2025 NFL Combine: Most Intriguing Defensive Tackles

It’s not a secret I love BIG men who play football in the trenches. For the last five years, I’ve begged for the Buffalo Bills to draft an XXXL DT1t… one who would be able to suck up two offensive linemen and unleash Ed Oliver to disrupt and demolish anyone in his path.

So it should come as no surprise I recorded the 2025 NFL Combine with a particular eye on watching defensive tackles to investigate a draft that appears to be rich in defensive linemen. I did not come away disappointed. In fact, there were at least twice as many potential draftees who caught my eye this year than last. There were fat rolls flying and jiggling at a high rate of speed, with drill performances that were quite impressive. How big men can move that fast surely defies the laws of physics.

Without further fanfare… or any fanfare at all for that matter, here are my FAB FIVE FAT GUYS. I claim no expertise at evaluating football players beyond what looking at them for nearly 70 years has taught me. I am in no way an analytics expert, nor do I watch much college football. However, the NFL Combine is something I pay close attention to every year because I learn a lot from watching how these big men move. How fast and agile they appear to this set of eyeballs has proven to be instrumental in helping me evaluate players I think may become successful in the NFL.

My selections here do not include the obvious candidate Kenneth Grant, who I deem to be unavailable by the time Buffalo picks 30th in the first round. If he’s there, awesome. If not, here are some other guys the Bills could draft that would make me smile and stop nagging :)

*In evaluating these players, I referred to the THIS ARTICLE, authored by our resident draft expert Dean Kindig.

My FAB FIVE:

Derrick Harmon 6’4 1/2″, 320 lbs, 4.95/40, 1.74 10-yard split, BuffaloFAMbase Big Board #34
School: Oregon

Holy moly, I was so in love with Kenneth Grant I missed the forest for the BIG TREE. A sub 5.0/40 at his size with a 1.74 10-yard split. Mind blown. But that’s not all. This guy runs like water running downhill. Agility drills revealed a terrific set of feet. This guy next to Ed Oliver would be a MASSIVE improvement right from the get-go. Consider Harmon at the top of my list IF he can be had when Buffalo drafts at #30. If he’s there, I will lose whatever is left of my mind if the Bills don’t select him.

JJ Pegues 6’2″, 309 lbs, 5.16/40, 1.82 10-yard split, BuffaloFAMbase Big Board #131
School: Ole Miss

This guy isn’t the fastest or the largest DT of the group, but I love the way he moves his feet. It has also been said Pegues is able to play multiple positions across the line which is something we all know Sean McDermott covets… versatility. Pegues is projected to be a mid to later round prospect, so he may have to be coached up, but he certainly passed this old lady’s eyeball test.

Darius Alexander 6’3 7/8″, 305 lbs, 4.96/40, 1.72 10-yard split, BuffaloFAMbase Big Board #123
School: Toledo

Another projected mid to later round pick from the Mid-American Conference, but Alexander is a speedy, agile dude who certainly isn’t carrying a lot of lard around the middle. However, coached and trained up for the NFL, he could be a dominant DT1t with Ed Oliver at his side. He’s not your typical space eating monster, but he moves around like he would command his share of double teams anyway. Another project player who might add significant talent to a defensive line that could surely use it.

Jamaree Caldwell 6’2 1/8″, 332 lbs, 5.17/40, 1.86 10-yard split, BuffaloFAMbase Big Board #113
School: Oregon

If Buffalo decides to go the route of a space occupying monster, this guy might be a best value in the mid rounds. If Caldwell makes it that far… but of course my bias is to get as many of these types of players out of the draft that you can. So far the Bills under this regime have not been particularly good at finding DT gems. Chris Brown loves Jamaree Caldwell and I can see why. Though not speedy, he is quite agile, seems to have a good sense of balance and is very smooth in his movements. I could easily see him pair up with Oliver and become a force to reckon with.

Tyleik Williams 6’3″, 320 lbs, did not run at Combine, BuffaloFAMbase Big Board #39
School: Ohio State

If the Buffalo is looking for a ‘sure thing’ at DT1t, Williams is likely to become a very productive player in the NFL. He won’t come cheap as he’s likely to be gone early in the second round. However, his agility drills were outstanding and he fits the Bills’ need for an athletic space occupying monster in the middle.

Editor’s babble: This list is not in any particular order, these are simply the DT1t candidates who passed the old eyeball test. If Buffalo could land one of these men, I would stop nagging about the lack of size/athleticism in the middle of the Bills’ DL. If you really want to subject yourself to more of my amateur opinion, you can also find me on Xwitter @RobynMundyWYO or Bluesky @RobynMundyWYO@bsky.social.