2021 NFL draft: The Eagles need interior D-linemen, but this year’s draft crop is thinnest in years

This is the eighth of an 11-part series on the 2021 NFL draft in which, for the third straight year, Ben Fennell breaks down the draft for The Inquirer. Fennell is an Emmy award-winning producer, editor, and researcher across several media platforms, most notably NFL Network and ESPN College Football. This will be his seventh draft for the NFL Network. You can follow him on Twitter at @benfennell_NFL.

Since striking gold in the 2012 draft with Fletcher Cox, the Eagles haven’t used many draft resources on defensive tackles.

Just three of their 57 selections in the last eight drafts have been spent on interior defensive linemen – Benny Logan (3rd round, 2013), Beau Allen (7th round, 2014), and Elijah Qualls (7th round, 2017).

Over the last few years, they’ve preferred to find dance partners for Cox either through free agency (Malik Jackson, Javon Hargrave) or the trade market (Tim Jernigan).

After releasing Jackson last month, defensive tackle is one of the many positions the retooling/rebuilding Eagles need to address in this draft. The problem is, this year’s interior line class is thin.

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“It’s probably one of the worst defensive tackle groups that we’ve had in the last decade,” said NFL Network senior draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah. “It’s just not very good. I think there’s a good chance we don’t see a defensive tackle go in the first round. The only one who’s got a chance is Christian Barmore (Alabama).”

Only once in the last 32 years have defensive tackles completely gotten the cold shoulder in the first round. Barmore, a Philadelphia native and Neumann-Goretti High School product, could go in the back end of the first round or early in the second round, where he could be a possibility for the Eagles at 37.

Barmore is the best pass-rushing tackle in the class. Many of the other better tackles are two-gap players.

“The better ones in this class are line-of-scrimmage dwellers,” Fennell said. “The ones that two-gap and kind of hold the point.

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“Guys like Tommy Togiai (Ohio State) and Jay Tufele (Southern Cal), who figure to be Day 2 picks, they’re the kind of guys that are going to jack you up, hold you there, and play peek-a-boo. Brute-strength type of guys.

“They’re the guys that do the dirty work in the trenches. They just don’t fly up the field and crush the quarterback, which is usually what gets you drafted in the first three rounds.”

Washington’s Levi Onwuzurike might be the most complete tackle in the draft. But he opted out last season, so scouts don’t have a recent body of work to examine. That’s not going to affect someone like LSU wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase, who also opted out. But it could affect Onwuzurike. Fennell thinks Onwuzurike could go in the second round.

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At 6-foot-3 and 290 pounds, he can play up and down the line, Fennell said. “He’s got the juice to get up the field. He’s very stout and quick.”

1. Christian Barmore, Alabama, 6-4, 310, Rounds 1-2

2. Levi Onwuzurike, Washington, 6-3, 290, Round 2

3. Tommy Togiai, Ohio State, 6-1, 296, Round 3

4. Jay Tufele, Southern Cal, 6-2, 305, Round 3

5. Osa Odighizuwa, UCLA, 6-1, 282, Round 3

Christian Barmore

Alabama

6-4, 310

Arms: 33⅝ inches

40-time: 4.97 seconds

225-bench: n/a

Fennell’s take: “He’s the best interior pass-rushing prospect in the class. Had eight sacks last year for Alabama. He was a redshirt sophomore. He’s still a very raw, inexperienced player. He’s not like the traditional Alabama defensive tackles of the past. Most of them were, first and foremost, technically sound run defenders. Barmore is the opposite. He’s like Marcell Dareus. He wants to shoot up the field, get in the gaps, crack into the backfield. That’s why he’s a great pass-rusher. That’s also why he’s not a great run defender.

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“He actually didn’t play a lot on early downs at Alabama, which is why he’s got just six starts in the 24 games he played there. He played maybe 30 percent of the time on early downs. It reflects the fact that he’s not a great early-down player. But if you want a pass-rushing 3-technique, that’s what he is to a T.

“He started off very slow last season. He had a minor knee injury heading into the season and missed the opener. But he really ascended late in the season in the SEC championship game and ‘Bama’s two playoff games. He terrorized those offensive lines. He showed up when it counted the most. Personally, I don’t love the Barmore types. I prefer inside guys that are strong run defenders first. But he is what he is. And NFL teams always want somebody who can flush out quarterbacks from the interior.”

Round projection: 1-2

Osa Odighizuwa

UCLA

6-1, 282

Arms: 34 inches

40-time: n/a

225-bench: 25 reps

Fennell’s take: “At 6-1½ and 280-plus pounds, he can line up anywhere on the defensive line, which is what he did at the Senior Bowl. He played nose tackle, 3-tech, and out on the edge. He was a three-time Oregon state wrestling champ and is an absolute leverage monster. He’s never on the ground. He plays really hard and has this weird combination of quickness and power to his game. And he can use it up and down the line. He has some pass-rush juice and light-footedness, so he can get to the quarterback.

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He was a first-team All-Pac 12 selection this season and has done a great job since the end of the season at the Senior Bowl and his Pro Days to enhance his stock.”

Round projection: 3-4

Milton Williams

Louisiana Tech

6-3, 284

Arms: 31½ inches

40-time: 4.63 seconds

225-bench: 34 reps

Fennell’s take: “Williams is a ‘tweener. Played both D-end and D-tackle at LaTech. As he prepared for the draft, he had to decide whether to lose weight or gain it. He decided to gain it. So he’s up to 284 now and looks like he’ll be a true interior guy.

“He’s super long, super explosive. A very stout player. Plays with very good hustle, pursuit and effort. He can make plays laterally, but he can also chase plays downfield. He was impressive at his Pro Day. Ran a 4.63 40, a 4.33 short shuttle, and a 6.96 three-cone. He’s had to figure out the positional fit. He was 260 last year at LaTech. He had to do some things for the team and play inside some at that weight, and sometimes he got crushed in the run game. But when you watch the tape, you have to understand the weight he was playing at when you’re projecting him to the next level.

“He played against some big-time competition. Played against BYU and TCU last year. Played against Miami and Texas the year before. And he looked the part against those schools. He’s a very interesting player.”

Round projection: 3-4