason, Ed Oliver was the last man standing in the room.
The Buffalo Bills entered the offseason with Oliver as the only defensive tackle on their roster, with a slew of players hitting free agency in March. They did end up re-signing DaQuan Jones, and they’ve brought in Austin Johnson and DeShawn Williams in later waves of free agency. Still, there’s plenty of work to do.
Now, it is time to look to the draft.
Texas’ Byron Murphy II leads this year’s class of defensive tackles. Murphy is a three-year starter who had six sacks and 45 pressures last season. He is a little undersized (6-foot-1, 297 pounds), but he is explosive and quick.
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He is likely to go on Day 1, when there is plenty of reason for the Bills to go wide receiver, but most mock drafts have just two defensive tackles in the first round. There will be other chances for Buffalo to beef up.
Overall position ranking: 6/10
Bills view. The Bills need more bodies, and it would be great if they got a strong candidate to develop into a starter. Jones is back on a two-year deal, but he will turn 33 late in the season. The Bills rotate heavily across the defensive line, so even if they’re set at starters, they need more defensive tackles to be a part of the mix. They’ve lost Jordan Phillips, Tim Settle, Poona Ford and Linval Joseph this offseason.
Bills need ranking: 8/10
The best. Murphy.
Quarterbacks are expected to go with each of the first three picks to Chicago, Washington and New England, respectively. Believe it or not, that has happened only once since 2000 and only three times since 1970.
Names to know. At 6-4 1/2, 366 pounds, Texas’ T’Vondre Sweat is massive. He knows how to use that size effectively, plugging the run and holding it down. The teammate and former roommate of Murphy, Sweat was electric in his own right. His play earned him Outland Trophy (given to college football’s best interior defensive lineman) and Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year honors.
Florida State’s Braden Fiske is a sixth-year senior who transferred from Western Michigan. He was the practice player of the week at the Senior Bowl, considered the Bills’ favorite event. Fiske had 19.5 sacks in his career, including six last season. He is athletic, with lateral quickness, and he shined in the ACC championship game with a three-sack performance.
Jer’Zhan Newton of Illinois was Big Ten Conference Defensive Player of the Year. He led his team in sacks (7.5), and he also led the FBS with four blocked kicks, good for a school record, as well. He is disruptive and consistent. Newton did have surgery on his foot in January, and he played through the injury last season.
Intriguing. Duke’s DeWayne Carter was the school’s first three-time captain, something the Bills will notice. He comes from a football family, but he minored in theater. Carter earned recognition for his academic achievements, and on the field, he was first-team All-ACC, with 41 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, one sack and four pass breakups.
Sleeper. Khristian Boyd of Northern Iowa had a solid showing at the Shrine Bowl. During practices, he excelled at one-on-one reps. Last season, he had 3.5 sacks and 6.5 tackles for loss. Though hailing from a smaller school, he could impress.
The Bills are two years removed from trading up to draft cornerback Kaiir Elam. While Elam has navigated the ups and downs of the NFL, the Bills have rotated corners due to both evaluation and injuries. Now, they could be looking for depth.
TOP 10 DEFENSIVE TACKLES
Rk. Player, College Ht. Wt.
1. Byron Murphy II*, Texas 6-0.5 297
2. T’Vondre Sweat, Texas 6-4.5 366
3. Jer’Zhan Newton, Illinois 6-2 304
4. Maason Smith*, LSU 6-5 306
5. Kris Jenkins*, Michigan 6-3 299
6. Michael Hall Jr.*, Ohio State 6-3 290
7. Leonard Taylor III*, Miami 6-3.5 303
8. McKinnley Jackson, Texas A&M 6-1.5 326
9. Ruke Orhorhoro, Clemson 6-4 294
10. Gabe Hall, Baylor 6-6 291
* – Underclassman