One Nose Tackle Target for Broncos in Each Round of the Draft

The Denver Broncos' big trade to acquire wide receiver Jaylen Waddle means they no longer have a first- or third-round pick, but they could always decide to trade a player to get more selections and use them to move up the board.

So, as we continue breaking down one prospect for the Broncos per round, it's still worth revisiting those first- and third-round options. If nothing else, the draft is unpredictable.

Next up are the nose tackles, where the Broncos have D.J. Jones and Malcolm Roach, but they are not traditional two-gapping nose tackles. They do well in their role, but Denver could still look to bring in a massive body, especially given its ability to move on from Jones after this season and cut some costs.

There are a lot of nose tackle options, and they carry the interior defensive line position, with as many draftable graded players as there are total non-nose tackle interior defenders. It's a limited position, but there is a large influx of capable players entering the NFL, nearly three times as many as a normal year.

As always, these projections use the Consensus Big Board. Let’s get into the nose tackle options.

Round 1 Option: Kayden McDonald | Ohio State

McDonald has a great and squat build, which can make him even more difficult to move on the inside. He is the most talented run defender in this class, both physically and technically, and shows the ability to 1.5-gap and 2-gap while working from a 0-3 technique on the inside.

There are some questions about McDonald's ability to make an impact in the passing game, but he can clog the middle escape lanes for more mobile quarterbacks. The bigger concern is his lateral run defense when teams flow outside and his ability to stay square and on pace with his defense.

Round 2 Option: Lee Hunter | Texas Tech

Hunter relies on his size, strength, and athleticism, as his technical skills are raw and inconsistent. If he can develop the techniques and mindset to rely on that over size, strength, and athleticism, he could be a great three-down defender on the inside.

There are more flashes of greatness from Hunter as a pass rusher than McDonald, and Hunter could end up as good a run defender, but the lows are far lower. Teams will need to build him from the ground up and change how he mentally plays the game, which could be difficult.

Round 3 Option: Dominique Orange | Iowa State

‘Big Cirtus’ is a massive nose tackle who combines his length and size with a great build and excellent quickness off the snap. He can be difficult to stay in front of on zone blocks due to his quickness, and difficult to block man-to-man because of his strength and how he uses leverage.

The problem is, Orange is a bit reckless in his attack, and when he does get good positioning, his lack of control can cause him to lose it, leading to a good play for the offense. He has the makings of a good interior run defender, with next to nothing shown as a pass rusher, but discipline and control need to be the focus at the NFL level.

Round 4 Option: Dontay Corleone | Cincinnati

Corleone is a shorter nose tackle at 6-foot-0, but carries a good 340-pound build on his frame. He is short and squat, with surprising foot quickness off the snap, coupled with an extraordinary club move that makes him hard to single-block.

Now, there isn’t anything to work with as a pass rusher, and a history of blood clots will require some extra medical attention. As a run defender who stays upright and in position with the strength to two-gap, there is going to be value in selecting Corleone, but it comes back to the medical history.

Round 5 Option: Zxavian Harris | Ole Miss

You don’t find nose tackles built like Harris very often, and there are two of them in this class with Florida's Caleb Banks as well. Harris is 6-foot-8 and 330 pounds, with massive hands and 34-⅝-inch arms. He has a rare build that teams will look to develop, but he could at least be a field-goal-blocker with that kind of size.

Harris has also flashed the ability to play out as a 5-technique, but his best spot will be a 0-3 technique, though that will require more consistent pad level, which is hard for someone as tall as he is. When he does stay low, he has a good bull rush and knows how to use that length to walk blockers back, but there's a lot of technical work needed to get him to be a consistent role player at least. A high-risk, high-reward player.

Round 6 Option: Bryson Eason | Tennessee

There isn’t much upside with Eason, but he is a short, squat, and reliable two-down, two-gapping run defender on the inside. He has the technique to flow horizontally and stay square, clogging lanes when runs stay between the tackles. The technique for taking on double teams is also sound and consistent.

Eason doesn’t offer up anything as a pass rusher, and quicker mauling guards can seal the edges and shut him out of the play as a run defender. He could cut down on those issues by being more consistent with his first step and continuing to work to improve his hand strikes.

Round 7 Option: Deven Eastern | Minnesota

Eastern is a wide nose tackle with a great wingspan that can control two gaps simply because of the length. He has great flashes as both a run defender, not just holding pat, but also shooting gaps, and has flashes as a pass rusher. The issue is that there are only a handful of those flashes each game.

Eastern has many technical issues that need to be corrected, including his pad level, bend, lower-body mass, footwork, and hand techniques. There is a low floor, as he will likely be a two-year practice squad project at minimum, but he has the potential to be a versatile interior defender who can work five spots and even be a four-down defender.

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