NFL Draft 2026 Scouting Report for Minnesota DL Deven Eastern

Deven Eastern has good size and strength to make an impact as a run defender at the next level. That should put the 6'5", 315-pound defensive lineman on teams' radars in the late rounds of the 2026 NFL draft.

A 4-star recruit in the 2021 high school class, Eastern was a three-year starter at Minnesota. He racked up 97 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, five passes defended and two forced fumbles in 45 career games, earning honorable mention All-Big Ten honors in 2025.

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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- Eastern has good size and length for an NFL defensive tackle.

- When he uses his hands to take on blocks, he has plenty of upper-body strength and pop in his hands to lock out interior offensive linemen. Also has long arms to maximize his extension on blocks.

- Against down blocks, he's solid at absorbing contact to avoid getting washed inside.

- Showed a decent arm over move that he can use to escape blocks as a run defender and win with occasionally as a pass-rusher.

- Has the strength to make tackles with offensive linemen hanging onto him.

Areas of Improvement

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- Eastern has a false step out of his stance as a slow get-off, making it difficult to push the pocket when bull rushing.

- Subpar athleticism overall and use of hands as a pass-rusher, putting him into the two-down player category.

- Plays with high pad level and a narrow base, causing him issues anchoring against combo blocks and double teams.

- Block recognition is often late, resulting in getting reached or trapped.

- Hands are frequently late and wide when taking on blocks in the run game, exposing his chest.

Grade, Rank, and Pro Comparison

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GRADE: 5.7 (Backup/Draftable — 6th-7th Round)

COMPARABLE GRADE: Cam Horsley, Boston College (5.7 in 2025), Jaden Crumedy, Mississippi State (5.7 in 2024), Dante Stills, West Virginia (5.7 in 2023)

OVERALL RANK: 265

POSITION RANK: DL26

PRO COMPARISON: Jaden Crumedy

Measurables and Testing Data

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Height: 6'5"
Weight: 315
Hand: 10"
Arm: 34"
Wingspan: N/A

40-Yard Dash: N/A
10-Yard Split: N/A
3-Cone: 8.07
Shuttle: N/A
Vertical: 27.5"
Broad: 9'4"