Even though Nnamdi Madubuike qualified for the Pro Bowl Games in 2024, he is still being judged against his breakout 2023 season.
The Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle fell in the ESPN top-10 list of defensive tackles to No. 7 from the No. 5 spot he held in last year’s list.
ESPN has been compiling the list of the consensus top-10 best players at each position, as judged by coaches, executives and scouts. The running backs list was revealed Monday, and Derrick Henry was ranked No. 2 overall.
Madubuike had 6.5 sacks, 11 tackles for loss, 21 solo tackles and one forced fumble in 17 games for the Ravens in 2024. But his sack total was cut in half from 2023, where he was a second-team All-Pro and finished ninth in NFL Defensive Player of the Year voting.
Why Is Nnamdi Madubuike Ranked No. 7 Among NFL Defensive Tackles?
Make no mistake, even though Madubuike fell two spots, he is still considered an elite interior lineman and run stuffer.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler cited Madubuike’s subpar 6.6 percent pass-rush-win rate, which he reported was the lowest mark on the list. One NFL executive polled cited the switch from defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald to Zach Orr, since Macdonald became the head coach of the Seattle Seahawks last year.
“Still a quality player, but he wasn’t as dominant as the [2023 sack numbers] suggested,” an AFC executive told ESPN. “I think the defensive coordinator change was significant in creating one-on-one opportunities.”
According to Fowler, multiple talent evaluators polled cited Macdonald’s success at getting Madubuike favorable matchups in pass-rush situations. But that should change in Year 2 and with his exceptional skill set, and one evaluator had 6-3, 305-pound sixth-year player ranked as high as No. 4 on the list.
“Still has elite burst and explosion,” an NFL personnel evaluator told ESPN.
Who Was On The Top-10 List Of NFL DTs?
Madubuike was the highest-ranked defensive lineman from the AFC North on the list, even though he was not the only interior lineman from that division recognized.
Cam Heyward from the rival Pittsburgh Steelers was ranked No. 10, and he and Madubuike were the lone divisional reps on the top-10 list.
Dexter Lawrence II, who had nine sacks and 44 tackles and qualified for the Pro Bowl Games from the lowly New York Giants, was ranked No. 1 on the list, jumping up two spots from No. 3 in 2024. Chris Jones of the reigning AFC champion Kansas City Chiefs, who took the top spot a year ago, was ranked second this season.
Jalen Carter of the Super Bowl-champion Philadelphia Eagles jumped from honorable mention last year and rounded out the top-3.
Here is the full list of NFL defensive tackles as judged by coaches, scouts and execs.
- Dexter Lawrence, New York Giants
- Chris Jones, Kansas City Chiefs
- Jalen Carter, Philadelphia Eagles
- Jeffery Simmons, Tennessee Titans
- Quinnen Williams, New York Jets
- Leonard Williams, Seattle Seahawks
- Nnamdi Madubuike, Ravens
- DeForest Buckner, Indianapolis Colts
- Vita Vea, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Cameron Heyward, Pittsburgh Steelers
Honorable mention: Christian Wilkins, Las Vegas Raiders; Derrick Brown, Carolina Panthers; Kobie Turner, Los Angeles Rams; Zach Allen, Denver Broncos; Zach Sieler, Miami Dolphins.
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