Notre Dame Football: Jerry Tillery part of loaded 2019 defensive tackle class
There could be a host of talent from the defensive side of the ball from Notre Dame football entering the 2019 NFL Draft, including Jerry Tillery.
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Notre Dame football sent a solid haul of prospects to the 2018 NFL Draft. Mainly, those prospects involved offensive lineman like guard Quenton Nelson (drafted by the Indianapolis Colts sixth overall) and tackle Mike McGlinchey (drafted by the San Francisco 49ers ninth overall). Most of the defensive production is returning to South Bend, IN, in 2018 instead of to the NFL.
A top 2019 NFL Draft prospect to watch for the Fighting Irish in 2018 is rising senior defensive tackle Jerry Tillery. He returns along with a slew of experienced in Notre Dame’s front seven. Senior linebackers like Drue Tranquill and Te’Von Coney could also have their names called in the 2019 NFL Draft, with some solid show outs from both of them in 2018.
The thing that could keep Tillery from being one of the top five defensive tackles in the 2019 class is the competition he’ll be up against. This upcoming draft will be more loaded with studs along the defensive line than possibly any other class in the past decade.
A big year out of Tillery could boost him up into the top five at his position in this class, though. His experienced will also play a role in getting his draft stock up come April 2019. The progress that Tillery showed last season, amassing a career high 4.5 sacks also puts him in great position to be an early pick.
He doesn’t really compare with Ed Oliver of the Houston Cougars or any of the starters along the Clemson Tigers defensive line. However, if there’s a prevalent need for anchors along the defensive line in the NFL next year, then Tillery could even be viewed as a possible late first round pick.
Next: Top 5 prospects for the 2019 NFL Draft
Tillery has a strong frame, but he is surprisingly quick given his overwhelming size at 6-foot-6 and 310 pounds. That’s also a factor that could draw attention from some NFL scouts his way. We have a long way to go, but Notre Dame fans should feel good about having Tillery on the roster this year.