More than ever, NFL teams are starting to place a ton of value at the defensive tackle position. The reason is that interior pressure is the best way to disrupt a quarterback’s rhythm. Most quarterbacks know how to evade pressure from the edge, but it is much more difficult to avoid pressure up the middle.

This year’s defensive tackle crop is very talented from top to bottom; however, one player is head and shoulders above the rest, Leonard Williams.

Therefore, you will see his name mentioned a couple of times as we attempt to build the perfect defensive tackle prospect. Nevertheless, he isn’t perfect, so we will need to take some parts from other players to build this flawless player.

Size: Carl Davis, Iowa

A defensive tackle’s size is extremely important because it makes it easier for them to occupy multiple blockers at once. Furthermore, it allows them to clog running lanes and make it extremely difficult to run in the middle.

At 6-foot-4 and 320 pounds with 34-inch arms, Carl Davis has prototypical size for the position. He has enough girth to take up a great deal of space, but it doesn’t hinder his ability to showcase his athleticism. Davis’ long arms allow him to create a ton of separation when he is engaged at the point of attack, which allows him to shed blockers much easier.

Athleticism: Grady Jarrett, Clemson

Athleticism isn’t a term that is generally mentioned with defensive tackles, but as Aaron Donald has proven, it can be an extremely valuable trait for a defensive tackle to have. If a defensive tackle can beat an offensive lineman early in the play with quickness or a great upfield burst, it will make his life much easier throughout a game.

One player who is in the same mold as Donald is Grady Jarrett. With his low center of gravity and explosive first step, Jarrett blows by blockers before they even get out of their stances a lot of the times. His athleticism makes him a great pass-rusher from the interior defensive line because he can quickly bolt past an offensive guard and into the quarterback’s face.

Strength/Power: Leonard Williams, USC

Quite possibly the most important trait for a defensive tackle is his natural strength and his ability to organically generate power. Defensive tackles are battling all day with the strongest players on the field and on a lot of occasions they have to be engaged with two of them. Just to survive, the defensive tackle has to almost be inhumanly strong.

Leonard Williams’ routinely showcases incredible strength and power throughout his time at USC. Williams generated a ton of push because he understood how to generate power and play with leverage. It was common to see Williams reset the line of scrimmage against the run or bull rush a guard into a quarterback’s lap. Williams rag doled opposing offensive lineman all year and even when he had to deal with double teams he would hold his ground and cause havoc.

Use of Hands: Leonard Williams USC

An underrated aspect of playing defensive tackle or defensive line in general is that each defensive lineman must be extremely intelligent about how they use their hands. They must know the proper placement on the opponent for whatever their job is at the moment and they must also know how to use their hands to get around blockers.

Once again, Leonard Williams is the best in this year’s crop in this facet. Williams quickly engages his hands on the opposing offensive lineman’s chest plate, which allows him to create distance and push. Furthermore, he knows a variety of ways to disengage or shed the block, which allows him to always be near the ball. When he’s not trying to engage and shed lineman, he also knows the intricacies of hand fighting, which allow him to make a huge impact against the run. A lot of it may go unnoticed, but when you really study Williams, you see the masterful ways in which he uses his hands to defeat blocks.