DeMarcus Tyler DT 6'2 306 North Carolina St. 5.3

“Tank” moved into the starting lineup as a sophomore and came through with 33 tackles, with six of them behind the line of scrimmage. Last year as a junior, he came through with 41 tackles, 4.5 for loss and two sacks, playing on the same line with Mario Williams, John McCargo, and Manny Lawson, all 1st round draft picks. Drawing more attention as a senior, he still managed to post impressive stats. Tyler had 49 tackles, 8.5 for loss, and three sacks on the year.

Tyler gets his nickname because he is built like one. His height is only average, but he has a very strong build, and is a load to stop once he gets moving. He shows good quickness off the snap, and the ability to change directions quickly. Tyler also shows the strength to hold his ground at the point of attack and get off the block to make the tackle.

Tyler isn’t much of a playmaker. He will stop the run, and can get penetration, but he is not going to get to the quarterback very often. He also needs to work on staying low to the ground as the game goes on, and not rely on his power to make plays.

Tyler has crept up draft boards during the season, and has seemed to push himself into the top 50 of the draft. After Amobi Okoye and Alan Branch, the tackles could go in any order, and Tyler will be one of the next ones off the board. His lack of any real explosive quality may keep him from going real high, but he is a solid prospect worthy of a second round selection.