Analysis: Identifying Best Defensive Tackle Fits For Seahawks’ 2026 Draft Picks

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Ohio State Buckeyes defensive tackle Kayden McDonald (98) celebrates during the first half of the Big Ten Conference championship game against the Indiana Hoosiers at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Dec. 6, 2025. Credit: Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images [/caption]

On the way to a 17-3 overall record and their second Super Bowl title in franchise history, no positional group may have had a greater impact than the Seattle Seahawks’ talented defensive line anchored by All-Pro Leonard Williams, budding star Byron Murphy II, and ever-so-reliable veteran Jarran Reed.

As they prepare to defend their title in 2026, the Seahawks fortunately will have all three of those foundational players as well as nose tackle Brandon Pili back, while second-year defender Rylie Mills will be fully healthy after missing most of his rookie season recovering from a torn ACL and ready to take on a bigger role in the rotation. From that standpoint, the defensive line looks to be set for the franchise heading towards the upcoming draft, and in the short term, they certainly have more pressing needs.

With that said, Williams and Reed both are now well into their 30s and the former will be entering the final year of a three-year extension signed in March 2024, creating some potential questions beyond this season. Well-ran football teams must consider both the present and the future with draft-related decisions, and if the right prospect remains on the board as early as pick No. 32 in the first round on April 23, nobody should be surprised at all if general manager John Schneider decides to reinforce a strength with another quality young player who can jump in to provide early contributions and possibly be a replacement for Williams and/or Reed down the line.

Looking at this year’s latest crop of defensive tackles, which players stand out as the best potential fits to boost an already loaded defensive line for 2026 and beyond with each of their four selections?

Round 1, Pick 32 - Kayden McDonald, Ohio State

Pass rushing sells in the draft process, and Macdonald didn’t offer a ton of value to an Ohio State defense on that front with just 10 pressures as a junior last season, though he did turn that 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 of Ohio State’s elite defensive front, amassing 65 tackles and nine tackles for loss along with two forced fumbles. 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 through gaps quickly to wreak havoc in the backfield from both nose tackle and 3-tech roles, he would provide immediate contributions as an early down run stuffing force for Seattle to pair with Leonard Williams, Byron Murphy, and Jarran Reed while the team hoped to unlock more from him as a pass rusher in the future in similar fashion to what they did with Reed when he first came into the league out of Alabama.

Also in Consideration: Peter Woods, Clemson; Christen Miller, Georgia

Round 2, Pick 64 - Domonique Orange, Iowa State

Fitting the classic mold of early down enforcer against the run, the 322-pound 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 with a vision on the running back, allowing him to excel as a two-gapper and use his reach to at least get a hand on runners to impede their progress. 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. At this stage in his development, despite having above average athletic tools, he hasn’t proven himself as much of a threat to quarterbacks beyond an occasional bull rush powering into the pocket, and that may never be a key part of his game. Still, his battling mentality and quickness make him a major nuisance for teams trying to run the ball, which will offer a lot of value mid-Day 2 for a team such as the Seahawks who could use another big-bodied space eater with upside.

Also in Consideration: Lee Hunter, Texas Tech; Caleb Banks, Florida; Gracen Halton, Oklahoma

Round 3, Pick 96 - Kaleb Proctor, SE Louisiana State

Weighing in at just 292 pounds at the NFL combine, Proctor unsurprisingly has had issues in the past holding up physically against stronger blockers who latch onto him and overpower him in the run game. But that concern often became a non-factor because of his ridiculous first step and explosiveness attacking gaps to blow past blockers before they could get their hands on him, allowing him to be incredibly disruptive stymying the run and regularly harassing quarterbacks in the pocket. He lacks the girth and lower body anchor to play nose tackle at the next level and unless he adds some weight to his frame, playing 3-tech in the league will be somewhat dependent on the scheme he plays in, as 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. But at the same time, he could have some Leonard Williams-type versatility as a player who can slide out to 5-tech base defensive end and even occasionally stand up off the edge, fitting the mold of a position-flexible player who at minimum could spice up Seattle’s interior pass rush as a depth piece early with the ceiling to be a starter in the future.

Also in Consideration: Darrell Jackson Jr., Florida State; Chris McClellan, Missouri

Round 6, Pick 188 - Nick Barrett, South Carolina

Boasting a thick, burly 312-pound frame with a powerful lower body and barrel chest, Barrett looks the part of an NFL nose tackle, and for the most part, he plays as expected given his build. He understands how to win the leverage battle and regularly absorbed double teams up front, keeping teammates behind him clean to make plays. He capped off his college career with more tackles of his own, but it’s questionable whether that will translate much to the next level with below-average quickness and agility to corral ball carriers after shedding blocks. He also shouldn’t be counted on to provide much punch as a pass rusher without the twitch to regularly push the pocket, as he didn’t have any sacks until his senior season with the Gamecocks. But his physicality and play strength should create an opportunity for him to carve out a role as a two-gapping space plugger, something the Seahawks could certainly use depth-wise in the middle.

Also in Consideration: Rayshaun Benny, Michigan; Dontay Corleone, Cincinnati; DeMonte Capehart, Clemson