Here is a look at the defensive tackles in the 2024 NFL Draft, headlined by Texas’ Byron Murphy II and Illinois’ Jer’Zhan Newton
1 - Byron Murphy II, Texas
Murphy was considered a four-star prospect out of DeSoto, TX from the 2021 prep cycle. He wasted little time making an impact as a true freshman, splitting his 298 snaps evenly between the A and B-gaps and earning Honorable Mention All-Big 12 Freshman Defensive Player of the Year notice. He rotated in behind NFL Draftees Moro Ojomo and Keondre Coburn recording an 83rd percentile PFF overall grade his sophomore year.
Murphy finally assumed a starting role in 2023 and proceeded to run roughshod over the B12, racking up 45 pressures (3rd in FBS) and 21 stops while living in opposing backfields. When it’s time to pin his ears back on third downs the Texas three-tech generated a sensational 17.5% pressure rate, while his 91st percentile overall grade ranked second nationally among DTs behind only his linemate T’Vondre Sweat.
The reigning Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year and Second Team All-American showed no fear at the Combine, performing every test and drill at the event. He wowed spectators with a 95th percentile 4.87s 40-yard dash, 33” vert (93rd%) and a 4.5s shuttle (87th%) for an exceptional 9.22 RAS.
Murphy slashes his way through his chosen gap on a routine basis and is a constant agitator up the middle in both phases of the game. He’s almost impossible to tame one-on-one and constantly works to dislodge and pursue. His rapid get off and linear, athletic frame helps Murphy to dodge blocks and shoot gaps that many 300 pounders simply can’t. The biggest concern with Murphy is will his sub-optimal 6’004” height and 32.275” arms hinder his ability to be a three-down NFL contributor, but there’s no doubt he can be a valued rotational piece. His best case scenario is to be used like Ed Oliver in Buffalo.
2 - Jer’Zhan Newton, Illinois
A former three-star recruit who was considered the 42nd defensive tackle prospect in the country, Newton saw game action in all eight games as a true freshman in 2020. He would increase his TFL count from 3.5 as a redshirt freshman in 2021 to 14.0 the following year, in addition to recording 50+ tackles in each of his last three campaigns. In his final season, Newton created 43 pressures (4th in FBS) and 32 stops (3rd in P5) to go with a 15% win pass rush win rate (7th in P5) while being named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. The two-time All-American led the illini with an 11.4% pressure rate, but his 20% missed tackle rate and 46th percentile tackle grade shows there is still room for improvement for the dominant DT.
A true grinder, Newton played 73 more regular season snaps in 2023 than any other Power Five DT but did not perform any testing at the Combine due to injury, though it’s notable that he measured in at a sawed-off 6’016/304. The versatile three tech can line up over tackle and set the edge when called upon thanks to his rare athleticism. He uses his natural lower leverage position to get underneath blockers’ pads and post like a steel beam against the run.
His game against Wisconsin center Tanor Bortolini was one of the most violent interior linemen clashes of the 2023 season. Despite consistent backfield disruption, shorter 32.375” arms cause tacklers to sometimes elude his grasp. Newton profiles as an undersized, slashing gap-shooter who could have an impact similar to former Cincinnati Bengals DT Geno Atkins.
3 - Darius Robinson, Missouri
Robinson (6’051/285) arrived on campus as a mid three-star recruit from the 2019 class, gradually working his way up the depth chart while honing his craft while rotating between NT and three tech. He finally earned a starting DT role in 2022 and showed promise by recording 35 tackles with 19 pressures and 5.5 TFL for a solid 77.6 PFF defensive grade.
Last year is when Robinson emerged as an NFL-caliber player, moving to edge full-time where he spent 499 of his 515 First Team All-SEC reps. He exploded for 42 pressures, 27 stops, 14.0 TFL and 8.5 sacks for a stout Missouri defense that only allowed 20.5 PPG (25th in FBS) in the ultra-competitive SEC. His testing revealed an elite vertical of 35” (98th%) and strong broad jump of 9’03 (85th%) to go with a 90th percentile 4.95s 40-yard dash. However, an uninspiring shuttle run (42nd%) and 21 bench press reps (29th%) dragged down his overall RAS to a still commendable 7.78.
His push/pull is vicious thanks to his vice grip like hands. Once he latches onto an opponent and applies leverage, the rep is over, it’s just a matter of how Robinson intends to control and discard them. The two-year captain has a filled-out frame with massive power and unusual agility running the loop despite his huge frame. A formidable edge setter with a hot-running motor, Robinson is a plus run defender who is a terror shooting gaps thanks to his prodigious strength and quickness. He could eventually develop into an every down contributor if he can hone his pass rushing technique, but as a fifth-year breakout his ceiling could be limited.
4 - Braden Fiske, Florida State
Fiske (6’035/292) is a more seasoned prospect who spent his first five years at Western Michigan, earning Second Team All-MAC honors with 59 tackles, 12.0 TFL and 6.0 sacks in 2022 before taking advantage of his extra year of eligibility and transferring to Florida State for his collegiate swan song. He made a seamless transition to the Power Five by recording 26 stops, 28 pressures and 6.0 sacks in 444 snaps, playing a vital role in Florida State’s undefeated regular season.
The Third-Team AP All-American lined up primarily at three tech where he explodes off the ball like a compact ball of energy and doesn’t stop coming until the whistle blows. Fiske’s relentless play-style stood out at the Senior Bowl where he ripped through some of the top offensive linemen in the 2024 class.
He continued a scorching pre-draft evaluation process at the Combine when he ran a 4.78s 40-yard dash (99th%) that was .07 faster than any other DT. As if that weren’t enough, Fiske led all defensive linemen in vertical jump (33.5”), broad (9’09”) and shuttle run (4.37s) for a superb 9.89 RAS.
Fiske has a thick, well-rounded frame that’s a little light at 292 pounds, but what he lacks in size he makes up for with elite get-off and acceleration. His piston-like hands jar opponents off the snap while his relentless motor and closing speed help him finish his prey. Adept at Knifing through run gaps and beating blockers to their spot on run plays, but can be controlled at the point of attack if bigger OLs can get a firm grasp of him.
An undersized, high-effort penetrator who worked his way up from the lower levels to be where he’s at, Fiske profiles as a lunch pail-bringing, but athletic, IDL who brings disruptive energy on every play.
5 - Kris Jenkins, Michigan
The son of former seven-year Carolina Panthers NT Kris Jenkins (6’026/299) boasts NFL pedigree, though he doesn’t carry quite the same massive 360-pound girth of his titanic old man. After spending two years filling out and getting acclimated to the college game, Jenkins was called upon to fill a starting role on the vaunted Michigan defensive line. He would go on to lead all Power Five defensive linemen with 36 stops in 2022, coming of age with an 81st percentile PFF overall grade for a Michigan team that reached the CFP Playoff.
A stout run defender who plays with raw strength that outpaces his frame, Jenkins recorded 83rd percentile run grades in each of his last two seasons. Despite his ability to stack and shed versus the run, the two-time All-Big Ten DL only produced 40 pressures in two seasons with a team-low 2% pressure rate in third-down passing situations.
Jenkins is a little undersized at 6’026 (56th%) and 299 pounds (54th%), but he ran extremely well posting times of 1.7s in the 10-yard split (92nd%) and 4.91s in the 40-yard dash. He also backed up the play strength displayed on tape by pushing out 29 bench reps, which tied for the second-most of the DL group, and finishing with a 9.00 RAS.
The defensive captain is a formidable opponent to block one-on-one on run plays thanks to his prodigious strength that far outpaces his physical stature. On the rush he breaks out a very effective spin move a few times a game but has a tendency to get stuck on blocks if his initial salvo doesn’t land. Jenkins has the potential to establish two-down rotational value as a gap-plugging run specialist.
6 - T’Vondre Sweat, Texas
Sweat (6’044/366) is a true super heavyweight who rarely gives an inch and eats double-teams while lined up next to dynamic three tech DT Byron Murphy to form the most impenetrable defensive line in college football. The high three-star recruit logged 230 snaps as a true freshman with a 79th percentile PFF overall grade before going on to become a four-year fixture as the Longhorns’ designated run-stopping nose tackle.
It took some time for the big fella to get his motor running in the passing game, as he only created three pressures in 159 pass snaps in 2021. A mountainous five-year defensive tackle who moves with supernatural quickness that belies his gargantuan frame, Sweat’s two-gapping ability earned him the highest PFF run grade (92.0) in the country last year. The Outland Trophy winner fine-tuned his approach on the rush and became an every down force, posting the sixth-highest pass rush grade (85.3) among P5 defensive tackles en route to earning Unanimous All-American recognition. To put his athleticism into perspective, his blazing 2.59s time-to-first-pressure this year is actually faster than his Texas counterpart Murphy (2.63s), who is 60 pounds lighter.
His Combine performance wasn’t great with a 1.8s 10-yard split (46th%), 5.27s 40-yard dash (30th%) and 19th percentile broad jump (8’02”) for a combined 4.27 RAS that perhaps doesn’t tell the whole story with the massive defensive tackle.
Sweat explodes into contact while leveraging his massive frame to extinguish running lanes and has the short-area burst to shoot through gaps and create havoc plays. Has the all around functional mass to routinely overpower lighter, movement oriented centers and demands extra attention in the middle. It’s unfortunate that he was arrested in April for DWI, but Sweat still has enough talent to become a dependable early-down run stuffer who can also bring heat up the middle when called upon in pass defense. He’s got a big man profile reminiscent of a souped-up Tyler Shelvin.
7 - Ruke Ohrohroro, Clemson
An immigrant from Nigeria at age 8, Ohrohroro was a standout basketball player who didn’t start playing football until his junior season in high school. Despite being relatively inexperienced, he played in nine games as a freshman in 2019 before an injury sapped most of the pandemic shortened season. An early-season injury to Bryan Bresee thrust Ohrohroro into a starting role in 2021 where he would stay for the next three years accumulating 47 stops and 24.0 tackles for loss in that span. He only needed 2.66s per snap to create his 27 pressures last year, which along with his 2.3% sack rate led all Clemson defensive linemen.
Ohrohroro owned the Combine, performing every test on the board while excelling at each and every one. He flashed elite acceleration with a 1.67s 10-yard split (96th%) and 4.89s 40 (94th%), while also recording 89th% agility scores and the second-most bench reps (29) from the DL group. Throw in a 97th percentile 9’08” broad jump with 34” arms, and Ohrohroro performed a near perfect 9.92 Relative Athletic Score.
Twitchy, squarely built tank of a human who explodes off the snap and is extremely difficult to stay in front of thanks to his aggressive demeanor and freakish athleticism. Attacks blockers with a shoulder shake before parrying hands and blasting through an opponent’s edges. While Ohrihroro’s frenetic, tenacious approach is tough for OLs to deal with, he will misdiagnose plays at times and needs to fine tune his overall rush plan and technique in order to reach his lofty athletic potential in the NFL. His toolsy physical profile suggests a ceiling of Robert Nkemdiche.
8 - Brandon Dorlus, Oregon
Dorlus is a five-year player who became a movable chess piece around the Ducks defensive line, alternating between three tech and edge depending on the matchup. By 2021 he was ready for a starting role and an indispensable leader of the Oregon defense, earning First or Second Team All-Pac-12 recognition for three straight seasons from 2021-23. A model of durability and consistency, Dorlus earned 72nd percentile grades against both the run and pass in each of his last three campaigns.
Last year he generated the second-most pressures among FBS IDLs with five penalties drawn and 5.0 sacks for the Pac-12 runner-up Ducks. While productive at the collegiate level, Dorlus doesn’t excel at any one phase of the game and posted a missed tackle rate of 25%+ in three of the last four seasons.
Though he has a tweener profile at 6’030/283, The Ducks’ captain showed out at the Combine. His 1.68s 10-yard split ranks in the 94th% while a 4.85s 40-yard dash is an elite 98th percentile mark, while his 7.43s 3-Cone and 9’03 broad jump both charted in the 85th+ percent of historic NFL DTs. Ideally Dorlus can put on some functional weight and transition to a traditional three tech, or goes to a team that utilizes a 4-3 alignment where he can forcefully set the edge and utilize his athleticism to create disruption in the backfield.
9 - Leonard Taylor, Miami
A premium five-star recruit who was rated as the fourth overall prospect in the nation from the 2021 prep cycle, Taylor (6’034/303) proved he was ready to contribute right away by playing in nine games recording 200 snaps, 10 stops and 8.5 TFL with a 71st% PFF defensive grade as a true freshman. His standout play crested in 2022 with 25 pressures, a 16% win rate and a 9.4% pressure rate that ranked second in the P5 that season.
The Honorable Mention All-ACC performer was slated to make the leap to stardom this year, but he shifted to play more in the A-gap (202-of-341 snaps) which caused Taylor some growing pains, recording a 28% missed tackle rate and ghastly 33rd percentile tackle rate. His ability to bring pressure is awe-inspiring when he’s engaged, as is evidenced by his 82.1 PFF pass rush grade. However, Taylor recorded 11 of his 21 pressures against hapless opponents Bethune Cookman and Temple, and just six pressures against the six ACC opponents he squared off against in 2023.
His Combine testing was above average with a 1.75s 10-yard split (73rd%), a 30” vertical (71st%) and a 9’01” broad jump (77th%) for a respectable 7.29 Relative Athletic Score. While Taylor possesses the raw strength and natural twitch to be a menace in pass sets, he has a tendency to get knocked off his rush path when he foregos balance for speed. Has a noticeable burst off the snap for a player his size, but is lacking in counters and he can get swallowed up in the run game when his pad level elevates. Taylor profiles as a three tech rotational pass rushing specialist who causes havoc in third-down and long distance situations.
10 - DeWayne Carter, Duke
The son of the former Ohio State WR of the same name, Carter (6’023/303) chose to attend Duke over more reputable football schools like Michigan and Notre Dame. He took two years to get his bearings before starting 38 games over his final three years while racking up 114 pressures and 23.0 TFL. He had his most productive season in 2022, generating 52 pressures, 11.0 TFL, three forced fumbles and 5.5 sacks while earning the eighth highest PFF defensive grade among all FBS defensive linemen. Expectations were high heading into 2023, but Carter’s productivity dropped to 3.5 TFL and 1.0 sacks despite playing a similar amount of reps.
The First Team All-ACC performer showed encouraging speed at the Combine with a 1.72s 10-yard split (83rd%), 4.99s 40-yard dash (84th%) and 32” vert (89th%). A 7.95s 3-Cone and 24 bench reps tempered his overall athletic profile a bit, but he still recorded a solid 7.67 RAS.
As an example of his prodigious strength, Florida State quickly realized they weren’t going to overpower Carter so they started calling screens, misdirections and traps to try and work around him in the middle. Even though he has the hand strength to rag doll opponents at the point of attack, he can sometimes get preoccupied with pushing his opponent as far into the backfield as possible, but failing to disengage to make the play. This is evidenced by his 24% career missed tackle rate, with Carter never eclipsing a 45th percentile tackle grade in his entire Duke tenure.
Even though he has the hand strength to rag doll opponents at the point of attack, he can sometimes get preoccupied with pushing his opponent as far into the backfield as possible, but failing to disengage to make the play. The first three-time team captain in program history, Carter is a high character player who profiles as an interior passing down specialist at the next level.
11 - Michael Hall Jr, Ohio State
12 - Maason Smith, LSU
13 - Gabe Hall, Baylor
14 - Tyler Davis, Clemson
15 - Mekhi Wingo, LSU
16 - Myles Murphy, UNC
17 - Justin Rogers, Auburn
18 - Justin Eboigbe, Alabama
19 - McKinley Jackson, Texas A&M
20 - Khristian Boyd, Northern Iowa
21 - Keith Randolph Jr, Illinois
22 - Jordan Jefferson, LSU
23 - Laden Crumedy, Miss State
24 - Marcus Harris, Auburn
25 - Fabien Lovett, FSU