• Clemson‘s Peter Woods has a high ceiling: Woods boasts rare flexibility and athleticism for his size on top of great balance and explosiveness.

• Dontay Corleone is a name to monitor: The Cincinnati veteran was tremendous in 2022 and is looking to regain that form.

• Unlock your edge with PFF+: Access Premium Stats, dominate fantasy with in-season tools and projections and make smarter bets with the new PFF Player Prop Tool.

Estimated Reading Time: 19 minutes

The 2025 college football season has just begun, but it’s never too early to break down prospects for next spring’s draft class.

PFF Lead NFL Draft Analyst Trevor Sikkema offers his breakdowns for 19 interior defenders in the 2026 NFL Draft, including Peter Woods, Domonique Orange and Bear Alexander.

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Nose Tackles

Domonique Orange, Iowa State

Strengths

• Dense, thick frame (used to be 400 pounds). Ideal for nose tackle work
• Good size-length combination to be versatile in a 3-4 scheme
• Explosive first step, especially for his size
• Very good size-strength-leverage combo for double teams
• High-effort player

Weaknesses

• Lacks finesse in his pass-rush profile
• Hand speed is on the slower side
• Must create more separation/pushback when stacking blockers

Scouting Summary

Orange — aka Big Citrus — is a massive defensive line prospect who has a ton of power potential (benches 450 pounds and squats 650 pounds, per The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman). He has good first-step explosiveness, especially for his size, which leads to impactful speed-to-power conversion on his bull rushes when in attack mode.

But although Orange’s power profile is impressive, his speed and finesse game is lacking. His hand speed is slow, which shows up in how quickly he can disengage from blockers. He must also improve how much separation he creates when stacking to maximize block-shed potential. All of that is to say that his power profile is NFL-caliber and especially useful and versatile in a 3-4 scheme. He is also a high-effort player.

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Dontay Corleone, Cincinnati

Strengths

• NFL-level mass
• Impressive hand speed and placement to win reps consistently
• Good natural leverage. Low pads
• Powerful lower body
• Quick first step to shoot gaps
• Good eyes in run defense to know when to shed

Weaknesses

• Height hints at arm length being below average
• Needs more pass-rush moves/counters beyond power rush
• Lack of arm length hurts the speed at which he can shed blockers

Scouting Summary

Corleone — or better known as “The Godfather” — has been in college football for quite some time. He was one of the highest-graded players in the country in 2022, sporting elite PFF run-defense grades thanks to imposing strength and massive size. His PFF overall and even run-defense grades have steadily dropped each season since, and he suffered from blood clots in the 2024 offseason, which is something to note because of his weight.

Corleone has unique quickness for a nose tackle, and even though he possesses shorter arms, he can stack and control centers at will in run defense. His pass-rush win rate has been below 10.0% for two seasons, likely a product of his lack of length — which only gets more difficult to overcome in the NFL. As a true nose tackle for a 3-4 scheme, he can still bring plenty of value.

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Albert Regis, Texas A&M

Strengths

• Well-distributed mass with size and power in the lower half
• Can comfortably get in a low and loaded three- and four-point stance
• Consistently the “low man” when engaging blockers
• Good hand placement and hand speed to disengage from blocks quickly with sheds, chops, swipes and rips

Weaknesses

• Doesn’t have imposing strength when anchoring or bull rushing
• Not overly twitchy to be a consistent pass-rush winner

Scouting Summary

To this point in his college career, Regis has been a consistency-over-impact type of player. He presents a high floor of nose tackle play with good size, flexibility and leverage. He isn’t the most explosive or violent, and because of that, we haven’t seen a ton of backfield production. But, he is where he needs to be with a good understanding of techniques and defensive line principles that can make him a depth NFL player in any scheme.

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Tim Keenan III, Alabama

Strengths

• Adequate mass to play nose tackle in the NFL
• High-effort nose tackle
• Immovable object with single blockers in the run game

Weaknesses

• Little pass-rush production
• Hands must be more active as a rusher (chops, swipes, rips). Too easily blocked right now
• Despite natural leverage potential, upright pass-rush style doesn’t do him any favors

Scouting Summary

Keenan is a bowling ball of a traditional nose tackle who stops the runs with good strength and leverage, but he hasn’t shown much in pass rushing. His hands must be more active when rushing the quarterback, and he must lean more into a bull-rush move with good leverage to get the most out of his strengths as a player. If he doesn’t, he can still be a rotational run stopper as a nose in a 3-4 or 4-3 defense who plays with good effort.

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DeMonte Capehart, Clemson

Strengths

• Ideal NFL size for an interior defender
• Good explosiveness for his size
• Very reliable tackler when he gets his hands on you
• Above-average arm length to get blockers on their heels and off balance

Weaknesses

• Needs better feel/instincts for where the ball is or is going
• Needs more pass-rush moves beyond a bull rush (low career pass-rush win rate)
• Must prioritize block-shedding speed in 2025
• Speed-to-power conversion is middling

Scouting Summary

Capehart is a sixth-year senior in 2025 who has spent most of his Clemson career as a backup and rotational defensive tackle. In 2024, he played a good amount at the nose tackle spot, which is likely his best role in the NFL. He boasts good size and length for the league, but he must maximize his length advantage with his arms more consistently when stacking and bull rushing. He isn’t overly twitchy, so block deconstruction is inconsistent and often slower than when the ball comes out. As a run-stuffing nose tackle in a 3-4 defense, he can provide ideal length in a rotational role.

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Keeshawn Silver, USC

Strengths

• Massive human being. Size and length galore
• Over 7-foot wingspan (via 247 Sports)
• Effective “stand your ground” type of two-gap defensive lineman

Weaknesses

• Was not asked to rush the passer in Kentucky‘s two-gap, odd front defense
• Good first step for his size, but not a pursuit player
• Generally slow block deconstruction
• Could improve the technique with which he takes on doubles

Scouting Summary

Silver is a massive, former five-star defensive lineman who has impressive size and length at over 330 pounds with a 7-foot wingspan. He was primarily used as a head-up, 0-technique nose tackle in Kentucky’s two-gapping, odd-front 3-4 defense. Because of that, he lacks experience and production as a pass rusher. Instead, he is a stereotypical “stand your ground” type of nose tackle. He’s tough to get around and doesn’t yield much ground in run defense, but his lack of overall athleticism beyond his first step has offered low backfield production heading into his fifth season.

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Brandon Cleveland, North Carolina State

Strengths

• Well-distributed 320 pounds. Wears it well
• Low missed tackle rate in his career
• Strong point-of-attack player who can take on doubles
• Good eyes/feel for where the ball is going
• “Do your job” type of player

Weaknesses

• Pass-rush win rate had never been above 6.0% entering 2025
• Bull rush lacks difference-making leg drive, even with leverage
• Doesn’t show a lot of explosiveness (speed or power) to make individual backfield impact
• Block deconstruction is consistently on the slower side

Scouting Summary

Cleveland is a well-built nose tackle in the Wolfpack defense who primarily plays as a head-up 0-technique right in front of the center. He has plenty of experience taking on double teams and knows how to use angles and techniques to stand his ground when doing so. He lacks imposing strength and explosiveness to be a solo-impact defender, evidenced by his sub-6.0% career pass-rush win rate, but he is a “do your job” type of dirty work defensive lineman who has a chance to make it in the NFL as a depth nose tackle.

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3-Techniques

Peter Woods, Clemson

Strengths

• Rare flexibility and natural athleticism for his size
• Has experience and success rushing from two- and three-point stances
• Alignment versatility, from nose tackle to 5-technique
• No false steps out of his stance
• Explosive first step
• Maintains low pad level before making contact
• Can make tight corners when shedding/passing blockers
• Impressive balance and change of direction at his weight

Weaknesses

• Appears to have shorter arms
• Relies heavily on speed-to-power pass rush. Could be more technical with finesse

Scouting Summary

Woods is an ideal blend of size, strength and athleticism for a big man. That shows up in his versatility — not only in his 0-to-5-technique alignments, but also his ability to make an impact in two- and three-point stances, making him truly scheme-versatile. His bread and butter is explosiveness in his first step, converting speed to power quickly and consistently. Pairing that with inside hand placement allows him to stack and shed blockers with haste to make plenty of plays at the line of scrimmage.

If Woods continues to improve and diversify his pass-rush plan (even with shorter arms), he can convert his pass-rush win rate into more sacks and tackles for loss as opposed to just making stops at the line.

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Caleb Banks, Florida

Strengths

• Has the frame/build to play 3-4 defensive end and 4-3 defensive tackle
• Powerful player. Club move has good violence
• Stack and shed is quick and efficient in run defense
• Can hold his ground well against single blocks and even combos

Weaknesses

• Pass rush is based on gap-shooting more than hand usage (but he is improving)
• Doesn’t turn the tightest corner when executing a rip move
• Sometimes too reliant on upper-body strength and forgets leverage importance
• Slower pursuit to the ball if outside the pocket

Scouting Summary

Banks is a big, strong and violent player who has the size and strength potential to be an impactful defensive lineman in the NFL. He brings a strong club move that he relies on to get past blockers and into the backfield as a go-to option. His first step has good burst, but he won’t be one of those defensive linemen making chase-down tackles to the outside. His length and strength give him ideal scheme versatility as a nose tackle, 3-technique or 3-4 defensive end for odd and even fronts as a good run defender, though at times he is too focused on gap-shooting for run defense rather than holding his spot.

Right now, Banks just wins with power. He must improve his pass-rush diversity and pad level, areas that have held his career pass-rush win rate below 12.0% heading into 2025.

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Christen Miller, Georgia

Strengths

• Fast processor for where the play/ball is going
• Good quickness to change direction
• Hands are constantly working to get clean
• Lighting-quick stack-and-shed player
• Conscious of pad level and consistently wins with leverage
• Plus arm length for a defensive tackle

Weaknesses

• Decent anchor when holding the line, but feels a tad light
• Needs more of a true pass-rush plan

Scouting Summary

Miller has been waiting for his turn behind Georgia’s pipeline of NFL defensive linemen. He has the chance to really stand out in 2025. At 6-foot-4 and 310 pounds, he has a good frame to line up as a nose tackle or 3-technique in a 4-3 scheme. He also appears to have plus arm length for an interior player. Not often do you use the word “twitch” with a defensive tackle, but Miller has it in his initial movements, whether in his hands or feet.

He is a good run defender due to his consistent leverage and quick first step, but his true anchor feels a bit light. What enhances his projection despite lower career snap counts is his fast processing and football IQ.

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David Oke, Arkansas

Strengths

• Twitchy movements make him a challenge to keep blocked
• Violent, fast play style. High motor
• Can accelerate up the arc/as a looper

Weaknesses

• Moved off his spot too easily
• Must play with a lower pad level in his first few steps

Scouting Summary

Oke hasn’t played football for long. Native to Nigeria, he didn’t know the rules of the game until his family moved to the U.S., and he started competing in his freshman year of high school. Now, his twitchy movements, violent and fast play style and red-hot motor make him an intriguing NFL prospect. His measurables and play style lend themselves to a 4-3 scheme where he can one-gap and stunt. He does need to play stronger versus the run and maintain a better pad level. Impactful play could lead to a high draft selection for the SEC standout.

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C.J. Fite, Arizona State

Strengths

• Good flexibility and low leverage in pre-snap stance
• Very strong showing against the run (even versus doubles) as an underclassman
• Powerful bull rush when he gets inside hands
• Appears to have long arms for an interior defender

Weaknesses

• Relatively no production as a pass rusher as an underclassman
• Must improve block deconstruction speed to be a better pass rusher

Scouting Summary

Fite is a young defensive tackle prospect who already has two years of starting experience as a nose and 3-technique in Arizona State’s even-front defensive line as a true junior. His run-defense reps as an underclassman were incredibly impressive, including against double teams. He is built like a future NFL player and now needs to find out who he is as a pass rusher to achieve his potential (which can be as a top-100 pick).

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Strengths

• Massive player in height, weight and length
• Natural strength to hold up against double teams
• Bulldozing speed-to-power potential
• Versatile skill set to play multiple interior spots in the NFL

Weaknesses

• A little stiff in his hips, which makes sinking in his stance with power a challenge
• Needs to play with better leverage to maximize plus strength
• Needs to play with better eye discipline/anticipation
• Lacks NFL-level pass-rush plan

Scouting Summary

Jackson is a massive defensive tackle prospect who brings imposing strength potential. He measures in around 6-foot-5 and 340 pounds, and that high weight number isn’t sloppy. His length and weight also allow him to have success as a nose and 3-technique player in a 4-3 scheme. His hand placement and usage can be inconsistent, but when he gets it right, he’s a bulldozer who is nearly impossible to stay in front of.

Jackson’s career pass-rush win rate is below 10.0% heading into 2025, but 2024 was his best season in that regard. He must also improve his processing and feel for where the ball is or is going. He’s in the “potential” as opposed to “polished” category of prospects heading into his final campaign, but he has the look and natural strength of an NFL defensive lineman.

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Zane Durant, Penn State

Strengths

• Strong as an ox
• Good first-step explosiveness

Weaknesses

• Near-outlier measureables for size and length at defensive tackle
• Pursuit speed doesn’t match the impressive first step
• High missed tackle percentage due to shorter arms
• Lacks pass-rush plan

Scouting Summary

Durant has been a consistent name on Bruce Feldman’s College Football Freaks List, thanks to his incredible feats of strength in the weight room. But that weight room glory hasn’t translated to on-field production. His pass-rush win rate came in below 10.0% in 2023 and 2024, and his missed tackle percentage sat at 20.0%. His measurables also make it tough to project him to a consistent impact NFL role — he has the game of a nose tackle but the size of a player needing to play 3-technique.

If Durant can improve his pass-rush production in 2025, we’ll have a clearer picture of what he can be in the NFL.

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Bear Alexander, Oregon

Strengths

• Lightning-quick first step
• Converts speed to power very easily
• Hands continue to work through the rush to get unblocked and move forward
• Good array of finesse pass-rush moves
• Can stack and shed very quickly

Weaknesses

• Can lose track of the ball in the backfield
• Bad habit of selling out his rush lane to try to shoot a gap in run defense
• Consistency can run hot and cold
• Struggles to hold the point of attack versus powerful interior offensive linemen

Scouting Summary

Alexander is a very talented 3-technique defensive tackle. He is built well and makes speed his calling card with explosiveness and solid hand usage. At its best, his speed-to-power strength and leg drive are some of the best you’ll see. He also shows a good understanding of pass-rush moves already. He needs to refine his anticipation of the ball and work on his overall consistency with leverage. Holding up against power is also key — he struggled against Jackson Powers-Johnson. While talented, he’ll have plenty of questions to answer come draft time due to being with his third program and voluntarily leaving USC after three games in 2024.

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Gracen Halton, Oklahoma

Strengths

• Quick off the snap with a good first step
• Quickness gives interior linemen fits to stay in front of him
• Hot motor for any assignment
• Good eye for the ball/run scheme
• Good straight-line speed for pursuit to the sideline

Weaknesses

• Weight profile is light for an NFL defensive tackle
• In-between build for defensive tackle and defensive end
• Light in the lower half for interior work
• Arms look to be on the shorter side
• Bull rush lacks difference-making leg drive

Scouting Summary

Halton is undersized for an interior player and has a bit of a tweener build that might drop him down some draft boards. But for a front that likes to stay multiple and fluid with its defensive linemen, he can be an asset thanks to his quickness, cross-face moves, hot motor and pursuit speed. His drawbacks are evident when more strength is needed, particularly anchoring or bull rushing.

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Zxavian Harris, Ole Miss

Strengths

• Massive, NFL frame in height, weight and length
• Some impressive cross-face reps
• Runs like a locomotive (in a good way) when in pursuit

Weaknesses

• High-waisted build makes it more of a chore to get down and maintain low pad level
• Bull rush stalled quickly at lower weight in 2024
• Gives up his chest too easily

Scouting Summary

Harris is a massive defensive line prospect who is intriguing off those numbers alone. But, he must find a home-base weight (played at 330-plus pounds the previous season and closer to 300 in 2024) to truly assess where he fits in the NFL. He does have some nice cross-face reps when executing a club-arm over or swim move, but we don’t see it too often.

Though his frame comes with natural pros, it also has inherent cons due to his high-waisted build. He also struggles to keep his pad level down. Right now, Harris projects to a rotational role in an odd-front scheme that maximizes his best traits: length and size.

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Strengths

• Playing experience as a 3-4 defensive tackle and 3-4 defensive end
• First step is quick with no false steps
• Strong anchor when he pairs it with leverage
• Knows how to execute strong corkscrew against double teams
• Finished the 2024 season with excellent showing against Michigan

Weaknesses

• Likely lacks the arm length to be a plus starter as a 3-4 defensive end
• Yet to show a definitive pass-rush plan (low pass-rush win rate)
• High missed tackle rate/film hints at shorter arms (tougher to wrap up)

Scouting Summary

Smith is a former four-star prospect who should be a starter for the first time in 2025. He is similar in build to his teammate LT Overton, and because of that, Alabama likes to get versatile with the two of them as 3-technique defensive tackles and 3-4 defensive ends. He finished the 2025 campaign well with a good showing against Michigan, showcasing power against the run and some improved quickness when shedding blocks.

Smith needs to build on that in 2025, as it appears he has shorter arms, which make it tougher for him to naturally disengage and finish tackles. Though Smith brings experience as a 3-4 or 4-3 defensive end, his lack of length will likely limit his success there in the NFL. His best spot is probably as a 4-3 defensive tackle, but he must get his pass-rush win percentage into the double digits to excel there.

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Keanu Tanuvasa, BYU

Strengths

• Above-average arm length for a nose tackle
• Has the frame to put on even more mass if staying as a nose tackle in the NFL
• Alignment versatility as nose tackle and 3-technique defensive tackle
• Impactful speed-to-power conversion

Weaknesses

• Plays on the ground too much. Balance too much on his toes
• Needs to utilize arm length/create that separation with blockers more consistently
• Play style feels too out of control right now

Scouting Summary

Tanuvasa will be on the older side for the 2026 NFL Draft class because of a two-year church mission out of high school before he started his college football journey. He was a rotational player for the Utes before transferring to BYU, hopefully for more playing time. He has been aligned as both a nose tackle and 3-technique defensive tackle, but his best spot appears to be as a 3-technique, given his play weight.

He has good natural strength and strong speed-to-power conversion, but he must improve his balance — he plays on the ground and out of control too often — as well as his hand usage to stay clean of blocks and utilize leverage as a run defender.