My Favourite Day-3 DT’s

The interior defensive line class looked so promising before the college season and although most of the top guys had subpar seasons for various reasons, I think there is some real depth and especially if you’re looking to fill a specific role. DT is definitely a need for the Lions, who currently have very little depth at the position. As always in this series, a player must have an average consensus rank of 110 or over.

My Top 10:

1. Kayden McDonald – Ohio State

2. Peter Woods – Clemson

3. Caleb Banks – Florida

4. Christian Miller – Georgia

5. Gracen Halton – Oklahoma

6. Lee Hunter – Texas Tech

7. Darrell Jackson Jr – Florida State

8. Dominique Orange – Iowa State

9. Tim Keenan III – Alabama

10. Kaleb Proctor – Southeastern Louisiana

Tim Keenan III is a consensus day-3 player, so we will begin with him.

Tim Keenan III – Alabama – Average Consensus Rank: 156

The redshirt senior was a four-star recruit out of the state of Alabama. Keenan III is an out-and-out nose tackle at just over 6’1’’ and a whopping 332 lbs with 31’’ arms therefore his production, in terms of stats, will be limited. He was with the Crimson Tide for all five years of his collegiate career, redshirting his freshman season, in 2024 he managed 40 total tackles, 7.5 TFL’s and 2.5 sacks, which is impressive for a nose tackle. He started 2025 injured, missing three games with an ankle injury, and I feel this affected him for the rest of the season, he just wasn’t the same force he was the season prior, he made 16 total tackles, 3 TFL’s and 2 sacks.

Unsurprisingly, at 332 lbs, Keenan III didn’t test well at the NFL combine, I was expecting slightly better than his 10-yard split, 1.83, and his bench press, 21 reps. I was disappointed because, on tape he does look fairly explosive, and my god is he strong, he’s a true anchor in the run game who is an expert at taking on double teams and never gets moved backwards off the line of scrimmage, all this mean that offenses have to plan their run game around him and allocate more resources to nullify him – the perfect nose tackle. As a pass rusher, he is limited, although he does flash some quick, heavy hands to beat offensive linemen, then he has a great motor to attempt to chase down a scrambling quarterback, note that I used the word ‘attempt’ here, he’s rarely successful but I love the effort.

Keenan III, a team captain in 2025, is probably the second-best run defender in the class, behind only Kayden McDonald in my opinion he will contribute on first and second downs as a rookie and I firmly believe he will be around the league for a decade. I understand that I value run defence higher than others, but even so, I believe the consensus is low on him, I have a mid-third round grade on him.

Jordan van den Berg - Georgia Tech - Average Consensus Rank: 261

Born in Johannesburg, South Africa, van den Berg moved to America when he was 10. He comes from an athletic bloodline, his grandfather, Francois, competed in South Africa’s national bodybuilding competition, and his grandmother, Joan Rocci, represented her country at the 1958 Commonwealth Games in swimming. Jordan played linebacker in high school before adding 40 lbs and moving to the defensive line during his one year at Iowa Western Community College. After that season he transferred to Penn State where he stayed for three years before his move to Georgia Tech. Over his two years as a Yellow Jacket, he got 67 total tackles, 16 TFL’s and 4 sacks, with most of this production coming in 2025 where he earned First-Team All-ACC and First-Team Academic All-American honours.

van den Berg was no.18 on the 2025 Freaks List, he powercleaned 393 lbs, squatted 675 and bench pressed 450, oh and he clocked 19.5 mph on the GPS. This strength and explosion shows on tape, van den Berg has a good get-off and lateral quickness that he uses to gap shoot to get into the backfield. At 6’3’’ he could be forgiven for having some pad level issues, but I didn’t see one occasion where his helmet was higher than the offensive lineman. Being a gap shooter, he can leave open lanes for a running back, this isn’t necessarily a negative as it was what he was asked to do by Georgia Tech, but on the few occasions he was asked to hold the point of attack he did struggle to stack and shed. I think this is just a technique issue and is very coachable.

Jordan van den Berg is a player that I am much higher on than consensus, 261 implies that he is a UDFA, I have a late third-round grade on him. I see him as a rotational piece to start, with the upside of becoming a starter down the road. He has said that when he’s done playing, he wants to get into coaching, so he obviously loves the sport, sounds like a Lion to me.

Chris McClellan – Missouri – Average Consensus Rank: 112

A former four-star prospect out of Oklahoma, he committed to play football with the Florida Gators where he stayed for two years, appearing in 25 games before transferring to Missouri where he has appeared in 26 games for the Tigers. In 2025 he posted 48 total tackles, 8 TFL’s and 6 sacks.

McClellan was built in a lab to play defensive tackle, 6’3 ½“, 315 lbs, with 34’’ arms, 83 ¼” wingspan and massive 11” hands, these measurements alone will be enough to get NFL general managers interested in spending a pick on him. Then you get to the tape, and you see how the build translates. He shows a good first step at times which, when paired with his strong hands, often forces the offensive lineman to take a backward step. Despite this good ability to stack, he can struggle to shed the block. As a pass rusher, McClellan shows a powerful bull rush, regularly pushing a lineman back towards the quarterback, if he can add a counter to this he will be a real force in the pass game.

I graded McCellan as a mid fourth-round talent who, due to his build, has massive upside. He needs a bit of seasoning, and I expect him to be a rotation piece for the majority of his rookie season. I’d love him in Detroit.

David Gusta - Kentucky - Average Consensus Rank: 304

Gusta burst onto my radar relatively late in the process after his really impressive display at the combine. The redshirt senior was a three-star recruit, he spent four years at Washington State and his last year at Kentucky. Gusta was not overly productive in college managing only 74 tackles, 9 TFL’s and 2.5 sacks in his career, it’s therefore understandable that a lot of people have never heard of him. 

I mentioned his combine performance; his 1.68s 10-yard split was the second fastest amongst defensive tackles, only beaten by Zane Durant who is 15lbs lighter. Gusta also put up 37 reps on the bench, four more than any other player. This athleticism translates to his game, he possesses a good first step which allows him to fire his powerful hands into the chest of the offensive lineman, more often than not, the head of the guard or centre jerks skyward from the force of Gusta’s hands. This is where the positives end, his lack of length, just over 31’’ arms, means he struggles to shed the block even with the dominant initial contact. Gusta doesn't seem to have a pass rush plan either. It may be that both Washington State and Kentucky just asked him to hold the point of attack, either way, this needs to improve. 

With his strength and power profile, I do not doubt that Gusta can hang as an NFL 1-tech but he will have to rely on his bull rush to crush the pocket to impact the passer. I graded Gusta as a late fourth-round player who will contribute early on first and second downs. I think he could be a perfect backup for Tyliek Williams for the Lions.

Skyler Gill-Howard - Texas Tech - Average Consensus Rank: 214

Started his career at Division II Upper Iowa in 2021, and he then spent three years at Northern Illinois before being part of the massive investment the Red Raiders made in their 2025 team. Gill-Howard started the season on fire, not necessarily lighting up the box score but he was constantly in the backfield, outplaying his teammate and draft darling Lee Hunter. Over the last three years, he has 14.5 TFL’s and 6.5 sacks.

Gill-Howard has a great get-off which allows him to get across the face of offensive linemen into the gap, this is how he plays the run, he fires into the backfield in an attempt to blow up the play. He’s not one to hold the point of attack, although when he does, he shows a decent anchor and use of natural leverage to avoid getting pushed off the ball. Due to his lack of length, he can struggle to get off blocks, which is a running theme amongst this list, Gill-Howard has to take a step back to shed. This is when his experience as a linebacker comes in, he’s very adept at scarping across the line of scrimmage to plug running lanes, he also pursues the play to the very end, at times he does look like a linebacker in the way he moves. Unsurprisingly, at his size, he struggles with double teams. In the pass game, he shows fast and active hand usage, but they can be inaccurate and lack a bit of pop at times.

My final line on his notes simply says, ‘when it all clicks, he looks dominant.’ Gill-Howard needs to go to a team with an attacking front defence, he needs to be let off the reins and play what he sees. I have a late fourth-round grade on him.

Albert Regis – Texas A&M – Average Consensus Rank: 191

A redshirt senior who has spent all five years at Texas A&M, he was a four-star recruit coming out of high school. Regis is very experienced, having appeared in 51 games for the Aggies, notching up 116 total tackles, 11 TFL’s and 3.5 sacks so he doesn’t light up the box score. Regis is predominantly a run stopper with limited pass rush upside.

Regis checked in at the combine at 6’1’’ 295 lbs, but I believe he played in the 305-310 range, even in that range, he is undersized for a pure run stuffer. In the run game, he fires off the ball well and often initiates contact with the offensive lineman, he plays with good pad level, this leverage and good lower body strength mean he can hold the point of attack well. As a pass rusher, the story is very much the same, he fires off well, then just gets stuck on the offensive lineman, there is very little lateral movement and very limited hand usage. Now, this may be that TAMU just asked him to occupy linemen to allow one-on-ones for others, but I didn’t see much to get me excited.

Opinions on Regis vary, I have seen some analysts have him as a day-2 player, for me, he is firmly a day-3 prospect with a high fifth-round grade. If he can find some pass rush he could end up being a major steal for whoever picks him, but it’s a big if. I do expect him to contribute early as a steady run defender.  

Landon Robinson - Navy - Average Consensus Rank: 181.5

He may have been snubbed by the combine, but he won't be snubbed by me. Robinson is a three-time member of Bruce Feldman’s Freak List, he’s gone from 92, to 48, to 13 in the 2025 edition. He can bench press 465 lbs, squat 665, power clean 350 and he was clocked on GPS at 20.13 mph, not bad for a nose tackle. At 5’11 1/4’’ and 291 lbs, Robinson is an outlier at the position. Over the last three years, the senior has appeared in 38 games, amassing 153, 18.5 TFL’s and 14.5 sacks.

Robinson had an outstanding pro day, his 1.65s 10-yard split would have been 1st amongst DT’s at the combine, and his 4.87s forty would have been 4th, with some scouts having him as fast as 4.78s. In the agility drills, he posted 4.48s short shuttle and 7.32s 3-cone, both of which would have been comfortably the quickest in Indy. His 30 bench press reps would have been good enough for joint 2nd at the combine. The nose tackle also took part in some fullback drills, including pass catching which he also looked very good in by all accounts. 

So how does all this athleticism translate to the field? Well, as a pass rusher, he has a great first step and is genuinely just quicker than any interior offensive lineman, he could do with adding some counters to his game. Against the run, it's his lower body strength that really shines, he uses that and the natural leverage he has to hold the point of attack, however he can struggle to get off that block once engaged. He has also played on all phases of special teams, he took a fake punt 29 yards in 2024, he has three carries for 87 yards in his career!! 

I cannot see a situation where Robinson is asked to play nose tackle in the NFL, he is much better suited to 3-tech and possibly even 4i or 5-tech as a big defensive end. These roles would allow him to display his athleticism and make plays in the backfield. There will be some teams put off by his height, but he will be drafted. I have a high fifth-round grade on Robinson.

Aaron Graves – Iowa – Average Consensus Rank: 302

Graves is Iowa through and through, played high school football there and played college football there. He was a multi-sport athlete in high school, as well as football, he also competed in basketball, shot put and wrestling. Graves has both experience and production to back up his draft profile, he has appeared in 52 games with the Haweyes, making 122 total tackles, 25 TFL’s and 16.5 sacks over his four years at Iowa, he also returned an interception for 35 yards in 2025. He was selected as Second-Team All-Big Ten and Academic All-Big Ten this most recent year.

Graves gets off the line well, when he teams this up with his good lateral quickness and active hands, you can see where his production has come from, he is a constant problem for guards and centres. He’s about 6’4’’ and 300 lbs but has short, 30 ½“arms, despite this I think he shows decent ability when it comes to shedding blocks in the run game. However, whether it’s because he likes to gap shoot, he can get pushed off balance and washed out in the run game.

Best suited as a 3-tech in my opinion, Graves has the ability to be a menace in NFL backfields, if he can show better lane integrity in the run game then I expect him to be a valuable contributor to a defence. Another player that is currently touted to go undrafted, but I believe him to be a high-fifth-round prospect.

Tyler Onyedim – Texas A&M – Average Consensus Rank:182

Onyedim is a former 3-star prospect who spent 4 years at Iowa State before leaving the Cyclones to move to College Station. Over his career, he’s managed 138 total tackles, 20.5 TFL’s and 5.5 sacks so he doesn’t jump off the stat sheet, but every time I watch the Aggies this year, I noticed that big, long no.11 impacting the game.

Like McClellan, Onyedim was made to play on the defensive line, at 6’4’’, 292 lbs, over 34’’ arms and over 10’’ hands. He pairs this size with decent explosion and power, letting him get the upper hand against offensive linemen in the initial stages of the rep. I would like to see him capitalise on this more than he does with a better pass-rush plan. When playing the run, he can hold the point of attack at defensive tackle or defensive end. In both phases, despite being 6’4’’, he manages to keep his pad level in check whilst still playing with length, this gives him the foundation to be really good in the NFL.

I think Onyedim could play either 3-tech or 4i/5-tech as a big defensive end. Despite being an experienced player, I think his best football is ahead of him, especially if he develops more of a pass-rush plan. I have an early fifth-round grade on him and expect him to be a rotational player early on in his career.

Dontay Corleone – Cincinnati – Average Consensus Rank:116.5

‘The Godfather’ feels like he’s been draft eligible for half a decade, but in reality, he’s only been in college for five years, all as a Bearcat. A three-time Freaks List guy, coming in at no.14 in 2025, he bench presses 485 lbs, squats 615, and can sumo deadlift 585. He’s also been clocked with a 1.71s 10-yard split and 7.44 three-cone which at 340lbs is ridiculous. Corleone does have an injury history, in 2024 blood clots were discovered in his lungs, as a result he missed the beginning of that season, in 2025 missed a few games due to an ankle injury. Despite these injuries, he has played double-digit games every year since his redshirt in 2021. During those four years, Corleone has played 44 games amassing 17 TFL’s and 9.5 sacks, although none of these came in 2025, maybe that ankle injury was bothering him.

At 6’1’’ he is built like a fire hydrant, and plays a bit like one too, he is a run defender only with very little pass rush. Corleone has a great anchor and never gets moved from the line of scrimmage, relying on leg drive and tenacity to defeat blocks rather than hand usage, which can mean it takes a second or two longer for him to do so. I said he has little pass rush, and while I stand by that, he does show the ability to get under the pads of the offensive line and crush the pocket with powerful lower-body strength.

Corleone is probably not going to be more than a backup nose tackle for the majority of his career, but he will be a valuable member of the roster. Teams might want to do more medical checks on the blood clots and the possibility of them returning. I have a mid-fifth round pick grade on The Godfather.

Overall, this is an intriguing defensive tackle class, I think you can find role players with serious upside deep into day three.

As always, feel free to comment below with any questions or players you’d like me to highlight. We’ll be finishing this series by looking at the safety class.