NDN: Chicago Bears QB Justin Fields looks like the real deal
By John Blair
- A team looking for help stopping the run in the 2022 NFL Draft is going to love what they find in Georgia defensive tackle Jordan Davis. Coming in at 6-foot-6 and 340 pounds he has the size to clog up the middle. He shows impressive strength as well and is extremely hard to move off the ball. On the downside, he is not much of a pass rusher and might see his reps limited at the next level due to his lack of ability to get after the quarterback.
- North Texas defensive tackle Dion Novil is a player with intriguing potential. Novil plays nose tackle for the Mean Green which is not a position that usually puts up big numbers but that is not the case with him. During his career, the 6-foot-4 330-pound prospect has recorded 135 tackles, 28 tackles for loss, and 6.5 sacks. The main reason he has been such a force is his surprising quickness which routinely allows him to beat his man off the ball. Surprisingly one area he needs to improve is his strength which is not normally a concern with a player his size.
- Western Michigan’s Ralph Holley is a pass-rushing defensive tackle that a team could likely pick up as a priority free agent after the 2022 NFL Draft. Over his career, he has recorded 14 sacks including three last year in just six games. His strong effort last season earned him a pass-rushing grade of 90.6 which was the 12th highest mark of any defensive lineman. What allows him to get pressure on the quarterback is his quick first step, although he will need to develop more power and keep his feet moving on contact because after his initial surge he doesn’t make a big impact.
- If Appalachian State’s Demetrius Taylor is allowed to be a three-technique defensive tackle in the NFL he easily could develop into a rotational defensive lineman at the next level. What stands out with Taylor is his quickness and athletic ability which allows him to make plays in opponents’ backfields on a consistent basis. Over his college career, he has 35.5 tackles for loss, 19.5 sacks, and five forced fumbles.
- Coming out of high school South Carolina defensive tackle Zacch Pickens was rated as one of the top ten players in his class. However, he has yet to produce anything close to what you expect from a five-star recruit. Over his career with the Gamecocks, he has only started seven games and has just one career sack. Hopefully, things are turning around for him though as he was named South Carolina’s most improved defensive player in spring ball and should be a full-time starter this year. As a pro prospect, he is an athletic lineman with good speed but will need to get stronger.
- A transfer who could make an impact this season is DaQuan Newkirk who decided to transfer from Auburn to Florida after the school fired Guz Malzahn. Last year was the first time Newkirk was a starter as he missed significant time earlier in his career due to two torn Achilles tendons. He finished the year with 28 tackles and 1.5 sacks which was ok but not terrific numbers. However, those stats will likely improve this season with the Gators as he has impressed coaches during practice and has shown the versatility to play either a three or zero technique in Florida’s defense.