Getting Defensive

The philosophy of many NFL teams during the draft is to build their teams from the inside-out, starting with the offensive and defensive lines. While some defensive lineman become franchise building blocks for years to come, others are as dependable as a two dollar watch. Here is a list of the five best defensive lineman to be drafted since 2005 along with a list of the five worst:

Best

1. Mario Williams, Houston Texans (#1 overall pick in 2006)

Williams was the first player selected in 2006, over offensive stars Vince Young and Reggie Bush, and the Texans were heavily criticized by other teams around the league. The critics have been silenced, however, by Williams’ appearance in two pro bowls and a monster 2007 season with 14 sacks and 43 solo tackles. Williams has averaged 9.6 sacks per season over his career and is a defensive leader for the Texans year in and year out.

2. Ndamukong Suh, Detroit Lions (#2 overall pick in 2010)

Suh came into the league with a ton of hype but managed to exceed expectations as the best defensive rookie in the NFL. He dominated pro offensive lines from his first snap as a starting defensive tackle, racking up 10 sacks and 49 solo tackles at a position that typically takes a few years of adjustment. Despite just one year of stats, Suh is the real deal and will only continue to get better as a franchise player.

3. Chris Long, St. Louis Rams (#2 overall pick in 2008)

As the son of Hall of Fame inductee Howie Long, Chris came into the league with significant hype. He struggled along with a terrible St. Louis team in his first two seasons, but seemed to hit his stride in 2010 by producing 8.5 sacks and three forced fumbles. Long has 17.5 sacks and 91 tackles in his career and seems to be on the verge of becoming a pass rushing and run stuffing star.

4. Sedrick Ellis, New Orleans Saints (#7 overall pick in 2008)

Despite a noticeable drop off in talent from Suh, Ellis has been a solid contributor at defensive tackle for the Saints. Ellis has collected 12 sacks in his career, with half coming in 2010, along with 76 solo career tackles. He won a Super Bowl with New Orleans last year and could become an under the radar leader for the Saints defense for the next decade.

5. B.J. Raji, Green Bay Packers (#9 overall pick in 2009)

Raji has been part of an elite Packers defense since he was drafted and continues to get better as a nose tackle in Dom Capers’ 3-4. He has 7.5 sacks in his career and 48 solo tackles and just won Super Bowl 45 with the Packers, despite only registering five tackles and one sack in the 2010 postseason. Look for Raji to emerge as a top ten defensive tackle in the next few seasons.

Worst

1. Vernon Gholston, New York Jets (#6 overall pick in 2008)

Gholston is the epitome of a disappointing top ten pick and may go down as one of the biggest busts in NFL history. Despite being surrounded by an elite defense and top defensive players in New York, he has yet to register a single sack in three seasons. He has been benched and inactive for several games in his tenure with the Jets and has barely made an impact with 24 tackles, or eight per season. Gholston should be on his way out as a Jet this off-season after disappearing from the moment he was drafted.

2. Tyson Jackson, Kansas City Chiefs (#3 overall pick in 2009)

Jackson was overhyped coming into the draft and was drafted to be a defensive cornerstone of the Chiefs rebuilding effort. However, he has yet to produce anything close to his expectations, recording four sacks and 46 solo tackles in two seasons. The jury is out on his short career so far but Jackson will have to produce monster stats in the next few seasons to justify his draft position.

3. Glenn Dorsey, Kansas City Chiefs (#5 overall pick in 2008)

Dorsey is another member of the Chiefs’ defensive draft disappointments. He was expected to become the defense’s franchise player and a top defensive tackle in the league, but looks more like a role player at best so far. He has been a solid tackler with 124 solo stops in his three year career, but is not disruptive enough in the back field with only four career sacks. Dorsey is hardly what the Chiefs envisioned he would be as their top choice in 2008.

4. Jamaal Anderson, Atlanta Falcons (#8 overall pick in 2007)

Anderson hasn’t been terribly disappointing as a decent tackler but has not justified his top ten selection. He was drafted by the Falcons to pair with veteran John Abraham to put pressure on opposing quarterbacks, but has only collected 4.5 sacks in four seasons. With two sacks and 21 tackles in 2010, Anderson doesn’t look like he will ever develop into a premier pass rusher.

5. Derrick Harvey, Jacksonville Jaguars (#8 overall pick in 2008)

Rounding out the trio of 2008 letdowns along with Dorsey and Gholston, Harvey has underperformed for the Jaguars. He has produced eight sacks in three seasons, ranking him lower than the others on this list, but is nowhere near  top ten draft pick talent. Jacksonville spent another top ten pick on Tyson Alualu in 2010 to add to their defensive line but doubts remain about Harvey’s abilities as an NFL defensive end.