Introducing the CFB Saturdays College Football DT Rankings

Over the next few weeks we will be unveiling our College Football player rankings by position. Today we will take a look at our College Football DT rankings. A few notes before we discuss the rankings themselves.

• The rankings will be updated throughout the season.
• Players who have not played college football are not eligible for the rankings.
• Players are graded on their college ability, not their pro potential.
• We are judging players on their film, production and physical tools.

You can view the college football DT rankings here.

Top of the Class

Marvin WIlson (Florida State) is in the top spot. He only played in nine games last year but was a dominant player who could have moved on to the NFL and been a first round draft pick but chose to return for his senior season. He has good size (6’5″ 311 lbs) and moves very well at that size. He is strong at the point of attack but also has the athleticism to beat blockers with speed and quickness. Wilson has strong hands that he uses to fight off offensive linemen. He has an array of pass rush moves to get past blockers, consistently getting into the backfield to make plays. Wilson missed three games last year but still had an impressive season. He will be the leader of the Florida State defense in 2020 and should be even better this season.

Jaylen Twyman (Pittsburgh) comes in at #2 in our rankings and is a phenomenal player in his own right. He is 6’2″ 290 lbs and needs to continue to get stronger to be better at the point of attack against the run, but its his devastating pass rushing ability that has him ranked here. Twyman has a quick first step and great athleticism which allows him to get penetration regularly. He has violent hands and an array of pass rush moves that allow him to get to the quarterback. He closes quickly and will make a living sacking quarterbacks. Twyman had 10.5 sacks as a defensive linemen in 2019 and we expect his production to only increase in 2020.

Tyler Davis (Clemson) had a big freshman season and is #3 in our college football defensive tackle rankings. He was Clemson’s best defensive lineman as a true freshman. Davis (6’2″ 295 lbs) plays with great explosiveness and leverage. Even as a freshman he was able to play bigger than he is because of his ability to play with good pad level. Davis is a smart player who is gap sound and did a good job developing his pass rush moves last year, we expect him to be even better technically in 2020. With his combination of speed, burst and technique Davis will be unstoppable as he gets stronger and more experienced.

LaBryan Ray (Alabama) is our #4 player, while he was injured most of last year, he had a big 2018 season and we expect more of the same in 2020. He has a great frame at 6’5″ 294 lbs and is an explosive athlete. He has speed you would not expect from a player that big and can rush the passer well. Ray plays with a good motor and has gotten better at using his hands and technique to supplement his athletic ability. Unfortunately he did not play much last season but we expect he will bounce back in 2020 and make up for lost time. Ray has as much ability as anyone on this list and should have a dominant season for the Tide.

The Next Group

Darius Stills (West Virginia) comes in #5 in the college football defensive tackle rankings after an ultra-productive 2019 season. The 6’1″ 292 lb Stills has a great first step combined with an array of pass rush moves he uses to defeat blocks and get in the backfield. He has good lateral quickness for a tackle and is able to change directions well to adjust to the play and the blocking scheme. Stills racked up 15 TFL in 2019 and was a regular in the opposing backfield. He needs to continue to get stronger to be better against the run, and remained disciplined as he can get up field too quickly at times, leaving a vacancy behind him. Nonetheless, Stills is the best defensive tackle in the Big 12 and on his way to another big season in 2020.

Jay Tufele (USC) holds the #6 spot after backing up his encouraging freshman campaign with a strong sophomore season. Tufele (6’3″ 305 lbs) is a strong player who can overpower offensive linemen with his strength. He really progressed from 2018 to 2019 as a run defender and has gotten better at shedding blocks over the course of his career. Tufele has good quickness for big guy and does a good job of pursuing the ball carrier. He showed improvement as a pass rusher in 2019 but still needs to get better with his technique. Tufele is already among the best defensive tackles in college football but could get a lot better in 2020.

Levi Onwuzurike (Washington) check is at #7 after a strong junior season for the Huskies. Onwuzurike is an excellent run defender who plays with good strength, quickness and awareness. Onwuzurike plays the nose tackle position in the Washington 3 – 4 defense which limits his opportunities to collect stats. He does a great job of taking on multiple blockers, using his hands well to shed blocks and using his agility to create angles to the ball. He has good pass rush moves but the defensive scheme limits his opportunities to get to the quarterback as he is often double teamed. Onwuzurike could probably do more damage playing as a three technique or five technique where he would be more of a pass rusher but he still shines at the nose. He is a versatile defender who offenses must account for every play.

Tyler Shelvin (LSU) comes in at #8 but has the upside to climb this list. Shelvin is a massive nose tackle at 6’3″ 346 lbs but moves very well for a guy that big. He has good burst off the snap and is able to put instant pressure on the offensive line. He is a strong player who is virtually unmovable in the run game. Shelvin takes on double teams and holds his ground well, allowing his teammates to clean up the play. Shelvin uses his hands well and could be an effective interior pass rusher given the opportunity. With a lot of defensive talent moving on to the NFL look for Shelvin to become the leader of the LSU defense this season.

Names To Remember

Jerome Johnson (Indiana) holds the #13 spot in the rankings, after a strong junior campaign. Indiana has undergone a major turnaround under Tom Allen and had a successful season in 2019. The 6’3″ 294 lb Johnson was a big part of that success for the Hoosiers. Johnson has good strength and quickness making him an ideal three technique. He has gotten better with his technique each season and this development combined with his raw ability has allowed him to shine. He sheds blocks well and is an asset on run defense, but also gets good penetration to rush the passer. Johnson is the cornerstone of the Indiana defense and we expect he will have a stellar senior season.

Alim McNeil (NC State) checks in at #15 in the college football defensive tackle rankings. The 6’2″ 315 lb tackle is built like a tank and is nearly impossible to move in the run game. His raw strength combined with his ability to use his hands to disengage blockers make him a force on run defense. He has good quickness and speed for a defensive tackle and can chase down plays run away from him. He is still a developing pass rusher but with a year to refine his skills should be strong in that area as well. McNeil has a great skill set and with another year to add polish to his game he will be a headache for opposing offenses.

Jermayne Lole (Arizona State) is our #17 ranked player but has gotten significantly better each year. He finished the 2019 season with a whopping 72 tackles and 10 TFL as a sophomore. The 6’2″ 284 lb Lole has good quickness on the defensive line making him excellent at penetrating gaps. He uses his arms well to keep offensive linemen away from his frame allowing him to disengage blockers and make plays. He has good athleticism and can play multiple spots along the defensive front. He needs to get stronger at the point of attack but we expect he will given the improvement he has already shown (gained almost 15 pounds between his freshman and sophomore year). Look for Lole to be a big player for the Arizona State defense in 2020.

Tommy Togiai (Ohio State) is in the #21 spot but he is a candidate to shoot up the rankings with more playing time. The 6’2″ 300 lb Togiai has great natural strength and is difficult to move off his spot. Togiai’s first step quickness leaps off the tape, as he was often the first defensive lineman moving on a team that featured many NFL draft picks including Chase Young last season. Togiai uses his quickness and strength to get a few yards in the backfield as the play begins and practically establish a new line of scrimmage. He has surprising speed for a guy his size and pursues plays well. He really shines in shorter areas where he can use his burst to close on the ball carrier. As his pad level and technique improve look for Togiai to become a star for the Buckeyes.

Click here for the Top 25 DT Rankings.

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