Immediately following Brock Purdy’s name being announced as “Mr. Irrelevant” of the 2022 NFL Draft, Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter was already discussed as the best player in the 2023 class.
Since that day, not much has changed, and Carter remains the consensus No. 1 player at his position. For his 6’3″, 305-pound frame, the Georgia Bulldog possesses rare athleticism for a man his size.
Jalen Carter Remains at the Top of the Defensive Tackle Class
Being a member of the team’s national championship defense, Carter was used in a rotation of other rushers that kept him healthy, while allowing him to record three sacks his final season and being a stout run defender.
In Adam Caplan’s latest mock draft, he has Carter going fifth overall to the Seattle Seahawks, pairing him with free agent signing Dre’Mont Jones to anchor their defensive front. Caplan says, “Carter is seen as one of the top interior defensive line prospects in the last 10 years and would be a Day 1 starter for any team that drafts him — he’s that talented.”
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Carter’s film shows a truly generational talent, but teams might knock him down their draft boards depending on how they feel about his off-the-field concerns. If a team like Seattle trusts their homework on Carter, he’ll undoubtedly be worth the gamble at No. 5 overall.
The last time a DT was drafted in the top 10 was in 2020, with Derrick Brown to the Carolina Panthers at No. 7. The previous defensive tackle to go in the top five was Quinnen Williams, third overall to the New York Jets in 2019.
So after Carter, who are the other players to be among the best DTs in this year’s draft? Many thought it would be Calijah Kancey, but after his recent appearance on NFL Now, that remains to be determined.
Calijah Kancey Falling After Zero Top-30 Visits?
During the pre-draft process, all 32 teams can bring in 30 prospects of their choosing for a 24-hour visit with coaches and the front office, overall spending a significant amount of time with the player.
Teams value these visits because they can check boxes in their evaluation process, go over film, and use them to evaluate character concerns, as most did with Carter.
Not every player drafted is given a 30 visit with a team before the draft, but it’s unusual for a player considered a first-round talent not to get one. Pittsburgh’s Kancey spoke on NFL Now about how he received zero invites to meet with teams as a 30 visit.
Not having your name on these lists doesn’t mean a team is not interested in drafting the specific player. It could be so teams keep it private that there is genuine interest in someone like Kancey.
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A team like the Baltimore Ravens, who pick at No. 22 overall in Round 1, could certainly use help at DT after releasing Calais Campbell and are out of position in the draft to select a player like Carter without having to trade up.
Production alone would make Kancey a lock to be a first-round pick. He finished his college career with 16 sacks and 34.5 tackles for loss in 33 games. However, he could fall out of the first round because his measurables are in the lower percentile for what is considered ideal to be successful in the NFL at his position.
If a team were to bet on Kancey as a top-30 pick, his rare athleticism and testing off the charts at the NFL Combine would help his case. He ran an official 4.67 second 40-yard dash which is the fastest time for a DT since 2003.
Other defensive tackles, like Kancey, also have the production and buzz to be a top-50 pick in next week’s draft.
Defensive Tackle Notable Mentions
There are defensive tackles throughout the draft that could become plug-and-play starters from Day 1. However, the drop-off from the top to the second tier could push some to be taken earlier than expected.
After Carter and Kancey, a few names to monitor would be Northwestern’s Adetomiwa Adebawore, Clemson’s Bryan Bresee, Baylor’s Siaki Ika, and Michigan’s Mazi Smith.
Adebawore and Bresee are athletic DTs that can push the pocket, similar to Kancey and Carter, that some teams might prefer from the middle of the defense. They can help in run defense, but that’s more of the style for the other two big boys.
Ika is listed at 6’3″, 335 pounds, and Smith measures 6’3″, 337 pounds. Both have the size to be traditional run-stuffing 1-techniques, while Smith has a higher upside to rush the passer, given his freakishly athletic profile. Envision both players as trash cans full of dirt clogging up running lanes.
Once those names are off the board, look for players like Keeanu Benton from Wisconsin and Gervon Dexter out of Florida to be players a team could take a chance on in Rounds 3 and 4 who could develop into plus starters.