One of the most important events on the National Football League calendar is the Senior Bowl. Held the week after the conference championship games, it is the true beginning of the NFL draft cycle.
Not only do scouts and analysts like us get to see over 100 draft prospects in one place competing against each other, but it’s also an opportunity for analysts and personnel alike to get together and have discussions about a number of topics.
As we look forward to this year’s Senior Bowl, both managing editor Tyler Forness and columnist Matt Anderson will be there in person to break everything down.
We will be breaking down each position group and what to look for throughout the week. Here is the interior defensive line position.
Previous:
Quarterbacks
Running backs
Wide receivers
Tight ends
Offensive tackles
Interior offensive line
Alabama’s DJ Dale
Dale enters the draft with plenty of experience, playing 48 games over four seasons. At 6-foot-3 and 300 pounds, Dale has the build to play in an even front but looks out of place in odd fronts because his body isn’t fit to play as a nose tackle. Dale is constantly working, showing off a high motor that allows him to get to spots he might not always get to. His first step is quick, which allows him to gain ground and get into the backfield, but he’ll need to get more in the pass rush category.
Alabama’s Byron Young
Like Dale, Young is an old man. He’s played 54 games over his career and was productive every year. He had a career year in 2021 with 9.5 tackles for loss and two sacks. The first thing that will get scouts excited is his build. Young has the body composition scouts desire, with a hefty lower half.
He’s best against the run, often controlling offensive linemen at the point of attack. Young is tactical about the chances he takes, and he’s often in the right position. Young is inconsistent when rushing the passer but his build leaves hope that he’ll develop better consistency with time.
Arizona State’s Nesta Jade Silvera
Silvera began his career with the Miami Hurricanes before transferring to Arizona State for his final season. Silvera played every game for the Sun Devils, posting 56 tackles and 4.5 tackles for loss.
On film, Silvera moves well for his 6-foot-2, 315-pound build; he combines that frame with good play strength, creating a prototype for scouts. Silvera is ultimately a role-dependent player. He’ll likely struggle to take on double teams or play as a nose tackle on odd fronts. Finding the correct role will allow him to shine physically and mentally. Silvera was slated to participate in the Shrine Bowl before receiving a late offer from Mobile.
Haven’t seen many 1 Tech DTs in this class that combine power & movement skill like Nesta Jade-Silvera. pic.twitter.com/xPEAniCSHp
— SportsRuckusScouting (Justin Walters) (@SportsRuckus) December 23, 2020
Bowling Green’s Karl Brooks
The first thing that stands out about Brooks is his production. Brooks has 30.5 tackles for loss and 17.5 sacks over the last two seasons, earning first-team all-conference honors.
On the tape, Brooks’ versatility is impressive. Despite being 300 pounds, Bowling Green lined Brooks up all over the place. He lined up inside as a 3-technique, outside as a 5-technique, and even as a stand-up edge rusher. He’ll probably be limited to the first two in the NFL; that versatility will allow him to carve out a role in the NFL, though. As expected, Brooks’ pass-rushing skills will separate him. He’s surprisingly athletic for his size and features pass-rush skills that will allow him to find his niche in the league.
Coastal Carolina’s Jerrod Clark
Clark is huge. Listed at 6-foot-4 and 340 pounds, Clark is a power nose tackle who holds his weight well. That build combined with his reported 82-inch wingspan makes him an intriguing anchor in the middle of the field.
Surprisingly, Clark is relatively new to the position. He signed with Coastal Carolina in 2017 as a tight end but began playing defensive line in 2020. Since moving over, Clark has shown some exciting traits. He can collapse the pocket and clog rushing lanes with his combination of length and strength. His weight, however, makes him a limited player at the next level. Players with Clark’s size normally don’t play all three-downs, but they can carve out roles in odd-man fronts.
CCU NT Jerrod Clark uses his 350-pound frame to 2-gap in the run game, regularly shedding to make the play. When asked to slant, has enough quickness to get into the backfield and disrupt things. #SnapScout23 pic.twitter.com/T1WqtSMhzs
— Chad Reuter (@chad_reuter) June 13, 2022
Mississippi State’s Cameron Young
Young mostly played as a nose tackle in college, but he’ll likely find himself as a defensive tackle in an even-man front in the NFL. At 6-foot-3 and 315 pounds, Young can certainly find a role in the NFL, even if some consider him a “tweener.”
Young isn’t a great athlete, but he does have a high motor and is always looking for work. That will be important as NFL teams try to clean up his overall game. In the NFL, look for Young to succeed as a two-down player. With his lack of twitch and quickness, Young likely won’t find himself playing on third downs.
Oklahoma’s Jalen Redmond
For three seasons, Redmond made immediate impacts for the Oklahoma Sooners. Redmond finished his career with 31.5 tackles for loss and 14 sacks. He posted double-digit tackles for loss in two seasons (2019 and 2022) and had a career-high 6.5 sacks in 2019.
Listed at 6-foot-3 and 292 pounds this season, Redmond looks to have found his ideal playing weight – a good sign for his overall development. On film, Redmond has shown the ability to be a true disruptor. He’s explosive and can work through blocks to get to his spots. Combine that with a high motor, and there are plenty of reasons to like what Redmond can bring with even more seasoning. Of note, Redmond was a five-star prospect coming out of high school. That likely gives Redmond an incredibly high ceiling if he can find the right fit at the next level.
Oklahoma State’s Tyler Lacy
Lacy might be considered a tweener of sorts, but there are things to like. He’s a versatile player capable of playing on both even-man and odd-man fronts. Lacy has some powerful and violent hands, allowing him to dominate reps. All of it feels a little inconsistent, though, likely due to his lack of bend and dynamic athleticism.
Against the run, Lacy is better. He can anchor and has a high motor, which helps him create plays when teams come his way. Overall, Lacy is a jack of many traits but a master of none. That limits his ceiling in some ways, but his tape also shows a player with a solid floor. With some of his limitations, Lacy will likely never be a star, but his versatility will offer him a way onto the field for most organizations.
South Carolina’s Zacch Pickens
Pickens should’ve been more dominant for a former five-star recruit. He had his moments for South Carolina but it wasn’t always present. Despite some of the inconsistency, there are plenty of reasons to like Pickens as a prospect. At 6-foot-4 and 305 pounds, Pickens has the combination of size and traits to be an impactful player in the NFL.
On pass-rushing downs, Pickens shows a lot of things. His hands are quick, and he has enough athleticism to allow him to stay on schedule. When his initial ideas succeed, quarterbacks fear him. However, he struggles to find solutions when offensive linemen force him to. In the run game, Pickens’s combination of length, power, and motor make him a potentially high-impact stuffer. He struggles against double-team blocks, though, limiting what he can do on a consistent basis. Overall, there are highs and lows from Pickens. His ceiling is high for the NFL but he’ll need to land in the right situation that will allow him to develop his tools.
MATCHUP: Arkansas’ Ricky Stromberg, 4-year starter & one of top centers in CFB, will have his hands full w/ @GamecockFB DL Zacch Pickens (@ZP6DT). Here’s Week 1 🎥 showing Pickens overwhelm blocker with length & in-line power…then the “excuse me” step-over before making tackle. https://t.co/qIhoFBeZhK pic.twitter.com/LscIgvPW4I
— Jim Nagy (@JimNagy_SB) September 9, 2022
Wisconsin’s Keeanu Benton
Benton is an exciting and highly-effective run defender. He’s disruptive in the interior, and his ability to two-gap doesn’t always come around. At 6-foot-4, 315 pounds, Benton has a great frame to play on the interior. Combine that frame with his long, powerful arms and there are plenty of reasons to be excited. Benton, however, isn’t perfect.
Although Benton has the traits to be a good pass rusher, he’s still raw in this sense. He doesn’t always maintain pad level or leverage, meaning certain offensive linemen can take him out of the play. There are reasons to think Benton can be a solid pass rusher, though. His power and quickness give him moments of beauty when quarterbacks drop back, especially when he gains leverage. Benton will likely be a two-down player initially but if he can find consistency, there is little doubt he can be a three-down player.
