5 defensive tackle prospects for Chiefs fans to watch at the NFL Scouting Combine

The NFL Scouting Combine is here. NFL Network will be covering the combine workouts, which begin at 2 p.m. (Arrowhead Time) on Thursday with defensive linemen and linebackers. Here is more information is how to watch through the weekend.

Here are five defensive tackle prospects for Kansas City Chiefs fans to watch (we have five more here).

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1. Jalen Carter | Georgia Bulldogs | 6’3” | 300 lbs.

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There was a decent chance that Carter was going to be the first non-quarterback selected in the draft — but that was before a report surfaced implicating him in a street-racing crash that took the life of teammate Devin Willock and University of Georgia staffer Chandler LeCroy. Carter has been charged with misdemeanor reckless driving and racing. In in interviews and team visits during the coming days and weeks, Carter will have some serious questions to answer.

Jalen Carter was the best player on the country’s best college team. He detonates off the line with enough force to knock even the stoutest offensive lineman out of their stance. His body type screams 3-technique, but there isn’t a spot on the interior defensive line where he doesn’t feel at home. He is a better and more consistent player than his former teammate (and current Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle) Jordan Davis.

2. Calijah Kancey | Pittsburgh Panthers | 6’0” | 280 lbs.

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No player at the Combine has more to prove than Kancey.

While he is listed at six feet and 280 pounds, there is a decent chance that he will measure below those figures. That would be catastrophic for Kancey — and from a football perspective, it would be a real shame. In terms of talent, there might not be a more elite pass rusher among the defensive tackles in this class. Kancey has speed, a well-developed pass-rushing repertoire and is an extremely cerebral player. He is explosive enough to get home on stunts — and can switch seamlessly from his hand shuck and swim moves back to power. The only question about Kancey is his size. He’s a top-10 talent in an undrafted free agent's body.

3. Keeanu Benton | Wisconsin Badgers | 6’4” | 315 lbs.

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Benton seems like a poor man’s Chris Jones. While it may be unfair to put that sort of expectation on a rookie — especially one who is expected to be taken somewhere in the second round — that’s what you see on tape: he is like a relentless freight train that is explosive off the snap and steamrolls through double-teams. Benton’s rip move is one of the best in this class, allowing him to ragdoll blockers like they are nothing. If Benton lines up next to Jones, they might just obliterate every interior offensive line that they face.

4. Siaki Ika | Baylor Bears | 6’4” | 358 lbs.

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Ika is a prototypical nose tackle — and when he is motivated, there is not a scarier defensive tackle in the class. While he is an absolute monster, he is also more agile than you would expect him to be. Just the same, by shedding about 30 pounds (getting his playing weight closer to 330 pounds), he would be a dominant run defender. But with Ika, it’s all about motivation. At his size, he struggled to maintain his intensity on an every-down basis; he tends to disappear for stretches during games. But his potential is limitless.

5. Jaquelin Roy | LSU Tigers | 6’4” | 315 lbs.

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There is a lot to like about Roy’s game — even if there isn’t a ton to love about him. He is a solid defensive lineman who can handle his own in every facet of the game; his biggest strength is that he doesn’t have any weaknesses. He could give almost any NFL team meaningful snaps out of the gate and hold his own. Unfortunately, this is also the No. 1 thing that could hold him back: there is just not a lot of juice to Roy’s game. He lines up and does his job, but he’s not going to be a game-breaker. Still, there is a lot of value in having a player like Roy in a team’s defensive line rotation.