2017 Top 10 NFL Interior Defenders

1. Aaron Donald

Stats

Sacks: 8, Tackles: 36, FF: 2

I am not one to engage in hyperbole but Aaron Donald might be the best 4-3 defensive tackle I have ever seen, even beyond Warren Sapp. What he has been able to accomplish in just three seasons playing exclusively on the interior is just remarkable. What makes Donald so special is that by his position standards he is elite in terms of speed, quickness, acceleration, strength and technique. He literally has everything. Typically defensive lineman that are 6’1, 285 do not dominate as run stoppers in the interior but this guy does. He is simply too quick and too strong for offensive lineman to effectively block. As a run defender he is the ultimate 1 gap disrupter flying out of his stance, getting his hand on the opposing blocker and then occupying the gap usually all before the running back even has secured the handoff. He lives in the backfield and even when he does get blocked he usually does not stay blocked very long. As great as he is vs the run he is on another planet as a pass rusher. Interior pass rushers just are not supposed to have the type of impact he does rushing the passer. He can do just about every move there is rushing the passer. He loves to utilize violent hand swats and stabs. He will also mix in hesitation movements and quick dips inside or out and just blow past opposing blockers. It seems as if there is nothing he cannot do on the field at a high level.

2. J.J. Watt

Stats

Sacks: 1.5, Tackles: 1, FF: 0

J.J. Watt pretty much missed the entire year last season but it does not take a genius to know where he belongs in the NFL hierarchy injury or no injury. Unless he starts to have chronic injury problems one unlucky season does not warrant a drop considering he has accumulated 69 sacks in the four seasons prior. We know he is both an elite run stopper and pass rusher who is impossible to block. Once he gets healthy he will be dominating the league again in no time.

3. Ndamukong Suh

Stats

Sacks: 5.0, Tackles: 41, FF: 6

Suh has been a dominant player in this league pretty much since he got drafted. Some call him dirty, some say he is out of control but it is his temperament and aggression that makes him the player he is. He might be the most violent player in the league. As a run defender Suh is simply one of the very best. It all starts at the point of attack as Suh simply rarely loses. He either stale mates or pushes his guy back but rarely is he ever losing ground. Combine that with his quickness and reaction time and it is really difficult to run in his area as he can shed and pursue ball carriers in a flash. As a pass rusher Suh utilizes various power moves like the bull and jerk, two handed stab and a nice compact swim move to get to the QB.

4. Fletcher Cox

Stats

Sacks: 6.5, Tackles: 27, FF: 2

Fletcher Cox’s production was slightly down after moving from 3-4 end to 4-3 tackle but he was still one of the games best interior defenders in 2016. Cox is a powerful athlete that can really shut down an opponents running game single handedly. He does an excellent job of resetting the line of scrimmage, stacking and shedding and beating double teams. As one man that can do all of those things at a high level it often makes running in his direction an exercise in futility. As a pass rusher Cox is power rusher that simply works as a technician more than utilizing specific moves. His goal is to first get opposing blockers off balance with his quickness and then get his hands on them and either bull rush them or sling them out of the way. He is one of the best at simply collapsing the pocket as a power rusher. As Cox gets better adjusted to playing a one gap scheme in the 4-3 I expect him to be even better in 2017.

5. Calais Campbell

Stats

Sacks: 8.0, Tackles: 34, FF: 2

Campbell has been one of the top interior defenders for years and he showed no signs of slowing down in the first season of his 30s. Instead he went out and earned the second highest overall grade for an interior defender by pro football focus and signed a huge deal with the Jags. At 6’8, 300 pounds he is an absolute prototype for a 3-4 end. It remains to be seen how he will adjust to being in a 4-3 defense with his new team but he really has all the tools to succeed in any defense. Campbell utilizes those long arms very well to get great arm extension and shed blocks in the run game which is why he has been one of the better run defenders in the league most of his career. As a pass rusher given his size and athleticism he has a lot of different tools in his bag. The most effective is probably his swim move which given his long arms is super effective.

6. Geno Atkins

Stats

Sacks: 9.0, Tackles: 21, FF: 0

Geno Atkins is another undersized three technique that plays much bigger than he looks. He may be the best power rusher from the interior position in the league. He plays with violent hands and a motor that will not stop. As a pass rusher he likes to get his hands on opposing lineman and then pull and rip through and he has become a master at it. He also utilizes the bull and jerk to force his way through the interior. He is good run defender that really holds up well at the point of attack for a guy his size. He sheds blocks and splits double teams because of his combination of quickness, power and hand violence and has been one of the best interior defenders in the game for a long time now.

7. Kawann Short

Stats

Sacks: 6.0, Tackles: 30, FF: 1

Short is a huge guy with really good feet and hands. He has developed into an expert in hand to hand combat at the line of scrimmage utilizing impressive combinations to fight off the hands of opposing guards and keep himself clean. Short had another dominant season stopping the run and earned the second highest run defense grade among interior defenders. His combination of power and violent hands make him a load to deal with. He does a good job of winning at the point of attack and redirecting offensive lineman. As a pass rusher Short is a combination move guy often looking to combine a series of chops and swats with a rip, swim or two handed stab.

8. Mike Daniels

Stats

Sacks: 4, Tackles: 25, FF: 0

Mike Daniels is a straight gladiator and one of the toughest players in all of football. He brings it every game and thrives off trench warfare. He is a short stocky built force that excels in a two gap scheme as a 3-4 end. Outside of Damon Harrison nobody stacks and sheds as well as this guy which is the key to being able to defend two gaps in the run game. However, unlike Harrison Daniels is also a legit interior pass rusher. He will never threaten double digit sacks but what he will do is help collapse the pocket. He loves the bull rush and is great at it. Despite lacking ideal athletic ability or physical tools he has found a way to be a great player in this league.

9. Gerald McCoy

Stats

Sacks: 6.5, Tackles: 25, FF: 2

McCoy has established himself as one of the best pass rushers from the interior in the game. He has incredible burst from his stance and is often in opposing guards chest before they can take a proper first step from their stance. As a pass rusher McCoy loves to utilize a two handed slap away move which combined with his quick get off can leave guards seemingly stuck in place as he advances past them to the QB. Since he is not the biggest or strongest guy he utilizes his quickness and some fabulous hand work to penetrate gaps and make plays in the run game. He will never be confused with being great vs the run but given his pass rush prowess he is good enough.

10. Damon Harrison

Stats

Sacks: 2.5, Tackles: 55, FF: 1

Damon “Snacks” Harrison is the best run defender in the league regardless of position. At 6’4 350 he is simply bigger than anyone trying to block him and stronger. He is a run stuffing specialist that resets the line of scrimmage and is capable of clogging up two gaps. Teams know coming into the game against him to avoid running near his gaps. The biggest surprise of his first season with the Giants is that it would seem Harrison actually has some pass rush in him. With the Jets he was a 3-4 nose who was rarely even in on passing downs which is why he only accumulated 1.5 sacks in four full seasons with the team. Yet in his first season playing with the Giants he had 2.5 sacks. Now he is no elite pass rusher but the move to the 4-3 defense and getting more pass rush opportunities allowed him to prove that he can get after the QB a little.