(Photo: Michael Allio, Getty)
The 2025 NFL Draft is just weeks away, and I can confidently say that I have zero confidence in what direction the Packers will go in the 1st round. The combination of multiple glaring needs, as well as a relatively "weaker" draft class, leaves us with a ton of options as we approach the big day.
Over the next month, I'm going to go position by position, highlighting players I think the Packers could actually draft. Not players I'd like them to draft or players I think they should draft, only players that meet essentially all of their (tedious and slightly infuriating) thresholds. I should also mention that I won't be featuring players who have virtually no shot of being available at the Packers' first pick.
Last week, I focused on edge rushers, and today we're going to piggyback off of that and turn our attention to the defensive tackle group. Many draft experts have said this is one of the deepest defensive tackle classes we've seen in a very long time, and I expect Gutey to take advantage.
As I said last week when discussing the edge rushers, these players will be listed in order of how I personally have them ranked, and not all of these guys will necessarily be 1st round options.
Let's do it.
****Walter Nolen, Ole Miss
Walter Nolen has some of my favorite tape of anyone in this year's draft. He is so powerful at the point of attack and plays with so much violence in his hands it can completely overwhelm an offensive lineman. On his best reps, you'll see him simply tossing guards out of his way in pursuit of the quarterback.
Last year, Nolen racked up 6.5 sacks, 14 tackles for loss, and finished as PFF's 6th highest-graded defensive tackle. What really stood out to me was, even on plays where he didn't record a stat, he remained incredibly impactful. He finished the 2024 season with 35 pressures, which was 8th most in the country. Sacks are king, but never underestimate the value in finding players who can consistently affect the quarterback in the pocket.
#OleMiss DT Walter Nolen
Explosive power on this rep. pic.twitter.com/2p6YZWQTIl
— Matt Bowen (@MattBowen41) April 1, 2025
My biggest concern with Nolen is his secondary moves. If you watch his tape, you'll see too many reps where he gets locked up at the line and doesn't have any answers. You can't always win right off the snap in the NFL. He'll need to develop some secondary options as a pass-rusher at the next level.
****Kenneth Grant, Michigan
In the words of Jim Harbaugh, Kenneth Grant is a gift from the football gods. At 6-foot-3, nearly 340 pounds, Grant is an absolute tank in the middle of the defensive line. What separates him from your average 340-pound defensive tackle is that Grant can move. I have never seen a man of his size move the way he moves. There is a clip of Grant in the 2023 Penn State game that went viral, where he chased down a running back from behind nearly 30 yards downfield. It's mesmerizing.
This sold me on Kenneth Grant. He's 6'3" 340. Only problem is I think he's gone before 16. ?pic.twitter.com/GjgQlVrQV6
— Bird Droppings (@BirdmanofAZ) March 29, 2025
When it comes to a player like Grant, you're not always going to see his impact on the stat sheet. The man is a gap-stuffing run stopper more than a pass rusher, and that's perfectly fine. Last year, he totaled 27 pressures, 3 sacks, 22 "stops", and received an 87.5 run defense grade from PFF. That was 13th best in the country.
The biggest thing that I think he needs to work on once he gets to the NFL will be his hand usage and general pass rush plan. There are times when he doesn't really jump off the snap, giving him a late start, which renders him all but useless during that play. I'm confident that with some good NFL coaching, he'll be able to put together a more consistent pass rush plan.
****Derrick Harmon, Oregon
If you spend any time on Packers Twitter, then you'll know that Derrick Harmon may be the most Packers-y defensive tackle in the class. He's only 21, super athletic, and offers everything that we need right now at the position. I love his blend of speed and power as a pass rusher. He can truck through offensive linemen with pure strength while also possessing the quickness to beat you with a nasty arm over.
This stat blew me away. Derrick Harmon had 55 pressures last year. No other defensive tackle had more than 44. On top of that, there were only nine edge rushers in this year's class who had more pressures than he did. Plain and simple, the man knows how to get after the quarterback. He finished the 2024 season with 5 sacks, 25 "stops", and 43 hurries (nine more than the next closest player).
Packers Twitter seems convinced that Derrick Harmon will be the pick at 23.
How would you feel about that pick? pic.twitter.com/xkucVed3mN
— Eli Berkovits (@BookOfEli_NFL) March 19, 2025
My only real knock on Harmon is his pad level. He can play too high at times, which causes him to lose leverage against more physical offensive linemen. He needs to work on gaining some more lower-body strength so he can anchor better and hold his ground, especially in the run game.
Darius Alexander, Toledo
It took everything in my power not to put Alexander higher on this list. There probably isn't a single player I like more in this entire draft than Alexander. That doesn't mean he's the best, just someone I'm a huge fan of. I got the chance to watch him in person at the Senior Bowl, and I was absolutely blown away. His pass-rush skills are as elite as they get at this position, and he's got all the tools in his bag. Deadly hands that can punch a guard right onto their ass and a very nifty arm over move that shouldn't be happening at his size.
I know all I've talked about so far is his pass rushing skills, but don't think for one second that he isn't a force against the run, because he most definitely is. He had 27 "stops" last year, which was 10th most in the country, and finished the season as PFF's 3rd highest-graded defensive tackle against the run.
Darius Alexander does EVERYTHING for the Toledo defense.
He’s posted 11 sacks and 83 pressures in the last two seasons along with a 90.3 run defense grade and a 58-yard pick 6 (6’4 304lbs btw) in 2024.
He’s my IDL4 in a STACKED class and I’d take him in the 1st round. pic.twitter.com/QiJWaEkKMQ
— NFL Draft Files (@NFL_DF) February 11, 2025
The only concerns I have with him are his age and, much like Harmon, his pad level. Standing at nearly 6-foot-4, Alexander can play too high sometimes, causing him to lose leverage and the rep. In terms of age, he'll turn 25 in August, which is pretty old for a rookie, but definitely not a reason I'd pass on him. The Packers did draft Devonte Wyatt at 24 years old as well, so it's not something completely unprecedented.
****Tyleik Williams, Ohio State
Tyleik Williams was a bit of a slow burn for me throughout the pre-draft process. When I first watched some of his tape, I wasn't in love, but after looking at it with fresh eyes a few weeks ago, I've made a pretty drastic turn on him. What sold me on Williams is his ability to jump off the snap, his flexibility, and how he can convert speed to power. Whether he's playing the run or the pass, he's always in the right position to make a play.
I think Williams is going to make his money as a run defender in the NFL more than as a pass rusher. He received an 88.6 run defense grade from PFF, which was 7th best in the country. His ability to anchor himself at the line is fantastic. He racked up a whopping 56 "stops" over the past two seasons to go along with five sacks and 33 hurries.
Ohio State DL Tyleik Williams (#91) with the textbook drop leg technique to hold off the double team, sheds the LT block to make the run stop. His flexibility at his size (6-3, 327) is remarkable. pic.twitter.com/rSHp4uUiLl
— Devin Jackson (@RealD_Jackson) January 21, 2025
My only concern with Williams is more of a Packers thing than a him thing. As I explained earlier, I think Williams is a much better run defender than pass rusher, and right now, you can argue the Packers need a lot more help at pass rush than run defense, but that still isn't enough of a reason to avoid him. If he were to somehow fall to 55th overall (Packers 2nd round pick), that would be a home run pick for me at that value.