Former NFL player and scout Bucky Brooks knows the ins and outs of this league, providing keen insight in his notebook. In today's installment, he explores the best players at a position that's having a moment ...
As a young player for the Jacksonville Jaguars in the mid-1990s, I asked my defensive coordinator, Dick Jauron, what the essential pieces of a championship-caliber defense are. The College Football Hall of Fame inductee and longtime NFL player and coach told me that elite defenses are dominant down the middle. In fact, he said that formula is true in every sport -- including baseball (catcher, pitcher, shortstop and center fielder) and basketball (point guard and center) -- but football demands a disruptive presence in the middle to stop the run and pressure quarterbacks where they can see and feel the impact.
Fast-forward to 2026, and the NFL certainly heeds that philosophy, with defensive tackles cashing in on megadeals due to their game-wrecking ability. This offseason, we have watched team after team hand out hefty contract extensions to All-Pros and Pro Bowlers who impact the game as run stuffers and pass rushers in the middle. With Jalen Carter (four years, $152 million, with $106 million guaranteed) and Jeffery Simmons (three years, $105.8 million, with $100 million guaranteed) re-setting the market as the highest-paid defensive tackles in NFL history, and Dexter Lawrence commanding the No. 10 overall pick via trade and a lucrative contract extension (one year, $28 million), DT business is booming across the league.
As Vita Vea and others attempt to cash in on the escalating price tag at the position, league executives, scouts and coaches are viewing defensive tackle as a critical piece of the championship puzzle. Given the buzz around the position, this is the perfect time to identify the top five DTs in the NFL today.
Despite playing for a cellar dweller, the veteran just enjoyed the best season of his career, earning first-team All-Pro honors as a certified game-wrecker at the line of scrimmage. Simmons' heavy hands and quick feet enable him to win with force or finesse as a pass rusher or run defender. The 29-year-old plays with a roughneck mentality that leads to violent skirmishes which produce sacks, tackles for loss and pressures in the backfield. With a career-best 11 sacks and three forced fumbles dotting his 2025 stat line -- despite being on a defense that rarely played with a lead, inherently limiting obvious passing downs -- Simmons converted scant opportunities into splash plays, imposing his will as a disruptive force.
The former top-10 pick has blossomed into a dominant playmaker as a key member of the Seahawks' championship defense. Williams not only commands attention as a dynamic pass rusher, but his unique skill set enables him to make his mark as a multifaceted defender who can align anywhere along the front. As a run defender, the 6-foot-5, 310-pounder has become an unstoppable force who wins against double teams by utilizing his speed, quickness and strength. Considering his impact on the league's best defense, Williams deserves a spot near the top of the list.
If this list were based solely on talent and tools, Carter would be the undisputed No. 1 player at the position. Checking in at 6-3 and 314 pounds, the No. 9 overall pick from the 2023 NFL Draft is a freak athlete with violent hands and a nasty disposition. The two-time Pro Bowler flashes "take over the game" ability when he is locked in, but his inconsistent motor and focus prevent him from dominating from the opening snap to the final whistle. That said, the steady stream of highlights makes it hard to ignore his talents as a splash-play specialist. Although he only managed to play 11 games in an erratic 2025 campaign, Carter can vault to the top of the chart if he turns it up a notch and decides he wants to dominate games week in and week out.
The changing of the guard at defensive tackle is happening right before our eyes, with Jones' production and performance fading some with age. Although the 32-year-old remains a threat to deliver a game-changing play in a pivotal moment, Jones picks his spots when to disrupt at the point of attack. As a three-time first-team All-Pro with 87.5 career sacks, 99 tackles for loss, 13 forced fumbles and 220 QB hits, the veteran has mastered the art of playmaking but is unable to sustain it for four full quarters. Despite his limitations as an older player popping up more frequently on tape, Jones remains highly disruptive as an interior defender with big-play potential as a pass rusher and run stopper. With the Chiefs continuing to count on his playmaking skills, the 11th-year pro will have a chance to produce a series of throwback moments that keep his name in the conversation as one of the elites at the position.
Bouncing back from a serious knee injury that basically scrapped his 2024 season, Brown once again displayed the dynamic playmaking ability last fall that made scouts rave about his long-term potential when he entered the league as the No. 7 overall pick in the 2020 draft. The 6-5, 320-pounder continues to excel as a big-bodied run stopper with heavy hands and quick feet, but he also has become a more polished pass rusher. The seventh-year pro's instincts, awareness and violence allow him to be a disruptive presence in the backfield as a rugged player who embodies the ultra-physical approach demanded by Panthers general manager (and former Pro Bowl linebacker) Dan Morgan. As the standard bearer for run-stuffing DTs -- with 65-plus tackles in each of his last three healthy seasons -- Brown has the ability to clog up lanes while enhancing the pass rush as a pocket pusher. He's a cornerstone of Carolina's rising defense under Ejiro Evero.
Who's next?
While the five defensive tackles mentioned above represent the current cream of the crop at the position, a number of players are knocking on the door of elite status. Here are three more ascending studs.
Playing in the shadows of Leonard Williams and a talented collection of second- and third-level playmakers (Devon Witherspoon and Nick Emmanwori, to name a couple) has prevented Murphy from becoming a household name, but league executives and scouts are buzzing about the Seahawks' young defensive tackle emerging as an unstoppable force on the interior. At 6-foot and 306 pounds with an explosive first-step and slick movement skills, the third-year pro has scouts reconsidering certain traits requirements (like raw size) for DTs.
Although he did just receive a lucrative contract extension (three years, $78 million, with $65 million guaranteed), Davis has become the unsung hero on a front that overwhelms opponents with its individual and collective talent. The 6-6, 336-pounder has quietly become the kind of premier nose tackle that every defensive coordinator covets in the middle of his defense. As a sneaky pass rusher with A+ run-stopping skills, Davis is the versatile NT who is changing the job description for the position at the NFL level.
The pass-rushing specialist continues to fly under the radar despite amassing 24 sacks over three pro seasons. Turner's blue-collar game lacks pizzazz, but coaches rave about his technique, motor and physicality. The 6-2, 294-pounder consistently outworks blockers at the point of attack, registering sacks and pressures on hustle plays. As the perfect complement to an established pass rusher who commands double-team attention (SEE: reigning Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett), Turner should produce the kind of numbers to become a household name by season's end.
What about Aaron Donald?
Aaron Donald retired following the 2023 campaign, but the three-time Defensive Player of the Year is contemplating a comeback for a loaded Rams team that is already entering the 2026 season as the Super Bowl LXI favorite. As a high-motor interior defender with an array of pass-rush maneuvers that blend quickness, strength and power, Donald is a nightmare to block at the point of attack. Although Father Time has likely diminished some of his superpowers, the eight-time first-team All-Pro still could jump right back into the top-five list above as a disruptive force at the point of attack.
Whether snuffing out runs between the tackles or harassing quarterbacks within the pocket, the future first-ballot Hall of Famer is a headache for interior linemen and offensive coordinators. With Myles Garrett commanding double-teams on the edge, Donald could destroy opponents while facing a steady diet of one-on-one matchups in key moments.
