The Cleveland Browns are in desperate need of defensive tackle help. They will need to overhaul their defensive tackle room with the real possibility that none of the current bodies return in 2023. This can happen via trade or free agency, but more than likely young guys will be added to the room by way of the 2023 NFL Draft.
Luckily for the Browns, this looks like a deep class of defensive tackles as last year’s crop was not. Who are the best defensive tackles in the 2023 NFL Draft? Here are my top ten guys who look to make the jump to the NFL this Spring.
1
Jalen Carter, Georgia
This is not a debate. Georgia’s Jalen Carter may have been the best defensive lineman on a unit a year ago that saw two players get drafted in the first round (including Travon Walker going first overall to the Jacksonville Jaguars).
The 6-foot-3 and 300-pound Bulldog is a menace to opposing offensive linemen and may just be the best player in the entire draft class. Unfortunately for the Browns, who do not have a first round draft pick, Carter will be long off the board before the Browns come on the clock around the 40th pick in the draft.
This Jalen Carter guy is pretty good. pic.twitter.com/9B2MDfGL6y
— Cory (@realcorykinnan) November 12, 2022
2
Bryan Bresee, Clemson
Another player likely out of the reach of the Browns is Clemson’s, Bryan Bresee. Contributing on a massive basis since his true freshman year, Bresee has missed time with injuries but is considered a top-15 player in this draft class.
He is long, explosive, and a monster as a pass rusher. Listed at 6-foot-5 and 300 pounds, Bresee racked up four sacks as a true freshman in 2020. This season, Bresee has returned to form after playing just four games a year ago for the Tigers.
Bresee is going to test off the charts at the NFL Scouting Combine and has put himself in a position to fly off the board well before the Browns come on the clock. Barring a trade-up for a defensive tackle into the first round, which is highly unlikely, this list starts at DT3 for the Browns in the 2023 NFL Draft.
3
Byron Young, Alabama
Put this guy at the top of your Cleveland Browns 2023 NFL Draft wishlist. Alabama’s Byron Young is a riser and is a force along the Crimson Tide defensive front. He can play all the way out to five-tech, has most of his reps inside at three-tech, and wreaks havoc from wherever he is aligned.
Just this past weekend against Ole Miss, Young racked up 11 total tackles, two sacks, two tackles for loss, a pass knocked down at the line of scrimmage, and a forced fumble. The 6-foot-3 and 292-pound defensive tackle is a bull in a china shop.
Insane player pic.twitter.com/2dVdXfgsA6
— Cory (@realcorykinnan) November 15, 2022
His hands are incredibly refined, knowing how to construct a pass rush plan, and he possesses a great deal of explosiveness in his lower half. As a run defender, Young has heavy hands and drive to create movement off of the line of scrimmage, and does a great job to keep his frame clear to two-gap at a high level.
Circle, star, highlight, and underline his name. It would be thrilling to see Young in the Brown and Orange next season.
Byron Young locking out the LT and two-gapping here is *chef's kiss* pic.twitter.com/bWBlWkcI0h
— Cory (@realcorykinnan) October 26, 2022
4
Johnny Newton, Illinois
As a redshirt sophomore, Illinois defensive tackle Johnny Newton may not even declare. However, he is explosive, powerful, and has a red-hot motor that makes him a threat to get to the quarterback every time he lines up between the stripes.
His body type is a bit unusual, as he is a shorter defensive tackle, but this plays to his advantage as his pad level matches his center of gravity. An athletic freak, Newton can track down quarterbacks across formations and shows a great deal of nuance with his hands as well.
I am the president of the Johnny Newton stanclub pic.twitter.com/8u4WVnUQ4Q
— Cory (@realcorykinnan) November 17, 2022
Explosive, powerful, and refined, Newton may just be the best-kept secret in this 2023 NFL Draft class. Could he trade in one orange helmet for another? We have to wait and see if he is set to declare or not.
I've had tabs on Illinois DT Jer'Zhan Newton for weeks now. 6-3, 295, and strong as all get out. Tremendous football player on a tremendous defensive unit in Champayne. pic.twitter.com/UtvjQqOGbm
— Cory (@realcorykinnan) October 24, 2022
5
Mazi Smith, Michigan
The athleticism of Mazi Smith has been well-documented, falling as the top player on Bruce Feldman’s Freak List this past offseason.
Feldman found that Smith can bench 325 pounds 22 times (the NFL Scouting Combine uses 225 pounds), can close grip bench press 550 pounds, and has jumped to a massive 44 inches in his vertical jump. While he still has some refining to do on the field, Smith’s athleticism shows up between the lines.
Here is a 326 pound defensive tackle playing outside of his frame along the outside track pic.twitter.com/1uMZ9QISUW
— Cory (@realcorykinnan) November 17, 2022
He is a hard man to move off of the ball when taking on doubles, possesses powerful and heavy hands when landing punches on the man across from him, and offers the ability to line up all over the defensive line for the Wolverines.
Smith has already put together solid tape against Penn State and Michigan State, but his biggest test is ahead of him as Michigan gets set to take on Ohio State next week.
— Cory (@realcorykinnan) November 17, 2022
6
Gervon Dexter, Florida
Florida defensive tackle Gervon Dexter is one of the most physically gifted guys in the class. However, there is not much awareness and refinement to play the actual position at this point. He came into the season relying heavily on his explosive traits, and he is doing more of the same in 2022.
Dexter still relies only on his bull rush and a long arm to win as a pass rusher without much understanding of how to counter or replace hands out of his frame. While he has all of the explosiveness in the world, Dexter needs to play with more urgency off of the snap and speed up his first step.
At the end of the day, Dexter is going to test off the charts at the combine, and that will get him drafted high. We are still waiting, however, for him to put it all together.
Florida DT Gervon Dexter literally lifting the Tennessee C off of the ground. pic.twitter.com/d181XYMlYK
— Cory (@realcorykinnan) July 26, 2022
7
Siaki Ika, Baylor
Transferring from LSU when Dave Aranda was named head coach in Waco, Texas, Ika has been a mainstay up front. While many have Baylor defensive tackle Siaki Ika higher than I do, the Senior does not move me as much.
He is powerful and strong inside for the Bears, but when he is forced to make a play outside of the phonebooth Ika proves to struggle to get his hands on ball carriers. Ika has room to develop a hotter first step and an ability to execute a pass rush plan with his hands.
For now, Ika has the makings of a player who will have to earn the right to be on the field on third downs at the next level.
Oh hello there Siaki Ika 👀 pic.twitter.com/1u2M1J39yi
— Cory (@realcorykinnan) August 4, 2022
8
Keeanu Benton, Wisconsin
Wisconsin defensive tackle moves extraordinarily well for his size. He can win laterally as well as linearly and possesses long arms that he understands how to use to win the leverage battle.
Playing through a few injuries, Benton’s tape has just not been as good this season as it was in 2021. His pad level has begun creeping up, taking away any leverage he can use with his arm length. It just feels as though Benton disappears in big games.
When he is on and healthy, however, Benton is a force as he can convert speed-to-power at a high level and get his massive levers into the chest of the man across from him to drive them back.
Hopefully, we can get some healthy games for Benton to put on tape as the season comes to an end.
Keeanu Benton (95) is long, powerful, and plays with great leverage. A one-man wrecking ball. pic.twitter.com/8aLTgZ5vMt
— Cory (@realcorykinnan) July 28, 2022
9
Brandon Dorlus, Oregon
Oregon’s Brandon Dorlus is not the most physical or biggest defensive tackle in the 2023 NFL Draft class, but he is agile and athletic. His 2021 tape is admittedly better than this season’s, and most of that has to do with his usage along the Oregon defensive line.
This season they are asking Dorlus to play more off of the edge, but his skill set is more geared toward the interior. This versatility, however, makes Dorlus a nice piece for a defensive coordinator to move around, but they will get the most out of him from three-tech through five-tech looks defensively.
Brandon Dorlus glitching a couple of gaps pic.twitter.com/dQzwauvJvN
— Cory (@realcorykinnan) November 11, 2022
10
Colby Wooden, Auburn
A bit of a tweener, Auburn defensive lineman Colby Wooden falls tenth on the list.
With just 32-inch arms, Wooden struggles to win the leverage battle up front. There is not much power in his lower half either, so it is tough sledding for Wooden once he gets into the chest of the man across from him.
The name of the game for Wooden, however, is his alignment versatility. He has played a massive amount of snaps both outside and inside, giving his defensive coordinator a versatile chess piece.
At the end of the day for Wooden, the tools just are not there for him to be a top-shelf 2023 NFL Draft target. He is a bit too small to play inside and not a great athlete to consistently find success outside.
