Welcome to the latest edition of our 2024 NFL Draft prospect rankings! All the football heads at 1010XL/92.5 FM have gathered to preview the upcoming draft in April. Today, we’ll be focusing on defensive tackles.
Here’s how our internal panel of experts ranked* this year’s class.
*Subject to change. Final rankings will be released in a full Draft Guide in March.
Here’s more information on our consensus top-five prospects.
Byron Murphy II, Texas
Our consensus rank: 1 | National consensus rank: 2
Bio: Murphy was a four-star recruit out of DeSoto High School and originally committed to Baylor before flipping to Texas. He was a rotational player for two seasons before becoming a starter in 2023, when he registered 8.5 tackles for loss and 5 sacks to earn first-team All-Big 12 honors and Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year.
Player comp: Sheldon Rankins
Strengths: Burst, balance, power
Weaknesses: Frame, finishing, consistency
Jer’Zhan “Johnny” Newton, Illinois
Our consensus rank: 2 | National consensus rank: 1
Bio: Newton was a three-star recruit out of Clearwater Central Catholic High School. He originally committed to Maryland before flipping to Illinois. Newton appeared in every game as a true freshman and became a starter as a sophomore. As a junior and senior, he combined for 22.5 tackles for loss and 12.5 sacks to earn consecutive first-team All-Big Ten accolades. Newton was also named a consensus All-American, Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year, and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in 2023.
Player comp: Sheldon Richardson
Strengths: Power, versatility, fluidity
Weaknesses: Frame, length, burst
Darius Robinson, Missouri
Our consensus rank: 3 | National consensus rank: 3
Bio: Robinson was a three-star recruit out of Canton High School, where he played outside linebacker, defensive tackle and tight end. He committed to Missouri and was a rotational player in his first three seasons, accumulating just 1 sack and 34 total tackles in that span. Robinson broke out as a senior with 3.5 sacks in 2022, then returned for a fifth season and switched from defensive tackle to defensive end, which freed him up to get 8.5 sacks and first-team All-SEC honors.
Player comp: Denico Autry
Strengths: Power, frame, versatility
Weaknesses: Fluidity, burst, age
T’Vondre Sweat, Texas
Our consensus rank: 4 | National consensus rank: 4
Bio: Sweat was a three-star recruit out of Huntsville High School, where he played football and basketball. He committed to Texas and played in every game as a true freshman. Sweat statistically improved every year through his fifth-year senior season in 2023, when he was named a unanimous All-American, first-team All-Big 12, and Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year.
Player comp: Dexter Lawrence
Strengths: Frame, power, football IQ
Weaknesses: Pass rush plan, burst, conditioning
Kris Jenkins, Michigan
Our consensus rank: 5 | National consensus rank: 5
Bio: Jenkins, the son of four-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kris Jenkins Sr., was a three-star recruit out of Our Lady of Good Counsel High School. He committed to Michigan and played in one game as a freshman, then every game as a sophomore, and became a full-time starter as a junior. During his 2023 senior season, Jenkins helped the Wolverines win the national championship and earned second-team All-Big Ten and All-American honors.
Player comp: Tyson Alualu
Strengths: Power, versatility, football IQ
Weaknesses: Burst, fluidity, consistency
Follow along as we rank each position group leading up to the draft!
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