Big Board: Ranking Top Defensive Tackles for Seahawks in 2026 NFL Draft

With the deadline come and gone for teams to bring prospects into town for official visits, it’s full steam ahead for the Seattle Seahawks and the rest of the league heading towards the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft.

Returning every key piece from their defensive line last season, including All-Pro Leonard Williams and budding star Byron Murphy II, the Seahawks don’t have any significant questions in the short term in the trenches defensively. However, Williams and Jarran Reed both are in their 30s with the former entering the final year of his current contract and the latter approaching his 34th birthday, creating questions beyond 2026 at the position that could warrant a proactive look at a quality draft class at the defensive tackle position this year.

Which interior defensive linemen stand out as the best of the best for Seattle to potentially choose from? Less than 10 days away from the draft, here are my final rankings for defensive tackles projected to be drafted in the top 100 picks, including overall rankings in parenthesis:

1. (21) Kayden McDonald, Ohio State - Pass rushing sells, and Macdonald didn’t offer a ton of value on that front, though he did turn limited pressure into three sacks. However, at 326 pounds, he served as an immovable object against the run with plenty of disruptive ability in the interior, amassing 65 tackles and nine tackles for loss. Teams had to account for his penchant for creating chaos in the trenches, often resorting to combo blocks to try and neutralize him. Capable of holding up against double teams as well as penetrating gaps quickly to wreak havoc in the backfield from both nose tackle and 3-tech roles, he will provide immediate contributions as an early down run stuffing force with room to grow into a more well-rounded three-down stud.
2. (27) Christen Miller, Georgia - The latest in a long line of Bulldogs defensive tackles with first round talent, Miller shines brightest as a one-gapping penetrator capable of finishing splash plays in the backfield and offering plus-lateral movement to make tackles along the line of scrimmage. While he has been susceptible to getting overwhelmed by double teams, he demonstrated improvement in that regard late in his college career and he has enough upper body power coupled with sound technique to be able to stack and shed as a two-gapper when called upon. Turning his athletic juice into more pass rushing production will be the key to unlocking his full potential, but he should be an early starting option for a team running even fronts with some positional flexibility.
3. (29) Peter Woods, Clemson - Joining the Tigers as a decorated five-star recruit, Woods never made quite the impression expected of him as a pass rusher with just five sacks in three seasons, but he excelled at collapsing the pocket on quarterbacks and could be a candidate for a spike in production in the right NFL scheme. He’s more explosive and quick than fast, displaying functional lateral agility to beat reach block attempts and having a powerful base to knock back blockers off the snap. He’s still growing into his frame at 298 pounds and should be able to easily add good weight as he develops with the remaining upside to be a highly disruptive all-around even front defensive tackle.
4. (44) Lee Hunter, Texas Tech - Testing-wise, Hunter didn’t do himself any favors in the pre-draft process with a poor combine workout, but teams leaning too heavily on those numbers will be missing out on a ferocious nose tackle with plenty of disruptive talent between the lines. While he won’t shoot into the backfield as a quick gap striker, he’s a real problem physically at the point of attack, as he regularly rag-dolled blockers off the snap and shed them to make tackles for loss in bunches. He’s also a feisty bull rusher who compensates for subpar athleticism with raw power and tenacity to shrink pockets, though he may not get a lot of opportunities to do that at the next level.
5. (54) Caleb Banks, Florida - A true size/length/athleticism specimen for the position, Banks checks off all the visual boxes necessary to be a first round pick, and those specs show up in spurts of dominance, though not consistently enough. Durability has also been a significant issue, including missing most of the 2025 season with a foot issue. But when healthy, few players in this class offer a higher ceiling with development, as he has an incredibly explosive first step, elite functional quickness, and long 35-inch arms that he better utilized in 2024 with 4.5 sacks. There’s first round talent to be unearthed, particularly for even front teams who can use him as a 3-tech and powerful base end combo, but he will likely fall into Day 2 due to durability questions.
6. (72) Gracen Halton, Oklahoma - On the smaller end of the spectrum at 293 pounds with sub-32-inch arms, Halton has size and length working against him as he comes into the pros, but he has elite athletic juice and explosiveness that will be a problem for interior blockers at the next level. Though he won’t be able to avoid occasionally getting knocked around in the run game due to lack of strength, his quickness should mitigate that in the right scheme where he’s allowed to threaten guards and tackles as a slippery one-gap merchant either at 3-tech or 5-tech alignments with passing down nose flexibility. In such an environment, he has the tools to be a nuisance for opponents with as much pass rushing upside as any interior defender in this class.
7. (87) Domonique Orange, Iowa State - Fitting the classic mold of early down enforcer who dominates against the run, the 322-pound “Big Orange” eats up blocks at the line of scrimmage and has surprising quickness and agility, which can make him tricky to execute reach blocks against and thus blow up zone runs before they even get started. He has nearly 34-inch arms and uses that length well with powerful initial pops, extension, and shedding of blockers, allowing him to excel as a two-gapper. He’ll mix in a quality swim and spin move to help split gaps, though those tools haven’t translated to much effectiveness as a pass rusher, which is his biggest flaw as a one-dimensional prospect.
8. (89) Kaleb Proctor, SE Louisiana State - Weighing just 292 pounds, Proctor lacks the girth and lower body anchor to play nose tackle at the next level and unless he adds some weight to his frame, his value on early downs will be limited in certain schemes. But that concern could become a non-factor because of his ridiculous first step and explosiveness attacking gaps to blow past blockers before they can get their hands on him, allowing him to be incredibly disruptive stymying the run and regularly harassing quarterbacks in the pocket. He will need to be given as many one-gap opportunities as possible to use his athletic gifts to test the edges of opposing blockers, particularly early on.

Check out our other Top-100 Big Board rankings: Running Back | EDGE | Guard | Cornerback | Safety