NFL Coaches, Execs And Scouts Say Vita Vea Is 9th-Best Defensive Tackle
July 8th, 2025
vee-TUH!, vee-TUH!, vee-TUH!
It’s that time of year, when Jeremy Fowler of ESPN drops results from his annual survey of league executives, coaches and scouts, an exercise to rank the best 10 players at every position.
Yesterday, Bucky Irving was disrespected. Today it’s Vita Vea’s turn to get love in the defensive tackles breakdown.
Vea checked in at No. 9 in the anonymous survey, sandwiched between DeForest Buckner (Colts) and four-time All-Pro and future Hall of Famer Cameron Heyward (Steelers).
Age 30 | Last year’s ranking: honorable mention
Vea slimmed down last offseason, and the result was a career-high 7.0 sacks along with his usual run-stopping ways. But the stats don’t tell the story with Vea, whose raw strength is undeniable.
“He’s the kind of guy where if you don’t have him [on your team] for a while, playing defense is a lot tougher,” a veteran NFL assistant coach said. “A true difference-maker.”
Vea’s 10 tackles for loss also marked a career high. Head coach Todd Bowles is unafraid to drop the 347-pound Vea into coverage, where he makes open-field plays, to the dismay of Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson.
Outside the top-10 were five “honorable mention” defensive tackles, plus six other DTs who got at least a one vote in the top-10 survey. Bucs third-year man Calijah Kancey was in the latter group.
Joe will note that the No. 1 defensive tackle honor went to Giants DT Dexter Lawrence, the guy Cody Mauch recently named on the Beyond The Spotlight podcast as his most brutal matchup last season.
And for those skeptical of new Bucs edger rusher Haason Reddick, No. 5 on the list was Jets stud Quinnen Williams, who has 3 Pro Bowl trips and 23.5 sacks over the past three seasons.
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