Nose Tackle (NT) Draft History

140 NTs drafted in the NFL Draft

Since 1980, NFL teams have drafted 115 nose tackles in the NFL Draft, 9 of them in the first round. By career Approximate Value, the most productive pick was Vince Wilfork (NT, Miami (FL)), taken in round 1 of the 2004 draft. The biggest value pick was Michael Carter, a round-5 selection in 1984 who made 3 Pro Bowls. Of the picks made through 2025, 10 (9%) made at least one Pro Bowl and 99% appeared in at least one NFL game. The most common school was Texas, with 6 picks.

Figures cover the 1980–2026 drafts. Source: nflverse.

Top Nose Tackles by Career Sacks

#▼Player▼Draft Year▼Pick▼Sacks▼
1Ndamukong Suh2010#271.5
2Frank Warren1981#5756
3Javon Hargrave2016#8949
4Jim Wilks1981#30549
5Bill Maas1984#540
6Kenny Clark2016#2738
7Daron Payne2018#1337
8Ted Washington1991#2534.5
9Jeff Wright1988#21331.5
10Russell Maryland1991#124.5
11Joe Phillips1986#9324.5
12Kris Jenkins2001#4424
13John Copeland1993#524
14Michael Carter1984#12122.5
15Andre Townsend1984#4622
16Jason Ferguson1997#22921.5
17Kelly Gregg1999#17320.5
18Keith Traylor1991#6120
19Barry Cofield2006#12419.5
20Jason Fisk1995#24319

All NT Draft Picks

YearRdPick TeamPlayerPosCollege
2018 1 13 WAS Daron Payne NT Alabama
2018 3 75 KC Derrick Nnadi NT Florida State
2017 3 74 BAL Chris Wormley NT Michigan
2016 1 27 GB Kenny Clark NT UCLA
2016 2 43 TEN Austin Johnson NT Penn State
2016 3 89 PIT Javon Hargrave NT South Carolina State
2015 2 39 CHI Eddie Goldman NT Florida State
2015 6 203 DEN Darius Kilgo NT Maryland
2014 3 82 CHI Will Sutton NT Arizona State
2014 5 165 LAC Ryan Carrethers NT Arkansas State
2012 4 109 PIT Alameda Ta'amu NT Washington
2012 5 136 IND Josh Chapman NT Alabama
2012 7 249 ATL Travian Robertson NT South Carolina
2011 6 199 KC Jerrell Powe NT Mississippi
2011 7 253 WAS Chris Neild NT West Virginia
2010 1 2 DET Ndamukong Suh NT Nebraska
2010 2 57 BAL Terrence Cody NT Alabama, Mississippi Gulf Coast CC
2010 7 234 DAL Sean Lissemore NT William & Mary
2009 1 9 GB B.J. Raji NT Boston College
2009 3 72 JAX Terrance Knighton NT Temple
2009 4 115 DET Sammie Lee Hill NT Stillman College
2008 1 5 KC Glenn Dorsey NT LSU
2008 6 190 CLE Ahtyba Rubin NT Iowa State, Trinity Valley CC
2007 2 33 ARI Alan Branch NT Michigan
2007 3 81 NYG Jay Alford NT Penn State
2006 1 14 PHI Brodrick Bunkley NT Florida State
2006 3 73 CHI Dusty Dvoracek NT Oklahoma
2006 4 107 ARI Gabe Watson NT Michigan
2006 4 123 CIN Domata Peko Sr. NT Michigan State, College of the Canyons
2006 4 124 NYG Barry Cofield NT Northwestern
2005 2 37 DET Shaun Cody NT USC
2005 3 88 NYJ Sione Po'uha NT Utah
2005 6 178 TB Anthony Bryant NT Alabama
2004 1 21 NE Vince Wilfork NT Miami
2004 4 104 SF Isaac Sopoaga NT Hawaii, College of the Canyons
2003 4 116 CHI Ian Scott NT Florida
2003 5 146 BAL Aubrayo Franklin NT Tennessee, Itawamba JC
2003 7 243 NE Ethan Kelley NT Baylor
2002 1 9 JAX John Henderson NT Tennessee
2002 3 83 HOU Charles Hill NT Maryland
2001 1 19 PIT Casey Hampton NT Texas
2001 1 29 LA Ryan Pickett NT Ohio State
2001 2 44 CAR Kris Jenkins NT Maryland
2000 3 72 PIT Kendrick Clancy NT Mississippi, East Central JC
1999 6 173 CIN Kelly Gregg NT Oklahoma
1998 2 2 LAC Jamal Williams NT Oklahoma State, Kemper Military Junior College
1997 7 229 NYJ Jason Ferguson NT Georgia, Itawamba JC
1995 7 243 MIN Jason Fisk NT Stanford
1994 2 37 PHI Bruce Walker NT UCLA
1993 1 5 CIN John Copeland NT Alabama, Hinds CC
1993 3 79 MIN Gilbert Brown NT Kansas
1992 3 67 PIT Joel Steed NT Colorado
1992 6 147 LAC Reggie White NT North Carolina A&T
1991 1 1 DAL Russell Maryland NT Miami
1991 1 25 SF Ted Washington NT Louisville
1991 2 35 GB Esera Tuaolo NT Oregon State
1991 3 61 DEN Keith Traylor NT Central Oklahoma, Oklahoma, Coffeyville CC
1991 9 226 ATL Ernie Logan NT East Carolina
1991 9 228 LA Jeff Fields NT Arkansas State, Hinds CC
1990 2 51 NYG Mike Fox NT West Virginia
1990 6 152 KC Tom Sims NT Pittsburgh, Western Michigan
1990 7 181 BUF Fred DeRiggi NT Syracuse
1990 9 248 SF Odell Haggins NT Florida State
1989 4 94 ARI Jim Wahler NT UCLA
1989 4 105 NYG Brad Henke NT Arizona, Iowa State, Palomar College
1989 5 115 DET Lawrence Pete NT Nebraska
1989 5 131 HOU Glenn Montgomery NT Houston
1989 12 313 ATL Tony Bowick NT Tennessee-Chattanooga
1988 1 26 DEN Ted Gregory NT Syracuse
1988 4 84 CIN David Grant NT West Virginia
1988 4 88 GB Rollin Putzier NT Oregon
1988 5 128 PIT Jerry Reese NT Kentucky
1988 6 158 SEA Roy Hart NT South Carolina, Northwest Mississippi CC
1988 8 195 CIN Curtis Maxey NT Grambling State
1988 8 196 DET Gary Hadd NT Minnesota
1988 8 213 BUF Jeff Wright NT Central Missouri, Tulsa, Coffeyville CC
1987 3 2 TB Dan Sileo NT Miami, Cincinnati, Maryland
1987 7 169 TB Curt Jarvis NT Alabama
1987 7 184 SEA Roland Barbay NT LSU
1987 8 197 TB Stan Mataele NT Arizona, Sacramento City
1987 8 209 BUF Bruce Mesner NT Maryland
1987 12 311 BUF Joe McGrail NT Delaware
1986 2 42 NE Mike Ruth NT Boston College
1986 3 65 CIN Mike Hammerstein NT Michigan
1986 4 93 MIN Joe Phillips NT SMU, Oregon State, Chemeketa Community College
1986 5 117 IND Scott Kellar NT Northern Illinois
1986 5 134 DEN Tony Colorito NT USC
1986 10 251 BUF Guy Teafatiller NT Illinois, Cerritos College
1986 10 257 KC Ike Readon NT Hampton
1985 5 127 CIN Tony Degrate NT Texas
1985 6 164 MIN Tim Newton NT Florida
1985 9 233 PHI Joe Drake NT Arizona
1984 1 5 KC Bill Maas NT Pittsburgh
1984 1 16 CIN Pete Koch NT Maryland
1984 2 46 DEN Andre Townsend NT Mississippi
1984 3 72 GB Donnie Humphrey NT Auburn
1984 4 86 SEA Rickey Hagood NT South Carolina
1984 5 121 SF Michael Carter NT SMU
1984 6 144 LAC Keith Guthrie NT Texas A&M
1984 8 208 MIN Paul Sverchek NT Cal Poly (San Luis Obispo)
1983 4 98 NO Gary Lewis NT Oklahoma State
1983 5 131 TB Tony Chickillo NT Miami
1983 5 139 HOU Jerome Foster NT Ohio State
1983 6 149 CLE Dave Puzzuoli NT Pittsburgh
1983 7 192 LAC Bill Elko NT LSU, Arizona State
1983 12 329 LAC Chuck Ehin NT BYU
1982 1 27 NE Lester Williams NT Miami
1982 2 28 BAL Leo Wisniewski NT Penn State
1982 2 54 CIN Emanuel Weaver NT South Carolina State, Arizona Western
1982 5 114 NO Tony Elliott NT North Texas, Wisconsin
1982 7 190 PHI Harvey Armstrong NT SMU
1981 3 57 NO Frank Warren NT Auburn
1981 4 105 GB Richard Turner NT Oklahoma
1981 5 128 NO Jerry Boyarsky NT Pittsburgh
1981 12 305 NO Jim Wilks NT San Diego State, California, Pasadena College
1980 2 52 HOU Daryle Skaugstad NT California
1980 3 59 CIN Rod Horn NT Nebraska
1980 3 75 MIA Bill Barnett NT Nebraska
1980 6 142 LA Bill Acker NT Texas
1980 6 148 MIN Ray Yakavonis NT East Stroudsburg State
1979 2 31 HOU Mike Stensrud NT Iowa State
1979 2 32 BUF Fred Smerlas NT Boston College
1979 7 167 KC Ken Kremer NT Ball State
1979 12 307 TB David Logan NT Pittsburgh
1979 12 320 LV Reggie Kinlaw NT Oklahoma
1978 1 8 CIN Ross Browner NT Notre Dame
1978 2 46 LA Stan Johnson NT Tennessee State
1978 3 60 NO Barry Bennett NT Concordia College
1978 9 237 LAC Henry Bradley NT Alcorn State
1977 2 40 MIA Bob Baumhower NT Alabama
1977 6 144 NYJ Joe Klecko NT Temple
1977 12 314 ATL Don Parrish NT Pittsburgh
1976 3 62 SEA Jeff Lloyd NT West Texas State
1976 6 159 PIT Gary Dunn NT Miami
1975 2 30 LAC Louie Kelcher NT SMU
1975 2 38 DET Doug English NT Texas
1975 3 56 BAL Dave Pear NT Washington
1975 5 121 DEN Rubin Carter NT Miami
1974 6 136 MIA Randy Crowder NT Penn State
1974 17 418 LAC Charles DeJurnett NT San Jose State, West Los Angeles College