Dontay Corleone emerging as one of college football’s most dominant defensive tackles originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
When you talk about the most disruptive interior defenders in college football, Cincinnati’s Dontay Corleone has to be near the top of the list. At 6'1" and 335 pounds, Corleone plays with rare explosiveness for a player his size. His power profile is ridiculous: a 485-pound bench press, 605-pound squat, and a 700-pound deadlift. That combination of raw strength and athleticism makes him a nightmare for opposing offensive lines.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementCorleone fires off the ball with a quick first step, routinely winning leverage and blowing up run plays before they ever get started. He’s a natural run stopper, capable of anchoring against double teams and collapsing the interior gaps. His motor never turns off, and that relentless energy shows up on film every week.
As a pass rusher, Corleone is still developing, but the traits are all there. He creates immediate pressure up the middle, forcing quarterbacks off their spot and disrupting timing. NFL teams believe that with pro-level coaching, his pass-rush repertoire will expand quickly, turning him into a complete interior force at the next level.
In a draft class filled with edge rushers, Corleone stands out as one of the few true interior disruptors with All-Pro upside. He’s not just strong, he’s explosive, consistent, and increasingly polished. The more Cincinnati leans on him, the clearer it becomes that he’s ready for the NFL spotlight.
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