The 'On The Clock' crew of Matt Williamson, Mike Prisuta and Max Starks take a look at the top prospects in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft, which will be held in Pittsburgh later this month. Today, they take a second look at the defensive tackle position.
Note: The opinions expressed here are their own and not those of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Matt's First Look
1. Caleb Banks, Florida, 6-6, 327 lbs.
2. Lee Hunter, Texas Tech, 6-3 1/2, 318 lbs.
3. Kayden McDonald, Ohio State, 6-2, 326 lbs.
4. Peter Woods, Clemson, 6-2 1/2, 298 lbs.
5. Domonique Orange, Iowa State, 6-2, 322 lbs.
Matt's Thoughts
This isn't an easy defensive tackle class to unpack. It is pretty loaded with traditional nose tackle types, but that just isn't a skillset that is valued a ton in today's NFL. So, what is that worth? The league covets disruptors in the middle of the defensive line that can also help against the run (of course), but pure run stuffers just don't impact today's game as much as they once did. And they don't play a high number of snaps. As for my original top five, Banks stays on top despite a lot of concerns and inconsistencies to his game in addition to durability issues. But he stays on top for one reason: Upside. If Banks hits, he could hit big…real big. After much thought, next up on my list is Christen Miller (6-4, 321 lbs.) from Georgia. Miller is an advanced run stopper with exceptional play recognition skills. He has a great body for the position and is very powerful. Admittedly, his pass-rush arsenal is a work in progress, but Georgia defensive linemen traditionally don't play a high number of snaps and more time on the field could do Miller a lot of good. McDonald comes in third here. Not to talk out of both sides of my mouth, but McDonald is the pure throwback nose tackle in the Casey Hampton/Vince Wilfork mold. He offers next to nothing against the pass, but his ability to control the middle of the field just can't be denied. Somewhat reluctantly, I am keeping Woods at four. He is undersized and doesn't make up for it with extreme quickness or athletic ability. That is a combination that really scares me. But he has done a lot of good things at the college level and should impact the game at the next level…Here is a shocker for the fifth position in a very weak defensive tackle group: Southeastern Louisiana's Kaleb Proctor (6-2, 291 lbs.). Proctor explodes off the snap and gets up the field better than anyone in this class. He plays low and consistently impacts the pocket vs. the pass. Proctor has a wide array of pass-rush moves and changes direction in an instant. He should be playing on third downs next year immediately. Hunter and Orange dropped out of the top five pretty much just because they don't rush the passer well enough and while they do defend the run quite well, they just aren't on McDonald's level in this capacity…One more player to discuss is Missouri's Chris McClellan (6-4, 313 lbs.). McClellan has a lot of similarities to Miller, but at a discounted price. He too can align all over the defensive line and he keeps getting better. McClellan has great grip strength and power throughout his entire body. As he improves, McClellan should provide much value in an interior rotation.
Mike's First Look
1. Lee Hunter, Texas Tech, 6-3 1/2, 318 lbs.
2. Kayden McDonald, Ohio State, 6-2, 326 lbs.
3. Peter Woods, Clemson, 6-2 1/2, 298 lbs.
4. Domonique Orange, Iowa State, 6-2, 322 lbs.
5. Caleb Banks, Florida, 6-6, 327 lbs.
Mike's Thoughts
After further review I'm elevating McDonald to No. 1, despite uncertainty regarding whether he'll be able to contribute as a pass-rusher. I like the player, I like the run-stuffing and I like the personality (especially the eye black all over his face). Sometimes, you just get a feeling about a guy. The same can be said about Southeastern Louisiana's Kaleb Proctor (6-11/2, 275), who has athleticism and upside that are both intriguing (Proctor was the first installment's "sleeper"). South Carolina's Nick Barrett (6-27/8, 312) was only a one-year starter but he registered the first six tackles for a loss and the first two sacks of his five-year career in 2025. Michigan's Rayshaun Benny (6-3, 296) also lacks gaudy statistics, as is the case with many of the defensive tackle candidates. But NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah assessed Benny, named Third-Team All-Big Ten in 2025, as "real strong" and "real stout.". Penn State's Zane Durant (6-11/8, 290) may be perceived as a Top 5 defensive linemen by the time the NFL Draft commences. He had "maybe the best on-field workout of any defensive lineman," NFL Network analyst Charles Davis speculated, at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. Durant's performance included a 4.75 40-yard dash. That was faster than Patrick Mahomes (4.80 in 2017) and Dak Prescott (4.79 in 2016). When the defensive linemen are faster than the quarterbacks, look out. Tennessee's Bryson Eason (6-21/8, 323) originally signed on the play linebacker for the Vols. "He's grown into a full-fledged defensive tackle," Jeremiah noted. Kentucky's David Gusta (6-2, 308) is a Washington State transfer who reportedly earned the nickname "bone" because he kept sending teammates to the sidelines during practices at WSU. Oklahoma's Gracen Halton (6-25/8, 293) stood out athletically in Indy (he ran a 4.82 40, posted a broad jump of 9'6" and a vertical leap of 36.5") and on the field the last two seasons (where he registered a combined 13 tackles for a loss and 8.5 sacks). Florida State's Darrell Jackson Jr. (6-51/8, 315) is long and lean and has 34.5-inch arms. "That's what you want them to look like," Jeremiah maintained. Alabama's Tim Keenan III (6-1, 327) looks the part of a true nose tackle and was a team captain for the Crimson Tide. Baylor's Jackie Marshall (6-21/2, 293) played on the edge as well as inside and ran a 4.88 40 in Indy. "If you put him inside that speed would play a little better," Jeremiah suggested. Missouri's Chris McClellan (6-33/8, 315) played two seasons at Florida and two at Mizzou. He posted career-high totals in tackles for a loss (eight) and sacks (six) in 2025. Georgia's Christen Miller (6-4, 310) will be drafted more on potential than production. He's not a finished product but he can run and he has a motor that shows up in back-side pursuit. Georgia Tech's Jordan van den Berg (6-3, 310) wasn't invited to the Combine but scored a 10.00 Relative Athletic Score out of a possible 10.00 at Georgia Tech's Pro Day. If he was a sleeper before, he isn't anymore. Oklahoma's Damonic Williams (6-1, 323) played two seasons at TCU and two with the Sooners. He registered at least 4.5 tackles for a loss in each of the last four seasons.
Max's First Look
1. Kayden McDonald, Ohio State, 6-2, 326 lbs.
2. Caleb Banks, Florida, 6-6, 327 lbs.
3. Peter Woods, Clemson, 6-2 1/2, 298 lbs.
4. Lee Hunter, Texas Tech, 6-3 1/2, 318 lbs.
5. Darrell Jackson Jr, Florida State, 6-5, 315 lbs.
Max's Thoughts
Could this be the year that no defensive tackle goes in the first round of the draft? The top of this group is not exceptional, it's very good, and has some talented traits, but there is no total package player in this year's class. Caleb Banks seems to be picking up steam as the potential first defensive tackle off the board, but what does that mean? One instance you could say: the supply does not meet the demand and therefore some teams will reach, but I believe that day #2 is the sweet spot for this group. There are a lot of tweezers who could slide between the nose and the three technique and even some that could play in a 34 system as a defensive end. However, some of these traits have to be coached. If you see something you like in a guy, and is in a position of need, you've got to take him and develop the rest. To give you a comparison: There are Milton Williams in this group, but there are no Aaron Donalds!
