Defensive tackle is easily the biggest need for the Falcons to fill in the upcoming 2019 NFL draft. It’s also one of the deepest positions in the class.
Currently, the team has just Jack Crawford, Deadrin Senat, Justin Zimmer and Jacob Tuioti-Mariner on the roster. However, expect them to re-sign Grady Jarrett to a long-term deal worth over $100 million soon. Outside of Senat and Jarrett, no one else on the roster is really expected to be signed past 2019.
So, the Falcons need to find someone who can start next to Jarrett for the long term. Here’s eight defensive tackle prospects they should consider.
Round 1: DT Christian Wilkins, Clemson
Clemson’s Christian Wilkins is one of the hardest working players in college football. He also has never had any off-field issues leading to an arrest or a suspension. On top of all of that, he has great technique when he’s rushing the passer and shedding blockers. Wilkins has the ability to contribute as either a one-gap or two-gap defender and can utilize proper leverage to collapse the pocket from the inside.
Round 2: DT Jerry Tillery, Notre Dame
There’s only one name that comes to mind while watching Jerry Tillery and that’s Stephon Tuitt. Much like Tuitt, Tillery was productive as a pass rusher in college but was also considered a bit of an underachiever. He looks like he comes from Chuck Smith’s pass rush school. That will be useful as the cross-chop that Smith teaches is essential for a big man like Tillery to get free on the inside. Tillery also understands his leverage despite being tall for the position at 6-foot-7.
Round 3: DT Khalen Saunders, Western Illinois
Like many college DTs, Khalen Saunders has been overplayed and ends up winded on about 30 percent of his snaps. That has factored into him running a bit hot or cold. Atlanta could see Saunders as a sort of Deadrin Senat clone. By rotating those two in at the 1-technique role, the Falcons add bulk in the run game while keeping Saunders fresh and only playing him around half the snaps he did in college.
Round 4: DT Daylon Mack, Texas A&M
Who could be better to pair with Grady Jarrett than a thicker-bodied version of him? Daylon Mack has shown a lot of the same traits as Jarrett, but comes in at 6-foot-1 and 320 pounds. The Falcons could use him as a nickel 1-technique and get a raw prospect with tremendous get-off. The biggest problem with Mack is his hands. Once he’s able to learn how to use them properly, the sky is the limit.
Round 4 (comp): DT Byron Cowart, Maryland
Byron Cowart should have been an amazing college football player. Instead, he was a lesson that rankings don’t always equal production. The Falcons could give him a shot at redemption with a mentor who is similar to his own playing style in Jack Crawford. Cowart is a 6-foot-4, 293-pound lineman who continually penetrates through gaps on run plays, but has trouble getting after the quarterback on a consistent basis.
Round 5: DT Khairi Clark, Florida
Dan Quinn has never shied away from defensive tackles that weren’t very productive at the college level, especially if they fit his mold of what a DT should look and play like. Khairi Clark is one of them. He led his defensive line vocally despite being consistently double-teamed. His ability to eat them and open up plays for his teammates is an attractive quality for the Falcons.
Round 5 (comp): DT Ed Alexander, Louisiana State
Nose tackles in base defenses are becoming less of a priority as the league becomes more pass-heavy. For a guy like LSU’s Ed Alexander, his role in the NFL is going to be tougher to come by. Alexander could be the piece to replace Dontari Poe, who left last year. Alexander could be that big body in the base defense to pair with the 315-pound Deadrin Senat and give Atlanta more girth for run-heavy situations.
Round 6: DT Shy Tuttle, Tennessee
Another former five-star prospect that never lived up to his billing was Shy Tuttle from Tennessee. In the only season where he played every game for the Volunteers, he showed why he was that highly regarded coming out of high school. But even after blocking two kicks, intercepting a pass and getting a couple of tackles for loss and a sack as a senior, Tuttle has a lot more questions than answers. He wasn’t able to fully develop his game despite staying in college all four years. But if you want a true sleeper, Tuttle could be it.
