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2025 Draft: Defensive Tackles

Barth and Lazar aren't as high on Graham's run stopping capability. They think the grading is a little inflated and don't think he's very stout against double teams. The other DT on Michigan was an immovable object and they think Graham's numbers profited from that.

I'm not saying he isn't a great player. Just might not be the total package.
Amongst draftable DTs*

Average depth of tackle - 3rd behind Ty Robinson and JJ Pegues
Run stop percentage - 2nd behind Cam Horsley
Missed tackle percentage - 3rd behind Walter Nolen and Demonte Capehart
total tackles - 6th behind TJ Sanders, Walter Nolen, Cam Horsley, Alfred Collins and Ty Hamilton
Run defence grade - 1st

I'd say he's a pretty consistently excellent run defender. No he's not a NT but he doesn't play as such. He's a gap penetrating 3-tech who, whilst being excellent against the run is almost equally dominant as a pass rusher.

I'm not as locked in on Graham at 4 as I was, but let's not overthink this. Graham is the most balanced DT in this class along with Walter Nolen and TJ Sanders, and would be an outstanding addition to the roster.




* By draftable I mean DTs that are on big boards in a draftable range so ignoring DTs that no-one would recognise.
 
One big argument for trading down. There's going to be some really good EDGE rushers, DTs and the start of the mid-tier WR run there so two second round picks would be really useful. Assuming we get our LT in FA, trade down in the first and pick up one of:

WR
DT
DE

and then get the other two in round two.

As far as DTs go, the following could all be 2nd round value:

Darius Alexander
TJ Sanders
Tyleik Williams
Joshua Farmer (fast becoming a new favourite of mine)
Alfred Collins
Omar Norman-Lott
 
One big argument for trading down. There's going to be some really good EDGE rushers, DTs and the start of the mid-tier WR run there so two second round picks would be really useful. Assuming we get our LT in FA, trade down in the first and pick up one of:

WR
DT
DE

and then get the other two in round two.

As far as DTs go, the following could all be 2nd round value:

Darius Alexander
TJ Sanders
Tyleik Williams
Joshua Farmer (fast becoming a new favourite of mine)
Alfred Collins
Omar Norman-Lott
I think Deone Walker is definitely going in the 2nd. He's a freak specimen that just needs some coaching.
 
Thanks to the combine you can just add more depth to the deepest position already...

Jared Harrison-Hunte





When asked what he likes about football..."He likes the violence"

Terrell Williams will appreciate that.
 
I have too many binkies
Thanks to the combine you can just add more depth to the deepest position already...

Jared Harrison-Hunte





When asked what he likes about football..."He likes the violence"

Terrell Williams will appreciate that.

 
After Combine weigh ins/measurements Graham's stock took a slight hit.

He measured in at only 6'3 296 lbs with stubby 32" arms. Not quite T-Rex arms but they are not ideal. Coming in at only 296 instead of 320 also brings questions of how well he can hold up at the point of attack against the run and double teams. Maybe he doesn't have enough sand in the pants to play 2 gap DT and is more of a penetrating DT?

BTW who is Ty-Ingram Dawkins? Impressive top of class athletic numbers for 40 yard dash, vertical, and broad jump. He's only 6'5 276 though. Maybe he's better suited on the DL as a DE?

Still waiting on OL measurements.

Article: Full list of 2025 NFL combine measurements and 40-yard dash times, plus winners and losers for each position
 
After Combine weigh ins/measurements Graham's stock took a slight hit.

He measured in at only 6'3 296 lbs with stubby 32" arms. Not quite T-Rex arms but they are not ideal. Coming in at only 296 instead of 320 also brings questions of how well he can hold up at the point of attack against the run and double teams. Maybe he doesn't have enough sand in the pants to play 2 gap DT and is more of a penetrating DT?

BTW who is Ty-Ingram Dawkins? Impressive top of class athletic numbers for 40 yard dash, vertical, and broad jump. He's only 6'5 276 though. Maybe he's better suited on the DL as a DE?

Still waiting on OL measurements.

Article: Full list of 2025 NFL combine measurements and 40-yard dash times, plus winners and losers for each position
I know nothing about Ingram-Dawkins. Will have to do some research.

OL measurements are on Sunday.
 
Terrell wants the defensive line to play on the other side of the line of scrimmage, we need guys that can win hand battles in the 4th quarter.
 
So many good DTs this draft. We ought to be able to get a solid run-stuffer and pass-rusher. Williams could be an anchor kind of guy.
Williams surprised me at the combine as I'd dismissed him a bit as a run-stuffer and unproductive pass rusher comparably. But he had one of the best set of on field drills of any DT. the one thing that did surprise me is that he only had 13 snaps in the A gap. He was almost exclusively a 3 or 5 tech.

My guess, should we sign Milton Williams, is a later round pick on a run-stuffer. Looking back on Vrabel's time in Tennessee, the person playing next to Jeffrey Simmons was almost exclusively a UDFA. However, this class is so good it would be negligent not to benefit from it. May favourite as a late round 1-gapping NT is CJ West.
 
Williams surprised me at the combine as I'd dismissed him a bit as a run-stuffer and unproductive pass rusher comparably. But he had one of the best set of on field drills of any DT. the one thing that did surprise me is that he only had 13 snaps in the A gap. He was almost exclusively a 3 or 5 tech.

My guess, should we sign Milton Williams, is a later round pick on a run-stuffer. Looking back on Vrabel's time in Tennessee, the person playing next to Jeffrey Simmons was almost exclusively a UDFA. However, this class is so good it would be negligent not to benefit from it. May favourite as a late round 1-gapping NT is CJ West.
I was gonna say for all the doubters of Shemar Stewart due to lack of production

can you tell me who these 2 are...

 
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