2026 NFL Draft Prospects: Nose Tackle



The top 2026 Nose Tackle prospects available for the 2026 NFL Draft. * – denotes 2027 prospect. ** – denotes 2028 prospect.

This page was last updated Dec. 11, 2025. Follow Walter @walterfootball for updates.

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2024 NFL Draft Position Rankings:
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2025 NFL Draft Position Rankings:
QB | RB | WR | TE | OT | G | C | DE | DT | NT | 3-4 OLB | 3-4 DE | OLB | ILB | CB | S | K | P

2026 NFL Draft Position Rankings:
QB | RB | WR | TE | OT | G | C | DE | DT | NT | 3-4 OLB | 3-4 DE | OLB | ILB | CB | S | K | P


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1. Clemson image Peter Woods*, NT, Clemson
Height: 6-3. Weight: 315.
Projected 40 Time: 5.15.
Projected Round (2025): 1-2.

Previous Seasons
  • ’25 – Mason Graham, Michigan
  • ’24 – Kris Jenkins, Michigan
  • ’23 – Jalen Carter, Georgia

12/6/25: In 2025, Woods has 27 tackles with two sacks and a pass batted. He has not been as good as the media hype suggests. Woods got his season off to a strong start against Georgia, and he was disruptive for Clemson all year. In 2024, he had three sacks and 26 tackles. Woods has upside to be better in 2025. He is strong, quick, and athletic at the point of attack.


Stats from ESPN 8/4/2025


2. Oregon image A’Mauri Washington*, NT, Oregon
Height: 6-3. Weight: 330.
Projected 40 Time: 5.20.
Projected Round (2026): 1-3.

Previous Seasons
  • ’25 – Kenneth Grant, Michigan
  • ’24 – Johnny Newton, Illinois
  • ’23 – Bryan Bresee, Clemson

12/6/25: In 2025, Washington has 29 tackles with 1.5 sacks and five passes broken up.. Washington is known to have an excellent skill set and upside. He is very strong, physical, and has surprising speed and athleticism for a heavy defensive tackle. Last year, Washington was a rotational backup behind Derrick Harmon. In 2024, Washington totaled 10 tackles and two passes broken up.



3. Florida State image Darrell Jackson Jr., NT, Florida State
Height: 6-5. Weight: 330.
Projected 40 Time: 5.25.
Projected Round (2026): 2-3.

Previous Seasons
  • ’25 – Derrick Harmon, Oregon
  • ’24 – T'Vondre Sweat, Texas
  • ’23 – Mazi Smith, Michigan

12/6/25: In 2025, Jackson had 44 tackles with one sack. In 2024, Jackson had a quality season for the Seminoles as one of the replacements for Braden Fiske. Jackson totaled 31 tackles with 3.5 sacks and a forced fumble. His 2023 season was lost to NCAA transfer rules after Jackson left the Miami Hurricanes for the Seminoles. He had 27 tackles and three sacks in 2022.


Stats from ESPN 8/4/2025


4. Florida image Caleb Banks, NT, Florida
Height: 6-6. Weight: 325.
Projected 40 Time: 5.25.
Projected Round (2026): 2-3.

Previous Seasons
  • ’25 – Alfred Collins, Texas
  • ’24 – Maason Smith, LSU
  • ’23 – Gervon Dexter, Florida

12/6/25: Banks injured his foot in September and missed over two months. He has three tackles in 2025. In his second season with the Gators, Banks is a large interior defender who flashed some pass-rush ability in 2024. He recorded 4.5 sacks with 21 tackles, one forced fumble, and one pass defended. He had 19 tackles with a sack in 2023. Prior to that, Banks had two tackles with a sack while playing at Louisville. Banks has a good skill set with upside.


Stats from ESPN 8/4/2025


5. Missouri image Chris McClellan, DT, Missouri
Height: 6-3. Weight: 320.
Projected 40 Time: 5.29.
Projected Round (2026): 2-4.

Previous Seasons
  • ’25 – Tyleik Williams, Ohio State
  • ’24 – Ruke Orhorhoro, Clemson
  • ’23 – Siaki Ika, Baylor

12/6/25: In 2025, McClellan has 42 tackles, five sacks, and two passes defended. He has played well and been disruptive for the Tigers. In 2024, McClellan totaled 39 tackles with 2.5 sacks, one forced fumble, and two passes batted in his debut with the Tigers. In the previous years, McClellan was a rotational backup at Florida. He had 23 tackles in each of the previous two seasons with the Gators.


Stats from ESPN 8/4/2025


6. Clemson image DeMonte Capehart, NT, Clemson
Height: 6-4. Weight: 320.
Projected 40 Time: 5.19.
Projected Round (2025): 2-4.

Previous Seasons
  • ’25 – Ty Hamilton, Ohio State
  • ’24 – Jordan Jefferson, LSU
  • ’23 – Zacch Pickens, South Carolina

12/6/25: Capehart has 20 tackles and a sack thus far in 2025. In 2024, Capehart had 21 tackles and two passes batted. Clemson had a rotation of defensive linemen in 2023, but Capehart played well enough to impress the NFL advance scouts. In 2023, Capehart totaled 15 tackles, five tackles for a loss, one sack, one forced fumble, and one pass broken up. Capehart has a good skill set with upside. He is a bear at the point of attack in the ground game.


Stats from ESPN 8/4/2025


7. LSU image Dominick McKinley*, NT, LSU
Height: 6-6. Weight: 308.
Projected 40 Time: 5.10.
Projected Round (2026): 2-4.

Previous Seasons
  • ’25 – Ty Robinson, Nebraska
  • ’24 – DeWayne Carter, Duke
  • ’23 – Jaden Crumedy, Mississippi State

12/6/25: Thus far in 2025, McKinley has nine tackles with a sack and a pass batted. McKinley was a reserve as a sophomore in 2024, but he flashed a special skill set with excellent physical talent. He had three sacks as a backup and could be poised to rise high in the years to come.



8. Iowa State image Domonique Orange, NT, Iowa State
Height: 6-4. Weight: 325.
Projected 40 Time: 5.25.
Projected Round (2026): 3-5.

Previous Seasons
  • ’25 – Deone Walker, Kentucky
  • ’24 – Fabien Lovett, Florida State
  • ’23 – D.J. Dale, Alabama

12/6/25: In 2025, Orange has 18 tackles and a pass batted thus far. He is a heavy gap-plugging nose tackle at the point of attack. In 2024, Orange totaled 24 tackles with one sack and one pass batted. Orange is a big nose tackle. Team sources say that he has talent but is not a good worker.


Stats from ESPN 8/4/2025


9. N.C. State image Brandon Cleveland, NT, N.C. State
Height: 6-4. Weight: 300.
Projected 40 Time: 5.12.
Projected Round (2026): 3-5.

Previous Seasons
  • ’25 – C.J. West, Indiana
  • ’24 – Jaden Crumedy, Mississippi State
  • ’23 – Shakel Brown, Troy

12/6/25: Thus far in 2025, Cleveland has 35 tackles and two sacks. In 2024, Cleveland had a quality season as a run defender for the Wolfpack notching 36 tackles. He had only .5 sacks, but he did have three sacks and 28 tackles in 2023. Cleveland needs to produce more in the pass rush to rise as a senior.


Stats from ESPN 8/4/2025


10. Oregon image Bear Alexander*, NT, Oregon
Height: 6-3. Weight: 305.
Projected 40 Time: 5.10.
Projected Round (2026): 4-6.

Previous Seasons
  • ’25 – Nazir Stackhouse, Georgia
  • ’24 – McKinnley Jackson, Texas A&M
  • ’23 – Keondre Coburn, Texas

12/6/25: In 2025, Alexander has 36 tackles with .5 sacks. Early in the season, Alexander did not play a lot before getting more snaps. Oregon staff told Alexander that he had to show more effort in practice to get playing time. With USC in 2024, Alexander had five tackles and zero sacks. He went out for the season in late September. Alexander totaled 47 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and two passes batted for USC in 2023. In 2022, he played with Georgia as a backup and recorded nine tackles, two sacks, and two passes batted. Alexander has talent with the upside to produce more.



11. Texas A&M image Albert Regis, NT, Texas A&M
Height: 6-2. Weight: 310.
Projected 40 Time: 5.25.
Projected Round (2026): 4-6.

Previous Seasons
  • ’25 – Vernon Broughton, Texas
  • ’24 – Justin Rogers, Auburn
  • ’23 – Cameron Young, Mississippi State

12/6/25: In 2025, Regis has 43 tackles with two sacks, three passes broken up, and a forced fumble. Regis was a stout nose tackle for the Aggies in 2024, recording 36 tackles with .5 sacks. He did a nice job of disrupting throwing lanes as Regis logged six passes batted. Regis needs to improve his pass-rush production in 2025.


Stats from ESPN 8/4/2025


12. Arkansas image Cameron Ball, NT, Arkansas
Height: 6-5. Weight: 324.
Projected 40 Time: 5.40.
Projected Round (2026): 5-7.

Previous Seasons
  • ’25 – DeAndre Jules, South Carolina
  • ’24 – Marcus Harris, Auburn
  • ’23 – Jacob Slade, Michigan State

12/6/25: In 2025, Ball had 27 tackles. Ball had 46 tackles with 1.5 sacks in 2024. He was a heavy nose tackle and run lane plugger at the point of attack. If Ball can increase his pass production, he could be a riser.



13. Alabama image Tim Keenan III, NT, Alabama
Height: 6-2. Weight: 326.
Projected 40 Time: 5.30.
Projected Round (2026): 5-7.

Previous Seasons
  • ’25 – Tim Smith, Alabama
  • ’24 – Zion Logue, Georgia


<> 12/6/25: Keenan has 13 tackles and two sacks thus far in 2025. Keenan was a solid nose tackle for the Crimson Tide in 2024, totaling 40 tackles with 2.5 sacks. The previous season he had 38 tackles with one sack. Keenen needs to do more in the pass rush in 2025 to rise, but he could be a backup nose tackle candidate for the NFL.


Stats from ESPN 8/4/2025


14. Michigan image Rayshaun Benny, NT, Michigan
Height: 6-4. Weight: 296.
Projected 40 Time: 4.80.
Projected Round (2026): 6-FA.

Previous Seasons
  • ’25 – Yahya Black, Iowa

12/6/25: In 2025, Benny has 31 tackles and 1.5 sacks. Benny had 29 tackles with 1.5 sacks and two passes defended. In 2023, Benny flashed NFL ability as a rotational player with 27 tackles, one sack, one forced fumble, and one pass batted. He is expected to take on a bigger role in 2025 with Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant off to the NFL.



2024 NFL Draft Position Rankings:
QB | RB | FB | WR | TE | OT | G | C | DE | DT | NT | 3-4 OLB | 3-4 DE | OLB | ILB | CB | S | K | P

2025 NFL Draft Position Rankings:
QB | RB | WR | TE | OT | G | C | DE | DT | NT | 3-4 OLB | 3-4 DE | OLB | ILB | CB | S | K | P

2026 NFL Draft Position Rankings:
QB | RB | WR | TE | OT | G | C | DE | DT | NT | 3-4 OLB | 3-4 DE | OLB | ILB | CB | S | K | P


New - Build your own Prospect Rankings or view other Reader's Rankings