The NFL free agency is still ongoing even if it has slowed down a bit. A bit surprising is that the Indianapolis Colts were more active early in free agency. For example, re-signing defensive end Tyquan Lewis. We’ll see if they go after any more players that weren’t on their roster last year, or if they continue re-signing more of their own.
Meanwhile, the NFL Draft is only a few weeks away and the Indianapolis Colts are still doing their due diligence on this year’s rookie class. They have a lot of needs to address, and between the draft and free agency, they should be able to solve a lot of them.
One thing the team should be keeping in mind is who on the roster is slated to become free agents moving forward. Over the next two years, the Colts will need to make some decisions on interior defensive linemen Grover Stewart (free-agent in ‘24) and DeForest Buckner (free-agent in ‘25). This draft class has an interesting group of interior defensive linemen.
Here are five interior defensive linemen the Indianapolis Colts could target in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Related: Full 7-round Indianapolis Colts mock draft
Jalen Carter, Georgia
Just prior to the NFL Scouting Combine starting, Jalen Carter was up for consideration with Will Anderson as being the best player in the draft. Then he was arrested and booked for his alleged involvement in a fatal car racing crash on January 15th. We won’t know until draft day how much this will impact his stock. As for his on-field talent, there is no question that he is NFL-ready. Carter is already drawing comparisons to Warren Sapp and Jeffery Simmons.
When watching film of him, one of the first things you repeatedly see is his elite quickness and agility. For a kid that is 6-foot-3 and 314 pounds, it’s pretty shocking to see how agile he is. He is very strong and it shows.
While at Georgia he played all along the defensive line and commanded double teams. Since he commands double teams, it opens rushing lanes for linebackers or opportunities for defensive ends to twist. While he’s a good pass rusher, he’s also very stout against the run.
Now, when he’s double-teamed he doesn’t do a good job of shedding those blocks. Some of his techniques could use some work, when he faces bigger linemen he can be pushed back. He needs a more diversified approach when rushing and loses some momentum when going against other bigger linemen. Then, of course there is the biggest question about his maturity. Multiple scouts consistently bring this red flag up and it’s what could ultimately cause him to fall.
Related: NFL reporter believes a Lamar Jackson trade remains in play for the Indianapolis Colts
Bryan Bresee, defensive tackle, Clemson
Bryan Bresee (Bruh-zee) is a guy who is very impressive in the gym; benching 435 pounds, power cleaning 330 pounds, and deadlifting 585 pounds to accompany his 30” vertical. He is one of the few players that was able to come in and have success as a freshman in college. He’s listed at 6-foot-5 and 298 pounds and draws comparisons to Grover Stewart.
There is a noticeable difference in the speed between Carter and Bresee. However, Breese show’s a really good relentless motor and power. He brings a lot of power, especially in his lower half. He plays with good leverage, lateral agility, and balance and quite frequently clogs up running lanes. He does have more success on the inside of the line rather than playing on the outside. Again, because of his relentlessness, he’s able to clean up plays that others might not give the necessary effort to.
Now, he’s suffered an ACL and shoulder injury over the past two seasons. This has obviously limited his ability to be on the field but it’s also impacted his overall abilities. He plays upright more often than you would like to see and it makes you wonder if the injuries are a leading cause as to why.
As previously stated, he has a lot of strength that shows up in the weight room. However, it doesn’t fully translate on the field. Some would like to see him utilize that strength more and throw blockers around.
Related: Indianapolis Colts working out top QB prospects for 2023 NFL Draft
Jalen Redmond, defensive tackle, Oklahoma
Jalen Redmond is an interesting defensive tackle prospect. His tape in college shows that he’s a productive player. However, there is obviously room for improvement but unfortunately, there may not be a lot left for him to improve. He doesn’t have the ideal height (6-foot-2), but does have good lean weight at 291 pounds. And he did show very well at the combine.
However, a big knock on him is that he has heavy feet which impacts his ability to be better. They slow his momentum on twists and his pass rush becomes more straight-lined. Then there’s the fact that reach blocks are successful against him. And for as athletic as he is he doesn’t show a lot of suddenness or the ability to always use it when changing direction.
Now, with all of this negativity, there is still a lot to like about Redmond. For one, he has violent hands and is able to get upfield quickly. As a pass-rushing defensive tackle, he is very good and for a plus, he’s not a liability in stopping the run.
He does show the ability to anchor against double teams, too. Something that will need to be coached hard on him is that his pass rushing up the field doesn’t lose his run containment. There were times in college when he was so good at getting upfield that he lost his ability to help stop the run.
Siaki Ika, defensive tackle, Baylor
Siaki Ika is your stereotypical nose tackle. Listed at 6-foot-3 and 335 pounds, this is your classic space eater. In his junior year in college, he showed a surprising pass-rush ability, where he recorded his highest sack total. However, his last year in college saw him record zero sacks and have his worst pass-rushing season.
But that’s not to say Ika can’t offer any sort of push on the pocket or be a menace in the passing game. Despite his lack of pass rushing, he is adept at batting down passes at the line of scrimmage. Ika does have a high motor and long frames that allow him to bear hug tackle in the hole and cause havoc. He routinely destroys double teams and uses his heavy hands to knock offensive linemen back. Ika also is good at fending off the opposing offensive lineman’s ability to punch.
If you want to see most of his flaws, watch his game against Oklahoma. Despite being a good run-stuffing lineman he does play with too high of a pad level and loses leverage. He could really use more refinement in his technique, especially his pass-rushing ability. Another thing is Ika plays unbalanced and at times out over his toes.
Calijah Kancey, defensive tackle, Pittsburgh
Calijah Kancey is one of the easiest prospects to get excited about. First off, he’s roughly the same size as Aaron Donald. Secondly, they play the same position and come from the same school. When watching the tape on both of them in college it’s very easy to draw a comparison. Another comparison that some have also attributed to Kancey is John Randle.
Also, they have many of the same weaknesses heading into the draft. Kancey’s size projects to hold him back against bigger guards that are able to get engaged with him. Then there is also his lack of length that shows up if he can’t get the edge. And unfortunately, opposing guards that are equally athletic have a much easier time handling Kancey. While he does do well against the run he does tend to take some wide angles that aren’t needed.
Now, what Kancey does very well is being a terror in the pocket with his first-step burst. In his two years as a starter, he racked up 14.5 sacks and 27.5 tackles for loss. Because of his speed, he routinely finds the edge and is able to either get home for the sack or cause problems.
He has some great athleticism for a defensive tackle but again his lack of size might severely hamper his production at the NFL level. It’s possible that he could be slid out where he would be an outside rusher for the team. Then possibly on passing downs, he could side back inside to provide some interior speed rush.
See exclusive Sportsnaut videos on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok.