BillsZone 2006 Draft Preview- Defensive Tackles

by BillsZone.com staff

BillsZone.com takes a look at the players available in the 2006 NFL Draft and how they fill the needs of the Buffalo Bills. This week, we take a look at defensive tackles.

Haloti Ngata - Oregon

Height: 6-5 Weight: 338 lbs.

Oregon’s Haloti Ngata is a massive young man with a rare combination of power and agility. Opponents are satisfied if they can stop the defensive tackle’s forward surge; pushing him backwards is out of the question. At 6-5, 338 pounds, Ngata has been timed as fast as 4.84 in the 40 and has impressive strength numbers of: 407 lbs power clean, 505 lbs bench press, and 585 lbs squat. He has a very quick first step which allows him to beat most offensive linemen off the snap of the ball. Ngata also has the athletic ability to chase down quarterbacks and make plays behind the line of scrimmage. His ability to collapse the pocket and swallow blockers makes him the prototype lineman for a 3-4 defense. He has a non-stop motor and doesn’t wear down towards the end of the game as much as most defensive linemen his size do. Not only is he brawny, but he’s got brains. Ngata’s defensive line coach Steve Greatwood calls him the most intelligent athlete he’s ever coached. Besides intelligence, he has proven to be an excellent leader both on and off the field. The biggest question mark is his surgically repaired knee from 2 seasons ago.

Ngata is very young, blessed with rare physical attributes and somewhat limited productivity due playing on a relatively suspect defense and the double and even triple team match-ups forced upon him weekly. Ngata has the size/speed ratio that makes him a physical freak, able to take one offensive lineman in each hand and push them both back toward the QB. Should be a top 10 pick in the draft, and there is a high probability he will be available at the Bills 8^th pick. It all comes down to what need Dick Jauron feels is more important- the offensive or defensive lines of the Buffalo Bills.

Claude Wroten - L.S.U.

Height: 6-3 Weight: 290 lbs.

He isn't the type of tackle ala Ted Washington who will occupy blockers and allow linebackers to make plays. He does not have the size you would prefer. However, Wroten can be a nightmare for opposing offenses because at times, it seems as though he lives in the backfield. He has great quickness off the ball. He explodes off the snap of the ball with his pad level low and forces running backs to cutback. Plays at full speed at all times. Wroten also has a good closing burst to the QB. At times though, he gets a little over-agressive and can overrun some plays or allow QBs to escape him because he isn't under control. Very athletic, shows good quickness and ability to plug the gaps and get to the ball carrier in the backfield. An explosive one-gap penetrator. Good athlete with excellent quickness off the snap and a burst. Moves well and closes on the ball fast. Has a knack for being around the action. Does a nice job of occasionally splitting double teams. Strong and physical with a nasty demeanor. Still has a lot of upside.

Doesn't have ideal height. Will still need to improve his strength in order to compete against some of the taller, stronger NFL linemen. Still raw, needs to improve his fundamentals and add a few more moves to shed blocks. Is not a finished product and is still raw and developing as a player. Not the greatest against a power running game. He is undersized and has trouble holding his ground against power running attacks. His effectiveness as a run stopper depends largely on penetration. Needs to increase his lower body strength. Will have trouble against massive offensive lineman who can overwhelm him. Struggles to shed blocks once opponents are locked on. Needs to stay more disciplined. A lack of quality DT depth behind Ngata gives him an opportunity to get drafted in the late first, more likely second round. Defenses that rely on speed schemes instead of brute strength- like the Colts or Buccaneers- may find him desirable.

Rodrique Wright - Texas

Height: 6-5 Weight: 305 lbs

Wright has all the physical attributes you want in a defensive tackle. He is big, strong, quick, and athletic. He has the ability to penetrate the line and disrupt the running game, and the closing speed to get to the quarterback. He is great at slipping through the line and getting into the backfield. He is very strong and has a pretty good first step. He’s big with a large frame that he could easily pack some additional pounds onto. A very athletic for a man his size, he is a solid tackler and has the ability to play both the run and the pass. At times he will focus too much on getting to the quarterback effectively taking him out of some running plays. Very quick and explosive with a burst- while maintaining a strong presence inside, and can hold his ground.

With all the physical talent in the world, you would think Wright would dominate, but he does not. He just has not lived up to what his physical ability suggests he should. He lacks the intensity to be a true difference maker. Despite his size and strength, he can be pushed around in the running game. The sky is the limit in regards to Wright's potential. He just seems to lack the attitude to want to dominate out there. If a coach can light a fire under his rear, he could be a big time playmaker on the interior line. He displayed signs of domination early on, but has not showed them his last two seasons at Texas. Someone will fall in love with his natural talent, but he is going to need to play with someone who will inspire him to play with a nasty streak in order for him to reach his potential. Wright’s technique is lacking, he will play too high at times, and allows blockers to lock on. The motor and stamina are very questionable. Has some durability concerns and dealt with a nagging angle injury for most of his junior season. Wright could be the biggest wild card on draft day. He could go late in the first round, or slide to the end of the second.

Orien Harris - Miami

Height: 6-4 Weight: 302 lbs.

He is your prototypical defensive tackle that can stop the run and get after the quarterback. Orien has all the potential in the world and for the most part he has lived up to the hype. He is a very unselfish player that does whatever is asked of him. Though his stats don't show it, he is a good pass rusher. He has no trouble at getting in the backfield, but rarely produces any sacks. He needs to polish his defensive moves as well.
He is a powerful player who has no problem penetrating the line of scrimmage.


Orien has the size you look for, but doesn't take on blockers very well. Orien Harris has a nose for the ball and is constantly causing havoc in the backfield. Some compare him to a poor man’s Warren Sapp without the baggage. . Harris has a good motor, excellent instincts, and always seems to be around the football. He is a tough, durable player who has only missed two games due to injury since taking over the starting job in 2003. He lacks ideal size and strength for a DT in the NFL, however, his athleticism will allow him to play either DT in a 4-3 or DE in a 3-4 defensive scheme. Brother of San Francisco 49'er and former first-round pick Kwame Harris. Look for this Harris to go in the early to mid 2^nd round.

Brodrick Bunkley - Florida State

Height: 6-3 Weight: 284 lbs.

Has the size you look for in a defensive tackle. He is very explosive off the ball, causing havoc in the backfield. The athleticism that he shows is very impressive especially at his size. Should provide a good pass rush for any team, as he’s a better pass rusher than he is a run stopper. If you run the ball straight at him he is very ineffective. He tends to have trouble with bigger offensive lineman and is pushed backwards very easily. In the NFL he will be strictly a third-down pass rusher. Many draft sites are using the same adjective to describe him over and over- SOFT. He will probably find his niche as a situational pass rusher.

From a physical standpoint, the one issue with Bunkley may be some added bulk. He is on the light side to play on the inside. He has also had severe injuries to his knees and ankles, which may need to be looked into. Off the football field is where Bunkley's biggest problems lay. He was on the verge of being academically ineligible this season, and doesn't always put in the necessary work to get himself ready to play. He totaled 57 tackles and 9 sacks on the year. Some decent stats has his stock is rising in some camps and really needs great workouts to stay anywhere near the first round. He may make a better DE in a 3-4 defense.

Gabe Watson - Michigan

Height: 6-4 Weight: 331 lbs.

Watson is a big, strong tackle with good straight line speed for a big man. When the play is away from him, Watson shows surprising pursuit ability. He has good straight line speed and will hustle down field and to the flanks to get to ball carriers. Great size, perfect for nose tackle. Decent quickness and footwork. Is quick off the line and almost always draws two blockers. Excellent strength, and can get into the backfield with ease. Can be very disruptive and the things he does don't always show up in the box score.

The biggest area where Watson must improve his getting his pad level down. When he does this consistently he almost always ends up in the opposing backfield. He has such great strength and power, and is surprisingly quick off the ball for a man his size, that if he wins the leverage battle, there is almost no stopping him. But too often, he is firing out too high and thus, allows one blocker to handle him. Watson could be a player that commands a double team on every play, but this hasn't always been the case. He could do a better job of using his hands to shed blockers. He will occasionally resort to trying to spin off blocks, and will take himself out of some plays.

Conditioning and motivation seem to be the two factors that could concern scouts. He is a player who coaches constantly have to try to motivate to play at his highest potential. Seems to take plays off; could be an issue of physical condition, or an issue of lack of desire. Was benched for a period of time during his senior year. Watson has played both in a 4-3 and a 3-4. He has good potential as a NT in a 3-4, as he was at his most productive when Michigan featured him as a nose man. Ability wise, he has the size, strength and athleticism of a top 10 prospect. However, his up and down play will drop him. Watson grades out as a 2nd Round pick, but could go in the 1st round based on his upside potential. Will need to prove to teams that he is willing to put in the necessary work to succeed at the next level or his stock could plummet.

Jesse Mahelona - Tennessee

Height: 6-2 Weight: 297 lbs.

Mahelona is the ideal 4-3 defensive tackle. He has a great burst off the line, and displays the ability to consistently penetrate. He has a quick first step which allows him to beat most offensive linemen off the snap of the ball. For a 300lber, he also shows great closing speed and the ability to chase down plays from behind. What makes Mahelona special is that he combines that penetration ability with great natural strength and the ability to hold his ground at the point of attack. While he is best suited for the 4-3, he could play in a 3-4 alignment on the edge. Mahelona has a motor that never stops running, as he is an aggressive playmaker who gives it his all every play. Mahelona, a former no. 1 junior college defensive tackle prospect in the nation, was a terror in his first season in D1 football. Should only get better with more experience. Double teamed constantly as a senior, his numbers fell a little bit from his junior year.

Other than lacking ideal height for a defensive tackle, there isn’t a whole lot to knock in Mahelona’s game. He doesn’t have a great deal of experience, as he only played one season at junior college before transferring to Tennessee. For a team that wants someone to disrupt plays from the inside, Mahelona is the best tackle for them. But with a few other tackles that have better natural size, and they may be placed higher on some teams boards. He'll probably go to the 2nd-3rd round due to his less than perfect measurables- , but he has talent

Jonathan Lewis - Virginia Tech

Height: 6-1 Weight: 296

Didn't get a lot of attention but Lewis was one of the best interior defensive linemen in the country. Lewis is a very active presence on the interior defensive line. He shows a great burst off the snap, and the quickness to shoot the gap and get into the backfield to disrupt the action. Once he starts moving forward, he shows the ability to quickly diagnose the play, and adjust his path to the ball carrier. He is a consistent force as a penetrator as a defensive tackle in a 4-3 defense. He will also make plays with sheer hustle, and he does not give up until the whistle blows. Very disruptive and excels at getting into and making plays in the backfield. Explosive, quick and athletic. He moves well and makes plays laterally.

As with most penetrators, he lacks the pure size to hold up at the point of attack. Doesn't have the height you look for, and has major trouble when he has to go head-to-head against massive offensive lineman. Struggles to hold his ground at the point of attack and is not a great run defender. Lacks a wide base to anchor, thus needs to hit the weight room and strengthen his lower-half. He relies on that penetration, and if he does not get it, he can be neutralized. He is short, and will have to add some weight to be a full time starter at the next level. Lewis probably only fits in a 4-3 defense and needs to be in the right type of defensive scheme to succeed.

He shows up every game ready to play, and draws a lot of attention on game day. There are some more physically talented tackles in this class, and they may draw more priority come draft day, but Jonathan Lewis is a player that will play on Sundays. Was very consistent throughout his career. Would fit in best with a team that prefers smaller defensive tackles that can penetrate. He should hear his name called somewhere near the last half of Day One.

Johnny Jolly - Texas A&M

Height: 6'3 Weight: 310

Jolly has a stout build. He has the size and skills to project well as one of two tackles in a 4-3 or as an end in a 3-4 system. What he does best is fire off the ball and get penetration upfield. He has a good first step and when he fires out low, he is able to quickly get into opposing backfields. There are times though, when he gets himself too high out of his stance and loses leverage. When taking on blocks, he does show good ability to shed using his hands. He has good raw strength and when he gets his feet under him, he is a tough player to move. When the run is away from him, Jolly shows good lateral movement and can string plays out down the line of scrimmage. In the passing game, he has good pursuit ability and will run down screens and chase the QB on rollouts. He shows ability to change directions and does a good job of reading plays and staying home when he needs to. He has had some inconsistencies throughout his career, but had a strong senior season which bodes well for his future. He projects as a late day one or early day two prospect.

Best of the rest

11. Kyle Williams L.S.U. 6-2 295
12. Titus Adams Nebraska 6-3 300
13. Dusty Dvoracek Oklahoma 6-3 298
14. Montavious Stanley Louisville 6-2 321
15. Barry Cofield Northwestern 6-4 305
16. T.J. Jackson Auburn 6-1 311
17. Le Kevin Smith Nebraska 6-2 305
18. Manase Hopoi Washington 6-4 285
19. Manaia Brown B.Y.U. 6-4 313
20. Steve Fifita Utah 6-0 322
21. John McCargo North Carolina St. 6-2 295
22. Kedric Golston Georgia 6-4 292
23. Marcus Green Ohio St. 6-3 305
24. Larry Dibbles Texas 6-2 285
25. McKinley Boykin Ole Miss 6-2 285