We are now just two weeks from the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh. Over the next few weeks, we will take a look at some of the top prospects entering this year's draft, breaking it down position by position:

RB | LB | WR | DB | IOL | DT | QB | OT | EDGE | TE

Let's continue with the defensive tackles. The rankings and analysis are taken from Pro Football Focus’s Big Board, ESPN’s Best Available and Daniel Jeremiah’s Top 50 Prospect Rankings and Bucky Brooks’s positional rankings from NFL.com.

Names of Note

Kayden McDonald - Ohio State

Measurables

Height - 6'2"
Weight - 326 lbs
Arm - 32 1/4"
Hand - 9 3/4"

Prospect Overview

McDonald broke out in his first year as a starter in 2025 after playing a reserve role for the 2024 National Champion Buckeyes. He was named Big Ten Conference Defensive Lineman of the Year in 2025 as well as First-Team All-Big Ten and First-Team Associated Press All-American. He was a finalist for the Outland Trophy, given to the nation's top interior lineman, after compiling 65 tackles, nine tackles for loss, three sacks and two forced fumbles.

Rankings and Analysis

Pro Football Focus: No. 28 overall (No. 1 DT)

"McDonald posted a career-best 86.0 PFF grade in 2025, fueled by elite run defense, where his 91.2 grade ranked first among qualifying FBS interior defenders. He backed that up with top-tier stability, landing in the 99th percentile in run-stop rate and 95th percentile in run-defense grade."

NFL.com (Daniel Jeremiah Top 50): No. 33 overall (No.1 DT)

"McDonald has excellent size and strength for the DT position. He's at his best against the run. He can press out blocks and disengage with violent torque. He's very firm and stout, collecting tackles from guard to guard…Overall, McDonald will provide value on run downs, but he needs to develop a better plan of attack as a pass rusher."

ESPN: No. 26 overall (No. 1 DT)

"McDonald was named Big 10 Defensive Lineman of the Year in 2025. He is an outstanding run defender and an ascending player. McDonald can anchor, locate the ball, get off the block and bring down ball carriers in the backfield. He plays low-to-high and does a good job of slipping or sidestepping blocks."

Peter Woods - Clemson

Measurables

Height - 6'2 1/2"
Weight - 298 lbs
Arm - 31 1/4"
Hand - 9 1/8"

Prospect Overview

Woods was a freshman All-American in 2023 and Honorable Mention All-ACC in 2024 before being named Second-team Associated Press All-American and First-team All-ACC in 2025. He started 12 games with the Tigers last season, compiling 30 tackles with 3.5 tackles for loss and two sacks.

Rankings and Analysis

Pro Football Focus: No. 33 overall (No. 3 DT)

"Woods offers an ideal blend of size, strength and athleticism, with true scheme versatility. His explosive first step and ability to convert speed to power make him disruptive at the line of scrimmage. If he expands his pass-rush plan, he can turn pressures into more impactful production."

NFL.com (Daniel Jeremiah Top 50): No. 37 overall (No. 3 DT)

"Woods is a thick, square DT prospect with fabulous quickness and violent hands. As a run defender, he can hold the point of attack when blockers are lined up over his nose. He uses his leverage and lower-body strength to absorb blocks and hold his ground…Overall, Woods isn't a steady/consistent player game in and game out, but his flashes are very intriguing."

ESPN: No. 27 overall (No. 2 DT)

"Woods can line up at edge or defensive tackle, though his best fit at the next level is playing inside. Though he has short arms (31 1/4 inches), he plays with strong hands. Woods does a good job of reestablishing the line of scrimmage, affecting the pocket and making an impact in the run game. Once in the backfield, he has shown the ability to move laterally and make plays."

Caleb Banks - Florida

Measurables

Height - 6'6"
Weight - 327 lbs
Arm - 35"
Hand - 10 7/8"

Prospect Overview

Banks transferred to Florida in 2023 after two years at Louisville. He played in 12 games each of 2023 and 2024, starting 21 of those games and compiling 40 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks. He was limited to three games with a foot injury in 2025.

Rankings and Analysis

Pro Football Focus: No. 32 overall (No. 2 DT)

"Banks' length and strength are best utilized in an odd front, particularly in a 3-4 scheme. In that role, he can occupy space, shed blocks and contribute as a complementary pass rusher rather than a primary one."

NFL.com (Daniel Jeremiah Top 50): No. 42 overall (No. 4 DT)

"Banks is a tall, long and athletic defensive tackle. His 2024 tape was impressive, but he played just three games in '25, missing time with a broken foot. As a pass rusher, he displays a lot of twitch in his feet and hands. He can win with a quick club move or collapse the pocket with power…Overall, Banks has a lot of talent, but his injury history and inconsistency could slide him down the board on draft day."

ESPN: No. 34 overall (No. 3 DT)

"Banks is position and scheme versatile. He can line up at defensive end or nose tackle in three-man fronts, and he can line up at defensive tackle or defensive end in four-man fronts. Banks can stack blockers, locate the ball and shed in time to make plays as a two-gap defender."

Christen Miller - Georgia

Measurables

Height - 6'4"
Weight - 321 lbs
Arm - 33"
Hand - 10"

Prospect Overview

Miller started all 14 games for the Bulldogs in 2025. He compiled at least 3.5 tackles for loss in each of the last three seasons and won the national title with Georgia in 2022 and made the College Football Playoff in three of his four seasons in Athens.

Rankings and Analysis

Pro Football Focus: No. 37 overall (No. 4 DT)

"Miller has a strong frame with good length and rare twitch for an interior defender. His quick first step and leverage make him a reliable run defender, and his processing ability adds to his projection, though he must continue to develop his anchor."

NFL.com (Bucky Brooks Top 5 By Position): No.5 DT

"Miller is an even-front nose tackle who can rattle pads and gain early advantages at the point of attack. He has good stack-and-shed against single blocks but lacks the prototypical mass of a space-eater… He'll continue to bulk up and should become a good starter who is more consistent than dominant along the interior."

ESPN: No. 49 overall (No. 4 DT)

"Miller plays with power and strength as a run defender. At the point of attack, he shows good balance and core strength, allowing him to stay square and control blocks. Miller has heavy hands but is more effective working vertically and pushing the pocket than when attacking at angles."

Lee Hunter - Texas Tech

Measurables

Height - 6'3 1/2"
Weight - 318 lbs
Arm - 33 1/4"
Hand - 9 1/4"

Prospect Overview

Hunter spent a redshirt year at Auburn in 2021 before transferring to UCF for three seasons and finishing his collegiate career in Lubbock in 2025. He was Second-team All-Big 12 with the Knights in 2024 and was First-team All-Big 12 and Third-team Associated Press All-American in 2025 with the Red Raiders.

Rankings and Analysis

Pro Football Focus: No. 39 overall (No. 5 DT)

"Hunter showed steady improvement across four seasons, culminating in a career-best 80.9 PFF grade in 2025. He earned an 84.5 run-defense grade, 12th among FBS interior defenders, finishing in the 96th percentile in run-stop rate. His pass-rush profile was solid but unspectacular, generating 26 pressures and a 72.1 grade, with above-average marks in both overall and true pass-rush situations."

NFL.com (Daniel Jeremiah Top 50): No. 36 overall (No. 2 DT)

"Hunter is a thick, wide-bodied defensive tackle. He was a dominant run defender at Texas Tech and flashed upside as a pass rusher…To see his potential, watch the College Football Playoff quarterfinal against Oregon. He was dominant. Overall, Hunter has a high floor because of his run-stuffing ability and there's room for growth in the passing game."

ESPN: No. 67 overall (No. 6 DT)

"Hunter, who was a second-team All-American, is a strong presence in the middle of the defense and a two-gap run stuffer who can command a double-team. He has strong hands and can hold at the point of attack; he has the power to push the pocket and be disruptive in the backfield."

Domonique Orange - Iowa State

Measurables

Height - 6'2"
Weight - 322 lbs
Arm - 33 3/8"
Hand - 10 1/4"

Prospect Overview

Nicknamed "Big Citrus," Orange was named Honorable Mention All-Big 12 in 2023 and 2024 followed by a Third-team All-Big 12 nod this past season with the Cyclones.

Rankings and Analysis

Pro Football Focus: No. 72 overall (No. 7 DT)

"Orange is a massive defensive line prospect with elite power potential, supported by impressive weight-room strength. His first-step explosiveness allows him to generate strong speed-to-power as a bull rusher, particularly in attack mode…He projects best as a high-effort, power-based lineman in a 3-4 scheme."

NFL.com (Daniel Jeremiah Top 50): Not Ranked

"Orange is a sturdy nose tackle capable of muddying the middle of the field with his first-step quickness and take-on power. His reaction time makes it hard to reach-block him in zone and he has the anchor to play landlord over the A-gaps against double-teams."

ESPN: No. 79 overall (No. 7 DT)

"Orange lined up primarily at nose tackle during his four seasons at Iowa State. He sometimes flashes a quick first step to shoot gaps, but that's not his strong suit. Orange is at his best when he can get one-on-one situations and fill gaps versus the run. He has very good play strength, as he can hold his ground at the point of attack."

Gracen Halton - Oklahoma

Measurables

Height - 6'3"
Weight - 293 lbs
Arm - 31 1/8"
Hand - 10"

Prospect Overview

Halton spent all four seasons with the Sooners, tallying 84 tackles over his collegiate career along with 17.5 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks.

Rankings and Analysis

Pro Football Focus: No. 70 overall (No. 6 DT)

"Halton is an undersized, versatile defensive lineman who wins with quickness, effort and movement skills. His lack of strength can be an issue, but he fits well in multiple or movement-based fronts."

NFL.com (Daniel Jeremiah Top 50): Not Ranked

"An undersized 3-technique with disruptive attributes, Halton is best suited for a rotational role in a movement-based front. He plays with synced hands and feet and good lateral agility…He's an energetic, gap-to-gap rusher who can threaten guards on their edges or play his role as an effective twister. Finding the right scheme fit will be critical for Halton in the NFL."

ESPN: No. 93 overall (No. 8 DT)

"Halton might not be the largest in size, but that does not mean he lacks power or strength at the point of attack. He displays the initial quickness to shoot gaps and create instant penetration in the backfield. Halton has a good mix of swim moves, rips and other pass-rush techniques to shed blocks. "

Watch the 2026 NFL Draft April 23-25 on ESPN and NFL Network.