If you are like me, the idea of having nose tackle Casey Hampton back on the Pittsburgh Steelers makes your heart warm. In an age when teams have turned their back on the massive interior defensive tackle, I remain nostalgic for a guy who can just absorb offensive linemen and free up defenders behind them.
Hampton might be one of the two or three best pure nose tackles to ever play the game but never gets the credit he deserves. Every year there are fewer and fewer prospects in the draft who fit the mold of what Hampton did. But here are three guys, one for each day of the 2019 NFL draft for Pittsburgh to consider.
Dexter Lawrence | Clemson
Clemson defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence has been my sleeper first-round pick for the Steelers for some time. If there is a run on cornerbacks and both of the top inside linebackers are off the board, Lawrence might fall right into their laps. Lawrence is 340 pounds of raw power and just overwhelms blockers.
Daylon Mack | Texas A&M
Moving to the late third round we have Daylon Mack of Texas A&M. He checks in at 6-foot-1 and 336 pounds with a thick wide base and excellent power. He’s surprisingly quick off the snap and probably spent more time int he backfield than most men his size should.
Edwin Alexander | LSU
If a late-round project is more your speed we have former LSU defensive tackle Edwin Alexander. Alexander declared early for the draft after having his best season at LSU but dealing with some injuries. He didn’t want to go back to school and continue to risk injury so he headed to the NFL. Injury flags will push him down but when healthy the 339-pound nose tackle has talent.
