2011 NFL Draft Preview: 3-4 Nose Tackles

They're big. They're strong.  And they're often ugly.  They have one job.  Take up as much space as possible.  When watching the highlight reels, rarely to the make the top plays but they are some of the most important players of any defense.  The nose tackle is the least glamorous job in all of football.  On every snap, you are tasked with occupying multiple blockers and rarely to you get an opportunity to make a play on the ball carrier.  Let's take a look at this draft's top big uglies.

3-4 Nose Tackles

1. Phil Taylor
At 6'3" and 334 lbs, Taylor is an imposing physical specimen.  His size alone allows him to anchor the defensive line and take on double teams freeing up his teammates to chase the quarterback or close on the ball carrier.  In addition, his strength and explosion make him a force to be reckoned with against the run as he consistently out muscles opposing linemen to disrupt running lanes.  While Taylor's stamina is a concerning because of his tendency to become worn out as games drag on, he will be an effective anchor for any team who drafts him.

 (He doesn't make many plays but man does he take up space.)

2. Jerrell Powe
Keeping with the current theme of size matters is our next prospect, Mr. Powe.  A true heavyweight at 6'2" and 335 lbs, he manages to dominate the line of scrimmage with his power.  Powe clogs running lanes by forcing opposing lineman to double team him every play so Powe's teammates can come up and make plays on the ball carrier.  In addition to his running stopping abilities, Powe uses the bull rush to force his way toward the quarterback and shows surprisingly good tackling technique.  Like most nose tackles, endurance is a big question mark but most NFL teams will like what they see from Powe on the field.

(Looks he has talents beyond playing football.)

(Isn't this attractive or what?)

3. Kenrick Ellis
A giant among men.  Standing 6'5" and weighing an incredible 346 lbs, Ellis is a true behemoth.  He is first and foremost a run stopper, as he dominates the middle of the line by eating up space and using brute force to man handle offensive lines.  Ellis knows a few pass rushing moves that he uses to collapse the pocket and create havoc in the backfield.  Where he fails to score excellent marks are maneuverability and play recognition as he has trouble changing direction and can be fooled by crisp play fakes.  Aside from these faults, Ellis is an interesting prospect that has the size to dominate at the NFL level.

(Couldn't find a vid but this is a good pic showing his size.)