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Nose Tackle (NT)
- A 2-gap player asked to occupy and control a blocker(s).
- Skill set: A stout player that can hold his ground against interior linemen and double teams.
Weakside Tackle (WT)
- Typically 1-gap assignments -- asked to penetrate or fill.
- Differing skill sets can be used here: Can be a quicker, disruptive penetrator or a stouter gap filler that is hard to move.
Strongside End (SE)
- Typically 2-gap assignments.
- Skill set: Needs greater agility and range than the average defensive tackle to maintain contain on the edge. Doesn't have to be quite as stout at the point-of-attack as an interior lineman. The ability to penetrate/disengage from offensive tackle once the ballcarrier commits to a path is more important, as are pass rushing skills.
Sub (not pictured above)
- A dedicated pass rusher at defensive tackle in obvious passing situations.
- Pass rush skills are a premium here. Stoutness versus the run may be sacrificed.
Grades
A grade of 7 is adequate.
Grades of 8+ are strengths.
Grades of 6- are major liabilities.
- Stoutness (st) -- Ability to hold ground versus run blocking offensive linemen.
- Penetration (pn) -- In the run game, the ability to fire through a gap and into the backfield or to fit into a gap and fill it.
- Pass Rush (pr) -- Ability to threaten pass blockers and the pocket.
- Zone (zn) -- A separate grade is assigned for players who play better or worse against zone runs than their grades would indicate. Left blank otherwise.
- Bend (bnd) -- Does the player have good knee bend to anchor vs. blockers? This can mean good upside to improve as a run defender. Reported as a plus or a minus.
- Projected Position (position) -- Where the player best fits in Coach Pettine's defensive scheme.
The DT Draft Board
The draft board below is based on where I would consider a selection to be a reasonably good value. I have grouped players according to which of the Browns' picks I would spend to draft them. For example, players listed at #77 are those that I would not draft at #43 but would somewhere between #43 and #77. Therefore, if they were available at #77 I would consider them a good value.
The round range where I value the players is also listed in parentheses.
Just to make it clear, the only defensive tackle in this draft class that I view as worth a top-12 selection is Leonard Williams. The rest start coming into the equation after #12.
#19 (mid 1st)
st pn pr zn bnd positions
Arik Armstead 6 10 10 + SE9
Malcom Brown 7 10 9 - WT9,sub9
Danny Shelton 7 9 9 8 - WT9,NT8
#43 (late 1st-2nd)
st pn pr zn bnd positions
Eddie Goldman 7 10 8 10 - WT9,NT8
Grady Jarrett 7 9 8 8 + WT9,sub8
Jordan Phillips 8 8 9 7 + NT8,SE9
Michael Bennett 7 10 9 + WT9,sub9
#77 (2nd-3rd)
st pn pr zn bnd positions
Marcus Hardison 7 9 9 - WT9,sub9
Carl Davis 7 9 9 9 - WT9
B Richardson 7 9 9 8 - SE9
Xavier Cooper 6 9 10 + WT9,sub10
#111 (3rd-4th)
st pn pr zn bnd positions
Gabe Wright 6 9 9 - WT8,sub8
Mario Edwards 8 8 8 SE8,sub8
David Parry 9 8 7 + NT9,WT8
L Walton 8 8 7 9 - WT8,NT8
Xavier Williams 7 8 7 8 + NT7,WT7
R Nunez-Roches 7 8 7 + WT7
#147 (4th-5th)
st pn pr zn bnd positions
Darius Philon 7 9 9 sub9
#189 (5th-6th)
st pn pr zn bnd positions
Warren Herring 8 8 7 8 + NT8,WT8
Derrick Lott 8 8 8 + SE8,NT8
Henry Anderson 8 7 7 + SE7
Terry Williams 6 8 7 8 - NT7,WT7
Tyeler Davison 7 8 8 7 - WT8,sub8
#202 (6th)
st pn pr zn bnd positions
L Trinca-Pasat 6 9 7 + WT7
Joey Mbu 7 8 7 7 - NT7,WT7
Ellis McCarthy 7 7 7 + NT7
Darius Kilgo 6 8 8 - sub7,WT8
BJ Dubose 7 9 7 - SE7,WE
#229 (6th-7th)
st pn pr zn bnd positions
Kaleb Eulls 7 7 8 - WT7
priority UDFA
st pn pr zn bnd positions
Justin Hamilton 8 6 6 + NT7,SE6
Thomas Teal 7 8 7 + WT7
Leon Orr 7 8 7 WT7,SE7
Angelo Blackson 7 8 7 - WT7,NT6
Chris Covington 6 7 9 sub8
Cam Botticelli 6 8 8 7 + sub7
decent UDFA
st pn pr zn bnd positions
Jeff Whitaker 7 7 6 + NT7
Deon Simon 7 7 6 NT7
Keontae Hollis 6 8 7 7 + WT7,sub6
Ben Bradley 6 8 7 7 WT7,sub6
Christian Ringo 6 8 7 + WT7,sub6
Chucky Hunter 6 7 8 - sub7
mediocre UDFA
st pn pr zn bnd positions
James Castleman 6 7 7 NT6
Brandon Ivory 7 6 6 NT6
D Cummings 6 7 7 NT6,WT6
Mike Thornton 6 7 7 WT6,NT6
D Williams 6 7 7 - WT6
Brian Mihalik 7 6 7 - SE6
JT Surratt 5 7 8 sub7