Nick Barrett NFL Draft 2026 Scouting Report for Los Angeles Chargers DT

Matt HolderFeb 13, 2026

The Los Angeles Chargers selected South Carolina DT Nick Barrett with the No. 145 overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft.

Nick Barrett is a stout run defender with impressive strength at the point of attack to defeat one-on-one blocks. He can hold his gap against double-teams, too.

The 6'3", 327-pound defensive tackle also has good size to land on the radar of an NFL team that's looking for a gap filler on Day 3 of the draft.

The Goldsboro, North Carolina, native began his career at South Carolina as a 3-star recruit in the 2021 high school class. However, he was primarily a special teams player during the first four years of his career and redshirted as a senior after suffering an injury.

The Gamecocks had a deep defensive line, where Barrett was playing behind 2025 NFL draft picks T.J. Sanders and Tonka Hemingway. This past season, he finally got to start, and he made the most of the opportunity.

As a senior, Barrett racked up 42 tackles, six tackles for loss, two sacks and a fumble recovery for a touchdown. That resulted in a fourth-team All-SEC selection from Phil Steele and a co-Team MVP award.

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.

Highlights

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Scroll down for the full scouting report.

Where He Wins

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- Has good size and a thick build for an NFL defensive tackle.

- Solid get-off. Quick to react to the snap.

- Takes on blocks with good knee bend and pad level to gain a leverage advantage.

- Has some knock-back power in his hands to gain control of the block, using good hand placement and strength. Has good arm length to get extension against interior offensive linemen.

- Plenty of strength to stack and shed one-on-one blocks, allowing him to make tackles in his gap and near the line of scrimmage. Solid at anchoring to hold his gap when taking on double-teams/combo blocks.

- Quick to recognize against down blocks when the offensive lineman he's lined up over pulls. Shifts his eyes and hands to the down blocker to avoid getting caught off guard and washed inside.

- Anticipates reach blocks well against outside zone and stretch runs. Runs his feet to prevent offensive linemen from getting to his outside shoulder. Can close the gap with the man by using a hump move.

Areas of Improvement

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- Only a one-year starter. Didn't play much until his fifth season at South Carolina.

- Offers little to nothing as a pass-rusher. Often got taken out of the game in obvious passing situations.

- Pad level rises when rushing the passer, making his bull rush ineffective. Also drops his hands, allowing offensive linemen to get into his chest.

- Lacks the quickness, athleticism and use of hands to win with finesse moves.

- Subpar pass-rush motor. Isn't going to get coverage or cleanup sacks regularly.

- Doesn't have the quickness and lateral movement skills as a run defender to beat offensive linemen across their faces or take away two gaps, limiting his ability to two-gap or execute a gap-and-a-half technique.