CFB Future 100: Top 4 Defensive Tackle Recruits in Class of 2017

After a thorough study using specific scoring criteria, Bleacher Report national recruiting analysts Damon Sayles, Sanjay Kirpalani and Tyler Donohue have graded the top 100 players in the 247Sports composite rankings and provided in-depth analysis on each young athlete. Bleacher Report will run a position-by-position breakdown series of the best college football recruits in the 2017 class. Here, we present the Top Defensive Tackles.


Other Positions: 

• Quarterbacks 

How important are defensive tackles? The last two recruiting cycles have had defensive tackles as their No. 1 prospects, according to 247Sports' composite rankings. Trent Thompson was the top-ranked player in the 2015 class, while Rashan Gary took top honors in 2016.

An elite defensive tackle can alter a game in so many ways, and the 2017 class has its share of playmakers in the trenches. With the 2016 recruiting cycle having come and gone, college coaches are now focusing on finding defensive linemen who can shut down the run and make passing situations difficult for quarterbacks.

Here's our breakdown of the top-ranked 2017 prospects at defensive tackle. Players were assessed using various criteria, including their pass rushing, tackling, explosive strength, run defense, hands and overall motor.

All prospects were scouted by Bleacher Report national recruiting analyst Damon Sayles. Players are ordered by appearance in 247Sports' composite rankings. 

4. 4-Star Haskell Garrett

Height/Weight: 6'2", 280 lbs

High School: Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas)

247Sports Ranking: No. 4 DT, No. 78 overall

Bleacher Report Score: 94/100

Recruitment Status

Haskell Garrett attracted several Pac-12 schools with his play and reeled in 13 reported offers, but he ended his recruitment on Tuesday, when he committed to Ohio State. Expect schools like Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Penn State and Texas A&M to continue recruiting him.

Bleacher Report Analysis

Garrett is an athlete college coaches feel can line up anywhere on the defensive line. His versatility, shiftiness and tackling ability (15/15 tackling) allow him to play both defensive tackle and defensive end. He has good hands (14/15 hands), too, which allow him to be disruptive off the snap. Because of his intelligence on the field, Garrett is expected to be a solid player at the next level.

3. 4-Star Jay Tufele

Height/Weight: 6'2", 280 lbs

High School: Bingham (South Jordan, Utah)

247Sports Ranking: No. 3 DT, No. 71 overall

Bleacher Report Score: 94/100

Recruitment Status

The Pac-12 is hoping to keep Jay Tufele close to home. He has offers from USC, UCLA, Arizona, Arizona State and several other programs—including home-state Utah. Tufele has a dozen reported offers, including ones from Michigan and Louisville.

Bleacher Report Analysis

Tufele plays the game with a blue-collar attitude. He is an aggressive defensive lineman who can shut down a run play (24/25 run defense) by himself. He has an excellent sidestep off the snap and plays with good pad level and balance.

Tufele is an athletic big man who tackles well (14/15 tackling) after meeting head-to-head with an offensive lineman when the ball is snapped. He also has a frame that can support 20 more pounds without it affecting his skill set.

2. 5-Star Tyler Shelvin

Height/Weight: 6'2", 329 lbs

High School: Northside (Lafayette, Louisiana)

247Sports Ranking: No. 2 DT, No. 15 overall

Bleacher Report Score: 96/100

Recruitment Status

Tyler Shelvin decided to end his recruitment process early by committing to LSU in March 2015. He only has reported offers from the Tigers and Alabama, but he is expected to attract multiple schools in the spring.

Bleacher Report Analysis

Shelvin is a big-bodied defender who possess explosiveness and deceptive quickness (25/25 explosive quickness) off the snap. He has a wide frame, which helps him stop inside runs. Shelvin's motor (5/5 motor) wins coaches over, too, as he doesn't stop moving until after the whistle blows. He's an athlete who shoots the gaps very well and alters plays with his pass-rushing ability (14/15 pass rushing).

1. 5-Star Marvin Wilson

Height/Weight: 6'4", 316 lbs

High School: Episcopal (Bellaire, Texas)

247Sports Ranking: No. 1 DT, No. 5 overall

Bleacher Report Score: 97/100

Recruitment Status

Marvin Wilson has 25 reported offers and has in-state schools Texas and Texas A&M high on his list. Wilson isn't opposed to playing college ball out of state, though, and LSU, USC, Alabama, Michigan and UCLA are among the schools to keep an eye on.

Bleacher Report Analysis

The first thing you notice about Wilson is, physically, he looks like a classic defensive tackle. He has a college-ready frame, and he uses it to bull-rush (25/25 explosive strength) in both run and pass situations.

Wilson plays with excellent pad level (24/25 run defense) and a level of competitiveness that coaches will love. He doesn't fear lining up against elite offensive linemen, and when he gets in a rhythm, he is extremely difficult to contain.