Top NFL Defensive Tackles 2026
Compare interior defenders on disruption, leverage, gap discipline and their ability to affect the pocket.
32 of up to 32 qualifying players ยท Updated Oct 8, 2026.
Click a player to expand their bio and latest scouting report.
#1
Jalen Carter
87/100- College
- Georgia
- Jersey
- 98
- Height (in)
- 75
- Weight (lb)
- 314
- Experience (years)
- 4
Drafted ninth overall by the Eagles in 2023.
Full player profile and scouting reports →Latest scouting report
1 sack and 1 forced fumble, 8 tackles. looks fine but not dominant, team is 2-2
#2
Arik Armstead
86/100- College
- Oregon
- Jersey
- 91
- Height (in)
- 79
- Weight (lb)
- 290
- Experience (years)
- 12
Drafted 17th overall by Niners in 2015.
Full player profile and scouting reports →Latest scouting report
Armstead is the grown-up in the middle: long, powerful and smart about how to affect a play even when he is not the one finishing it. He makes the edge rushers' lives easier.
Strengths: Length, interior pass-rush power, run-defense experience and veteran leadership make him a front-line difference maker.
Weaknesses: Age and accumulated workload can affect burst, and he is most effective when his snap count is managed intelligently.
#3
DeForest Buckner
86/100- College
- Oregon
- Jersey
- 99
- Height (in)
- 79
- Weight (lb)
- 295
- Experience (years)
- 11
Drafted 17th overall by Niners in 2016.
Full player profile and scouting reports →Latest scouting report
18 tackles and 3 sacks for a dt is nuts, 2 pass breakups too. he's a handful every snap
#4
Zach Sieler
86/100- College
- Ferris State
- Jersey
- 92
- Height (in)
- 78
- Weight (lb)
- 300
- Experience (years)
- 9
His No. 96 is retired at Ferris State.
Full player profile and scouting reports →Latest scouting report
2 sacks last week! 2.5 tfl and 10 tackles on a 0-4 team, the only bright spot on that defense
#5
Jonathan Allen
85/100- College
- Alabama
- Jersey
- 93
- Height (in)
- 75
- Weight (lb)
- 300
- Experience (years)
- 10
Drafted by Washington in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft.
Full player profile and scouting reports →Latest scouting report
2 sacks and 12 tackles, 2 tfl. decent but not what he used to be
#6
Derrick Brown
85/100- College
- Auburn
- Jersey
- 95
- Height (in)
- 77
- Weight (lb)
- 320
- Experience (years)
- 7
Set NFL record for total tackles (103) by a DT in 2023.
Full player profile and scouting reports →Latest scouting report
11 tackles but 0 sacks and 3 pass breakups, 2 last week. crazy for a tackle, still a force but the numbers aren't crazy
#7
Aaron Donald
85/100- College
- Pittsburgh
- Jersey
- 99
- Height (in)
- 73
- Weight (lb)
- 280
- Experience (years)
- 10
Ranked in the Top 10 of the NFL's Top 100 in five-straight years (2018-22).
Full player profile and scouting reports →Latest scouting report
35 and he still flashes. only 2 games and 1 tfl, nowhere near the old unstoppable days but he's still a problem inside. rams could really use the pass rush.
#8
Quinnen Williams
85/100- College
- Alabama
- Jersey
- 92
- Height (in)
- 75
- Weight (lb)
- 303
- Experience (years)
- 8
Drafted No. 3 overall by Jets in 2019.
Full player profile and scouting reports →Latest scouting report
3.5 tfl, 1 sack and a forced fumble, a sack and 1.5 tfl last week. best dt on the team and it's not close
#9
Vita Vea
83/100- College
- Washington
- Jersey
- 50
- Height (in)
- 76
- Weight (lb)
- 347
- Experience (years)
- 9
Drafted 12th overall by Buccaneers in 2018.
Full player profile and scouting reports →Latest scouting report
8 tackles and 2 pass breakups for a big guy. mostly eats blockers, 0-4 team so nobody cares
#10
Christian Barmore
82/100- College
- Alabama
- Jersey
- 90
- Height (in)
- 77
- Weight (lb)
- 315
- Experience (years)
- 6
Defensive MVP of 2021 CFP National Championship.
Full player profile and scouting reports →Latest scouting report
4 tackles and 1 sack, shoulder thing. patriots are 1-2 and he isn't making a splash.
#11
Dexter Lawrence II
82/100- College
- Clemson
- Jersey
- 97
- Height (in)
- 77
- Weight (lb)
- 350
- Experience (years)
- 8
Drafted with 17th overall pick by the Giants in 2019.
Full player profile and scouting reports →Latest scouting report
3 sacks and 3 tfl in 3 games, a sack last week. the biggest guy on the field and still gets to the quarterback
#12
Nnamdi Madubuike
82/100- College
- Texas A&M
- Jersey
- 92
- Height (in)
- 75
- Weight (lb)
- 305
- Experience (years)
- 7
Drafted by Ravens in third round in 2020.
Full player profile and scouting reports →Latest scouting report
Madubuike is a problem because guards have to respect both his first step and his power. He can ruin a pocket from inside and make every edge rusher's job easier.
Strengths: Interior quickness, power and pass-rush disruption make him a foundational defensive tackle.
Weaknesses: Heavy double teams can reduce his impact, and the workload of being the interior focal point can wear on him.
#13
Chris Jones
79/100- College
- Mississippi State
- Jersey
- 95
- Height (in)
- 78
- Weight (lb)
- 310
- Experience (years)
- 11
Drafted in the second round by the Chiefs in 2016.
Full player profile and scouting reports →Latest scouting report
0 sacks and 11 tackles. not the same wrecking ball i expected, 4-0 team doesn't need him to be
#14
Calijah Kancey
79/100- College
- Pittsburgh
- Jersey
- 94
- Height (in)
- 72
- Weight (lb)
- 280
- Experience (years)
- 4
Drafted 19th overall by Tampa Bay in 2023.
Full player profile and scouting reports →Latest scouting report
Kancey is the Bucs' interior speed problem for opposing guards. His first step and closing burst can wreck a pocket, especially next to Vea; the only question is whether he can finally convert his per-snap dominance into a full healthy season.
Strengths: 30 QB hits, 11.5 sacks in 29 games, elite first step, high motor, and starter role next to a powerful nose tackle.
Weaknesses: Three early seasons have included 22 missed games, including a torn-pectoral 2025, so durability remains the decisive concern.
#15
Grover Stewart
79/100- College
- Albany State
- Jersey
- 90
- Height (in)
- 76
- Weight (lb)
- 314
- Experience (years)
- 10
Fourth round pick in 2017 out of Albany State.
Full player profile and scouting reports →Latest scouting report
6 tackles last week and 12 on the year. a run stuffer and that's all, no pressure at all
#16
Justin Eboigbe
77/100- College
- Alabama
- Jersey
- 92
- Height (in)
- 77
- Weight (lb)
- 292
- Experience (years)
- 3
Drafted in fourth round by Chargers in 2024.
Full player profile and scouting reports →Latest scouting report
Eboigbe went from a quiet rookie season to a player offenses had to account for. Six sacks from the interior changes a defense, especially when the edge group already demands attention. The exciting part is that the 39 tackles say he was not just hunting quarterback stats. Now he has to show this is his baseline, not merely a breakout spike.
Strengths: Length, interior pass-rush production, active tackling and upward momentum. He can create pressure without needing a pure edge alignment.
Weaknesses: The high-end production is based on one season after a very limited rookie role. He must prove he can handle more focus from protections and maintain his impact versus the run.
#17
Cameron Heyward
77/100- College
- Ohio State
- Jersey
- 97
- Height (in)
- 77
- Weight (lb)
- 295
- Experience (years)
- 16
Drafted 31st overall by Steelers out of Ohio State in 2011.
Full player profile and scouting reports →Latest scouting report
Heyward is still the sort of lineman opponents account for before they run the call. He wins with power and hands, understands how offenses try to manipulate fronts and keeps the standard high in the building. Age is part of the evaluation, but his technique gives him a better answer than most veterans have.
Strengths: Power, technique, run defense, leadership and football intelligence.
Weaknesses: Veteran snap management and reduced room for error against younger interior athletes.
#18
Alim McNeill
77/100- College
- NC State
- Jersey
- 54
- Height (in)
- 74
- Weight (lb)
- 310
- Experience (years)
- 6
Had a sack in the 2023 postseason with Lions.
Full player profile and scouting reports →Latest scouting report
3 sacks and 8 tackles, a sack last week. surprising pass rush from a nose tackle
#19
Jeffery Simmons
77/100- College
- Mississippi State
- Jersey
- 98
- Height (in)
- 76
- Weight (lb)
- 305
- Experience (years)
- 8
Drafted 19th overall by the Titans in 2019.
Full player profile and scouting reports →Latest scouting report
24 tackles, 4 tfl and 2 sacks from the middle. best dt on a bad team, that's an all pro pace
#20
Leonard Williams
77/100- College
- USC
- Jersey
- 99
- Height (in)
- 77
- Weight (lb)
- 310
- Experience (years)
- 12
Has a Magic: The Gathering collection worth more than $1 million.
Full player profile and scouting reports →Latest scouting report
3 sacks and 13 tackles at 32, great value for seattle. keeps making plays.
#21
Byron Murphy II
76/100- College
- Texas
- Jersey
- 91
- Height (in)
- 72
- Weight (lb)
- 306
- Experience (years)
- 3
Selected with No. 16 pick by Seattle in 2024.
Full player profile and scouting reports →Latest scouting report
3 tfl and a sack last week. getting better every week, should be a pro bowler
#22
Mason Graham
75/100- College
- Michigan
- Jersey
- 94
- Height (in)
- 76
- Weight (lb)
- 315
- Experience (years)
- 2
Cleveland drafted with No. 5 pick in 2025.
Full player profile and scouting reports →Latest scouting report
4 sacks from a dt is insane. 2 sacks vs carolina and 7 tackles. browns are 2-1 and he's a huge reason. young guy already dominating.
#23
Javon Hargrave
73/100- College
- South Carolina State
- Jersey
- 98
- Height (in)
- 74
- Weight (lb)
- 307
- Experience (years)
- 11
Had 23 combined sacks over three seasons with Eagles (2020-22).
Full player profile and scouting reports →Latest scouting report
Hargrave is a veteran interior disruptor who can make a quarterback feel pressure right up the middle. His quickness and rush experience give the Packers a proven difference maker inside.
Strengths: Interior pass-rush quickness, veteran production and pocket-collapsing ability make him a high-value front player.
Weaknesses: Age and workload can affect burst, while powerful double teams can limit his run-defense influence.
#24
Gervon Dexter Sr.
71/100- College
- Florida
- Jersey
- 95
- Height (in)
- 78
- Weight (lb)
- 326
- Experience (years)
- 4
Drafted in second round by Bears in 2023.
Full player profile and scouting reports →Latest scouting report
Dexter is a substantial addition, literally and figuratively, to a Falcons front that needed new bodies. The recent sack production plus his size gives Atlanta a player who can help fortify the run and still challenge pockets.
Strengths: Size, availability, interior pass-rush production and starting experience.
Weaknesses: Trade was pending a physical and he must quickly acclimate to a changing front.
#25
B.J. Hill
70/100- College
- NC State
- Jersey
- 92
- Height (in)
- 75
- Weight (lb)
- 311
- Experience (years)
- 9
Drafted in third round by Giants in 2018.
Full player profile and scouting reports →Latest scouting report
Hill has been one of the steady adults on this defense for years. He started all 17 last season, made 66 tackles and added four sacks while wearing the captain's patch. I have him at a seven. He is not an elite pass rusher, but he plays hard, handles multiple jobs and has always shown up in big moments. A deeper line should help keep him fresh.
Strengths: Hill combines dependable run fits, active hands and enough pass rush to punish single blocks. His durability, leadership and postseason experience make him valuable beyond the box score.
Weaknesses: He is more solid than dominant and can be moved by powerful double teams. At 31, a reduced rotation may be necessary to preserve his late-season effectiveness.
#26
DJ Reader
70/100- College
- Clemson
- Jersey
- 98
- Height (in)
- 75
- Weight (lb)
- 335
- Experience (years)
- 11
Two-time nominee for Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award.
Full player profile and scouting reports →Latest scouting report
Reader is the veteran interior presence who gives the Giants' creative front a physical floor. He can occupy the difficult inside work so the movable edge and linebacker pieces get cleaner opportunities to attack.
Strengths: Interior strength, veteran experience and key run-defense role.
Weaknesses: Must maintain impact in a front that will rotate and move players frequently.
#27
Teair Tart
70/100- College
- Florida International
- Jersey
- 93
- Height (in)
- 74
- Weight (lb)
- 315
- Experience (years)
- 7
Played college ball at ASA, Ellsworth CC and Florida International.
Full player profile and scouting reports →Latest scouting report
Tart has become one of the quiet reasons this defense can play physical. He does not need a big sack total to matter; he wins by controlling the run game, keeping the interior honest and making the ball harder to move. The extension shows the Chargers value that exact kind of dependable trench work.
Strengths: Strong run-defense profile, durable starting experience, physical interior presence and disruptive hands at the line. He is a credible anchor in multiple front looks.
Weaknesses: He is not a high-volume pass rusher, so his impact depends on surrounding pressure converting his interior work. He must sustain the run-defense level that earned the extension.
#28
Maliek Collins
69/100- College
- Nebraska
- Jersey
- 96
- Height (in)
- 74
- Weight (lb)
- 310
- Experience (years)
- 11
Drafted in third round by Cowboys out of Nebraska in 2016.
Full player profile and scouting reports →Latest scouting report
a sack and a tfl last week, 4 tackles. rotational but a good stat line
#29
Brandon Dorlus
69/100- College
- Oregon
- Jersey
- 54
- Height (in)
- 75
- Weight (lb)
- 295
- Experience (years)
- 3
Drafted with No. 109 pick by Falcons in 2024.
Full player profile and scouting reports →Latest scouting report
Dorlus has a chance to become a real stabilizer because so much of Atlanta's front is new. His versatility matters in a defense built to shift between fronts and ask the line to match opposing personnel.
Strengths: Returning continuity, front versatility and rotational value.
Weaknesses: Must help replace significant departed defensive-line snap production.
#30
Ed Oliver
69/100- College
- Houston
- Jersey
- 91
- Height (in)
- 73
- Weight (lb)
- 287
- Experience (years)
- 8
Drafted No. 9 overall by Bills in 2019.
Full player profile and scouting reports →Latest scouting report
9 tackles, 2.5 tfl and a half sack. consistent, 3-1 team and he's disruptive
#31
Daron Payne
69/100- College
- Alabama
- Jersey
- 94
- Height (in)
- 75
- Weight (lb)
- 320
- Experience (years)
- 9
Drafted No. 13 overall in 2018 out of Alabama.
Full player profile and scouting reports →Latest scouting report
8 tackles and no sacks, 4 last week. nothing special on a 1-3 team
#32
Jerry Tillery
69/100- College
- Notre Dame
- Jersey
- 94
- Height (in)
- 78
- Weight (lb)
- 295
- Experience (years)
- 8
Drafted 28th overall by Chargers in 2019.
Full player profile and scouting reports →Latest scouting report
Tillery gives the Colts a useful veteran changeup inside. His length and pass-rush background are valuable in a rotation that already has stronger run defenders. He does not need to carry the line; he needs to provide steady snaps and capitalize on favorable matchups.
Strengths: NFL experience, length, interior pass-rush ability and a track record of availability. He can be effective when allowed to attack rather than simply absorb double teams.
Weaknesses: He has moved through several teams and is better as complementary depth than a dominant every-down defender. His run-game consistency remains the area opponents will test.
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