Soon after the 2014 NFL draft concluded, I released my "too-early" Big Board for the 2015 NFL draft, a ranking that includes players who will be underclassmen during the 2014 college football season. It goes without saying that these rankings are preliminary, as I have hundreds of hours of evaluation ahead for the 2015 class.
A couple of important notes about the rankings below:
• This isn't a straight Top 10 DT list, because I've split them into seniors and underclassmen. I think it's important to rank seniors alone since they are the only players I can guarantee will be a part of the 2015 NFL draft process.
• In some instances I've included more than 10 players; if two or three guys are extremely close on my board, I simply tacked on the names.
With those parameters in mind, here's an early look at the top DT prospects in the 2015 draft class.
Top five senior defensive tackles
1. Michael Bennett, Ohio State Buckeyes: An effective penetrator, Bennett has good quickness and initial get-off, and he uses his hands well to clear blocks and make plays in the backfield. He became a regular target of double-teams and combination blocks as the 2013 season went on. Plays with good leverage. Had 7.0 sacks among 11.5 tackles for loss in 2013.