2023 NFL Draft: Defensive Tackle Class

[WNY_FOOTBALL_DUDE]

Lets talk about the draft and look at the Defensive Line/Tackle prospects. I have already done Quarterback and Running Back. Feel free to add your own input.

DEFENSIVE TACKLE
1. Jalen Carter, Georgia - 6'3, 300 pounds
2. Bryan Bresee, Clemson - 6'5, 305 pounds
3. Siaki Ika, Baylor/ LSU - 6'4, 358 pounds
4. Mazi Smith, Michigan - 6'3, 337 pounds
5. Calija Kancey, Pittsburgh - 6'0, 280 pounds, 2022 ACC Defensive Player of the Year
6. Zacch Pickens, South Carolina - 6'4, 305 pounds
7. Karl Brooks, Bowling Green - 6'4, 300 pounds
8. Gervon Dexter Sr, Florida - 6'6, 312 pounds
9. Kobie Turner, Wake Forest - 6'3, 290 pounds
10. Adetomiwa Adebawore, Northwestern - 6'2, 280 pounds
11. Keeanu Benton, Wisconsin - 6'4, 315 pounds
12. Keondre Coburn, Texas - 6'2, 343 pounds
13. Colby Wooden, Auburn - 6'5, 284 pounds
14. Byron Young, Alabama - 6'3, 292 pounds
15. Jaquelin Roy, LSU - 6'4, 315 pounds
16. Keion White, Georgia Tech - 6'5, 286 pounds
17. Jalen Redmond, Oklahoma - 6'3, 298 pounds

Carter, Ika, and Bresee are projected to go in the first round. Any thoughts on these crop of prospects? Myles Murphy will put him with the Edge Rusher list. Keep in mind two things (a) I only included prospects ESPN and CBS have in their top 100. (b) Defensive Tackle/Defensive Edge does get murky here.

 

[Schmoopy1000]

I am very interested in what people are thinking of the DT position!

 

[WNY_FOOTBALL_DUDE]

Carter

 

[Anointed One]

Jalen Carter is the next Cortez Kennedy... I pray he falls to us at the #5 overall pick... I hope at least 3 teams reach for a QB in front of us so we'd have a shot at drafting Carter...

 

[WNY_FOOTBALL_DUDE]

Bresee

 

[Schmoopy1000]

Bresee

well if they plan on him becoming a top ten pick.
He is off our board.

 

[Mebert]

Ika is projected in the first?

 

[WNY_FOOTBALL_DUDE]

Ika is projected in the first?

CBS has him #18 and ESPN as the 37th best player. He could very well go in the first round.

 

[Mebert]

CBS has him #18 and ESPN as the 37th best player. He could very well go in the first round.

That is interesting. Normally pure run stoppers don't get that kind of love.

 

[WNY_FOOTBALL_DUDE]

well if they plan on him becoming a top ten pick.
He is off our board.

I expect Carter to get off the board before pick 6. Cowboys can get him, but going to come with a heavy price tag. Bresee might be just as good. Both are studs.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

I am very interested in what people are thinking of the DT position!

Few people are more interested in the DT spot than Bears fans, being we have at this point possibly the worst DL in the league. So this also includes DE/Edge as well. But it's not just the draft, there's also free agency. While there may be only a couple of blue chippers at DT, the group as a whole looks fairly deep. And I think that's been the take in general from this year's draft - not a lot of blue chip talent at most positions, but fairly deep overall.

 

[Clayton]

Few people are more interested in the DT spot than Bears fans, being we have at this point possibly the worst DL in the league. So this also includes DE/Edge as well. But it's not just the draft, there's also free agency. While there may be only a couple of blue chippers at DT, the group as a whole looks fairly deep. And I think that's been the take in general from this year's draft - not a lot of blue chip talent at most positions, but fairly deep overall.

Carter in particular is one of the obvious blue chip talents.

Breese probably should be 2nd off the board but he seems like a late 1st rounder to me. Boom/bust.

Mazi Smith is probably the best athlete. Rd3 tape. Dontari Poe got drafted top 10 with that profile so maybe he goes high but im not sure.

Kancey is undersized. Hopefully people wait for the combine to get hyperbolic in comparing him to Donald. Donald was an elite athlete. Not sure Kancey is but if he test well he'll go high.

Ika seems like a prototypical NT.

 

[Schmoopy1000]

I expect Carter to get off the board before pick 6. Cowboys can get him, but going to come with a heavy price tag. Bresee might be just as good. Both are studs.

A bad ass DT is my wish list.
I suspect all the mocks will have us targeting a DB.
I am a firm believer of building your team from the inside, out. Not the other way. But all the headline positions are from the outside, in.

 

[Dr. Strangelove]

Few people are more interested in the DT spot than Bears fans, being we have at this point possibly the worst DL in the league. So this also includes DE/Edge as well. But it's not just the draft, there's also free agency. While there may be only a couple of blue chippers at DT, the group as a whole looks fairly deep. And I think that's been the take in general from this year's draft - not a lot of blue chip talent at most positions, but fairly deep overall.

It'll be interesting to see what your team does. It seems like either edge with Anderson or Carter in the middle. Then we will see what Arizona does. If they trade out of their pick to someone wanting one of the top QBs, then Seattle has a real shot at whichever one your Bears don't take because it's almost a given that the Texans and Colts go QB.

 

[WNY_FOOTBALL_DUDE]

Ika

 

[WNY_FOOTBALL_DUDE]

Kancey

 

[Schmoopy1000]

Kancey

I like him.
Will he fall to the late pick?

 

[Clayton]

I like him.
Will he fall to the late pick?

He is the most dependent on the combine out of the whole DT class imo. I think you'll see him in the pick 10-15 range if he tests well but since his weight is so small relative to the other prospect he could fall.

DTs in general do seem to fall a bit so it could happen.

 

[WNY_FOOTBALL_DUDE]

Karl Brooks


Gervon Dexter Sr

 

[WNY_FOOTBALL_DUDE]

Mazi Smith. Do you think his gun arrest will hurt his stock?