The 2025-26 NFL regular season has come to an end, and that means one thing in particular: draft season is officially upon us. The 2026 NFL Draft is now a little over three months away, and the first 18 picks in each round are now set.
Whether you’re a fan of a team that’s still in the playoffs or a team that only has the NFL Draft to look forward to, we’ve got you covered one way or another. We’ll be bringing you nonstop coverage before, during, and after this year’s draft.
The 2026 NFL Draft has a pretty deep group of interior defensive linemen, even if the first-round value is questionable. The perceived value in Rounds 2 and 3 of this year’s class is incredibly strong, which should give NFL teams plenty of potential starting options to choose from.
PFSN NFL Draft analysts Ian Cummings, Jacob Infante, and Alec Elijah have pooled their rankings together to bring you their consensus top 10 interior defensive linemen in the 2026 NFL Draft.
1) Peter Woods, Clemson
With two of the three first-place votes on PFSN’s consensus rankings, Peter Woods is one of the least divisive defenders in the 2026 NFL Draft class. Ian Cummings was the lone draft analyst not to have him as DT1, and he still views Woods in very high regard as the class’ DT2.
Clemson didn’t have a great season in 2025, but Woods still looked the part of a future first-round pick. He’s an explosive interior defensive lineman who’s best as a 3-technique but can also kick outside and rush as a 5-tech, if needed. He has a deep arsenal of pass-rushing moves he can string together to create backfield penetration. He also has above-average gap awareness against the run and does a good job of keeping his pads low at the line of scrimmage.
2) Kayden McDonald, Ohio State
Arguably the biggest riser among the 2026 NFL Draft’s interior defensive line class, Kayden McDonald dominated in his first year as a starter for Ohio State’s defense. His breakout year now has him widely viewed as one of the top defensive tackles in the draft, as well as the top pure nose tackle of the class.
McDonald was an All-American in 2025, and when you turn on the tape, it’s easy to see why. He’s a space-eater at 326 pounds with a stout anchor that allows him to take on double-team blocks better than most in the run game. He has heavy hands and converts speed to power well with his explosive lower half. For such a big guy, he’s also quick off the ball and uses his hands well with a diverse arsenal of moves to stack and shed blocks.
3) Caleb Banks, Florida
There’s little debate on whether or not Caleb Banks is a talented defensive tackle prospect. Instead, it’s exactly where to rank him after his 2025 campaign that’s the point of discussion. Playing in just three games this year due to injury, he received one vote for DT1 but graded fourth and fifth on the other two boards.
From a tools perspective, Banks might be the most prototypical NFL defensive tackle. He has the size, length, and pass-rushing value that scouts drool over when projecting talents at the next level. He’s explosive off the snap with good athleticism in space for an interior lineman, and he has a pass-rushing arsenal that runs deep with good timing, placement, and finesse in his hands. Though Banks is inconsistent in the run game due to a high pad level, the upside is immense.
4) A’Mauri Washington, Oregon
The second-highest rated nose tackle on PFSN’s consensus board, A’Mauri Washington, had displayed flashes last year playing behind Derrick Harmon and Jamaree Caldwell on Oregon’s defensive line. When he got his chance to shine in the starting lineup in 2025, he displayed why he might be just as good as those current NFL contributors, if not even better.
Washington was the No. 4 player on Bruce Feldman’s Freaks List going into the 2025 season for his 36-inch vertical and 755-pound squat, among many other accolades. He’s a squatty 330-pound defender with a powerful anchor and good lower-body flexibility, which helps him stay low and make him an effective two-gapper when needed. His plan as a pass rusher still needs development, but he has intriguing raw athleticism to give him upside in that area.
5) Lee Hunter, Texas Tech
Lee Hunter was a big-time portal addition for Texas Tech, coming from UCF. Though the move was an exciting one at the time, Hunter arguably outperformed his expectations, solidifying himself as one of the top nose tackles in college football and complementing the Red Raiders’ edge-rushing tandem of David Bailey and Romello Height perfectly.
The 6’4″, 325-pound Hunter is a massive individual who eats up space well with his sturdy frame and above-average length for a prospective nose tackle prospect. He’s a dominant run defender with good gap awareness and impressive stack-and-shed ability. In addition to his obvious value against the run, he’s a very good athlete for his size who displayed his impressive speed on multiple occasions in Texas Tech’s playoff matchup against Oregon.
6) Christen Miller, Georgia
As far as this year’s defensive tackle prospects go, Christen Miller was one of the more agreed-upon players in PFSN’s consensus rankings. Two ballots had him as DT5 in the 2026 NFL Draft, while Alec Elijah had him not too far behind at DT6. There’s a firm consensus on Miller as a Day 2 prospect with good starting potential.
Though only a one-year starter on a Georgia defense that rotates defensive linemen heavily, Miller has shown enough in flashes to warrant early-round consideration. He defends the run with a low center of gravity, a powerful lower half, and the know-how to free himself up against blocks and make tackles up the A-gap or B-gap. His plan as a pass rusher needs a lot of work, but he’s a pro-ready run defender with short-area burst to project as a potential three-down defender in two or three years.
7) Domonique Orange, Iowa State
The 328-pound behemoth affectionately known as “Big Citrus” within the Iowa State community, Domonique Orange has been an impact player for the Cyclones each of the last three seasons and has proven himself as a Day 2-caliber prospect.
READ MORE: Domonique Orange NFL Draft Profile
Though he projects best as a nose tackle in the NFL, Orange has shown the ability to not only stop the run as a 3-technique defender but also generate pressure as a pass rusher. He’s quick off the ball for his size, which can see him place opposing quarterbacks under duress when he’s blocked one-on-one. His best value is as a run defender, though, where he uses his powerful frame, proper pad level, and hand activity to plug up gaps and make tackles up the middle.
8) Darrell Jackson Jr., Florida State
A potential early declaration for the 2025 NFL Draft, Darrell Jackson Jr. decided to return to Florida State for another season. Though this year saw the Seminoles fail to make a bowl game for the second year in a row, it was another strong campaign for Jackson as he staked his claim as one of the top run-defending defensive tackles in the 2026 class.
Rumored as having a 7’2″ wingspan, Jackson’s length certainly shows up on tape. He locks out blockers from his frame with his long arms and accurate jab placement inside an offensive lineman’s chest. He won’t bring you much as a pass rusher at this stage of his career, but he has a powerful grip, a sturdy anchor, and impressive first-step acceleration that should make him a force against the run early on in the NFL.
9) Zane Durant, Penn State
Zane Durant is the first interior defensive lineman on this list to not receive votes in all three ballots, which says a lot about how PFSN’s NFL Draft staff is in lockstep with a lot of this year’s prospects. Jacob Infante was the only one not to rank Durant in the top ten, as both Ian Cummings and Alec Elijah had him ranked tenth on their respective boards.
The big knock on Durant is his size; he’s listed at just 6’1″ and 294 pounds. That lack of height and length can see him get pushed around by down or reach blockers in the run game, but he makes up for it with impressive pass-rushing value along the interior. He has a wicked first step off the ball with tremendous athleticism for his position. That, along with his finesse and quick hands at the point of attack, makes him a valuable, penetrating 3-tech who can also kick inside as a pass-rushing 1-tech, too.
10) James Smith, Alabama
There was a tie between James Smith and UCLA’s Gary Smith III for the DT10 spot in PFSN’s consensus defensive tackle rankings, as both players got ranked ninth on separate ballots. In the end, the tiebreaker went to the former for his superior prospect grade in the PFSN NFL Draft Hub, so the Alabama standout makes his way into the top ten.
Smith is currently in the transfer portal, so there’s no guarantee he declares for the 2026 NFL Draft. If he does, though, he’ll be in high demand. He’s an explosive 3-tech defender with very good acceleration off the line of scrimmage and rare value as a backside defender in space. His play strength is average, but there’s always a need in the NFL for twitchy defensive tackles who can put pressure on the quarterback.
Honorable Mentions:
- Dontay Corleone, Cincinnati
- Gracen Halton, Oklahoma
- Gary Smith III, UCLA
