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The Dallas Cowboys' defensive line may be one monster defensive tackle from being among the best in the league. Micah Parsons demands double teams and chips on the outside. Dante Fowler, Jr. had 10.5 sacks last season and will win often if left to be blocked one-on-one. Opponents still decided to double team Osa Odighizuwa because he was hard to contain with single-blocks last year. If Dallas could add a defensive tackle who forced the opposition to double him, Odighizuwa and Parsons would be opened up to one-on-one blocks more often, and they can ruin offensive game plans.
The Cowboys don't have what could be considered an undeniable unit on their team. The receiving corps has far too many unknowns. The offensive line has potential but their tackles are huge question marks. The secondary can't stay healthy enough to play together, and the linebacker corps is reworked. If Dallas added one more great defensive tackle to their defensive line group, it could make them a game-wrecking unit. They might need to draft one of the best options to make that happen.
Height: 6-foot-4, Weight: 305, RAS: 9.16
Darius Alexander is a technician in one-on-one pass rush. He uses his length well, gaining leverage from the snap and sports a good pass rush repertoire that includes initial moves and counters. He uses his long arms to move people on bull rushes and has a great punch with his hands. When an opposing offense gets into known passing situations, Alexander wrecks opponent's game plans with his ability to get to the quarterback.
The rest of his game has issues. He gets moved by double teams, struggles to disengage and tackle, and isn't great in twists and stunts. He can build his strength and develop his game against the run, but his pass-rush ability keeps him in the top five.
Height: 6-foot-3, Weight: 334, RAS: N/A
Tyleik Williams is a genuinely massive one-technique or nose tackle-style DT. He doesn't have the versatility of the other defensive tackles on this list because he offers little as a pass rusher. Prospects like Williams typically aren't top-50 selections, but he is for a good reason. If the opponent chooses to block him with a single blocker, he will change the line of scrimmage by moving the offensive lineman two yards into the backfield. His pass rush grade was under 60, according to Pro Football Focus (PFF), but they gave him a run defense grade of 88.6. Last season, he had 26 run stops and eight tackles for a loss or zero gain. In his four seasons at Ohio State, he accumulated 28 tackles for a loss, 11.5 sacks, and 10 batted passes. The best teams understand the importance of what Williams brings to the table. He is an immovable object in the middle.
Height: 6-foot-4, Weight: 331, RAS: 7.17
Kenneth Grant has a significant difference from other players his size. He can play a pass-rushing three-technique and not just be a massive run stuffer. He is uniquely athletic for a 6-foot-4, 331-pound man. Grant will run down a running back that breaks through the line, as he did to Penn State running back Kaytron Allen. He has a decent pass rush repertoire but could win regularly by overpowering the blocker in front of him. Grant amassed eight sacks, 50 pressures, and 39 run stops over the last two seasons at Michigan, including making clutch plays in big moments of their National Championship season. His run-stop grade was barely below Williams from Ohio State, but his pass rush grade was a solid 75.3. Grant can help any defensive line against the run and as a pass rusher.
Height: 6-foot-4, Weight: 313, RAS: N/A
Derrick Harmon might be the most underrated player in this entire draft class, and may end up the best when it's all said and done. He is rare in how complete he is. He plays one-technique at 6-foot-4 and 313 pounds, and can take on double teams and hold up against the run. According to PFF, his run defense grade is over 80, and he had a 7.1% run-stop rate with 20 run stops. He plays like he sees things coming before the start quite often. Whether that is because he has excellent initiative or is a relentless film room guy, it's an enormous positive for his transition to the NFL.
As a pass rusher, he is a handful to deal with. Harmon has an impressive pass rush grade of 86.3, but on snaps that eliminate plays where the offensive linemen are not provided built-in advantages like play-action or screens (true pass set pass rush grades), his grade is 91.2. He led the NCAA with 55 pressures, was fourth in pass-rush win-rate at 17.6%, was second in pressure rate at 10.7%, and had five sacks and 10.5 tackles for a loss. He would be considered the best prospect available at his position if he showed consistency instead of just a single breakout season.
Height: 6-foot-3, Weight: 296, RAS: N/A
Mason Graham played as an undersized three-technique next to Grant and is considered a pass-rushing defensive tackle. His true pass set pass rush grade was 86.8, and he was fifth in the NCAA with a 13.8% pass-rush win percentage. He was also in the top 10 in pressures with 34. It is understandable why he is thought of that way, considering he has enough bend to move out and play snaps at defensive end if he had to. Graham is not one-dimensional, being the highest-rated run defender amongst all defensive linemen in the NCAA with a grade of 92.6. He was fifth in stops with 30 and second in run-stop percentage at 12%. Graham has a wrestling background that he leans on to help him deconstruct blocks and make plays against the run. Game-changing defensive tackles are a rarity in the NFL, and Graham could be the next one to come to the league.
You can find Mike Crum on Twitter @cdpiglet or Bluesky @mike-crum-cdpiglet.bsky.social
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This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: 2025 NFL draft: Best 5 defensive tackle fits for the Dallas Cowboys
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The Cowboys don't have what could be considered an undeniable unit on their team. The receiving corps has far too many unknowns. The offensive line has potential but their tackles are huge question marks. The secondary can't stay healthy enough to play together, and the linebacker corps is reworked. If Dallas added one more great defensive tackle to their defensive line group, it could make them a game-wrecking unit. They might need to draft one of the best options to make that happen.
5. DT Darius Alexander, Toledo
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Height: 6-foot-4, Weight: 305, RAS: 9.16
Darius Alexander is a technician in one-on-one pass rush. He uses his length well, gaining leverage from the snap and sports a good pass rush repertoire that includes initial moves and counters. He uses his long arms to move people on bull rushes and has a great punch with his hands. When an opposing offense gets into known passing situations, Alexander wrecks opponent's game plans with his ability to get to the quarterback.
The rest of his game has issues. He gets moved by double teams, struggles to disengage and tackle, and isn't great in twists and stunts. He can build his strength and develop his game against the run, but his pass-rush ability keeps him in the top five.
4. DT Tyleik Williams, Ohio State
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Height: 6-foot-3, Weight: 334, RAS: N/A
Tyleik Williams is a genuinely massive one-technique or nose tackle-style DT. He doesn't have the versatility of the other defensive tackles on this list because he offers little as a pass rusher. Prospects like Williams typically aren't top-50 selections, but he is for a good reason. If the opponent chooses to block him with a single blocker, he will change the line of scrimmage by moving the offensive lineman two yards into the backfield. His pass rush grade was under 60, according to Pro Football Focus (PFF), but they gave him a run defense grade of 88.6. Last season, he had 26 run stops and eight tackles for a loss or zero gain. In his four seasons at Ohio State, he accumulated 28 tackles for a loss, 11.5 sacks, and 10 batted passes. The best teams understand the importance of what Williams brings to the table. He is an immovable object in the middle.
3. DT Kenneth Grant, Michigan
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Height: 6-foot-4, Weight: 331, RAS: 7.17
Kenneth Grant has a significant difference from other players his size. He can play a pass-rushing three-technique and not just be a massive run stuffer. He is uniquely athletic for a 6-foot-4, 331-pound man. Grant will run down a running back that breaks through the line, as he did to Penn State running back Kaytron Allen. He has a decent pass rush repertoire but could win regularly by overpowering the blocker in front of him. Grant amassed eight sacks, 50 pressures, and 39 run stops over the last two seasons at Michigan, including making clutch plays in big moments of their National Championship season. His run-stop grade was barely below Williams from Ohio State, but his pass rush grade was a solid 75.3. Grant can help any defensive line against the run and as a pass rusher.
2. DT Derrick Harmon, Oregon
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Height: 6-foot-4, Weight: 313, RAS: N/A
Derrick Harmon might be the most underrated player in this entire draft class, and may end up the best when it's all said and done. He is rare in how complete he is. He plays one-technique at 6-foot-4 and 313 pounds, and can take on double teams and hold up against the run. According to PFF, his run defense grade is over 80, and he had a 7.1% run-stop rate with 20 run stops. He plays like he sees things coming before the start quite often. Whether that is because he has excellent initiative or is a relentless film room guy, it's an enormous positive for his transition to the NFL.
As a pass rusher, he is a handful to deal with. Harmon has an impressive pass rush grade of 86.3, but on snaps that eliminate plays where the offensive linemen are not provided built-in advantages like play-action or screens (true pass set pass rush grades), his grade is 91.2. He led the NCAA with 55 pressures, was fourth in pass-rush win-rate at 17.6%, was second in pressure rate at 10.7%, and had five sacks and 10.5 tackles for a loss. He would be considered the best prospect available at his position if he showed consistency instead of just a single breakout season.
1. DT Mason Graham, Michigan
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Height: 6-foot-3, Weight: 296, RAS: N/A
Mason Graham played as an undersized three-technique next to Grant and is considered a pass-rushing defensive tackle. His true pass set pass rush grade was 86.8, and he was fifth in the NCAA with a 13.8% pass-rush win percentage. He was also in the top 10 in pressures with 34. It is understandable why he is thought of that way, considering he has enough bend to move out and play snaps at defensive end if he had to. Graham is not one-dimensional, being the highest-rated run defender amongst all defensive linemen in the NCAA with a grade of 92.6. He was fifth in stops with 30 and second in run-stop percentage at 12%. Graham has a wrestling background that he leans on to help him deconstruct blocks and make plays against the run. Game-changing defensive tackles are a rarity in the NFL, and Graham could be the next one to come to the league.
You can find Mike Crum on Twitter @cdpiglet or Bluesky @mike-crum-cdpiglet.bsky.social
Follow Cowboys Wire on Facebook to join in on the conversation with fellow fans!
This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: 2025 NFL draft: Best 5 defensive tackle fits for the Dallas Cowboys
Continue reading...
