Rivals Rankings Week: Who should be top-ranked 2021 DT?

Defensive tackle looks like it could be one of the stronger positions in the 2021 class and there are three players at the top of the position rankings that could legitimately end up No. 1 at the position. Rivals recruiting analysts break down each candidate and explain why they could end up as the nation’s top defensive tackle.

RIVALS RANKINGS WEEK FOR 2021 CLASS:

Monday: Top 10 revealed | Will USC nab No. 1 Korey Foreman?

Tuesday: Rivals100 revealed | New five-stars | Mind of Mike

Wednesday: Rivals250 revealed | Teams that should be pleased

Thursday/Friday: Position rankings revealed

CLASS OF 2020 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State

“Listed at 6-foot-4, 295-pounds, Page is a monster in the middle of a very talented defensive line. He has no problem collapsing the pocket on quarterbacks or taking on two or three offensive linemen before stopping a run up the middle.

"Page is more of a true nose tackle than some of the other defensive tackles in this class so we’ll be watching to see how his game develops and how he develops from a physical standpoint. As always with big, interior linemen, consistency and quickness are two major areas of focus when it comes to his ranking. So far, Page has shown enough to hang onto the No. 1 spot in the position rankings.

"As for Page’s recruitment, Alabama, Clemson, Florida, Georgia, LSU, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and many others have worked hard to get his attention, but there are no major developments on the horizon.”

“Belleville is one of the schools I will cover in week one of the high school football season, and I am very interested to see the development of Damon Payne. That will give me a much better sense of how he stacks up to the other top defensive tackles in this 2021 class. These guys are still so young and there is so much physical and technical development that occurs between sophomore year and junior year. Payne has the raw tools to be the top defensive tackle in this class, but how he plays this fall will give us a much better sense if he should be ranked as such.

"Payne has traveled far and wide evaluating schools, recently spending time at Florida State and in the Southeast. He remains wide open, but looks like a strong candidate to choose an out-of-state, and possibly an out-of-region school.”

“Louisiana has had elite defensive linemen year after year, from Glenn Dorsey, Booger McFarland and Marcus Spears to more recent standouts like Rashard Lawrence, Phidarian Mathis, Ishmael Sopsher and Jaquelin Roy in the 2020 cycle. However, I’m inclined to label Maason Smith as a rare talent.

"At 6-foot-4 and 290 pounds, he’s a man among boys. Sure, he has ideal size and natural brute strength, but Smith is absurdly athletic as well. He has great bend for a big man, extends his arms and can overpower elite offensive linemen. He has a wide range of pass-rush moves already at his disposal and he’s disruptive against the run and pursuing quarterbacks. Smith had a terrific offseason establishing himself as one of the premier defensive linemen in the country regardless of class.

"Smith has made visits to LSU, Texas, Texas A&M, Florida, Georgia, Alabama and Clemson. You can count on Coach O making the Louisiana native a top priority, but it’ll certainly be a dog fight for the elite defensive tackle.”