As draft analysis for the 2019 NFL draft continues, I have reviewed the multi-sport data for defensive tackles. I have pulled the consensus top draft rated DTs for the 2019 NFL draft. CBS Sports was the source of the rankings. In a previous blog, I discussed the PAI, Shot Put, and discus data for O-Linemen. Linemen on both sides of the ball rarely get accolades for the 40-yard dash at the combine. One thing many of them have in common is not only multi-sport data but shot put and discus data.
- 80% of DTs were multi-sport athletes in high school (Track and Field, Basketball, Wrestling).
- 70% had Shot Put and or discus data
- 2.0 PAI to 2.9 PAI is the average athleticism in FBS.
As one can see from this list and scores. PAI and verified athletic data would have added no less than 7 of these names to your watchlist as early as their high school sophomore year in some cases. The Tracking Football database can be used to pull up comparable DTs. Current NFL DTs like Maliek Collins, Willie Henry, and Malcolm Brown all had similar shot put distances.
The Player Athletic Index (PAI) scores the raw athleticism of a HS football player by taking into account height, weight, position, and track and field data. Our 0.0 – 5.0 PAI metric allows college scouts and NFL scouts to evaluate prospects in an objective and unbiased manner. PAI score also allows users to discover football athleticism whether players come from small or big schools.