10. Jay Bromley, Syracuse- 6’4", 285 lbs.

This list kicks off with a name you may not have heard of. You may not see him on any other top-10 lists either, but the scouts are sorely mistaken about this kid. Some people just have a will do defeat the odds, and I am not about to bet against this kid. Bromley’s mother was a drug addict and his father was in prison for murder. He was raised by his aunt and uncle. He did not play football until he got to high school. He did not get to start for his high school’s defense until the end of his junior year. He received no scholarships while attending high school. Yet after he got a shot at Syracuse he has played in more than 10 games every season. He will defeat the odds and make it in the NFL because, well, that is just what he does.

9. Ryan Carrethers, Arkansas State- 6’2", 330 lbs.

Carrethers is a fifth-year senior who, despite being on and off from game to game, refuses to not be noticed. On October 28th, the 330-pound defensive lineman racked up 16 tackles in one game. In case you need me to make sense of that for you here is the breakdown- it does not make sense. 16 tackles for an interior lineman is an astronomical number. His quickness for his size will push him up draft boards and make him a solid second day draft prospect.

8. Daniel McCullers, Tennessee- 6’8", 351 lbs.

McCullers is one of those guys who is just fun to watch. The play doesn’t even have to be going on for it to be fun either; this guy is fun to just look at. He is 351 lbs. which is usually a red flag for NFL teams, but at 6’8" it works out for him and he isn’t slow by any means. He would have been ranked higher, but I haven’t seen much development from him in the last two seasons. Still, a solid prospect for a 3-4 defense.

7. DaQuan Jones, Penn State- 6’3", 318 lbs.

Jones is another player who has moved up draft boards this year. A poor outing against Ohio State a week ago however put a bit of a stop to his rise. He applies good pressure and is one of the better tacklers in this class of interior defensive lineman.

6. Anthony Johnson, LSU- 6’3", 294 lbs.

Johnson is one of the best athlete’s at the defensive tackle position. He also seems to give up on a few plays though and he also lacks the required hand skills for a strong NFL defensive lineman. He is losing weight every year as well which can be cause for concern for NFL teams.

TOP 5

5. Dominique Easley, Florida- 6’2", 285 lbs.

I almost did not even want to put Easley on this list, purely for the fact that I hate talking about it. So let us just get this out of the way right now. The guy is hurt. He tore his right ACL and Meniscus this season and is out for the remainder of it. He overcame the left knee, so he should overcome the right one just fine as well. So let’s put that behind us. Now for the gameplay. He is an extremely unique defensive tackle and that is both his strength and his weakness. He is deceptively strong and causes constant penetration.

Extremely high energy play, he is constantly moving along the line and uses his hands and different athletic moves during the plays and doesn’t slow down all game. His over energetic self also causes him to often lose a play, he will get himself in the backfield with a few fancy moves, when the running back has already passed him. He is a disruptive and fun defensive player though and with proper coaching could become special. Let’s all just hope for a speedy recovery for now.

4. Ra’Shede Hageman, Minnesota- 6’6", 311 lbs.

Hageman is a very interesting prospect to watch. One of the best instinctive players in college football. He had a lot of sacks during his junior year but only has two so far this season. The crazy thing about that is, his draft stock has actually increased. Although he hasn’t made his presence felt in the backfield, there is no question that every QB is looking out for him on every play. He has six pass deflections at the line and an interception. He Stands 6’6" and has huge hands to disrupt plays with. One thing that NFL scouts love to see is play recognition, and this is where Hageman shines. He is rapidly moving up draft boards and with a strong finish to the season, Ra’Shede Hageman can solidify himself as a first round pick.

3. Will Sutton, Arizona State- 6’1", 305 lbs.

Sutton had 13 sacks in 2012 and was the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year. There have been some worries about his weight this year however. He appeared thinner and more explosive a season ago. Now that he’s added bad weight, he hasn’t found his way around his blocker(s) as smoothly or as often. Despite his awkward frame though, Sutton has one of the best motors and attitudes of any interior defensive lineman. He is a smart kid and the QB threatening skill set that he possess does come in handy in today’s NFL. I expect him to get in much better shape this offseason while training for the NFL Draft. With a good crop of QB’s coming in this class, defensive minded teams will give a player like Sutton a hard look.

2. Timmy Jernigan, Florida State- 6’2", 292 lbs.

The best run stuffer in the draft comes in one of the smaller interior lineman prospects. Explosive hands and amazing tackling is what makes him such a good prospect. I feel like despite his very impressive play, he has been over looked. There is no reason to overlook this prospect. He is one of the best block shedders in the country. As far as flaws, Jernigan has trouble pushing offensive lineman forward, most of his penetration comes from tossing the lineman aside. He should be a mid-to-late first round pick.

1. Louis Nix III, Notre Dame- 6’2", 342 lbs.

Nix is the best defensive tackle prospect in the 2014 NFL draft. He has extremely rare burst off of the ball and is very strong. You will not see him slow down on a play regardless if the play appears to be dead which is very important. Nix is also very versatile despite being a hefty 342 lbs. He can play, and be very productive in either a 3-4 or 4-3. He is not strictly a nose tackle. If there is one negative you could take away from Louis Nix it would be his angles. He sometimes loses the play and is left chasing back for it. The fact that a 342 pound man is chasing after plays may tell you more good things then bad about him. Louis Nix III will be a first round pick, potentially top ten, and he will be a day one starter. Expect big things from him at the next level.