NFL draft preview: The Bills need run-stuffers – and this defensive tackle class has them
The good news for the Bills is if they want to wait to the second round, or even later, there are beefy defensive tackles to be had on Day 2 of the draft or even early on Day 3, in the fourth round.
This is the first in a series of position previews for the 2025 NFL draft. Today: Defensive tackles.
It’s a good year to be looking for a run-stopping defensive tackle in the NFL draft.
“There’s a lot of defensive tackles,” said NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah. “In terms of guys with potential starter grades – so I’m not saying they’re locks, stamp it, they’re going to be starters. But players with the potential to be a starting defensive tackle, last year I had 12. This year I had double that. It is as deep a defensive tackle draft as I can ever remember.”
DaQuan Jones is the Bills’ No. 1 run stopper, playing the 1-technique position, opposite a shoulder of the offensive center. Jones is 33 years old and is entering the last year of his contract.
The Bills need a big run stuffer to split time with Jones this year and to take over for for him in 2026. Or if an ideal run-stopper was on the board at the Bills’ No. 30 spot in the first round, that guy might even move ahead of Jones and start right away.
The good news for the Bills is if they want to wait to the second round, or even later, there are beefy defensive tackles to be had on Day 2 of the draft or even early on Day 3, in the fourth round.
ESPN draft analyst Matt Miller has seven defensive tackles in his top 50, including six between Nos. 28 and 50.
“There hasn’t been a draft with more than 11 defensive tackles taken inside the first 100 picks since 2016, when there were 14, but this year could match that total,” said NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein.
Oregon defensive tackle Derrick Harmon, right, celebrating a sack with Matayo Uiagalelei in a game against Washington,
would be attractive to the Buffalo Bills if he lasts to late in the first round. Lydia Ely, Associated Press
Overall position ranking: 8/10.
Bills view: Both current backups at defensive tackle for Buffalo – DeWayne Carter and Larry Ogonjobi – can play 1-technique but are a little better at 3-technique, opposite the outside shoulder of a guard. The primary backup to Jones last season was Austin Johnson, but he’s a free agent and still on the market. In looking at the draft class, the presumption is the Bills will lean toward nose tackles, or 1-technique DTs, over 3-technique players.
Bills need ranking: 10/10.
The best: Michigan’s Mason Graham is a likely top-five pick. He’s not as good as some past top-five DTs, like the Jets’ Quinnen Williams. But he’s a disruptor and a safe pick as an instant starter.
Names to know: If the Bills want a big run-stuffer at No. 30, there are three names to know – Oregon’s Derrick Harmon, Michigan’s Kenneth Grant and Ohio State’s Tyleik Williams. It’s iffy whether Harmon and Grant will make it to No. 30. Harmon is more explosive than Grant and brings more to the pass rush. He would be a great fit. But Grant, at 331 pounds, is not a zero in the pass rush. Grant is the perfect giant run-plugger for teams that like to play a light defensive box like the Bills. He would be a perfect complement to undersized Ed Oliver. So would Williams, who at 334 pounds is big, tough and rugged. He’s not a great pass rusher, but he can start right away.
An argument against taking Williams at No. 30 would be that a pretty good run-plugger can be found late in the second round.
Toward the end of the second round, the best candidates probably are Texas’ 332-pound Alfred Collins, Florida State’s 310-pound Joshua Farmer and Toledo’s 305-pound Darius Alexander. Collins is dominant vs. the run, with 34⅝-inch arms. Alexander isn’t as massive but has 34-inch arms and can play both DT positions. So can Farmer.
ESPN analyst Jordan Reid sees Collins as a high-floor prospect.
“I think he’s one of those guys who we talk about who’s NFL ready as a run defender right away,” Reid said. “He’s going to be able to come in and play right away. Guys like that don’t ever get out of the top 60 or 75 picks because he’s so ready.”
Michigan defensive lineman Kenneth Grant sacks Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. in the College Football Playoff championship game in 2024. Eric Gay, Associated Press file
Intriguing: Some teams likely will view Kentucky’s 6-foot-7, 331-pound Deone Walker as a top-50 player. He’s a “planet theory” prospect (there’s only a small number of humans on the planet his size) but he’s not a pass rusher, and he didn’t play great all the time. A boom-bust guy. Ole Miss’ 309-pound JJ Pegues is an agile run-plugger who served as a short-yardage runner, carrying 21 times with seven TDs last season.
Among the capable run-stuffing nose tackles on Day 3 are: Oregon’s 332-pound Jamaree Caldwell, the Georgia duo of 315-pound Warren Brinson and 327-pound Nazir Stackhouse, Maryland’s 312-pound Jordan Phillips (a wrestler), Iowa’s 336-pound Yahya Black, Indiana’s 315-pound C.J. West, Florida’s 328-pound Cam’Ron Jackson, Georgia Tech’s 321-pound Zeek Biggers and Boston College’s 312-pound Cam Horsley. Even if the Bills get a DT early, they could double dip at the position.
Sleepers: Nebraska’s Nash Hutmacher is a late-round prospect who lacks length and traits but who played well at the East-West Shrine Bowl. Hutmacher won the South Dakota high school heavyweight wrestling state title four straight years and went 166-0 in his high school career. He started 27 games for the Cornhuskers. ... Florida’s Desmond Watson is 6-6, 464. He played 51 games as a backup. He would be the heaviest player ever drafted. The previous high was 380.
TOP 10 DEFENSIVE TACKLES
Rank Player, school Ht. Wt.
1 Mason Graham*, Michigan 6-3 296
2 Derrick Harmon*, Oregon 6-4 313
3 Kenneth Grant*, Michigan 6-4 331
4 Walter Nolen*, Ole Miss 6-4 296
5 Tyleik Williams, Ohio State 6-3 334
6 Alfred Collins, Texas 6-6 332
7 Darius Alexander, Toledo 6-4 305
8 T.J. Sanders*, South Carolina 6-4 297
9 Shemar Turner, Texas A&M 6-3 305
10 Joshua Farmer*, Florida State 6-3 290
* – Underclassman