NFL Combine proves Defensive Tackle production matches elite athleticism for handful of impressive 2025 NFL Draft prospects
The 2025 NFL Combine is a wrap and it seems some consensus is finally solidifying on the top defensive tackles in this NFL Draft class. Yes, some of the top names did not participate, but a few tier two players and day three potentials pushed their way up the draft boards this week at the […]
The 2025 NFL Combine is a wrap and it seems some consensus is finally solidifying on the top defensive tackles in this NFL Draft class. Yes, some of the top names did not participate, but a few tier two players and day three potentials pushed their way up the draft boards this week at the position.
Derrick Harmon (Oregon) showed off why he had the 2nd highest pass rush pressure rate among all FBS defensive tackles. Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins showed why he can play most any position along the line. And CJ West became one of the best stories of the NFL Combine.
Let's take a dive into the Top 5 NFL Combine winners among the defensive tackles in the 2025 NFL Draft class.
CJ West, DL Indiana
After transferring up from Kent State to Indiana and making the College Football Playoff, CJ West was already one of the best stories in Indianapolis, but then he tested more impressively than anyone else in the position group too.
At 6'3", 316 pounds (95th percentile BMI) he ran a 4.95-second forty yard dash, giving him an 82nd percentile speed score among all defensive lineman and edge rushers combined. Then he put up an impressive burst score with his vertical.
Here he is at the NFL Combine talking through what sets him apart, his drive, and his work ethic:
Derrick Harmon, DL Oregon
Derrick Harmon also ran a 4.95-second forty-yard dash at 313 pounds and impressed in the on-field drills, not moving like a person of his size. Harmon's 15%+ pass rush pressure rate last week was 2.5 times higher than the positional average for defensive tackles, so it's no wonder why he tested so athletically. It's quite likely he just solidified his first round 2025 NFL Draft capital.
Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, DL Georgia
It's rare that a Georgia defensive lineman doesn't garner significant hype heading into NFL Draft season, but Ingram-Dawkins certainly has the attention of many now. He ran a blazing 4.86-second forty (for his size), but then put up wide receiver numbers in jumps and agility testing.
Ingram-Dawkins patiently waited his turn at Georgia and finally broke out this past season with some decent, but not great production as the Bulldogs rotate defenders quite often. He likely went from late day three pick to perhaps as high as round four now given his wild athleticism and noted versatility to line up anywhere from three to nine tech up front.
Ty Robinson, DL Nebraska
Ty Robinson was a player who needed to have a good NFL Combine. A sixth-year player from Nebraska, Robinson played a ton in the b-gap and over offensive tackles, with some edge reps mixed in so his pressure rates of opposing quarterbacks were a bit higher than some exclusively deep interior defensive tackles. That was great to see on the field. But now that he's posted 80th percentile or higher marks in his speed and burst scores NFL teams likely feel a bit better about his pro-ready athleticism to go with that intriguing mix of production.
Jared Harrison-Hunte, DL SMU
Jared Harrison-Hunte was a huge part of the reason SMU made it to the College Football Playoff last year. His eight sacks and 43 pressures (12% pressure rate) were among some of the most impressive marks for any defensive tackle in the nation, but there questions as to the legitimacy of that success considering this was his first year of real dominance like that. A 76th percentile A to Z Sports Athletic Composite Score answered any athleticism questions teams might have had. He now might slide into the round four or five discussions.
We'll be back with more NFL Draft coverage here at A to Z Sports soon! Follow me (@FF_TravisM) and A to Z Sports (@AtoZSportsNFL) on X for all the latest football news!
If you want to check out how special CJ West became throughout his time at both Kent State and Indiana you can watch his highlights in the video below!
