2023 NFL Draft Rankings: Interior Defensive Linemen
Today, we continue the 2023 NFL Draft Rankings series, and if you missed yesterday’s edition, we began our trek through the defensive side of the ball with the EDGE rushers. This time around, we’re hopping into the middle of the defensive line and discussing the top interior defensive linemen in the upcoming draft class.
1. Jalen Carter (Georgia)
If Will Anderson isn’t your cup of tea in this upcoming draft class, let me introduce you to Jalen Carter. The Georgia Bulldog was hyped up as the best player on the 2021 Georgia defense that included players like Jordan Davis, Devonte Wyatt, Nakobe Dean, and Lewis Cine.
Carter lives up to the hype too. He’s a physical specimen to behold on the interior defensive line with all the strength you could ask for from a draft prospect. Combine that with some lightning-fast speed, and he’s a handful for any offensive line to handle.
Considering it’s harder to find stars in the middle of a defensive line rather than at EDGE, there’s certainly a case to be made for selecting Carter over Anderson this upcoming spring. That being said, Carter shouldn’t fall outside the top 5, regardless of how you value his position.
2. Bryan Bresee (Clemson)
The Clemson defense is chock-full of NFL Draft talent this year, and while Myles Murphy garners a lot of headlines on the defensive front, Bryan Bresee deserves just as much credit as the Tigers EDGE rusher. Bresee’s athletic ability pops off the screen every time he steps onto the field.
Even against some of the better teams in the country, Bresee holds up against opposing offensive lines, and he is a terrific pass rusher as well as run-stopper. Don’t be surprised if Bresee is off the board shortly after Carter. That being said, there’s an equally high chance that his injury history (torn ACL in 2021) causes him to fall down the board a bit.
3. Gervon Dexter Sr. (Florida)
After the top two players in this class, there’s a bit of a dropoff at the position, which is likely why we’re seeing Carter and Bresee go off the board so early in many mock drafts. Gervon Dexter is a terrific athlete, and at 6’6, 300 pounds, he brings ideal NFL size to the table.
However, consistency is the knock for Dexter right now. He struggles to create proper leverage at times, playing high on his bull rushes, and it allows opposing guards to throw him off-balance. If he improves his technical skillset, he will turn into a solid NFL starter.
4. Mazi Smith (Michigan)
There was some concern that Mazi Smith wouldn’t be as effective without Aidan Hutchinson and David Ojabo on the Michigan defense alongside him in 2022, but that wasn’t the case. He essentially replicated his 2021 season all over again. Despite limitations with his length and size, Smith continued finding ways to collapse pockets as a pass rusher.
Even still, that lack of length may be a concern moving into the NFL. There were matchups where he couldn’t find his same production due to offensive linemen simply outsizing him in the trenches. The NFL is full of massive interior offensive linemen, and this may limit Smith’s impact at the next level.
5. Tyler Davis (Clemson)
Tyler Davis missed about half of the 2021 season with a torn bicep tendon, but he bounced back wonderfully in 2022 with another strong campaign for Clemson. He was the beneficiary of both Myles Murphy and Bryan Bresee on the defensive line with him, recording 8.5 TFLs and 4.5 sacks.
The talent is there for Davis as he has a terrific combination of power and speed on the interior. The biggest issue remains his health, though. Davis has had multiple injuries over the course of his collegiate career that have forced him to miss time in both 2020 and 2021. The problems with injury weren’t nearly as apparent in 2022, but we’ll see if he’s truly dodged the injury bug for good.
Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho with a bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing. He also earned minors in History, Human Biology, and Journalism. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys marathon training, playing video games, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. For more of his opinions, check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.