I'd be surprised if we didn't get one of these DT's in the draft

The Den
1

7 Defensive Linemen Who Won the NFL Combine)%20at%20the%20NFL%20Combine.

7 Defensive Linemen Who Won the NFL Combine

These defensive tackles were big winners at the NFL Combine.

Justin Melo|Feb 26, 2026


Google DiscoverAdd us as a preferred source

Feb 25, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Florida defensive lineman Caleb Banks (DL02) speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Feb 25, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Florida defensive lineman Caleb Banks (DL02) speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Three position groups conducted on-field works on Thursday at the NFL Combine. The debut group was the defensive lineman, who impressed by displaying their overall athleticism. A total of seven interior defenders made our initial top 100 prospect rankings, so there was significant interest in seeing this class perform.

The NFL Combine provides prospects with an opportunity to take advantage of the spotlight and improve their pre-draft stock. A number of defensive lineman achieved their goals. We’ve identified seven big-time winners.

2026 NFL Combine Winners: Defensive Linemen

Caleb Banks, DT, Florida

Caleb Banks - Florida DT

Florida Gators defensive lineman Caleb Banks (88) causes a fumble as he strips the ball from LSU Tigers quarterback Garrett Nussmeier (13) during the second half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, November 16, 2024. The Gators defeated the Tigers 27-16. [Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun] | Doug Engle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Florida defensive tackle Caleb Banks was among the winners right from the weigh-in process. A massive and lengthy defender, the Gators standout measured in at 6-foot-6 and 327 pounds with 35-inch arms and an 85.75-inch wingspan. Those measurements are 89th-percentile-or-greater in every category, according to Pro Football Focus. Banks then leaped a 32 inch vertical jump and 9-foot-6 broad jump during the on-field testing portion, the latter of which was the second-best result among defensive tackles.

Banks possesses freakish athleticism for his size. An inconsistent performer on tape, NFL teams will be infatuated with his size and athletic profile. Banks established himself as a first-round selection in Indianapolis.

Zane Durant, DT, Penn State

Zane Durant - Penn State

Dec 31, 2024; Glendale, AZ, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions defensive tackle Zane Durant (28) against the Boise State Broncos during the Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Penn State’s Zane Durant made recurring appearances on Bruce Feldman’s Freaks List. Scouts found out precisely why at the NFL Combine. Durant ran the fastest 40-yard dash among all defensive tackles at 4.75 seconds, an excellent result at 290 pounds. The 10-yard split is more predictive of next-level success, and Durant’s 1.66 was an elite result that bested all interior defenders.

Durant is raw and inconsistent on tape, but he improved with each passing season at Penn State. A Florida native, he registered a career-high four sacks in 2025. NFL teams will see Durant as moldable clay throughout the pre-draft process.

Gracen Halton, DT, Oklahoma

Gracen Halton - Oklahoma DT

Oklahoma Sooners defensive lineman Gracen Halton (56) celebrates after a sack during a college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Auburn Tigers at Gaylord Family Ð Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Saturday,Sept. 20, 2025. Oklahoma won 24-17. | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Oklahoma defensive tackle Gracen Halton was among the more underrated performers at this year’s Senior Bowl. Halton continued building momentum for himself. His 36.5 inch vertical was the best result by a defensive tackle at the NFL Combine. The versatile lineman also ran a stellar 4.82 in the 40, third-best in his position group.

Halton is an impressive athlete with interior pass-rush potential. He’s quicker than most guards and centers he encounters inside. Halton should develop into a quality rotational defensive lineman at the next level.

Albert Regis, DT, Texas A&M

Albert Regis - Texas A&M

Sep 3, 2022; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies defensive lineman Albert Regis (15) looks on during a timeout in the first quarter against the Sam Houston State Bearkats at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

Texas A&M defensive tackle Albert Regis wasn’t getting much buzz prior to the NFL Combine. That may change after his performance at Lucas Oil Stadium. Regis leaped a 34 inch vertical, the second-highest jump among all defensive tackles. Meanwhile his 9-foot-8 broad jump topped the positional leaderboard, and he later ran a 4.88 in the 40, tied for fifth best.

Regis posted a career-high 49 tackles this past campaign. The senior defensive tackle was more of a run defender on tape, but measured in at an undersized 295 pounds. Regis’ jumps will make scouts revisit the film.

Kaleb Proctor, DT, Southeastern Louisiana

Kaleb Proctor - Southeastern Louisiana

Feb 25, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Southeastern Louisiana defensive lineman Kaleb Proctor (DL25) speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Kaleb Proctor is one of the top small-school prospects who earned an invitation to this year’s combine. He did not let the opportunity go to waste. Proctor ran the second-best 40 among defensive tackles at 4.79, and his 1.68 ten-yard split tied for second-best and met Daniel Jeremiah’s 1.70-or-better threshold.

Proctor registered nine sacks and 13 tackles for loss this past campaign. His performance at the NFL Combine essentially ensured he’ll get drafted. Proctor accomplished his mission in Indianapolis.

David Gusta, DT, Kentucky

David Gusta - Duke

Sep 13, 2025; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats defensive lineman David Gusta (60) walks to the team huddle during a timeout in the forth quarter against the Eastern Michigan Eagles at Kroger Field. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

Kentucky defensive tackle David Gusta had a stellar day all around. Gusta ran a 4.88 in the 40 with a 1.68 ten-yard split and leaped a 32 inch vertical. Those were top-six-or-better results among all participating defensive tackles.

Gusta registered just 12 tackles in 12 starts at Kentucky this past season. The former Washington State standout wasn’t a stat-sheet stuffer. Gusta needed a big performance at the NFL Combine to help his pre-draft stock, and he got one.

DeMonte Capehart, DT, Clemson

DeMonte Capehart - Clemson

Feb 25, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Clemson defensive lineman Demonte Capehart (DL05) speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Clemson defensive tackle DeMonte Capehart had an underrated day. He ran the fourth-fastest 40-yard dash among defensive tackles at 4.85. Capehart’s 1.72 in the 10-yard split was stellar, and he leaped the third-best vertical jump at 33.5 inches.

Capehart didn’t take the desired step forward at Clemson in 2025, but the entire program struggled throughout a lackluster season. There were flashes of consistent disruption on tape. Capehart proved to be an excellent athlete for his size (6-5, 313) at the NFL Combine.

2

Capehart
Proctor
Corleone

Day 3

3

Measurables are great however they dont matter at all if the next part is “inconsistent on tape” or “disappears in games” I’m a firm believer in Tape don’t lie. I don’t care how fast they run if 80% of their game is a coffee break.

4 Likes
5

I’ve always been of the opinion if they don’t produce in college they won’t more often than not in the nfl.

4 Likes
6

I was thinking Dontay Corleone as well. Maybe in the 5th. Not much pass rush but pretty much immovable in the middle in the run game.

3 Likes
7

Corleone as run stuffer and Proctor as 3T

We would have successfully upgrade our backup DT spots.

Levi on a 1 year deal and Wingo year 3 the only 2 in there way right now.

If we resign Reader then I don’t think we will go Corleone or Capehart

3 Likes
8

Yup. I’m still mad at drafting Greg Robinson #2 overall because he ran a fast 40 time. Couldn’t pass block for shit (including his time in college) but he looked good in drills.

2 Likes
9

This is less true at DT than most other positions though (except for pass-rushing 3Ts). College coaches just don’t know how to use them correctly. A lot of great pro DTs had piddling college production. Chris Jones, Dexter Lawrence, Jalen Carter, Madubuike, Derrick Brown, even Alim. We’re talking less than 15 sack and 20 TFLs over their careers, generally.

And nose tackles almost never have any college production, and they’re unlikely to have much in the pros either. How do you quantify ‘helping your team stop the run?’

2 Likes
10

Completely agree. Different systems and responsibilities may not equal stat outcomes. My concern is the guy who was lazy in college then kills the combine and now hes a “top pick”. Happens every year and I hate it.

1 Like
11

Yep, those are the kinds to avoid. But generally the tape tells the story. If they’re lazy, it shows. Sometimes they come out of the gate hot but then get tired, those guys need to get in better shape. That happens a lot at DT which can make it a little trickier to tell who’s lazy and who’s gassed, but for the most part it’s pretty evident.

12

That will show up on tape. You’re still producing at a high level. There just won’t be any stats to go with it. Same way you evaluate guard or center play.

13

Sometimes it will, for sure, but then I think that can be tricky for people to tell. You heard the same argument against Jalen Carter back in 2023 (which was when I originally did this research), and not just from the people in here. From legit draftniks and media types.

Part of that is I think sometimes it takes an understanding of the scheme, which virtually none of us has. We don’t know what the DT was asked to do, which is one of my biggest problems with PFF DL and OL grading. Without knowing the assignment, how can you know whether they succeeded or not?

Johnny Newton was a big one for this. He went from putting up big numbers for a DT his second-to-last year to a fraction of those numbers his final year. He was picked apart and actually fell on draft day because of it. But when you dug deep, you realized he went from playing in an attacking scheme to one where he was asked to mirror at the snap. But everyone missed it because it was only a beat, then he attacked. So it looked similar, but was actually entirely different. That extra beat gave the opposing OL a huge advantage.

There is a discussion going on about Christen Miller over on another draft site I frequent where you can see this happening in real time. He is being (imo) unfairly pilloried for his lack of production, despite that fact that he plays on a team notorious for asking their DTs to “take one for the team” schematically, take up blocks and let other guys make plays. And this is in a community that actually watches tape.

It ain’t easy being a college DT.

2 Likes
14

wonder if Brad would have liked any of these better than Tyliek. Probably Banks, no?

15

All very true. I assume nfl franchises have all that information. Scouts and front office personnel talk to college coaches. In the end it’s all just a crapshoot. A productive college athlete may get distracted by the nfl lifestyle while another may get better only having to focus on football. You never know with 21 and 22 year old kids.

16

They have better info than us for sure, especially schematically, so yeah this is really directed at all of us and any notion that lacking production means they’re doomed, especially at DT. (TE as well if they have to block a lot).

1 Like
17

I don’t understand why he seems to be so under rated.

1 Like
18

Everything I have read says he doesn’t have many moves besides a bull rush, but we can teach him that

1 Like
19

Couldn’t you argue the same thing has happened with Faulk after showing promise the year before?

20

Yes. Absolutely, especially when it comes to his production. Good example because I’ve heard he was asked to do some different stuff this year.

My issues with him are solely based on his tape, though. The production is only a single check amongst many in the pros or cons column. Which for me is true for everyone, though I give it slightly more weight at skill positions.

21

Or anyone who played for Penn State this year.