National Football League

10 Best NFL DT rankings: Aaron Donald, Chris Jones atop interior defensive linemen

Updated Nov. 2, 2023 1:46 p.m. ET

FOX Sports NFL Staff

There's nothing most quarterbacks fear more than pressure up the middle.

Great interior defensive linemen are hard to find. But as Aaron Donald, Chris Jones and their peers have shown in recent years, the truly great ones are worth their considerable weight in gold. QBs are used to stepping up and avoiding edges. Their offensive tackles are often great athletes in their own right, and somewhat prepared for the destruction edge rushers can bring.

Transcendent defensive tackles (and 3-4 defensive ends) can completely overwhelm the guards and centers they face. And the impact they can have on the ground game is unparalleled.

With that in mind, our writers listed their best 10 based on their confidence in each player were he to take the field for a game next week. A first-place vote merited 10 points in our methodology and descended from there, down to a single point for 10th place. We then combined the scores to determine our rankings.

2023 Top NFL Defensive Tackles

1: Aaron Donald, Los Angeles Rams

Eric D. Williams: Even at 32 years old, Donald remains the gold standard at defensive tackle. A nine-time Pro Bowler and three-time Defensive Player of the year, Donald leads all defensive tackles with 103.5 sacks since entering the league in 2014. Donald also leads the NFL in tackles for loss with 160 during that span.

2: Chris Jones, Kansas City Chiefs

Ben Arthur: To understand how ridiculously good Chris Jones is, look no further than what he did to the Jaguars last week after missing all of training camp and practicing just three times: 1.5 sacks, three pressures and a batted pass, leading Kansas City to a 17-9 victory in a defensive battle. He's a nightmare for interior offensive linemen with the speed of his get-off, pass-rush repertoire, length and size. He can move around the defensive line too, taking advantage of matchups. He had 15.5 sacks last season for the Super Bowl champs, tying a career-high. He'd be the easy choice for best defensive tackle in the game if not for Aaron Donald.

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3: Quinnen Williams, New York Jets

Henry McKenna: Williams signed a four-year, $96 million contract this offseason with the New York Jets. Money doesn't always tell you much about a player's value, but in this case, it does. Williams is one of New York's most important players, particularly given that coach Robert Saleh has built this defense around his defensive line. (That's no surprise, given Saleh came up as a defensive line coach.) Williams serves as an assist man for his edge players, who get much freer rushes while Williams takes on double teams. But make no mistake: Williams generates pressure, too. He led the team with 52 last season.

4: Javon Hargrave, San Francisco 49ers

Williams: San Francisco's top acquisition in free agency this offseason, Hargrave has just one sack through two games this year. However, the South Carolina State product has still been impactful for San Francisco's dominant defense, leading all defensive tackles with 13 pressures, according to Next Gen Stats. Hargrave, 30, joins reigning Defensive Player of the year Nick Bosa and second-year pro Drake Jackson, along with fellow defensive tackle Arik Armstead to give the 49ers one of the best defensive fronts in the NFL.

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5: Jeffery Simmons, Tennessee Titans

Carmen Vitali: Jeffery Simmons is very deserving of his placement here. He's coming off back-to-back Pro Bowl selections with seasons of 8.5 and 7.5 sacks, respectively. Those gaudy stats got Simmons paid this offseason, when he signed a four-year, $94 million deal that includes over $59 million in guarantees. Tennessee has been struggling a bit as of late, which is likely why we don't hear Simmons name in the same conversations as the Chiefs' Chris Jones or the 49ers' Javon Hargrave — but that doesn't mean Simmons doesn't deserve to be there.

[2023 NFL edge-rusher rankings: Nick Bosa, Micah Parsons, Myles Garrett lead top 10]

6: Dexter Lawrence, New York Giants

Ralph Vacchiano: When the Giants first drafted "Sexy Dexy," even they weren't quite sure how a 340-pound man would get to the quarterback. They figured he could stop the run. They knew he could push the pocket. But actually getting there and dragging a QB down? They were almost immediately surprised at how quick he was, and he sure proved them right last season when he had 7 ½ sacks and probably should've wound up with a few more. That's why the Giants rewarded him with a four-year, $90 million contract. He is strong, faster than you'd expect and just a massive man who can create all sorts of interior problems. It's likely he'll never be a consistent sack artist, but he'll always create a lot of chaos, which should lead to plenty of sacks for his teammates.

7: Cameron Heyward, Pittsburgh Steelers

Arthur: Heyward is a well-respected player, but I don't think he receives as much national acclaim as he deserves. He's incredibly consistent and has played his best football late in his career. The 34-year-old has 53.5 sacks and 73 tackles for loss since 2017, a span in which he's been named a first-team All Pro three times and made six straight Pro Bowls. Heyward is currently on injured reserve with a groin injury, which will force him to miss at least four weeks.

8: Christian Wilkins, Miami Dolphins

McKenna: Wilkins has, admittedly played on a series of bad defenses during his career. But that's not really his fault. Individually, he has managed to shine, even with failing systems around him. That's what makes this year so exciting. He's working with defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, who is sure to make the most of Wilkins' talents (while also buoying the other talented defensive players on Miami's defensive line).

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9: Jonathan Allen, Washington Commanders

Vacchiano: The best part about Allen is that even when the sacks aren't there, he's making his presence felt. It's part of why the rest of the Commanders defensive line is so good and productive. Yes, they're talented (the line starts four former first-round picks) but Allen is like the creator. He is constantly moving the pocket, and he's nimble enough to come from the inside or swing around the edge. And he can finish, too. He had 16 ½ sacks the last two seasons and has had at least six sacks four times in the five full NFL seasons he's played. He's also a smart player who knows how to find the gaps and exploit the weaknesses of the offensive linemen he faces. That helps everyone along that dangerous line.

10: Vita Vea, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Greg Auman: Vita Vea has only made the Pro Bowl once in his five years in the NFL, but his massive presence in the middle of the Bucs' defensive front cannot be fully appreciated. In their Super Bowl season, he fractured his ankle in Week 5, missed 14 weeks and made it back for the conference championship and the Super Bowl win against the Chiefs. He's more than just a run-stopper in the middle, leading the Bucs with 6.5 sacks last season, and he already has 1.5 sacks in the team's 2-0 start. Tampa Bay did well to sign him to a four-year, $71 million extension when they did, so he's a bargain as the core of their defensive front and now under contract through the 2026 season.

Vitali: I witnessed firsthand the impact Vea had individually on the Buccaneers' defense in their Super Bowl season. Vea went down with a leg injury after Week 5 and was lost for the rest of the regular season. The Bucs' yards per carry allowed in the run game went up dramatically as a result. Vea then went on to make a triumphant return in the NFC Championship up at snowy Lambeau Field in January and played 46% of the team's defensive snaps, followed by 41% of the team's defensive snaps in the Super Bowl and 4% of the team's offensive snaps (as a fullback).

Vea has continued to get better within Todd Bowles' scheme, too. In addition to being a menacing run stuffer, he has moved on to being able to push the pocket and get to the quarterback more often. He had 6.5 sacks last season and against the Chicago Bears last week, he registered 1.5. Don't be surprised if he ends up in double digits this season, which would move him even further up this list.

Honorable mentions: DaRon Payne, D.J. Reader.

Other 2023 NFL Positional Rankings

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AFC South reporter Ben Arthur (@benyarthur)
NFC South reporter Greg Auman (@gregauman)
Dallas Cowboys reporter David Helman (@davidhelman_)
AFC East reporter Henry McKenna (@McKennAnalysis)
NFC West reporter Eric D. Williams (@eric_d_williams)
NFC East reporter Ralph Vacchiano (@RalphVacchiano)
NFC North reporter Carmen Vitali (@CarmieV)