2023 NFL Draft prospect rankings: Interior defensive linemen

theScore's prospect rankings series takes a position-by-position look at the top players available in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Top 50
QB | RB | WR | TE | OL
EDGE | DL | LB | CB | S

Looking for Carter on the Georgia tape? He's the one who is virtually unblockable up front. There are essentially no questions about the on-field ability here - Carter is one of the best players in this draft. He has outstanding movement skills for a lineman of his size, the powerful hands to match, a good arsenal of rush moves, and the stack-and-shed ability that'll make him a plus defender in the run game. Teams will have to weigh that talent against the off-field concerns. Carter briefly left the combine in March to turn himself in on misdemeanor charges of reckless driving and racing in connection with a fatal crash. He was released on bond and later pleaded no contest.

Benton will be sold as a high-level run-stuffer at the next level. He certainly fits that description, having shown incredible hand usage to instantly shed blocks and make plays on the ball carrier. But Benton isn't just a space-eating defensive tackle. The Wisconsin product also shows impressive processing and quickness to get on the move laterally and make plays against outside zone. The ability to stress interior offensive linemen, both with power and quickness off the ball, also makes him a threat as a pass-rusher. There's development needed in that regard, as he could stand to improve the plan for carrying out his rush moves, but the traits are there. Benton is a great pick for a likely Day 2 selection who teams could regret not taking on Day 1.

Kancey is a fascinating prospect. The Pitt standout (no, he's not Aaron Donald) has otherworldly movement skills for an interior defensive lineman, and he makes the most of them with his pass-rush technique. Opposing guards didn't have a chance of matching his lateral agility at the college level, and that would almost certainly be the case in the NFL, too. But position fit is a major question mark here. Kancey's height and weight make him an extreme outlier at defensive tackle. While he's stronger than you might expect at that size and flashes the ability to convert speed to power, it's unrealistic to expect Kancey to hold up against double teams as a run defender against pro competition. His best fit may be as a base end who kicks inside on the most obvious passing downs. Kancey's lack of length will be an issue at both spots, but that athleticism and pass-rush approach will play anywhere. Kancey could be a star in the right system.

A host of injuries slowed Bresee's development over his career at Clemson. However, the athletic ability that once made him the nation's top recruit is still quite apparent, and he's demonstrated the ability to process the run game at a high level. Staying healthy and getting the necessary time to build on his pass-rush repertoire while improving his technique to defeat blocks would give Bresee every opportunity to emerge as an impact every-down player at the next level. He could be in for a much more productive pro career than he enjoyed in college.

If your defense needs a big body in the middle to address some issues against the run, this might be your guy. The latest in a long line of highly touted Michigan defensive linemen, Smith plays with an impressive level of power. Not only can he drop the anchor and hold his ground against double teams, but he also regularly drives run-blockers into the backfield. Smith processes the run game well, showing the ability to establish position, locate the ball carrier, and shed to make a play. He's flashed some upside in the passing game with an effective push-pull move working off his bull rush, and he's more athletic than you'd think for his size, but he'd still need some development to be a consistent three-down player. Smith is a Day 1 contributor on early downs with the hope that he can eventually become more than a pocket pusher in passing situations.

Ika is a physically imposing defensive lineman with surprising athleticism in confined spaces. He plays with the power you'd expect from a nose tackle of his size, flashing the knock-back strength to force opponents into the backfield. He also has the quickness and hand usage to defeat single blocks laterally in the run game and as an occasional pass-rusher. Ika will have to be more consistent in taking on double teams and finishing tackles if he's to thrive in his likely role as a run-stuffer, but he certainly has the natural gifts to do so. Cleaning up that area of his game would give him significant early down value. Harnessing his outstanding size-adjusted athleticism for any pass-rush production could make him a star.

Pickens has all the traits to be an impact defensive tackle at the professional level. The South Carolina product explodes off the ball with a good first step, is a fluid athlete laterally, and often beats his opponent with strength at the point of attack. Doing all that will become more challenging against NFL offensive linemen without a more consistent pad level, particularly in the run game, but that's perhaps something Pickens can work on as a rookie. Improving technique and developing a pass-rush repertoire will be the keys to making the most of his athletic profile. But the movement skills, natural power, and active hands are there. Pickens could be a steal if he lands with the right defensive line coach.

Turner is one of the most relentless players you'll ever see - the incredible effort stands out the second you turn on his tape at Wake Forest. That's not all he has going for him. That endless motor combined with a quick get-off, powerful hands, and balance through contact - not to mention the processing to consistently find the ball - makes him a headache to block. Turner's short-area quickness was also confirmed during his Pro Day athletic testing, posting a 7.09 in the three-cone drill - a blazing time that would have topped all interior defensive linemen at the combine. A lack of size and length may make it tough to carve out an every-down role in the NFL, but there's plenty of value in situational pass-rushers. Improving his hand usage could help Turner become a nuisance on late downs, coming into a contest to get after quarterbacks with fresh legs and his hair on fire.

Dexter has some juice to his game. There are flashes of brilliance, particularly as a pass-rusher, when he can pin his ears back and fire off the ball. Dexter demonstrates the hand usage and repertoire for quick wins in his pass rush and the speed to get to the quarterback. Consistency has been an issue in that regard, and landing with the right staff may be key to unlocking his potential at the next level. However, Dexter certainly has the tools to be a penetrator on the inside. A tendency to play upright off the snap gives him trouble anchoring and holding his ground against double teams, so his ideal role in the short term will likely be as a rotational pass-rush specialist who can turn it on in a limited workload for high-leverage snaps.

Brooks is an interesting blend of strength and athleticism. It's tough to project his big-time production from Bowling Green considering it came against a lower level of competition. But for a player of his frame to have posted 10 sacks when usually rushing from the edge speaks to his unique movement skills. Brooks likely won't stick on the edge against NFL tackles and would need to get stronger for an every-down role inside. But his rush arsenal and lateral movement could make him an effective rotational pass-rusher on the inside.

Other notable prospects

Jaquelin Roy, LSU
Byron Young, Alabama
Keondre Coburn, Texas
Cameron Young, Mississippi State
Moro Ojomo, Texas