- Kenneth Grant leads the way at 0/1-technique: Michigan’s Kenneth Grant headlines the interior group with elite burst and power, drawing comparisons to NFL standout Dexter Lawrence thanks to his 89.5 pass-rush grade and 331-pound frame.
- Abdul Carter profiles as the next great 9-tech disruptor: Carter’s elite 94.0 pass-rush grade and 37.3% win rate off the edge make him the perfect modern-day wide-9 fit — with the burst and production to back up the Micah Parsons comp.
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Estimated reading time: 7 minutes
Success in the NFL often hinges on more than just talent — it’s about fit. For defensive linemen, understanding how a player projects in a specific role or technique is crucial to evaluating their potential impact early in their career. While some rare prospects are scheme-proof, the vast majority depend on landing in the right system. So, with that in mind, here’s a breakdown of the best fits at each defensive line technique heading into the 2025 NFL Draft.
Before diving in, it’s important to revisit what each technique actually means. Defensive linemen are often categorized by their alignment along the offensive front, and understanding these roles is key to evaluating fit and projecting success.
As a refresher, here are the most common defensive line techniques and their typical gap responsibilities:
- 0-Technique (Head-up over center): Lines directly over the center and is typically responsible for both A-gaps as a two-gap defender, especially in 3-4 fronts.
- 1-Technique (Shaded over center’s shoulder): Aligns on the outside shoulder of the center and is usually tasked with controlling the A-gap in one-gap systems, commonly seen in 4-3 defenses.
- 2-Technique (Head-up over guard): Positions directly over the guard and often plays a two-gap role, controlling both the A- and B-gaps depending on the scheme.
- 2i-Technique (Inside shoulder of guard): Lines up between the center and guard, with primary responsibility for the A-gap.
- 3-Technique (Outside shoulder of guard): Aligns on the outside shoulder of the guard and is responsible for penetrating the B-gap — one of the most disruptive roles in even fronts.
- 4-Technique (Head-up over tackle): Sets up directly over the offensive tackle, typically in a two-gap role, and is responsible for controlling both B- and C-gaps based on flow.
- 4i-Technique (Inside shoulder of tackle): Aligns between the guard and tackle and is generally responsible for the B-gap.
- 5-Technique (Outside shoulder of tackle): Lines up on the outside shoulder of the tackle and controls the C-gap — a common alignment for defensive ends in 3-4 schemes.
- 6-Technique (Head-up over tight end): Aligns directly over the tight end, with responsibilities that may vary but typically include the C-gap and outside contain duties.
- 7-Technique (Inside shoulder of tight end): Positions on the inside shoulder of the tight end, often tasked with C-gap control and edge-setting against the run.
- 9-Technique (Outside shoulder of tight end or wider): Takes a wide alignment outside the tight end and is responsible for the D-gap or outside contain. Frequently used in pass-rushing situations, especially in wide-9 fronts.
0/1-Technique
- NFL Prototype: Dexter Lawrence
- 2025: Kenneth Grant, Michigan
Unlike past iterations of this exercise, I’ve chosen to combine the 0- and 1-technique spots — the roles are largely interchangeable at the NFL level, and the same dominant player has defined the position in recent years. Dexter Lawrence, who measured 6-foot-5 and 342 pounds at the 2019 NFL Combine, has posted a staggering 93.0 overall grade over the past two seasons. Lawrence is a big, powerful and explosive athlete with the ability to eat up gaps and collapse the pocket.
In this year’s draft class, Kenneth Grant is the prospect who most closely fits that mold. He checked in at 6-foot-4 and 331 pounds at the Combine and brings a level of size and burst unmatched by any other interior defender in this group. Grant’s 89.5 pass-rush grade over the past two seasons leads all defensive tackles in the class, and his 83.5 overall grade ranks third.
3-Technique
- NFL Prototype: Chris Jones
- 2025: Mason Graham, Michigan
While Aaron Donald is often viewed as the gold standard for this role, using a once-in-a-generation player as the prototype sets an unrealistic bar.
Jones is a great player in his own right and a future Hall of Famer. He has been one of the league’s premier interior disruptors over the past decade.
True 3-technique defensive tackles are typically quick, agile and versatile enough to align across the front and create mismatches — and no one embodies that role in today’s NFL better than Jones.
Michigan’s Mason Graham looks like the next in line to carry that mantle. As PFF lead draft analyst Trevor Sikkema put it, “He brings a high floor at all times and a high ceiling in flashes as a 3-technique defensive tackle for a 4-3 front.”
Over the past two seasons, Michigan moved him across nearly every alignment on the defensive line — and he excelled in each role, posting grades in multiple key areas that rank above the 96th percentile.
Mason Graham since 2023
4/5-Technique
- NFL Prototype: Cameron Heyward
- 2025: Walter Nolen, Mississippi
Heyward has been consistently one of the best interior defenders in the NFL for the past decade, in large part due to his size and play strength. The longtime Steeler measured 6-foot-5 and 294 pounds at the 2011 NFL Combine; he is an imposing physical presence with the athleticism to rip through both offensive tackles and guards and the strength to bull rush them and collapse the pocket. He brings a well-rounded game that makes him consistently difficult to block.
Nolan has some untapped potential but is arguably the most physically gifted defensive tackle in this draft class. At 6-foot-4 and 296 pounds, Nolen has the ideal size to punish guards and tackles at the next level, even if his wing span is a tad shorter than Heyward’s. When lined up as a 4/5-technique over the past two years, Nolen put up an impressive 85.2 overall grade, with his 91.6 run-defense grade the best in this year’s draft class.
6/7-Technique
- NFL Prototype: Myles Garrett
- 2025: Shemar Stewart, Texas A&M
While I avoided using Aaron Donald as the prototype for 3-technique, it’s probably just as unfair to use Myles Garrett as the standard for a 6/7-technique — he’s a unicorn in his own right. But Garrett is rare because humans simply aren’t built like him. Though he officially measured 6-foot-4.5 and 272 pounds at the NFL Combine, he likely plays closer to 290. He’s now posted six straight seasons with a 90.0-plus pass-rush grade and possesses the size and athleticism to take on offensive tackles — and even tight end double teams — while still disrupting the pocket.
Stewart’s measurements from the combine are eerily similar to Garrett’s: He measured half an inch taller, five pounds lighter, ran a 40 that was 0.05 seconds faster, had a nearly identical 10-yard split, jumped just one inch lower in the vertical and posted a broad jump three inches longer.
On paper, Stewart looks like he was built in the same lab.
The gap, of course, is on tape — Stewart isn’t close to Garrett’s level as a college player. But the raw traits are all there, and if he can tap into that potential, he’ll be a problem for NFL offenses.
9-Technique/OLB
- NFL Prototype: Micah Parsons
- 2025: Abdul Carter, Penn State
Parsons is the ideal wide-9 pass rusher for the NFL. His compact build but freakish athleticism make blocking him a nightmare for opposing offensive lines. His ability to win with speed off the edge and quickness on stunts inside with a variety of pass rush moves allows Parsons to wreak havoc on opposing quarterbacks.
While the fit might feel lazy, and it’s been used by everyone else in the draft community, Carter fits the prototype perfectly. At 6-foot-3 and 250 pounds with devastating quickness off the edge, Carter is difficult to block for any offensive lineman. He earned a 93.4 overall grade the past two years from the position with a ridiculous 94.0 pass-rush grade while winning an absurd 37.3% of his pass rushes. Of course, all of those marks were the best in the class.
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