NFL Draft 2026 Scouting Report for Cincinnati DL Dontay Corleone

Matt HolderJan 21, 2026

Teams in search of a nose tackle to plug the A-gaps should be interested in Dontay Corleone. The 6'1", 335-pound defensive lineman is a strong and stout presence in the running game, with the ability to reset the line of scrimmage.

Corleone began his college career as a 3-star recruit in the 2021 class and redshirted as a true freshman at Cincinnati. He had an excellent redshirt freshman campaign, collecting 45 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, three sacks and two forced fumbles to earn third-team All-American honors.

In 2023, "The Godfather" became a full-time starter and racked up 39 tackles, 6.5 TFLs, three sacks and a FF to earn a second-team All-Big 12 selection.

The 23-year-old prospect was diagnosed with blood clots during the offseason before his redshirt junior year but still played in 11 games while contributing 26 tackles, five TFLs and 3.5 sacks. He was then recognized as a first-team All-Big 12 performer by the Associated Press.

Corleone suffered an injury that limited him to 10 games this past season, and he experienced a significant dip in production with just 13 tackles, zero TFLs and no sacks. Though he still managed to receive second-team All-Big 12 honors.

Matt Holder has been a part of B/R's Scouting Department for four seasons. He also writes about the Las Vegas Raiders and NFL draft for SB Nation's Silver and Black Pride, and co-hosts a YouTube Channel, Tape Don't Lie, providing film breakdowns and more draft prospect analysis.

Where He Wins

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- Corleone has impressive upper body strength and shoots his hands quickly, allowing him to generate knockback power and reset the line of scrimmage when taking on base blocks. These traits also allow him to disrupt offensive linemen's paths to the second level and free up linebackers.

- Takes on blocks with a wide base to hold his gap consistently when left one-on-one and is solid against double-teams when he keeps his pads down.

- Attacks and defeats the man he's lined up across from when taking on doubles.

- Quick to recognize down blocks by shifting his eyes and hands to the linemen coming down on him to avoid getting washed inside.

- Listed as the No. 14 player on Bruce Feldman's list of extraordinary athletes prior to the 2025 campaign by bench pressing 485 pounds, squatting 615 and sumo deadlifting 585 pounds, while clocking 1.71-second 10-yard split and 7.44-second three-cone times.

Areas of Improvement

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- Corleone carries a good amount of bad weight, negatively impacting his quickness and athleticism. This issue shows up the most as a pass-rusher, limiting his ability to win, and projects him as a two-down player at the professional level.

- Has a bad habit of standing up out of his stance, which makes his bull-rush ineffective and causes issues against double-teams.

- Has shorter arms, limiting his ability to extend and disengage from blocks.

- Lacks some rotational strength to keep his shoulders square against scoop blocks.

- Medical red flags will be a significant part of his overall evaluation after suffering a knee injury in 2022, a lower-body injury kept him out of two games in 2025 and the aforementioned case of blood clots could scare some NFL teams. His medical evaluations during the combine and pre-draft visits will play a large role in his overall standing.