Why the Slide?: LT Overton

Why the Slide Series

L.T. Overton, DT, Alabama

Rnk: 42 SR PRP: 6

This series was created a number of years ago in response to questions about why certain well-known prospects went unselected in NFL drafts. For these articles, I reach out to sources with NFL teams to find out why their organizations passed on drafting a given player and/or the reasons other teams passed on that prospect. The positive response to “Why Undrafted” and questions from readers about why prospects were drafted lower than the media’s expectations led us to create the parallel series “Why the Slide?” and “Was it a Reach?”

The trio of series is back this year. Feel free to email me requests at [email protected]. I can’t promise to get to all of them, but I will do my best and definitely will respond to the email.

Alabama has been a factory for NFL defensive line talent, and over the past few seasons, L.T. Overton has been among their most impactful defenders. In 2025, Overton had 40 tackles and four sacks. In 2024, he totaled 42 tackles with two sacks, one forced fumble, and one pass defended. Overton showed versatility lining up on the inside and outside. With his quality production and skill set, many expected Overton to go on the second day of the 2026 NFL Draft. However, Overton slid well into day three.

Team sources say there was a combination of reasons that caused Overton to slide. The first was that he had medical concerns, and the second was that some perceived him to be a tweener.

The Dallas Cowboys ended Overton’s slide in the fourth round, and that was a mixed landing spot for him. On the positive side, Dallas needs some young depth, and they have veterans on the line who can mentor him. Veteran starter Rashan Gary could be a particularly good player for Overton to emulate, given some similarities in their skill set. On the negative side, the Cowboys have a veteran line without starting spots open to compete for. Overton is also going to have a battle for a roster spot with some other young players and veterans. Overton is going to need to make the team and impress as a rotational backup to carve out a pro career with Dallas.