Ranking the 2022 NFL Draft's top 20 interior defensive linemen
Three interior defensive linemen earn borderline first-round projections
We haven’t seen a loaded interior defensive line class since the early 2010s, and that won’t change with the 2022 NFL Draft. However, there are multiple prospects along the interior defensive line who could earn first-round selections next week. The position group is overwhelmingly top heavy, and it features three of the freakiest athletes in this year’s class.
Outside of the three borderline first-round prospects, the 2022 NFL Draft includes six other interior defensive linemen that I believe could win starting roles as rookies. However, there’s a legitimate argument for bypassing an interior defensive lineman on day two in favor of grabbing one of the developmental options on day three.
For the sake of this exercise, I’m classifying Zachary Carter, Logan Hall, DeMarvin Leal, LaBryan Ray, Demetrius Taylor, and Alex Wright as edge defenders.
Feel free to tell me in the comments or on Twitter @Sam_Teets33 if you believe a certain prospect should rank higher. Let me know if I missed anyone.
*All player measurements come from NFL.com unless otherwise specified
*Percentiles come from MockDraftable.com
*Editor’s note: Some statistics displayed count in multiple categories and come from Sports Reference unless they’re only available on the football program’s website
Tier 1- Potential First Rounders
1. Devonte Wyatt, IDL Georgia
Size: 6'3", 304 lbs. with 32 5/8" arms
Pros: Explosive athlete with twitchy feet, wicked get-off, 78 pressures in the past three years, three-down player, closing burst, pursuit, developing multiple pass rush moves
Cons: Arm length and wingspan, turned 24 in March, anchor occasionally fails, one season with two or more sacks, not the stoutest anchor, hands usage needs to improve, arrested in February 2020
Production: 39 tackles, seven tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, one pass defensed, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovered in 2021
2. Jordan Davis, IDL Georgia
Size: 6'6", 341 lbs. with 34" arms
Pros: No missed tackles in 2021, 97th percentile 40-time (4.78) and 99th percentile broad jump (123") at that size, zero penalties in college, closing burst to tackle, arm length and wingspan, anchor is stout and doesn’t fail, eats double teams
Cons: Looked winded at times on tape, plays upright and loses leverage, changes directions like a tractor trailer, lack of bend, doesn’t redirect off blocks to the ball, not a productive pass rusher, never played over 400 snaps in a season, likely a two-down player, concerns about his playing weight, most of his value as a first-round pick is based on projection
Production: 32 tackles, five tackles for loss, two sacks, and one pass defensed in 2021
3. Travis Jones, IDL UConn
Size: 6'4", 325 lbs. with 34 1/4" arms
Pros: Strength to go toe-to-toe with any NFL player, arm length, great agility and athleticism at that size, five pressures against Clemson (2021), played over 580 snaps in 2019 and 2021, cut down on penalties, tosses offensive linemen (literally), could be more than a two-down nose tackle, eats double teams, stout anchor, drives linemen backward
Cons: Six penalties in 2019, turns 23 in October, pad level could improve, some stiffness in his hips, pass rush moves are incomplete, initial step isn’t on par with Davis and Wyatt
Production: 48 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, and 4.5 sacks in 2021
Tier 2- Late Second/Early Third Rounders
4. Perrion Winfrey, IDL Oklahoma
Size: 6'4", 290 lbs. with 35 1/4" arms
Pros: Arm length and wingspan, 56 pressures over the past two years, explosive first step, knocked linemen back with initial pop at the Senior Bowl, swim move, consistently makes plays in the backfield, can stiff arm linemen and press them out of leverage
Cons: Miscast in Oklahoma’s defense preventing elite production, anchor against the run, six missed tackles in 2021, three penalties in 2020 and six in 2021, some projection in his evaluation since his pre-draft workouts looked different than his tape at Oklahoma (not necessarily his fault), stiff in his lower half and needs to add mass down there
Production: 23 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, and one forced fumble in 2021
5. Phidarian Mathis, IDL Alabama
Size: 6'4", 310 lbs. with 34 5/8" arms
Pros: Missed tackles aren’t an issue, 43 pressures over the past two seasons, 90th percentile arm length and 94th percentile wingspan, thick throughout frame, some positional versatility, active hands to dislodge blockers and counter
Cons: Not an explosive or sudden athlete, one season with more than two sacks, turns 24 this April, pad levels costs him the leverage battle, limited range
Production: 53 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, nine sacks, two passes defensed, one forced fumble, and two fumbles recovered in 2021
Tier 3- Fourth Round Selections
6. Eyioma Uwazurike, IDL Iowa St.
Size: 6'6", 316 lbs. with 35 1/8" arms
Pros: Alignment versatility, 95th percentile arm length and wingspan, knows how to use his length (tackle radius), 89 pressures over the past three years, cut down on missed tackles in 2020 and 2021, athleticism to make plays outside the tackles
Cons: Turns 24 in May, pad level, lacks twitch and short area burst, should play with better anticipation for a college veteran
Production: 43 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, nine sacks, and one pass defensed in 2021
7. Matthew Butler, IDL Tennessee
Size: 6'4", 297 lbs. with 33 1/2" arms
Pros: Motor to make plays in pursuit outside of the tackles, stood out at the Shrine Bowl, more athletic than other Tier Three interior defensive linemen, knows his assignments and sticks to them, late burst into the tackle, four pressures against Alabama (2021)
Cons: Weight, play strength, overwhelmed against Georgia (2021), can get washed away, one year with more than three tackles for loss, needs to perform better as a penetrator
Production: 47 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, five sacks, and one forced fumble in 2021
8. Neil Farrell Jr., IDL LSU
Size: 6'4", 330 lbs. with 32 1/4" arms
Pros: played over 400 defensive snaps in 2019 and 2021, significant pressure generated for a nose tackle (24 pressures in 2021), holds his ground against double teams, incredible get-off at his size, when he stays low he forklifts linemen onto their heels, strength in his arms and hands make him a people mover
Cons: Arm length, strictly a two-down nose tackle, movement skills, missed five tackles in 2020 and 2021, turns 24 in September, pad level costs him the leverage battle, carries some unnecessary weight, struggles with change of direction
Production: 45 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, and two passes defensed in 2021
Production: 46 tackles, seven tackles for loss, three, and one forced fumble in 2019
9. John Ridgeway, IDL Arkansas
Size: 6'5", 321 lbs. with 33 3/8" arms
Pros: Played over 430 defensive snaps in 2019 and 2021, working on a spin move, polished bull rush, looks lean/muscular for his size suggesting good body composition, play strength stood out at the Senior Bowl, core, lower body, and arms are all thick, powerful strikes and driving ability
Cons: Three penalties in 2021, lacking production as a pass rusher, turns 23 in May, did nothing against Georgia and Ole Miss (2021), could become penciled in as a two-down nose tackle, lacks twitch and a quick first step, ball of clay that still needs to me molded
Production: 39 tackles, four tackles for loss, and two sacks in 2021
Tier 4- Fifth Round Selections
10. Thomas Booker, IDL Stanford
Size: 6'3", 301 lbs. with 33 1/4" arms
Pros: Positional versatility, above-average athletic testing, one of this year’s better open-field linemen, makes plays out by the hashes, above-average change of direction, quick first step, multiple blocked kicks on special teams
Cons: Five missed tackles in 2020 and seven in 2021, penalized every year, blanked by Notre Dame (2021), playing weight causes problems with his anchor, washed away by double teams, has a pass rushing build but lacks the moves to get past disciplined linemen
Production: 59 tackles, five tackles for loss, one sack, and one pass defensed in 2021
Production: 50 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, four sacks, three passes defensed, and one forced fumble in 2019
11. Eric Johnson, IDL Missouri St.
Size: 6'4 1/4", 300 lbs. with 33 7/8" arms (Senior Bowl)
Pros: Performed well at the NFLPA Bowl and Senior Bowl, 46 pressures over the past two seasons, long arms and wingspan, four blocked kicks on special teams, legs churn to force linemen backward, spin move clowned Darian Kinnard at the Senior Bowl, went right back and used a fake spin move to draw out Luke Fortner’s hands, range to make plays outside the hashes, active and physical hands
Cons: Competition level, turns 24 in July, never had three sacks in a season, nine missed tackles over the past two seasons, needs to develop his anticipation and vision, gets too high too soon coming out of his stance, gets bogged down and lacks a set of secondary moves
Production: 43 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, two passes defensed, one forced fumble, one fumble recovered, and three blocked kicks in 2021
12. Kalia Davis, IDL UCF
Size: 6'1", 302 lbs. with 33 5/8" arms
Pros: Wins leverage naturally at his size, 24 pressures in 2019, productive in pursuit, quick get-off, little to no stiffness in his lower half, redirects and mirrors the runner, fires himself into linemen to displace them
Cons: One season with over 250 defensive snaps, turns 24 in October, opted-out of 2020 season, tore ACL in October 2021, ten missed tackles in his past two seasons, conditioning isn’t up to NFL standards, carries unnecessary weight, lacks a pass rush plan
Production: 17 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, and one sack in five games in 2021
Production: 27 tackles, eight tackles for loss, three sacks, one pass defensed, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovered in 2019
13. Otito Ogbonnia, IDL UCLA
Size: 6'4", 324 lbs. with 34 3/8" arms
Pros: Arm length and wingspan, upper body length and strength to keep linemen at a distance, if he gets under you it’s over, swipes hands away to quickly win the guard’s inside shoulder, above-average get-off
Cons: Four missed tackles in 2021, lackluster sack production, limited agility in space, pad level rises too high, lower body doesn’t eat double teams, heavy feet and stiffness keep him from playing a role in pursuit
Production: 27 tackles, five tackles for loss, two sacks, two passes defensed, and one forced fumble in 2021
Tier 5- Sixth/Seventh Round Selections
14. Curtis Brooks, IDL Cincinnati
Size: 6'2 3/8", 273 lbs. with 32" arms (NFLPA Bowl)
Pros: Sack production rare in this class, 76 pressures in the past three years, high-level fluidity and mobility for an interior player, get-off for penetration playing style, redirects to make plays in pursuit
Cons: Arm length, weight, overall undersized, turned 24 in February, seven missed tackles in 2021, one season of high-end production, washed away by double teams, anchor sometimes fails against the run
Production: 57 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovered in 2021
15. Jayden Peevy, IDL Texas A&M
Size: 6'5", 308 lbs. with 35 1/2" arms
Pros: Arm length and wingspan are 98th and 97th percentile respectively, four blocked kicks on special teams, reads the quarterback’s eyes to get in passing lanes, strength to move offensive linemen into rushing lanes, above-average first step, sometimes stuns linemen with his get-off
Cons: Ten missed tackles in 2021, five penalties in the past three seasons, never produced more than two sacks in a season, turns 23 in September, bombed the Combine’s athletic and explosive testing, not disciplined in his approach to tackling, pad level and stiffness in his back pop up now and then, surprised by double teams
Production: 43 tackles, seven tackles for loss, two sacks, one interception, three passes defensed, and one forced fumble in 2021
16. Haskell Garrett, IDL Ohio St.
Size: 6'2", 300 lbs. with 31 5/8" arms
Pros: 35 pressures over the past two years, zero penalties in college, strong hands to steer or disengage offensive linemen, experience shows in his understanding of getting quick penetration, powerful tackler, swim move gets him through the line, knows how to get skinny and slip into the backfield
Cons: Turns 24 in May, arm length, one season with more than two sacks, never played 400 defensive snaps in a season, anchor fails, will get destroyed if double teamed, struggles to bull rush linemen
Production: 22 tackles, seven tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, one pass defensed, one defensive touchdown, and two fumbles recovered in 2021
17. Noah Elliss, IDL Idaho
Size: 6'4", 346 lbs. with 32 1/4" arms
Pros: Leg drive puts offensive linemen in reverse, it’s over if he gets into your chest, anchor to withstand double teams, good lateral movement at his size
Cons: Arm length, recently turned 23, seven missed tackles in 2021, never produced double-digit pressures, pad level gets too high, one season with over 210 snaps, three penalties in 2019 and five in 2021, competition level, pure two-down nose tackle
Production: 46 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, one sack, three passes defensed, and one fumble recovered in 2021
18. Marquan McCall, IDL Kentucky
Size: 6'3", 342 lbs. with 33 1/4" arms
Pros: Eats double teams and still has the anchor to hold his ground, quick get-off and strong initial punch, surprising closing speed to tackle at his size, effort shows in pursuit
Cons: Pure two-down nose tackle with no pass rush upside, concerns about his playing weight, doesn’t have the range to make plays across the line of scrimmage, gets outmaneuvered in space, turned 23 in March
Production: nine tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss in seven games in 2021
Production: 21 tackles, four tackles for loss, one pass defensed, and one fumble recovered in 2019
19. D.J. Davidson, IDL Arizona St.
Size: 6'3", 327 lbs. with 33" arms
Pros: Two seasons with over 540 snaps played, double-digit pressures in each of the past three seasons, movement skills to track ball carriers toward the sideline, effort in pursuit, sustains gap control against single blocks and has some success against double teams
Cons: Turns 25 in September, six missed tackles in 2021, three penalties in 2021, never more than two sacks in a year, likely just a two-down nose tackle, carries unnecessary weight
Production: 57 tackles, six tackles for loss, half a sack, four passes defensed, and one fumble recovered in 2021
20. Christopher Hinton, IDL Michigan
Size: 6'4", 305 lbs. with 32 3/8" arms
Pros: Played roughly 600 defensive snaps in 2021, maintains leverage, manipulates himself up and down the line of scrimmage, quick to hit the dirt for fumbles, effort in pursuit
Cons: Arm length, never had more than one sack in a season, one season with over 300 snaps, get-off lacks explosive elements, hasn’t developed counters or pass rushing moves, benefited from a stacked Michigan front
Production: 32 tackles, one tackle for loss, one sack, two passes defensed, and two fumbles recovered in 2021
Honorable Mentions
Kevin Atkins, IDL Fresno St.
Nolan Cockrill, IDL Army
Matt Henningsen, IDL Wisconsin
Ralph Holley, IDL Western Michigan
Tayland Humphrey, IDL Louisiana
Jordan Jackson, IDL Air Force
Dion Novil, IDL North Texas
Nyles Pinckney, IDL Minnesota
Sam Roberts, IDL Northwest Missouri St.
Ben Stille, IDL Nebraska
Derrick Tangelo, IDL Penn St.
Savion Williams, IDL Florida A&M