Draft's Top Defensive Tackles

"Has a thick frame with good overall muscle development, thick, powerful-looking thighs, long arms and room on his frame to carry another 15-20 pounds of bulk...Strong player who can disrupt an offense, especially with his agility in lateral pursuit...Has the power and explosion off the snap to create movement and push offensive linemen into the backfield...His low center of gravity allows him to fire off the snap and squeeze through gaps to pressure the pocket consistently...Strong wrap-up tackler who might give up his body at times, but he has the strength to recover and power through reach blocks...Can close in the box and has that sudden burst to give long chase when running down ballcarriers...Hard-nose type who played most of the year with broken bones in his left hand, requiring him to wear a club-like cast, but he compensated by using that club as a weapon while making physical drag-down type of tackles...Has a good edge to him on the field...Hustles in pursuit and has rededicated himself to the game, showed marked improvement in his work ethic and approach to preparing for games in 2007...Can track the ball well on the move and has good blocking-scheme recognition...Shows a quick initial burst off the snap, with the sudden moves to gain advantage...Plays with impressive aggression flashing into the backfield and when he uses his hands properly, he is capable of getting a good push off blockers (uses that raw power to toss blockers aside)...Stout at the point of attack (when he sinks his weight) and has good upfield penetration moves, as he has learned how to stay low coming out of his charge, making him much more effective shooting the gaps...Can easily stack and anchor when holding ground at the point of attack or in attempts to split double teams (has the leg drive and lower-body strength to disengage from blockers)...Shows good functional power in his arms and hands to create separation, shed and maintain balance through the pile, as he works hard to get underneath the pads of an offensive lineman...Generates good pop on contact, even when on the move and shows good effort in his lateral pursuit, exploding behind his hits with arms extended to wrap and secure...His hand punch is one of his best assets, using it as a weapon to push the blocker back and collapse the pocket...Has enough acceleration and surge to close on the quarterback in a flash, as he is nimble moving his feet when coming from the backside or working an offensive guard's edge...Best on the bull rush, but he has the flexibility to get upfield or stack with good effect...Could not be as active as he wanted with his hands due to the cast he wore most of the year, but he was still able to leverage and gain position."

View the full report at nfl.com   04/15/08