With Rashan Gary at No. 1 and Dexter Lawrence at No. 2 on our final Rivals100 Presented By Under Armour for the 2016 class, it’s the first time we’ve had a defensive tackle No. 1 and only the second time a defensive tackle has been No. 2. That’s historic stuff, so we decided to look back at the highest-ranked players at the position in Rivals.com history.
1. Rashan Gary – Michigan | Paramus (NJ) Cathoic (Class of 2016)
The skinny: No. 1 overall, in New Jersey and at defensive tackle in the Class of 2016, Gary has been a hot name in recruiting since before he even began high school. As he accumulated offers from every major program in the country, he remained rather quiet about favorites while taking numerous visits during the summer, fall and winter. Michigan, Georgia, LSU, Clemson, Ohio State, Alabama and Auburn began to stand out, but after a while it was the Wolverines who seemed to pull ahead of the pack. With his ex-high school coach Chris Partridge at Michigan, and with the Wolverines making New Jersey a recruiting priority this year, Gary seems likely to make his way to Ann Arbor on National Signing Day.
Farrell’s Take: Gary is special, that’s why he’s No. 1. Is he the all-time best No. 1? Nope, but he’s in the middle somewhere and you have to remember we’ve had guys like Adrian Peterson, Jadeveon Clowney, Percy Harvin, Vince Young and some other amazing talents as well. But as a defensive tackle, he’s the best I’ve seen and it’s an impressive list behind him. He can play outside or inside, on the nose or outside the tight end, it doesn’t matter he can be effective. His best spot is in a 4-3 defense playing a 3-technique but he will be moved around.
2. Haloti Ngata – Oregon | Salt Lake City (Utah) Higlands (Class of 2002)
The skinny: Ngata was ranked No. 2 nationally, behind only Vince Young, in the Class of 2002. After originally committing to Nebraska in December 2001, Ngata quickly re-opened his process with an official visit to Oregon. An official visit to BYU followed in January, which resulted in a final two of the Ducks and Cougars for Ngata. Soon after returning from his visit to Provo, Ngata committed to the Cougars, only to flip one last time to the Ducks on National Signing Day. Ngata’s dominant 2005 season in Eugene resulted in him being selected by Baltimore with the 12th overall pick in 2006. He quickly established himself as an elite defensive tackle in the NFL, totaling five Pro Bowl and All-Pro seasons with the Ravens. After making his way to Detroit prior to the 2015 season, Ngata had a somewhat disappointing season while dealing with a few nagging injuries.
Farrell’s take: The best prospect ever out of Utah? Yep, at least in our history he is. And before Gary came along he was the best defensive tackle I’ve seen when it comes to the size/power/athleticism combination. There are guys on this list more athletic, a few that are bigger and probably none that are stronger but the combination of all three is why he was a college star and has had a great NFL career.
3. Dexter Lawrence – Clemson | Wake Forest, N.C. (Class of 2016)
The skinny: No. 2 overall, No. 1 in North Carolina and as the No. 2 defensive tackle in the Class of 2016, Lawrence’s recruiting process originally looked to be a battle between North Carolina and North Carolina State. However, as additional offers continued to roll in, new programs began to surface. After a busy summer and fall, Lawrence trimmed his list down to the Wolfpack, Tar Heels, Clemson, Alabama, Ohio State and Florida. Being a mid-year enrollee, Lawrence took all five of his official visits during the fall, which resulted in his commitment to Clemson in mid-December.
Farrell’s take: Lawrence is a huge defensive tackle who moves exceptionally well and does his best work when he reacts and works off contact. His ability to counter after anyone gets their hands on him is unfair when talking about a 330-pounder. He pushes the pocket, he can shoot the gap and he can rip or swim past you. Lawrence would obviously be No. 1 in most any other year and isn’t far off Haloti and Gary as far as talent.
4. Mario Edwards – Florida State | Denton (Texas) Ryan (Class of 2012)
The skinny: No. 3 overall, behind only Dorial Green-Beckham and D.J. Humphries, the No. 1 defensive tackle and the No. 1 recruit in Texas in the Class of 2012, Edwards was committed to Florida State for almost a year prior to National Signing Day. However, he ended up taking official visits to Texas, Oklahoma and LSU before fully confirming to the Seminoles. At Florida State, Edwards developed into a valuable defensive playmaker for the Seminoles. After his most successful on-field season at Florida State in 2014, Edwards declared for the 2015 NFL Draft, where he was selected 35th overall in the second round by the Oakland Raiders. As a rookie, Edwards became a starter in the fifth game of the season and finished with a promising 42 tackles, two sacks and three forced fumbles.
Farrell’s take: Edwards didn’t quite live up to expectations as the No. 3 player in the country (No. 1 elsewhere), but being a high second-round pick after finishing his college career on a strong note isn’t shabby at all. He was a defensive tackle playing mostly end in high school, which led to some of the fascination with him and his athleticism and there’s no doubt he’s an athletic talent, but we always saw him moving inside and now he’s doing his thing in the NFL. He’s right up there with some of the more athletic big defensive linemen I’ve scouted.
5. Sheldon Richardson – Missouri | St. Louis (Mo.) Gateway (Class of 2009)
The skinny: No. 4 overall, behind only Bryce Brown, Rueben Randle and D.J. Fluker, No. 1 in Missouri and the No. 1 defensive tackle in the Class of 2009, Richardson committed to Missouri during the summer leading up to his junior season and held firm with his word aside from taking an official visit to Minnesota. However, academic issues caused him to attend College of the Sequoias for two seasons, before he finally made his way to Columbia for the 2011 season. While he dominated during his time with the Tigers, some off-the-field concerns led to his decision to forego his senior season and declare for the NFL Draft. Selected with the 13th overall selection by the New York Jets in 2013, Richardson has continued to show dominance on the field, but his off-the-field decision making has still been questionable, with a four-game suspension happening in 2015 after he failed the league’s substance abuse policy and then getting arrested in Missouri for a plethora of charges involving traffic violations, resisting arrest, and a loaded handgun.
Farrell’s take: Richardson was one of the most athletic defensive tackles I’ve ever seen, the rare guy similar to Gary who could play outside or inside and be equally impressive and effective. Richardson took a while to get to Mizzou and has had his off-field ups and downs, but you can’t downplay his ability when focused. He was athletic enough in high school where he moved like a running back or tight end at 300 pounds.
6. Sharrif Floyd – Florida | Philadelphia (Pa.) George Washington (Class of 2010)
The skinny: No. 4 overall, behind only Ronald Powell, Seantrel Henderson and Kyle Prater, No. 1 in Pennsylvania and as the No. 1 defensive tackle in the Class of 2010, Floyd took a number of visits prior to his senior season, which began to form his list of top schools. After taking official visits to Florida, North Carolina, Ohio State and USC, Floyd committed to Florida during the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. Floyd rotated between defensive tackle and defensive end during his first two seasons in Gainesville, before moving back to his natural defensive tackle position in 2012, which would be his last with the Gators. After his junior season he was named First-Team All-SEC and earned several All-American honors after finishing with 31 tackles and 8.5 tackles for a loss. Floyd was selected with the 23rd overall pick of the 2013 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings. After starting just one game as a rookie, Floyd has quickly established himself in Minnesota. Starting 12 games in 2015, Floyd finished with 34 tackles and 2.5 sacks, despite missing four games with an injury.
Farrell’s Take: Floyd was a monster out of high school and I remember seeing him for the first time at the U.S. Army Combine when no one knew about him and he had one or two offers. A year later, he was pushing for No. 1 overall, had offers from everyone and was the target of a big-time recruiting battle. Floyd wasn’t as naturally athletic as some others on this list but he was arguably the most powerful and his stamina, playing both ways in high school on a team with few players, was impressive. The blocky, muscled up tackle has lived up to all we expected.
7. Gerald McCoy – Oklahoma | Oklahoma City (Okla.) Southeast (Class of 2006)
The skinny: No. 4 overall, No. 1 in Oklahoma and the No. 1 defensive tackle in the Class of 2006, McCoy took official visits to Notre Dame, Miami, LSU, USC and Virginia Tech before deciding that he wanted to play closer to home and committed to the in-state Sooners. He spent four seasons in Norman, earning first-team All-American honors in both 2007 and 2008. Entering the 2009 NFL Draft in very high regard, McCoy was selected third overall by Tampa Bay. He has spent his entire six-year NFL career with the Buccaneers, where he has earned Pro Bowl invites the last four seasons and first-team All-Pro honors after the last three. In 2015 he finished with 34 tackles, 8.5 sacks and one forced fumble.
Farrell’s take: McCoy was a guy with a great first step, shot the gap easily and was very good in space and keeping his feet while working outside through traffic. He was powerful at the point of attack but what set him apart was his ability to get after the passer, a rarity for a defensive tackle and something he’s shown in the NFL. The best player in the Rivals era from Oklahoma? Yep.
8. Kenny Bigelow – USC | Elkton (Md.) Eastern Christian Academy (Class of 2013)
The skinny: No. 6 overall, No. 1 in Maryland and the No. 1 defensive tackle in the Class of 2013, Bigelow always seemed to be intrigued by USC but it wasn’t until he made his way out to Los Angeles for an off-season visit that distance no longer became a factor. Being an early enrollee, Bigelow didn’t wait till the last minute and committed to the Trojans in late November during his senior season. Bigelow’s collegiate career started off slowly, as he redshirted in 2013 and then suffered a knee injury in 2014 which caused him to miss the season. Finally able to play in 2015, he finished with 10 tackles and three sacks in 13 games.
Farrell’s take: Bigelow was built out of granite with no bad weight, plenty of power and the ability to get around the edge or beat you on a crossover move. He was an advanced technician as a defensive tackle thanks to excellent coaching in high school and could play end as well because of his first step. His career hasn’t gone as expected yet, but he still has a very high ceiling.
9. Kahlil McKenzie – Tennessee | Concord (Calif.) Clayton Valley Charter (Class of 2015)
The skinny: No. 6 overall, No. 3 in California, behind only Josh Rosen and Iman Marshall, and the No. 1 defensive tackle in the Class of 2015, McKenzie always held a special place in his heart for Tennessee, with his dad, Reggie McKenzie, having played for the Vols in the early 1980’s. After picking up offers from many of the top programs from coast to coast, McKenzie committed to the Vols over Arizona during the summer leading up to his senior season. As a true freshman, McKenzie was able to showcase the talents that made him a five-star, finishing with 24 tackles, one sack and one forced fumble while playing in all 13 games.
Farrell’s take: Mckenzie was the biggest recruit I’ve seen who can move the way he does. He’s a zero technique at the NFL level, but he moves well enough to make plays in a 4-3 as a 3-tech as well. He had a lot of bad weight but was still so dominant pushing the pocket and chasing things outside the tackles that we couldn’t hold it against him. He’s off to a good start to his career and if he trims down a bit and gets a bit quicker NFL teams will be drooling over him in a few years.
10. Trenton Thompson – Georgia | Albany (Ga.) Westover School (Class of 2015)
The skinny: No. 7 overall, No. 1 in Georgia and the No. 2 defensive tackle, behind only Kahlil McKenzie, Thompson always held Georgia in high regard after the Bulldogs became his first offer. Despite taking closer looks at Auburn, Florida State and USC, at the end he realized he wanted to stay close to home and play for the Bulldogs. Now less than two months from the start of his collegiate career, Thompson has a legitimate opportunity for early playing time. Having a true freshman interior defensive lineman see substantial playing time is not the norm in the SEC, but Thompson's size, speed and versatility on the line may get him on the field quicker than expected. As a true freshman in 2015, Thompson finished with 25 tackles, 2.5 tackles for a loss and half a sack despite playing in only eight games due to an ankle injury.
Farrell’s take: Thompson was the first defensive tackle to be named No. 1 in the country as he led our 2015 rankings and landed at No. 7 overall behind McKenzie mainly because of the latter’s amazing size and agility combination. However, it wouldn’t surprise me to see Thompson have a better overall career in college as he’s more athletic and can work his way down the line of scrimmage and to the outside to make plays better while McKenzie is more of a natural 3-4 fit as an NFL lineman. Both are outstanding prospects and it was a heated debate as to who was No. 1 at the defensive tackle position that year. He should have a tremendous career despite coming from a small school and rising up in competition level greatly and is off to a great start.
