Position Breakdown: Defensive Tackle

1. Tim Jernigan (JR) 6'2 300 Florida State
Analysis: Stout at point of attack. Rarely moved off his spot. Elite run defender. Can play in any scheme. Good speed and quickness. Underrated pass rusher. Best fit in a 4-3.
Projection:  2nd Round

2. Aaron Donald (SR) 6'1 285 Pittsburgh
Analysis: Explosive athlete.  Prototypical 3 tech DT. Had monster 2013 Season. Uses quickness to disrupt pocket. Small size hurts him vs run. Limited scheme fit.
Projection:  Top 10

3. Louis Nix (JR) 6'2 331 Notre Dame
Analysis: Elite strength. Very good quickness and speed for size. Can play in a one or two gap system. Lacks stamina. Only a 2 down player right now.  Can play in 3-4 or 4-3.
Projection:  2nd Round

4.  Stephon Tuitt (JR) 6'5 304 Notre Dame
Analysis: Versatile player who can play multiple positions in multiple schemes. Elite speed and quickness. Solid anchor. Better at DT than DE in 4 man front. Finesse player. Inconsistent.
Projection:  Top 50

5. Dominique Easley (SR) 6'2 288 Florida
Analysis:  Explosive and disruptive player.  Stout at the point of attack. Non stop motor. Short arms makes it hard to disengage from blocks. Coming off of ACL surgery. Fits only as 3 tech in the 4-3.
Projection:  Day 2

6. Ra'Shede Hageman (SR) 6'6 310 Minnesota
Analysis:  Physical freak. Can flat out dominant games with quickness and strength, but can also disappear completely. Versatile. Can play in any scheme and multiple positions. Relies too much on athletic ability.
Projection:   Top 50

7. Kelcy Quarles (JR) 6'4 297 South Carolina
Projection: 3rd Round

8. DaQuan Jones (SR) 6'4 322 Penn State
Analysis:  Stout at the point of attack. Uses hands to shed blocks. Displays good power. Good recognition skills. Average speed and quickness. Doesn't have much pass rush. High motor guy.
Projection:  3rd or 4th Round

9. Will Sutton (SR) 6'0 303 Arizona State
Projection: 4th or 5th Round

10. Daniel McCullers (SR) 6'7 352 Tennessee
Analysis:  Massive size. Stout at the point of attack. Can penetrate vs single blocker. Hard to move. Flashes playmaking ability. Below average athlete. Below average pass rusher. Not an every down player
Projection:  Day 3

Player Profile: Dommique Easley

Height:  6'2
Weight:  288
School:  Florida
Position:  Defensive Tackle
Ranking:  #5 Defensive Tackle
Projection:  Day 2

Strengths
-Experienced.  Three year starter.  26 games started.
-Explodes at the snap creating instant penetration
-Shows good power at the point of attack. Can move Guards backwards
-Displays good speed getting the QB
-Does a good job of turning speed into power
-Plays with good leverage and pad level
-Stout at the point of attack. Can hold his ground vs Guards and Tackles
-Versatile player.  Lined up at both DT positions and even DE at Florida
-Active heavy hands.  Uses them to keep defenders hands off his body
-Plays with a little bit of crazy and with an edge.
-High Motor player.  Always moving and working towards the ball
-Good football character and was voted team leader

Weaknesses
-Has torn the ACL in both knees during career at Florida.
-Will need to add weight to play DT.
-Short arms causes him to struggle to disengage from blocks.
-Limited scheme fit.  Likely fits in as a 3 technique in a 4-3
-Can get too aggressive and run himself out of the play
-Needs to develop pass rushing moves. Not rely on athletic ability
-Has some off the field maturity issues during fresh and sophomore years

Summary
Coming into this season Dominique Easley was one of the top draft eligible defensive tackles.  Easley is a top notch athlete who explodes off the ball and is instantly into the backfield.  He has elite quickness and is a handful for offensive lineman.  Add in a non stop motor and he is the perfect fit at the three technique. Easley is not just a one trick pony.  He is good at the point of attack and anchors in well to clog up the lanes. However an early season ACL injury this past season was devastating.  Especially for a player who relies on his athletic ability so much.  Add that to him struggling to shed blocks and limited scheme fit and that raises some concerns.  Before the injury he was looking like a first round pick, but is now likely a late second early third round pick.  If Chicago doens't go DT in round one he'd be a great fit with them. Otherwise a team like Oakland, St. Louis, or Seattle could be landing spots.

Player Profile: DaQuan Jones

Height:  6'4
Weight:  322
School:  Penn State
Position:  Defensive Tackle
Ranking:  #6 Defensive Tackle
Projection:  3rd or 4th Round

Strengths
-Experienced. Two year starter with 46 total games played
-Ideal size and length (33 1/2") for a defensive tackle
-Stout at the point of attack.  Uses leverage to hold his spot
-Uses his hands well to shed blocks and make plays in the run game
-Displays good power to bull rush a lineman or quickly disengage from blocks
-Good strong tackler.  Rarely misses a tackle.
-Heavy hands allows him to get past lineman in pass rush
-Does a good job of locating the ball and reacting
-Shows the ability to play either one or two gaps
-Scheme versatility. Can play in both 3-4 and 4-3
-Can play multiple positions along the line
-High motor player.  Never gives up on a play.
-Great football character. Team leader and hard worker.
-Durable. Never missed a game because of an injury

Weaknesses
-Lacks the speed (5.35) and quickness (1.81) to disrupt the backfield
-Isn't an explosive athlete. Won't dominant any game
-Doesn't offer much in rushing the passer. More of a run stopper
-Footwork could stand to improve.  Needs to keep moving feet which could help get a push
-Maintaining a good wight has been an issue in the past.

Summary
Lost in the shuffle of a disappointing season DaQuan Jones is a very talented defensive tackle that is going to really help a defense's run support.  Jones uses good leverage and strength to anchor in and clog up running lanes.  But he's much more than just a space eater. Jones does a great job of taking on blocks and shedding them to make a tackle or go after the quarterback. What's stopping Jones from being a higher rated prospect is his average athletic ability and lack of pass rushing potential. He'll get pressure on the quarterback but it comes from a strong bull rush and a non stop motor, but that's about it. He struggled in college and in the NFL it won't get any better.  But that doesn't doesn't mean teams will be down on him.  Quite the opposite. Jones brings a lot of versatility to his game.  He can play in either a one or two gap system and in the 4-3 or the 3-4.  He can play both DT spots in a four man front and the NT and DT in a three man front.  DaQuan Jones' best fit will be as a NT for a team looking to help their run defense.  He'll likely go in the fourth round, but I wouldn't be surprised to see a team fall in love with him and take him it the third. Houston, Philadelphia, or Chicago could all be landing spots for Jones.

Player Profile: Louis Nix

Height:  6'3
Weight:  340
School:  Notre Dame
Position:  Defensive Tackle
Ranking:  #2 Defensive Tackle
Projection: First Round

Strengths
-Prototypical size for a nose tackle
-Experienced.  Played over 36 games in his three year career.
-Very explosive player for somebody his size
-Quick off the ball and attacks the offensive lineman before they get to him
-Very powerful.  Strong bull rush allows him to push guards back into the quarterback
-Strong punch jolts offensive lineman and allows him to push the pocket
-Uses his strength and power to cover gaps on both sides of him
-Good closing speed.  Can chase a back down the line for a tackle
-Displays good agility that allows him to stunt and twist with other defenders
-Scheme flexable.  Can play in a one or two gap scheme and either a 4 or 3 man front
-Doesn't quit on plays.  Played hard entire game in blowout loss to Alabama

Weaknesses
-Weight.  Would be better served to be around 315-320.  Was up to 368 at one point.
-Not an every down player.  Has to be taken off the field to prevent him from wearing down
-Struggles to anchor in.  Can be pushed off his spot.  Especially against double teams
-Over aggressiveness can be used to take him out of the play
-Isn't a great tackler.  Will try to arm tackle too much. 
-Knee issue caused him to miss the final three games of the season
-No pass rushing moves.  Relies on strength and quickness

Summary
When you see a player with the size of Louis Nix your first thought is that he's just a space eater clogging up the middle of the line.  However Nix is so much much more than that.  For a player that is a legit 340 pounds he has the speed and quickness of some of the smaller defensive tackles.  Nix uses that explosiveness to disrupt and push the pocket from the middle.  He is near impossible to block man to man and regularly pushes guards back into the quarterback.  His stat line is never going to impress you, but his impact on the game doesn't show up there.  Nix has the ability to play in a one or two gap scheme and either the 3-4 or the 4-3.  But the problem that lies with Nix is his weight and endurance.  He's too big at 340 in my opinion.  If he can get into the 320's his endurance should go up and he can stay on the field longer.  Because of his snap count limitations he likely goes at the bottom half of the first round, but he's a much better player than that.  Keep an eye on New England who could take him as the heir apparent to Vince Wilfork.  He's that type of player.

Player Profile: Sylvester Williams

Sylvester Williams

Height:  6'3
Weight:  313
School:  North Carolina
Position:  Defensive Tackle
Ranking:  #4 Defensive Tackle
Projection:  Top 25

Strengths
-Good size and bulk for the DT position
-Long arms (33") that allow him to keep blockers off his body
-Good strength (27 reps) that he uses to shed blockers
-Great quickness he uses to fire off the ball
-Uses speed and quickness to penetrate into the backfield
-Doesn't give up against double teams
-Good anchor.  Hard to move off spot
-Uses his big hands (10") to win hand fights and keep himself clean
-Great motor.  Always going hard.  Never gives up on plays.
-Position flexibility.  Can play both DT spots in the 4-3 and the DE in the 3-4
-Has a knack for blocking kicks

Weaknesses
-Can struggle to disengage from double teams
-No pass rushing moves.  Needs to develop something
-Inconsistent pad level.  Gets too high at times
-Raw.  Only played 5 years of football
-Can overpersue or bite on fakes
-Can disappear in games

Summary
Sylvester Williams has all the tools to be an All Pro defensive tackle.  Williams has the size and bulk that teams like and is a good athlete.  He has good quickness and explosion that allows him to fire off the ball that can disrupt the backfield.  Williams uses his strength to be a stout run defenders.  He uses his long arms to take on blockers and then shed them when he needs to make a play.  His strong anchor makes it very difficult to move him off his spot and really can clog up the middle.  The problem with Williams is that he is still raw.  He's only played five years of football and it shows up at time.  Despite his size and athletic ability, he isn't a dominant pass rusher.  A big part of that is he hasn't developed any strong moves.  But with his lack of experience he should be able to develop something with a little more coaching.  Williams projects as a 3 technique DT who can use that speed and quickness to penetrate and disrupt.  However with his strength and run stopping ability he could also play the NT spot in the 4-3 and the 5 technique in the 3-4.  That versitility will make him attractive to a lot of different teams.  Williams could go as high as Dallas at 18 but shouldn't fall past the Broncos at the end of the first round.  Teams will fall in love with his skill set and potential.

Player Profile: Jonathan Hankins

Jonathan Hankins

Height:  6'3
Weight:  320
School:  Ohio State
Position:  Defensive Tackle
Rank:  #4 Defensive Tackle
Projection:  Top 40
Strengths
-Experienced.  Played in every game since his true freshman year.
-Ideal size for a NFL Defensive tackle
-Scheme Flexability.  Can play in a 4-3 or a 3-4 defense.
-Good strength that allows him to him to take on blocks and not get pushed off his spot
-Quality bull rush that can force the lineman back into the QB
-Does a great job of locating the ball
-Surprising quickness for somebody his size
-Good motor.  Doesn't give up when double teamed
-Good conditioning for somebody his size.  Doesn't wear down easily

Weaknesses
-Doesn't have the best closing speed.
-Can struggle to get off blocks
-Plays too high.  Causes him to lose leverage
-Needs to improve his technique.  Not fundamentally sound
-Lacks pass rushing moves.  Only a bull rush
-Doesn't use his hands well
Summary
If you want a dynamic pass rushing presence at defensive tackle, Jonathan Hankins isn't your guy.  But if you want somebody that is going to stuff the run, take on blockers, and provide a solid push up the middle then Hankins is the guy for you.  Hankins is a solid defensive tackle that uses his size and strength to occupy space and stop the run game.  He could stand to improve his technique and get off blocks better, but he's also going to free up your linebackers to make plays.  Hankins doesn't show much of a pass rushing ability beyond a bull rush.  He'll have to learn and develop a move or two if he wants to stay on the field in pass rushing situations.  Hankins projects as a 4-3 NT or a 3-4 DE.  I believe he has the ability and strength to play the NT in the 3-4 also.  Look for Hankins to go somewhere in the high second round but it wouldn't surprise me if he was taken in the late 1st.  Philadelphia could be a landing spot in the second round because they need pieces for their new 3-4 defense.