Last year’s draft was just the second time in over three decades that we failed to see an interior defensive lineman taken in the first round. There is unlikely to be a repeat of that in 2022, although the class is once again a little thin on talent besides a few notable names. Here are my top 10 interior defensive linemen in the 2022 NFL Draft.
1. Devonte Wyatt – Georgia (6-2, 304, rs-Senior)
Pros: Very good combination of size and athletic ability. Moves like a much smaller player, with quick feet and short area quickness to challenge opponents off the snap. Plays with good leverage and consistently gets under his opponents’ pads. Already has a good array of moves at his disposal. Showed his potential as a pass rusher with 26 pressures on his 263 pass rushing snaps. Good core strength to hold his ground paired with his play recognition speed allow him to make plenty of plays against the run.
Cons: Play strength is solid but not what you would expect from a player of his size. You don’t see much in terms of a nasty streak to his game either and he relies heavily on his ability to win with finesse. Would benefit from developing his bull rush move to diversify his approach. An older prospect, who is already 24 years old. Has an arrest on his record too, being charged with family violence, criminal trespass, and property damage.
Projection: 1st round
2. Logan Hall – Houston (6-6, 283, Senior)
Pros: Excellent pass rusher who combines outstanding length with short area explosiveness. Hands are super quick and he is very accurate at landing inside the frame of his opponent. He also shows good awareness of how and when to vary moves, with a particularly impressive inside swim against oversetting linemen. Produced in college, with 48 pressures on 477 pass rushing snaps. His combination of size and speed give him real versatility and he can have success from the interior or off the edge.
Cons: At 6’6″ he is on the taller end of the scale for interior linemen and it does cause some issues with leverage. Can slow his progress as a pass rusher and did see better leveraged offensive linemen move him off the line of scrimmage in the running game. Has a couple of key pass rushing moves that his game is built around but will need a more varied arsenal to reach his potential in the NFL. Some teams might see him as a tweener.
Projection: 2nd round
3. Jordan Davis – Georgia (6-6, 341, Senior)
Pros: Imposing size profile. Maybe the best run defending nose tackle of the last decade. Impossible to displace in one-on-ones with an incredible anchor. Double teams don’t do much either and he is still able to stand his ground and make plays. Hands are incredibly heavy and he will ragdoll opposing linemen and disengage with ease. Rare quickness for a player of his size, with some sharp footwork in tight areas and good balance.
Cons: Little to no production as a pass rusher, with an 8.3% win rate that ranked 211th at the position. No real moves to speak of and his success in college came from simply overwhelming opponents with his physical traits. Doesn’t have much in terms of lateral agility. Major concerns in terms of his motor and durability, which are partly related to issues maintaining a healthy play weight. Never played more than 400 snaps in a single season.
Projection: 2nd round
4. Travis Jones – UConn (6-4, 325, Senior)
Pros: Outstanding strength and rock solid anchor allows him to absorb double teams. Combines this lower body strength with powerful hands that allow him to dictate blocks. Has very good length (88th percentile) and consistent hand placement. Reads the run well and shows the ability to disengage and make plays. Flashes some potential as a pass rusher, with a mean bull rush and an effective swim counter. Finished with 48 pressures on 600 pass rushing snaps in 2021.
Cons: Pre-draft testing did not match the player he was on tape. Does not look overly explosive and lacks ideal lateral agility. Not particularly flexible either, which limited his effectiveness on stunts. Stiffness carries over to his pad level and he had issues maintaining good pad level throughout the rep. Had success as a pass rusher with a limited number of moves and will need to add more if he’s to have an impact on third downs in the NFL.
Projection: 2nd round
5. Perrion Winfrey – Oklahoma (6-3, 290, Senior)
Pros: Incredible athlete who has special quickness for an interior lineman. Will cause all sorts of problems for opponents in pass rushing situations, with the burst to challenge them out of their stance and the lateral agility to play across gaps and get into the backfield. Great length and knows how to use it when engaged with blockers. Hands are heavy and he shows a good variety of moves. Had 29 pressures on 285 pass rushing snaps in 2021. Plays with a noticeably high motor.
Cons: Can get overly aggressive when engaging with opponents, leading to issues with his balance. Also struggled to play with consistent leverage and allowed opponents to get under his pads. Not very disciplined at all against the run and won’t be much of a playmaker in that aspect of the game. Lacks ideal lower half strength to anchor against drive blocks. His game in college was more about flashes than consistency, with far too many quiet games on tape.
Projection: 3rd round
6. DeMarvin Leal – Texas A&M (6-3, 283, Junior)
Pros: Has good flexibility and bend for his size and produced as an edge rusher at circa 290 lbs. Footwork is also very impressive for a player of his size. Flashes some nice hand usage, with the ability to vary his plan of attack. Knows how to combo his moves as a pass rusher and react to the positioning of opposing linemen. Had plenty of success with his bull rush and was able to walk opposing linemen backwards into the pocket.
Cons: Tweener. Doesn’t have the size or play strength to be a consistent presence along the interior, but is also not explosive enough to be a full-time edge rusher in the NFL. Anchor needs improving as he is moved far too easily against the run. Production saw a noticeable drop-off in 2021 and he struggled to produce as a pass rusher – his 12.9% win rate ranked 270th amongst defensive linemen. Motor is inconsistent.
Projection: 3rd round
7. Phidarian Mathis – Alabama (6-4, 310, rs-Senior)
Pros: Ticks the boxes when it comes to size and length. Very good play strength that enables him to be a playmaker against the run. Lower body power to anchor against drive blocks and maintain his ground. Possesses good hands, with plenty of pop on contact. Shows the ability to control opposing blockers and shed at will. Played from a variety of alignments and had plenty of success. Showed he can be a contributor as a pass rusher, with 25 pressures, including seven sacks, on 326 pass rushing snaps in 2021.
Cons: Had issues maintaining good pad level through contact, often rising up and allowing offensive linemen to get under his pads. Not an overly dynamic athlete, with an average first step. Does not have the lateral quickness to frighten opponents and play across gaps. Needs to improve his variety of pass rushing moves and ability to counter as he will often get stuck on blocks if his initial approach fails.
Projection: 3rd round
8. Matthew Butler – Tennessee (6-3, 297, rs-Senior)
Pros: Good initial quickness of the snap and plays with good leverage to get under his opponents’ pads. Has good movement skills and body control for an interior lineman. Hands are quick and active and he showcases a great motor to keep fighting until the whistle. Able to lock out and control blocks thanks to his good hand placement. Well-rounded game, with proven ability to make plays as both a pass rusher and a run defender.
Cons: Doesn’t have a standout physical trait. Frame is solid but nothing special by NFL standards. Does not possess a great strength profile and is not much of an explosive athlete either. Can still improve on his technique, often winning off the back of sheer will in college. No real production of note until 2021, his fifth year in Tennessee. He will turn 23 as a rookie.
Projection: 4th round
9. Eyioma Uwazurike – Iowa State (6-6, 316, rs-Senior)
Pros: Has outstanding size and length which he knows how to employ to his advantage. Excellent at getting inside the frame of his opponent and keeping his own chest clean, with the strong hands to dictate the block. Has plenty of pop to his punches and will create push on the pocket through sheer force. Worked from a variety of alignments and is coming off a very productive season as a pass rusher, with 43 pressures on just 345 pass rushing snaps.
Cons: His height has a habit of working against him and he does have issues playing with consistent pad level. Below average athlete who doesn’t have any short area quickness to speak of and won’t challenge offensive linemen laterally. Fairly one dimensional is his attack and needs to add more variety to his game. One of the older defensive linemen prospects, turning 24 ahead of his rookie season.
Projection: 4th round
10. Neil Farrell Jr. – LSU (6-4, 330, rs-Senior)
Pros: Massive lineman who is ideally suited to play nose tackle in the NFL. Really powerful hands at the point of attack with the ability to create plenty of push off the snap. Has good lower body strength that allows him to anchor well against drive blocks and double teams. Plays with a noticeably high motor and will keep his hands active throughout the rep. Placement is very good and allows him to control blocks.
Cons: Not a particularly fluid mover, but you wouldn’t expect from a player of his size. Not an outstanding athlete either. Definitely has some bad weight on his frame and will need to improve his conditioning. Lacks ideal length which limits his ability to stack and shed against the run. Not the most disciplined player and can often get out of control. Would benefit from playing with a more measured approach.
Projection: 4th round
