2016 class · 23 prospects

Defensive tackle DT

Sacks + TFLs + Senior Bowl. Athletic testing weighted higher for IDL than EDGE.

Likeliest career, by the outcome model.

How many defensive tackles land in each career bucket as the model's single most likely finish. This is a different question from the board grades below — a prospect can be a Day 3 grade and still have “starter” as his likeliest outcome. The tails (elite, bust) are where the model separates; the middle two buckets sit close to a coin flip.

Elite
0
None in this class — the top is thin
Starter
18
Multi-year NFL starter
Role
5
Rotational / depth
Bust
0
Nobody here busts as his likeliest outcome — individual risk still varies, see the rows below
Likeliest career across the DT class
Elite
0
Starter
18
Role
5
Bust
0

The board.

All 23 defensive tackles with a draftable grade on Draftanomics's 2016 board, tier by tier.

Blue Chip1 player

Only A'Shawn Robinson carries a blue-chip grade at defensive tackle — the Alabama product projects No. 2 overall. There is a real step down from there — Jarran Reed sits 15 projected picks behind Robinson. The model is planting a flag on A'Shawn Robinson, 13 spots ahead of where the room ranks him (No. 15).

2
A'Shawn Robinson
Alabama· 6'4" · 307 lb· consensus #15
A blue-chip grade with the room in agreement — consensus No. 15.
Blue Chip
bust risk 33%
1st Round5 players

This is where the class lives: 5 defensive tackles carry a first-round grade, with Jarran Reed out of Alabama at the front of the line at No. 17 overall. There is a real step down from there — Jonathan Bullard sits 10 projected picks behind Johnson. The risk in the group is Austin Johnson: 36 percent by a bust model that has earned trust at defensive tackle.

17
Jarran Reed
Alabama· 6'3" · 307 lb· consensus #14
A first-round grade with the room in agreement — consensus No. 14.
1st Round
bust risk 33%
18
Sheldon Rankins
Louisville· 6'1" · 299 lb· consensus #11
A first-round grade with the room in agreement — consensus No. 11.
1st Round
bust risk 20%
20
Kenny Clark
UCLA· 6'3" · 314 lb· consensus #25
A first-round grade with the room in agreement — consensus No. 25.
1st Round
bust risk 15%
26
Robert Nkemdiche
Mississippi· 6'3" · 294 lb· consensus #19
A first-round grade with the room in agreement — consensus No. 19.
1st Round
bust risk 20%
30
Austin Johnson
Penn St.· 6'4" · 314 lb· consensus #41
A first-round grade with the room in agreement — consensus No. 41.
1st Round
bust risk 36%
Day 29 players

The Day 2 tier runs 9 deep, opening with Jonathan Bullard out of Florida at No. 40 and closing with Willie Henry at No. 102. Mind the gap after Henry: Matthew Ioannidis is next, and he is 21 picks away. One caution flag: the bust model — a group it reads well at defensive tackle — puts Willie Henry at 43 percent.

40
Jonathan Bullard
Florida· consensus #32
A Day 2 grade with the room in agreement — consensus No. 32.
Day 2
bust risk 23%
42
Vernon Butler
Louisiana Tech· 6'4" · 323 lb· consensus #35
A Day 2 grade with the room in agreement — consensus No. 35.
Day 2
bust risk 29%
43
Andrew Billings
Baylor· 6'1" · 311 lb· consensus #22
A Day 2 grade, though the room is higher on him — consensus No. 22.
Day 2
bust risk 26%
53
Maliek Collins
Nebraska· 6'2" · 311 lb· consensus #136
A Day 2 grade the room hasn't caught up to — consensus No. 136.
Day 2
bust risk 30%
Day 38 players

Matthew Ioannidis leads a 8-deep Day 3 group — the meat of the DT board — starting at a projected No. 123 overall. One split worth knowing: consensus puts Anthony Zettel at No. 161, 78 spots above our call.