NFL Draft 2019: Early look at top five defensive tackles

CLASS OF 2019 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | State | Position | Team

CLASS OF 2020 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | State | Position

College football is only weeks away. There's no better time than now to look at five defensive tackles who could be early-round NFL Draft picks after this season.

MORE EARLY LOOKS AT THE 2019 NFL DRAFT: QB | RB | WR/TE | OL

Recruiting: In May before his senior season, Oliver committed to Houston and then-coach Tom Herman. He named the Cougars the front-runner in April. LSU, Alabama, Texas and many others were involved with the five-star prospect.

Stats: Oliver was third on the team with 73 tackles and led the Cougars with 16.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks. The former five-star also forced two fumbles, recovered one and had seven quarterback hurries.

Farrell’s take: Oliver was a blocky but athletic defensive tackle when I first saw him. He grew into a stout, solid and super-quick gap shooter by the end of the rankings cycle. Oliver had such great instincts and followed the football so naturally that he was effective blowing up plays in the run game and getting after the passer. And his snap anticipation was off the charts, as well. Oliver was given his fifth star in our final 2016 rankings cycle and that was one of our better decisions, as he’s already a dominant college player and has an amazing future.

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Recruiting: Wilkins took official visits to Clemson, Stanford, Penn State, Ohio State and Boston College prior to committing to the Tigers at the Under Armour All-America Game.

Stats: Wilkins finished with 53 tackles, including 8.5 for loss and 4.5 sacks. He was second on the team behind only DE Clelin Ferrell (12) with 11 quarterback hurries.

Farrell’s take: I remember the first time I saw Wilkins on film. It was after his freshman season and his athletic ability was off the charts. As a Connecticut prospect, he didn’t get the national attention of many until later in his career, but I knew how good he was from day one. Wilkins has already turned into one of the elite defensive tackles in the country and could emerge as one of the top five picks in the NFL Draft. His dominance doesn’t show in the stat sheet as much as expected, but he’s one of the top two or three defenders in the country.

Recruiting: In December of his senior season, Lawrence committed to Clemson over Alabama, Ohio State, Florida, NC State, North Carolina and others. The Gators were considered his favorite team growing up, but the Tigers won out.

Stats: Lawrence had 39 tackles last season with 2.5 sacks. He added five quarterback hurries and a forced fumble.

Farrell’s take: The unsung hero of the Clemson defensive line? That could be the case with Lawrence, who takes up so many blockers. He was a massive high school prospect, tall and big, who had exceptional pass-rushing moves and worked off contact extremely well for a taller interior lineman. He had light feet, always had a counter for whatever an offensive lineman threw at him and was well-coached in the nuances of the position. He finished as our No. 2 overall player behind Rashan Gary in 2016, but was No. 1 at one point. The NFL scouts are drooling.

Recruiting: Davis signed with Alabama, but there was a lot of suspense leading up to his final decision. Already committed to the Crimson Tide, Davis took a visit to Mississippi State and reportedly flipped to the Bulldogs. But Davis later claimed his Twitter was hacked and he ended up sticking with Alabama in the end.

Stats: Davis was third on the Crimson Tide with 69 tackles along with 10 tackles for loss and a team-high 8.5 sacks.

Farrell’s take: Davis was a monster defensive tackle and the rare 6-foot-7 defensive interior lineman who could consistently play low and be effective. He had an amazing frame to build on and played with power and surprising athleticism. If he continues to develop, he will be a first-rounder.

Recruiting: Jones committed to Ohio State over Notre Dame and Michigan among many others in the summer before his senior season.

Stats: In 12 games, Jones finished with 20 tackles with five tackles for loss and a sack. He added two quarterback hurries and two pass deflections.

Farrell’s take: A strongside defensive end in our 2015 rankings, Jones has grown into one of the most athletic and explosive defensive tackles in the NFL Draft. He blew out his knee playing hoops before his freshman year, which led to questions about how effective he’d be coming back, but he’s been a monster ever since. He’s always been at his best using speed and quickness off the snap and that’s one of the traits NFL scouts like.