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Welcome back to our second position breakdown of the 2024 NFL Draft class! Today, we'll look at one of the most prominent positions on defense that sets the tone for every play; the int. defensive lineman. There are some studs in this group that I'm higher on than consensus, as for most positions, but there are a few guys on this list who aren't being talked about as much as they should be.
Let's rank the top 10 trench warriors for this class!
Photo: Charlie Neibergall/AP Photo
10. Khristian Boyd - Northern Iowa
What They Do Well | What Could Limit Them |
Great hands, uses violent swipes to win in pass rush, swims to win in the run | Struggles in run defense, especially when getting doubled |
Understands body leverage well, fills open gaps just from playing half a man | Was used as a nose tackle in college, not many reps as a 3-tech |
Good first step, explosive out of his stance | Didn't do well in "play-up" games, struggled against better linemen |
Uses hip explosion and extension to reset the LOS |
I really like Boyd's play style, the way he uses his hands effectively, and how he can win a good chunk of 1-on-1s in pass rush. He will need to become a better run defender, but I think playing as a 3-tech will naturally help with that. Boyd is one of the biggest sleepers in the class who could be solid as a rotational piece to start.
Pro Comp: Larry Ogunjobi
9. T'Vondre Sweat - Texas
What They Do Well | What Could Limit Them |
Absolute space eater, clogs gaps and barely gets moved, even against doubles | Lack of pass rush, just runs into guys and makes one move |
Effective bull rush when he uses it, insane strength and power | Doesn't have a good get off, hops out of his stance and fails to get vertical |
Decent lateral movement for a big guy, flows well with reach blocks | Won't make an effort to get off blocks, just takes up gaps |
Sweat is a tough eval; he was used at Texas in a way that didn't fit his strength, and he doesn't have much versatility, but what he's good at, he's damn good at. He has a nasty bull rush and clogs gaps better than any DT in this draft. The key will be diversifying his pass rush pool and getting better at fighting off blocks. For now, just let him tee off and bull rush whoever he lines up on.
Pro Comp: Jordan Phillips
8. Maason Smith - LSU
What They Do Well | What Could Limit Them |
Nice process in pass rush, usually brings a counter move in 1v1 situations | Struggles against doubles in both pass and run, tries to run through them |
Quick and violent hands, litted wasted movement when fighting off blocks | Has a tell when stunting, lines up half a yard back from the rest of the front |
Good technique against the run, gets great extension and knocks defenders back with hip pop | Needs to get better at attacking half a man, loses reps when he gets square with a blocker |
Played all over the interior for LSU, good versatility |
A solid pass rusher for his skillset, Smith uses his hands well and has an explosive lower half to create separation. He's had some good moments as a run defender as well, but doesn't do much the majority of the time. He struggles against double teams and fails to attack half a man consistently. Smith will be a designated pass rusher until he finishes plays against the run.
Pro Comp: Javon Kinlaw
7. Gabe Hall - Baylor
What They Do Well | What Could Limit Them |
Nice pass rush ability, does a good job flipping his hips and getting skinny | Gets stuck on blocks more than you'd like, struggles after his first move fails |
Does well holding his gap in the run game, forces ball-carriers elsewhere | Although he won't get knocked back, he won't reset the LOS often |
Outstanding hustle, constantly chasing after plays from all over the field | Not the best against double teams, gets moved off the LOS more often than not |
Rarely gets blown off the ball in 1v1 situations, holds his ground |
A decent pass rusher, Hall does a good job working his hips throughout the rep and using his hands violently. Gabe needs to get more explosive off the snap and use his size more. He did a good job of that at the Senior Bowl, but the team that drafts him will have to continue to monitor his development before deciding he can be an every-down DT.
Pro Comp: Chris Worley
Photo: Peter Aiken/Getty Images
6. Brandon Dorlus - Oregon
What They Do Well | What Could Limit Them |
Plays really well with leverage and length, nasty long arm/bull rush | Not the best against angle blocks, will get washed down from time to time |
Solid as a run defender, understands gap fits at a high level | Lack of hustle after the ball is thrown or the play goes the opposite way |
Great block destruction technique in run game, uses violence and finesse evenly | Plays with high pads a decent amount, got stood up in pass rush and run fit |
Mainly played inside, but also did well off the edge when needed |
I like Brandon's play style; he has great violence and knows when to finesse, has a large pass rush pool, and he succeeds inside and outside. He needs to improve his hustle and slightly improve as a run defender to be a real difference maker. With that said, he can still get considerable playing time early on and do well.
Pro Comp: Dre'Mont Jones
5. Leonard Taylor III - Miami
What They Do Well | What Could Limit Them |
Explosive lower half for a nose tackle, moves guys with ease | Struggles against angle blocks, gets unbalanced due to inconsistent footwork |
Gets vertical quickly, penetrates backfields with his get off | Isn't a great pass rusher, will get caught trying to find the QB rather than winning the rep |
Has strong hands to play 2 gap techniques and get off blockers | |
Plays well in the stunt game, eats up multiple blockers to free up his teammates |
A solid NT prospect, Taylor plays really well in between the guards and understands how to play with leverage. Taylor can be a long-time starter in the league as long as he continues to improve his pass rush.
Pro Comp: Derrick Brown
4. Michael Hall Jr - Ohio State
What They Do Well | What Could Limit Them |
Explosive first step, gets going quickly and runs his feet through the entire rep | Gives up size in between the guards, weighed in at under 300 pounds |
Great hand usage, doesn't stay stuck on blocks and bats down hands violently | Will stand straight up at times, gets stopped in his tracks when he does |
Good run defender, played nose despite being undersized and played gritty | Can be faster out of his stance, gets going quick but is late off the ball at times |
Solid pass rusher, explosive with his hip mobility and hand fighting |
Hall is a really athletic DT who uses his hands well and is explosive. Swim is his best move, but he can swipe hands off him and clog run lanes, he constantly chases after plays, and he can be a stonewall in the run game. He does get overworked at times due to being smaller and would be best as a 3-tech in the league, but Hall is definitely a sleeper in this class.
Pro Comp: Justin Madubuike
Photo: Adam Cairns/USA TODAY
3. Byron Murphy II - Texas
What They Do Well | What Could Limit Them |
Powerful and strong, able to easily shed off blockers and clog gaps | Left a lot of plays on tape, missed easy sacks and TFLs a decent amount |
Uses advanced techniques to help him hold his ground against double teams | Doesn't play with balance once he wins his rep, needs to have better footing |
Fantastic rip move in the run and pass game when he uses it | |
Great processing in pass rush, has a counter ready if he gets beat at first |
Despite leaving some plays on tape, I think Byron's worth taking a first round pick on. He has a good pass rush process, he's great in the run game, and he played all over the defensive front. I think he needs to get better with keeping his balance against blocks and finishing plays; he's a great 3-tech for a team in need of an explosive pass rusher.
Pro Comp: Ed Oliver
2. Kris Jenkins - Michigan
What They Do Well | What Could Limit Them |
One of the best run stoppers in this class, fights off blocks with purpose | Slow off the ball at times, causes him to miss his run fits here and there |
Stands up pullers by squeezing flat down the line, clogs gaps with ease | Lack of counter moves, once he gets locked up, he tries to overpower his man |
Underrated pass rusher, has a good pool of moves | Tries to run past blocks rather than fighting against pressure |
Great on stunts, was sent on them more than most IDLs |
I really like Kris's game overall; he uses his hands well in the run game, he can either stop runs in his gap or force ball-carriers elsewhere, he plays with a high motor, and he has a decent pass rush prowess that he can improve. He has a high ceiling if he can tap into his pass rush skillset more.
Pro Comp: Grady Jarrett
1. Jer'Zhan "Johnny" Newton - Illinois
What They Do Well | What Could Limit Them |
Incredibly violent and fast hands, awesome at getting off blockers | Doesn't fire out on every snap, sometimes he hops or lunges forward |
High motor to chase down plays and working through his pass rush | |
Great fit in run game, clogs his gap and is able to fight over to the ball-carrier | |
Understands stunt game at a high level, always replaces lost pass rush lanes |
One of the best 3-techs I've ever scouted, Newton has a great mix of power and finesse, he understands run fit at a high level, and rarely gets taken out of his gap. Sometimes he'll drive his man too far back and take himself out of the play, but that's a correctable issue that shows how dominant he can be on a snap-to-snap basis.
Pro Comp: Javon Hargrave
Photo: Kevin Snyder/Illinois Athletics
Final Notes:
Some guys that missed the cut were Myles Murphy, Jowon Briggs, Marcus Harris, and Tyler Davis. I expect those four to still get some playing time throughout their careers and contribute in unique ways.
Up next are the tight ends, and it's a position group filled with differing skill types this year. Check back for that in a few days, with safeties and nickels to round out the week!