Bell: Ranking Top 12 Defensive Tackles in the 2025 NFL Draft
We are now less than one week away from the start of the 2025 NFL Draft, and with that in mind, it’s time to rank the top defensive tackles in this class — an area where the Pittsburgh Steelers have been heavily invested.
The running back and interior defensive line positions are the real headliners of this draft cycle, which should be music to Steelers fans ears considering the current and future needs on the roster. In a year in which I gave out an alarmingly low amount of true first-round grades, there are two players that earned that distinction based on film study alone. But even stretching beyond that, the depth of this class is incredibly rich.
Regardless of whether you’re a team in search of a nose tackle or three-technique or a pass rush specialist instead of a run plugger, there are plenty of options to choose from. From the Steelers perspective, that’s intriguing because of how Keeanu Benton’s versatility allows them to keep an open mind to the different possibilities.
There are a couple of guys on this list that are undervalued contributors that I’m higher on than the general consensus. For further context, each of these dozen players are inside my top-100 2025 NFL Draft big board.
RANKING TOP DEFENSIVE TACKLES IN 2025 NFL DRAFT
1) Walter Nolen, Ole Miss
Penetrating three-technique with a tantalizing blend of burst, lateral agility and grown man strength at 21-years old. Nolen’s athleticism permits him to make frequent plays away from his gap assignment and has the raw power to detonate guards backwards into the backfield. His hands are constantly active, yet lack refinement given his size but the upside is truly tremendous with he himself being the only one standing in the way of that high ceiling.Â
2) Mason Graham, Michigan
Gap-shooting three-technique who is a real blur off the ball with a supreme understanding of how to cross-face of opposing blockers standing in his way. There’s a level of technical proficiency to Graham’s game that must be appreciated, starting with how he steadily plays low to the ground with a firm grasp on how to shoot his hands to land the first strike. His tape shows a player guilty of getting bounced over gaps on occasions versus the run but teams will look past that for the pass rush acumen.
Mountain of a man in the middle who can surprise you by swimming over blockers and is way more sudden than anyone should ever be at 6-foot-3, 331 pounds. Grant’s reputation as a run defender precedes him with destructive hands to drub offensive lineman, although his flashes as pass rusher against USC/Ohio State are quite interesting. Despite being commonly billed as a two-gapping plodder, better pad level should lead to more powerful wins getting after the quarterback.
Alignment versatile defensive lineman with a quality all-around skill set, starting with his wide base and long limbs that make it difficult for blockers to move him off his spot. Harmon has enough juice off the ball to get on a blocker’s edge and is an asset on rush games, accompanied by a motor that never runs cold. Some athletic limitations are present, mainly tightness in his lower half; however, he’s both dependable and disruptive.
5) Tyleik Williams, Ohio State
Dense gap-controller that can generate knock-back and reset the line of scrimmage for your defense on early downs. Watching Williams defend the run is pure cinema: with his anchor impenetrable, vise grips for hands and astounding explosiveness for a prospect this beefy. Over time, his progress as a pass rusher stagnated but you can make an understandable argument that simply slimming down could be the missing ingredient to kickstarting that phase of his game.
6) T.J. Sanders, South Carolina
Athletic defensive tackle that wins primarily with quick twitch to leap into adjacent and advanced hand usage, with most of his most impressive wins coming off a two-hand swipe. Sanders is an effective stack-and-shed player that does a nice job keeping his eyes fixated on the ball carrier with a good sense for when to peel off for the run stop. However, he lacks mass in his lower half, leaving him susceptible for double teams and down blocks.
Man amongst boys (literally) whose walk back power eradicated blockers over the final two seasons of his college career, an act he carried over into a strong Senior Bowl performance. Alexander makes his money as a run defender by using his long arms to lock out versus the run, while still being plenty nimble to make plays away from his primary gap assignment. Seeing as he’s set to be a 25-year old rookie, he could be nearing the end of his developmental runway.
8) Alfred Collins, Texas
Prolific run defender with an unbelievable wingspan, core strength to torque blockers aside and the base to absorb double teams along the interior. There are a plethora of teach-tape examples on Collins’ film from an awareness, effort and technical standpoint. If he showed showed even microscopic flashes as a pass rusher while in college, he would be a sure-fire first-rounder in an NFL Draft class like this but at least he has an uncanny ability to get his hands in the passing lanes.
9) Omarr Norman-Lott, Tennessee
Jolt of lightning on the interior, courtesy of a blistering first step, precise hands and impressive bend for his this position. His pass rush toolbox is already developed, which explains the outrageous per snap production as a Volunteer but it’s the the motor and pursuit speed maximize his talent. There simply aren’t enough reps versus the run (86 snaps in back to back seasons) to honestly project him into a starting role but as a specialized rusher, look out.
10) Shemar Turner, Texas A&M
Relentless tweener with violent hands, magnificent short-area burst and an affinity for violence. Something thing that stands out with Turner is that he’s always gaining ground as a rusher and his play style lends itself to creating a ton of havoc on stunts/twists. There are a few red flags present on his scouting report, mainly that he’s just on the ground far too often and that balance needs to improve at the next level.
11) C.J. West, Indiana
Plug-and-play nose tackle with the upper body strength to hold the point of attack, a quick first step and the necessary range to flow laterally on perimeter runs. After transferring this past fall, his infectious energy and competitiveness helped boost their run defense to essentially unprecedented levels. This is a player that is very much a work in progress in terms of rushing the passer but every defensive line coach should aspire to add to the mix.
12) Jamaree Caldwell, Oregon
Tirelessly energetic nose tackle with a firm base to handle double teams, shows good block recognition and can move surprisingly well for a big fella. Caldwell’s height gives him natural leverage and there were some very intriguing flashes of him bull rushing a center into oblivion, most notably in the Washington game. Finding the appropriate playing weight could be a concern for teams but there’s still untapped potential here.
MORE 2025 NFL DRAFT COVERAGE
