Williams didn't quite live up to the hype as a rookie. Part of that was due to playing behind Alim McNeill, but even when McNeill was out, the 2025 first-round pick wasn't terribly impactful. Williams did start to put it together in flashes toward the end of year one; it's just a matter of whether he can build on that to become a true starting-caliber defensive tackle in the NFL.

Bresee hasn't lived up to expectations as a first-round pick, primarily because he has been a liability against the run. But the three-year veteran offered some value as an interior pass-rusher, employing his quickness, agility and hand usage to win around the edges. A handful of flashes were seen against the run last year, giving the Saints enough hope to pick up Bresee's fifth-year option. However, the organization will be forced to wait and see if that decision was prudent, because Bresee suffered a torn ACL at the onset of this year's training camp.

Newton has had a tough start to his career, especially against the run. He showed some promise to begin last season, but fizzled out in the second half and had issues holding his gap. The 2024 second-round pick has shown promise as a pass-rusher, logging five sacks in 2025, but he isn't winning a high enough rate yet to make that sustainable.

The injuries are starting to pile up for Wharton, as he's beginning the 2026 season on PUP after undergoing neck surgery in May, per The Athletic's Joseph Person. A couple of years ago, he was an up-and-coming interior pass-rusher who had 6.5 sacks before becoming a free agent. There were a handful of flashes last year to provide some hope that type of player is still in him, but nagging hamstring and toe ailments kept Wharton to just nine games and limited production.

Last year was the first time Booker was a regular starter in the NFL, and he showed some promise as an interior pass-rusher. The 2022 fifth-round pick has decent strength to push the pocket and some quickness to work the edges, collecting a handful of wins/pressures despite not appearing in the sack column. Booker still has a lot of work to do against the run, though, often getting blown off the ball.

Hamilton is a nose tackle who is an absolute boulder in the running game. Even when he doesn't recognize or is late to see wham blocks, he has enough size and strength to absorb contact and toss tight ends aside to make tackles near the line of scrimmage. However, the six-year veteran has never been and never will be much of a factor as a pass-rusher.

Grant had a disappointing rookie season because he struggled to hold his gap as a run defender. That was viewed as one of his strengths coming out of Michigan, according to B/R's scouting department, but he had issues anchoring consistently, especially against combo blocks and double teams. However, the former Wolverine did show a few flashes defeating one-on-one blocks to provide some optimism moving forward. Also, despite posting just two sacks, he actually exceeded expectations as a pass-rusher in year one, collecting a handful of wins with his ability to push the pocket.

Hall is coming off the best season of his career, where he was a solid player in both phases of the game. The Houston product showed improvement as a run defender, specifically his ability to take on and disengage from blocks, and he has a dangerous swim move as a pass-rusher. However, if that's Hall's high, he's going to have a tough time getting playing time on Houston's deep defensive line.

While Thomas has been a bust as a No. 3 overall pick, he's carved out a solid nine-, going on 10-year career as a rotational defensive tackle. He contributes most as an interior pass-rusher and can provide run support on the edge. That's been part of his issue in the NFL, though, struggling to find a true position and falling into the "tweener" category.

Godchaux is an old-school nose tackle who can plug up and make tackles in the A-gap. He can bring down running backs with offensive linemen hanging onto him and for short gains, but the 31-year-old isn't very disruptive at this stage in his career. Godchaux also doesn't offer much as a pass-rusher.

Benton plays up and down the Steelers' defensive line, lining up anywhere from a nose tackle to a defensive end. He's really come into his own as a pass-rusher in the NFL, recording a career-high 5.5 sacks during the regular season and then notching one more in the playoff game. However, the Wisconsin product has been disappointing against the run. He needs to be more consistent at holding his gap and as a tackler.

Barmore had an excellent 2023 campaign with 64 tackles, 13 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks, which helped him earn a hefty contract extension the following offseason. Unfortunately, he was diagnosed with blood clots shortly after inking the new deal, and that's caused him to miss time and appears to have impacted him on the field. The defensive tackle is still a decent pass-rusher, but has never been a good run defender and was a liability in that department last season.

Jarrett may still carry some name recognition, but this isn't the same guy who made back-to-back Pro Bowls in 2019 and 2020. The 11-year veteran isn't a starting-caliber player anymore. However, he can still contribute in a rotational role with his ability to make plays as both a pass-rusher and run defender from multiple alignments.

Elliott can provide solid run support and occasionally pushes the pocket with a decent bull rush. But don't expect him to contribute more than one or two pressures per game, at best. The six-year veteran can be a solid two-down starter in Tennessee.

Overall, Caldwell had a solid rookie season for a defensive tackle. His combination of strength and quickness showed up against the run, beating one-on-one opportunities by winning at the point of attack or slanting in the adjacent gap to make guards miss and get penetration. However, the third-round pick still needs work against double teams/combo blocks, and his traits didn't transfer over as a pass-rusher.

Brown is a quality two-down defender in the trenches. He's pretty consistent at holding his gap and can defeat or defend against nearly all types of run blocks, collecting a good amount of tackles near the line of scrimmage. However, the five-year pro offers little to no value on third downs, never recording more than half a sack in a single season.