Top 10 interior defensive linemen in the 2021 NFL Draft
There are some promising players in the interior defensive line in the upcoming NFL Draft.
This group includes players, who will primarily line up head-up on the offensive tackle to straight over the center. Although specific alignments may be best for individual players, there are many hybrid fronts in the NFL, so most guys could be moving around, especially on passing downs.
However, this class has been called one of the weakest ones in the NFL draft, something that is evident when compared to some of the other NFL draft classes over the years.
Two of these players could be drafted in the first round, and it may not be surprising if the first one comes off in the late twenties. However, I think there could be some valuable players on day two and even beyond that.
Four of my top-five NFL draft prospects can be classified as three techniques (shaded to the outside shoulder of the guard). But after that, there are several names who could play head-up or shaded to one side of the center.
Make sure to check out my video breakdown of the top interior offensive linemen. But now let’s get into this list:
#1 NFL Draft Prospect: Christian Barmore (Alabama)
6’ 5”, 310 pounds; RS SO
Despite being 'only' a four-star recruit and not starting full time till last season, Christian Barmore has seen a meteoric rise and decided to enter the NFL draft with two years of eligibility left.
After recording six tackles for loss and two sacks as a rotational D-lineman in his freshman campaign, he racked up 9.5 TFLs, eight sacks and three passes batted down at the line. That helped him earn first-team All-SEC accolades as he ended the last season by being named the National Championship game’s Defensive MVP.
The first time scouts laid eyes on this young man, most of them thought he would be the next great Alabama defensive lineman. Considering his physical attributes, his tough frame, he is one of those guys who want to get off the bus first.
Barmore was lined up anywhere from shade nose to a 4i technique along that Bama front, where he was asked to two-gap as well as penetrate. The length and power simply jump off the screen for this kid. He is like a bulldozer, just running into and knocking around big men.
The 2021 NFL Draft Prospect can stand up blockers and toss them to the side when the running back approaches, and he has plenty of anchor strength to stand his ground against double-teams. Barmore is able to sustain blows from the side and stay square.
Some guards seem to do everything just right in terms of engaging with low pad-level, rolling the hips through contact and churning those legs. Yet this 2021 NFL Draft prospect just locks out and doesn’t move off the spot. And then he has the power to pull them to the side as well as the lateral agility to get a hit on the running back in the hole.
However, he is at his best shooting through gaps and creating chaos. Christian Barmore has some violence in those hands and the brute force to blow through the door, showing that ability to work through lateral contact. Even when it looks like the blocker is in a great position to seal him on those wide zone plays, Barmore just knocks down the hands, powers through the reach and gets to the ball carrier, oftentimes twisting them down to the turf.
As a pass-rusher, Barmore, of course, has the power to go through big linemen and create that push up the middle as a bull in the china shop. But the 2021 NFL draft prospect is even more dangerous when he lands those club-swim or rip maneuvers, where he has improved his success rate and clearing the hips of a guard.
When the 2021 NFL Draft prospect gets that instant win off the line and guys allow him to get to the edge of their frame, it’s pretty much over because he rarely gets pushed off track, as they try to still inhibit his path to the quarterback.
He is extremely flexible for a man of his size, especially when you look at the angles he runs at and the way he can corner around blockers, in combination with those hand swipes. The Crimson Tide coaches used him to loop outside quite a bit, and he is a great table-setter for any games up front because of the way he can pull blockers with him as he attacks through a gap.
The 2021 NFL Draft prospect gets those big arms up when he approaches the passer. The level of effort he displays to continue working as a pass-rusher, which also extends to him chasing around quarterback out to the sideline, is impressive.
His 65 total pressures since the start of 2019 are the most of any interior D-lineman in the country. In the National Championship game, The 2021 NFL draft prospect was a frequent visitor in the backfield, recording 12 pressure and eight defensive stops that day, including an absurd TFL on 4th & 1 at the end of the third quarter to basically seal the win.
Also check out: Complete 2019 NFL Draft Results
Nevertheless, the 2021 NFL Draft prospect still has to learn playing under a little more control, refine his technique and recognize run schemes quicker. His pad-level can rise against double-teams, which creates vertical movement in the process. He allows some guards to scoop-block him on the backside of zone run plays because he doesn’t bring his far foot across to get around them.
The 2021 NFL Draft prospect is rarely the first guy off the snap, and at this point, his motor could run hot and cold. He’s just not super consistent overall. He may make people drop their jaw one snap, where he just blows through a gap and then in the very next one, he gets sealed away from the play because he is a tick late in his reaction. Last season, he had a couple of games with zero pressure (Tennessee and Florida), and it took until the playoffs to really establish himself as a top-tier IDL prospect.
Some of the deficiencies in Christian Barmore’s game certainly stem from the complexity of assignments up front for Alabama, where they ask their guys to stack, two-gap and penetrate on a weekly and series basis.
The 2021 NFL Draft prospect could be much more consistent if he’s allowed to play a more defined role. Down the stretch, Barmore was getting doubled every other snap, especially when you look at Alabama’s two playoff games.
He could be best suited in an upfield role, where his brute force and flexibility would allow him to be a disruptive player. But if he continues to grow, he could be an impact player in pretty much any role up front.
Also Read: Complete 2020 NFL Draft Results