2019 Colts.com NFL Draft Final Positional Big Board

[Blue]

INTERIOR DEFENSIVE LINE

1. Quinnen Williams, Alabama
2. Ed Oliver, Houston
3. Jeffery Simmons, Mississippi State
4. ᘮ Christian Wilkins, Clemson ᘮ
5. Jerry Tillery, Notre Dame
6. ᘮ Charles Omenihu, Texas ᘮ
7. Dexter Lawrence, Clemson
8. L.J. Collier, TCU
9. Dre'Mont Jones, Ohio State
10. Zach Allen, Boston College

Williams has it all — quickness, power and agility — and he blends it all to become a menace in the middle of the defense. He's both a quality run defender and interior pass rusher, and is a top-three overall prospect in this draft.


There are some people split on Oliver, mostly due to his size and lack of technical refinement, but you can't watch his explosion and athleticism on tape and not come away impressed. In terms of potential, Oliver is a generational talent in this class.


Simmons has all the talent in the world and is a top-10 overall player in this class, but he has two big red flags. He got hit with an assault charge against a female after high school, which looked like it wasn't going to affect his stock much, but then he tore an ACL while training for pre-draft workouts in February. That is likely going to lead to him having to sit out his rookie season. He brings a lot of the same things that Williams and Oliver do as interior defenders, but will a team want their top pick to redshirt as a rookie?


You'll notice a few players in my interior defensive line rankings were edge defenders in college, but I often categorize players' positions based on how they may be most effectively used in the NFL. Due to their frame, athletic abilities or how they were used in college, guys like Allen, Collier, Jones, Omenihu and Tillery could be versatile pieces in a defense like the Colts' where they could be used as ends in heavy formations but primarily three-technique tackles in base defense.


Again, like edge defenders, this is a really nice class near the top and a good year to need defensive linemen. These guys aren't just run stuffers; they provide interior pass rush as well.