Leonard Williams, Jeffery Simmons, Jalen Carter Lead Top 10 NFL DT Rankings by Coaches, Execs

On top of winning a Super Bowl a season ago, Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Leonard Williams played his way to the top of the annual positional rankings from ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.

Williams went from sixth to first, with one coordinator calling him "the most important player" on the Seahawks.

The Tennessee Titans' Jeffery Simmons also moved up a few spots to second, while the Philadelphia Eagles' Jalen Carter held strong in third.

Here's the full top 10 from Fowler:

1. Leonard Williams, Seattle Seahawks
2. Jeffery Simmons, Tennessee Titans
3. Jalen Carter, Philadelphia Eagles
4. Chris Jones, Kansas City Chiefs
5. Derrick Brown, Carolina Panthers
6. Quinnen Williams, Dallas Cowboys
7. Dexter Lawrence II, Cincinnati Bengals
8. Zach Allen, Denver Broncos
9. Milton Williams, New England Patriots
10. Jordan Davis, Philadelphia Eagles

Williams was a Pro Bowler for the third time after finishing with 62 combined tackles, seven sacks and 22 hits on the quarterback.

His impact is also partially evident from the fact Byron Murphy, Uchenna Nwosu and DeMarcus Lawrence all had six sacks or more. Opposing offensive lines were dedicating so much attention to Williams that it opened up space for teammates.

Simmons was a bright spot in a mostly forgettable 3-14 season for the Titans. He had career highs in sacks (11) and tackles for loss (17).

"His tape was phenomenal," one defensive coach told Fowler. "And it's even more impressive doing it on a three-win team and getting little help around him."

Tennessee made Simmons the highest-paid tackle in the league with a three-year, $105.8 million extension.

A big payday will come along for Carter soon enough, too. Despite missing six games, he earned a second straight Pro Bowl nod after posting 33 tackles and three sacks while breaking up seven passes.

One coach called him a "problem" and "game-wrecker" for offenses.

Dexter Lawrence II experienced quite the fall. Last year's top-ranked defensive tackle sits in seventh place, with at least one respondent omitting him from the top 10 altogether.

The 28-year-old had career lows in tackles (31) and sacks (0.5), though he did get his first-ever interception in the NFL.

Lawrence is on a new team and got an additional $28 million following his trade to the Cincinnati Bengals. One NFC scout believes he'll be "rejuvenated" in 2026.

The Bengals are clearly making the same bet because they're counting on Lawrence to improve what was one of the NFL's worst defenses.