Final 2026 NFL Draft Interior DL Rankings: The hole at the top of the board isn't getting any smaller

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Clemson defensive lineman Peter Woods (11) during the second quarter at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, S.C. Saturday, September 6, 2025. Ken Ruinard / USA Today Network South Carolina / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Kyle Crabbs’ final 2026 NFL Draft interior DL rankings highlight a vacancy at the top of the board.

The 2026 NFL Draft is upon us. We’ve reached the final calm before the storm and with it comes the final grades and projections for literally hundreds of players. The 2026 NFL Draft’s defensive tackle group is an odd one. There’s some missing star power at the top of the charts. But even the deeper portions are a challenge. Here are my 2026 NFL Draft Interior DL rankings in full.

Make of it what you will.

Kyle Crabbs’ Final 2026 NFL Draft Interior DL Rankings

Nov 1, 2025; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Georgia Bulldogs defensive lineman Christen Miller (52) reacts after making a tackle against the Florida Gators at EverBank Stadium.Travis Register-Imagn Images

1. Christen Miller, Georgia Bulldogs: 79.50/100 (Second Round Value)

Miller isn’t quite as dominant against the run as Ohio State’s Kayden McDonald, but I do think he’s going to offer a little bit more in the way of pass rush juice. Miller feels like a front-multiple talent with big-time power and the ability to grow in all phases.

Ohio State Buckeyes defensive tackle Kayden McDonald (98) celebrates during the first half of the Big Ten Conference championship game against the Indiana Hoosiers at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Dec. 6, 2025.© Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

2. Kayden McDonald, Ohio State Buckeyes: 79.50/100 (Second Round Value)

McDonald is, for my money, a better player than Tyliek Williams was last year. The Lions made him a first-round pick. I don’t know if the same fate awaits McDonald this year, but I do know that whoever drafts him is going to get an anchor in the middle and will see their run defense prosper for it.

Nov 29, 2025; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Florida Gators defensive tackle Caleb Banks (88) celebrates recovering a fumble during the second quarter against the Florida State Seminoles at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Kupbens-Imagn Images

3. Caleb Banks, Florida Gators: 79.00/100 (Second Round Value)

Banks is the most physically talented defensive tackle in the class. He missed nearly all of 2025 and now has endured a fresh injury to boot. Even before this swell of injuries, there was frustrating lapses with inconsistency. Conversations aren’t based exclusively off the top-20 play reel; if they were, Banks would be sitting at No. 1 on this list. But that same reel has me wondering “what if”…

Clemson defensive lineman Peter Woods (11) during the second quarter at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, S.C. Saturday, September 6, 2025.Ken Ruinard / USA Today Co Inc SC / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

4. Peter Woods, Clemson Tigers: 78.00/100 (Second Round Value)

Woods was a summertime darling who, much like the entire Clemson program, failed to meet expectations in 2025. Woods is an interesting blend between a 3-tech and a cap-control defender in the middle. His pre-draft process has steered him towards the 3-tech; but he’d ideally have either a little more mass and length or a little more explosiveness to be a high projection in the role.

The Rest Of The Top-100

Nov 22, 2025; Norman, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma Sooners defensive lineman Gracen Halton (56) reacts during the second half against the Missouri Tigers at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

5. Gracen Halton, Oklahoma Sooners: 76.50/100 (Third Round Value)

Depending on the cost, you could convince me that Halton is the most exciting investment opportunity of a defensive tackle in this year’s class. I believe he is a stellar pass rusher and penetration defender and could be a quality starter down the line as a 3-tech.

Texas Tech's Lee Hunter walks to the field before the Big 12 Conference championship football game, Saturday, Nov. 6, 2025, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. — Texas Tech’s Lee Hunter walks to the field before the Big 12 Conference championship football game, Saturday, Nov. 6, 2025, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.Nathan Giese/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

6. Lee Hunter, Texas Tech Red Raiders: 75.50/100 (Third Round Value)

Hunter is a tough, physical brute in the middle. He prospered at Texas Tech in part due to a loaded group of pass rushers around him on the defensive front, a luxury that he won’t have in all likelihood in the NFL. Hunter projects, to me, as a piece of a defensive line rotation. He reminds me some of NFL defensive tackle Tim Settle.

Oct 25, 2025; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; Texas A&M Aggies defensive tackle DJ Hicks (5) celebrates with defensive tackle Tyler Onyedim (11) after a play during the second half against the Louisiana State Tigers at Tiger Stadium. Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

7. Tyler Onyedim, Texas A&M Aggies: 74.00/100 (Third Round Value)

6-foot-3, 290 pounds, 34″ arms and 80th percentile jumps at the NFL Combine. Onyedim is the most fascinating name in the top-100. He enjoyed a career breakout in 2025 with the Aggies after four seasons with the Iowa State program. This feels like a front-multiple talent who could play as a 4i/5 or also as a 3-technique.

The Best Of The Rest

8.	Domonique Orange	Iowa State	73.50 (RD4)
9.	Albert Regis	Texas A&M	73.00 (RD4)
10.	Zane Durant	Penn State	73.00 (RD4)
11.	Kaleb Proctor	SE Louisiana	72.50 (RD4)
12.	Nick Barrett	South Carolina	72.50 (RD4)
13.	Zxavian Harris	Mississippi	71.50 (RD5)
14.	Rayshaun Benny	Michigan	71.50 (RD5)
15.	DeMonte Capehart	Clemson	71.50 (RD5)
16.	Jordan van den Berg	Georgia Tech	71.00 (RD5)
17.	Darrell Jackson Jr.	Florida State	71.00 (RD5)
18.	Landon Robinson	Navy	70.50 (RD5)
19.	David Gusta	Kentucky	69.50 (RD6)
20.	Dontay Corleone	Cincinnati	69.00 (RD6)
21.	Chris McClellan	Missouri	69.00 (RD6)
22.	Rene Konga	Louisville	69.00 (RD6)
23.	Gary Smith III	UCLA	68.50 (RD7)
24.	Tim Keenan III	Alabama	68.00 (RD7)
25.	Uar Bernard	Nigeria*	68.00 (RD7)
26.	Bryson Eason	Tennessee	68.00 (RD7)
27.	Skyler Gill-Howard	Texas Tech	67.50 (UDFA)
28.	Deven Eastern	Minnesota	67.00 (UDFA)

I am, simply put, not overly enamored with this year’s class. I am highly intrigued by Kaleb Proctor, who I got rave reviews for from league personnel at the 2026 NFL Combine. He seems to be made of the right stuff to make the leap to the NFL – but the leap is a big one. Dominique Orange is a nose tackle who I believe can start in the league, too. There are other athletic, undersized options like Albert Regis, Zane Durant, Landon Robinson, David Gusta, and Rene Konga.

Perhaps the two most interesting Day 3 options are developmental options like Uar Bernard (Nigeria) and Jordan van den Berg (Georgia Tech). Both are players with international ties and newer to the game.