Top 10 Interior Defensive Linemen for Broncos in 2026 NFL Draft

The Broncos have some specific needs on the defensive line entering the 2026 NFL draft.

Sep 6, 2025; Athens, Georgia, USA; Georgia Bulldogs defensive lineman Christen Miller (52) reacts after a defensive stop against the Austin Peay Governors in the fourth quarter at Sanford Stadium. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The Denver Broncos are poised to lose John Franklin-Myers in free agency, and it isn’t a great free agent group to replace the caliber of player he is. The Broncos do have a couple of in-house options in Eyioma Uwazurike and Sai’vion Jones, but the former has a different skill set, and the latter wasn’t able to see the field a whole lot as a rookie. 

There's nothing wrong with looking to those two players as part of a rotation to replace Franklin-Meyers, but Denver should supplement them with the addition of another young player who can work in the rotation. That's where these 10 defensive line prospects in the 2026 NFL draft come in. 

This list doesn’t include nose tackle types or players who are primarily 0-3 technique players; it focuses on the 3-7 technique types, as that is the skill set being lost with Franklin-Myers. While this is a strong defensive line class, it's carried by the nose tackles, and that is reflected in this top 10, as only four of them currently reside in the top 100. 

Christen Miller | Georgia

Two players are competing for the top spot with this group of defensive linemen, and Miller gets the edge right now. Miller is an extremely toolsy player from one of the highest-graded colleges for producing NFL defensive linemen, so that teams will trust his collegiate coaching and his transition to the pros. 

Miller has to work at improving his pass-rush sequencing and forming a consistent plan as a pass rusher, but he can win with the right tools as a rookie and contribute as part of a rotation. While the work is needed as a pass rusher, he enters the NFL with the traits to be an immediate disruptor in the running game, given his size and strength. 

Peter Woods | Clemson

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

Entering the 2025 season, Woods was viewed as a top 10 prospect, but he didn’t play up to expectations, and his production dropped. This keeps him in that late first to early second round talk, but there is still ample opportunity to help himself through the draft process. 

The versatility to line up in multiple spots across multiple fronts will help his stock, as will his twitched-up athleticism for his size. He can win with his quickness, but it wasn’t there a lot in college because the moves and techniques were inconsistent, and he lacked a reliable plan as a rusher. 

Rayshaun Benny | Michigan

Sep 20, 2025; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Michigan Wolverines defensive lineman Rayshaun Benny (26) reacts after a sack against the Nebraska Cornhuskers during the second quarter at Memorial Stadium. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Benny had a huge week at the Senior Bowl and really caught my eye. When I turned on his tape, I wasn’t disappointed; I left wondering why he wasn’t talked about more.

Michigan has cranked out some good defensive linemen over the past few years, including Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant last year, and while Benny isn’t that good, he should be a top 100 pick. 

The technical, athletic, and physical traits consistently pop when watching Benny, but he will need NFL coaching to put it all together and tap into it consistently. He has heavy hands that make it difficult for offensive linemen to sustain blocks against him, and he has surprising quickness to toss blockers and create chaos behind the line of scrimmage. 

Gracen Halton | Oklahoma

Nov 29, 2025; Norman, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma Sooners defensive lineman Gracen Halton (56) reacts during the first half against the Louisiana State Tigers at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Halton is another riser from Senior Bowl week, but he still has some questions to answer about his athleticism and technique. He can create disruption, but he was inconsistent from a snap-to-snap basis in college, and may not have the traits to be more than the third or fourth guy in a defensive line rotation.

If Halton can impress at the NFL Combine, he could crack the early fourth round, but right now, he looks like a late fourth or early fifth. With some issues anchoring at the point of attack and a lack of pass-rush counters, teams will have to be careful with his usage as a rookie while they develop him. 

Skyler Gill-Howard | Texas Tech

Texas Tech's Skyler Gill-Howard reacts to a sack against Arkansas-Pine Bluff during a non-conference football game, Saturday, August 30, 2025, at Jones AT&T Stadium. | Nathan Giese/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Gill-Howard is an explosive player with a great first step, which he needs to overcome the size constraints he faces. There also isn’t much power in his game, which can lead to issues at the point of attack as a run defender and getting stuck on blocks if he can't win with his quickness. 

There are similarities to how Gill-Howard wins and how Sai’vion Jones wins, though Jones has more size and athleticism to work with. Gill-Howard has significant concerns about his run defense and could be limited as an interior pass rusher at the NFL level. 

What happens next for the Broncos? Don't miss out on any news and analysis! Take a second, sign up for our free newsletter, and get breaking Broncos news delivered to your inbox daily!

Zane Durant | Penn State

Dec 21, 2024; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions defensive tackle Zane Durant (28) reacts after a defensive stop during the second half against the Southern Methodist Mustangs at Beaver Stadium. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Durant and Gill-Howard are almost identically graded at the moment. They are very similar players. Durant is an explosive player with a quick first step, which he needs to use to overcome some size and strength concerns in his game. 

He is undersized, which helps him play with natural leverage to get under tackles and keep himself in decent position. Still, he struggles to sustain that leverage, especially against the run. Durant is a rough-to-watch run defender because of the lack of size and strength, leading to issues holding up at the point of attack. 

Albert Regis | Texas A&M

Nov 23, 2024; Auburn, Alabama, USA; Texas A&M Aggies defensive lineman Albert Regis (17) reacts after making a tackle against the Auburn Tigers in the third quarter at Jordan-Hare Stadium. | John Reed-Imagn Images

Regis is the opposite of Durant and Gill-Howard: while he is undersized, he is a better run defender than a pass rusher. Regis doesn’t have the quickness or athleticism as a pass rusher to be a consistent threat, but he does use his hands to clog passing lanes to still make an impact. 

As a run defender, Regis is sometimes blown off the ball, but he plays with excellent gap integrity and flows well through blocks to stay in phase. With a relentless motor, he can chase things down from behind, but in a run-down situation, he can be trusted as a3-5 technical player. 

James Thompson | Illinois

Jan 27, 2026; Frisco, TX, USA; West defensive lineman James Thompson Jr. (90) lines up against the East during the first half at the Ford Center at the Star. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Thompson is a long interior defender at 6-foot-6, but he doesn’t always show he understands how to use that length to win. There is also a lot of power in his game, and a solid first step that could make him a dangerous player if he can put it all together. 

The biggest issue with Thompson's game is that everything needs to be put together, and he rides out inconsistencies as he develops. Thompson is a multi-year project that may yield little return in the first year or two at the NFL level. 

Brandon Cleveland | North Carolina State

Nov 29, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; NC State Wolfpack defensive tackle Brandon Cleveland (44) reacts to his tackle during the first half of the game against North Carolina Tar Heels at Carter-Finley Stadium. | Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

There is a good chance Cleveland will rise during the draft process, especially with the Combine, where he can answer some athletic questions currently surrounding him. He has good size and strength, and plays with a lot of power in his hands to control blocks or deliver stunning blows as a pass rusher. 

On tape, Cleveland has some issues capitalizing on his strength because the quickness and athleticism don’t appear to be there. There is also room on his frame for more bulk and mass, and he can see himself going that route to end up as a nose tackle type in the NFL. 

DeMonte Capehart | Clemson

Aug 31, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Clemson Tigers defensive lineman DeMonte Capehart (19) reacts after tackling Georgia Bulldogs running back Branson Robinson (not pictured) during the first quarter of the 2024 Aflac Kickoff Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. | Ken Ruinard - Imagn Images

Capehart has struggled to meet expectations, and while he has flashes of being a great prospect, they're few and far between. The inconsistencies have led to issues seeing the field as often as he should, as they make it hard to trust him on the field. 

One of the biggest issues Capehart faces consistently is his pad level. He practically stands up off the snap nearly every rep, and he opens his chest to blockers only to get controlled out of the rep. There are other issues with his game, but that is the priority to correct.