I didn’t want to ignore defensive tackle, either. Braden Fiske was impressive at the Senior Bowl. Most of what was written up about him concerns the game itself – he had to switch teams at the last minute to even out the numbers and performed spectacularly – but he was outstanding all week.

That’s one reason I selected him over choices like defensive lineman McKinnley Jackson, safety Javon Bullard, cornerback Mike Sainristil, and receiver Johnny Wilson.

I wouldn’t have minded adding a nose tackle at some point, but I have more confidence in Harrison Phillips than any other defensive lineman on the team. I wanted a pass-rusher, and Fiske is certainly that. While Braswell was leading edge rushers in the SEC in true pass set pressures, Fiske was leading interior defenders in the same.

Fiske is a bit of a tweener as a potential five-technique rusher in addition to his potential role as a three-technique, and that’s fine with me. Though their scouting reports aren’t alike, the usage pattern for Fiske could look much like that of Deatrich Wise Jr., who played both three-technique and five-technique for the Flores Patriots.

Wise and Fiske both share uncommon strength and incredible motor but share concerns about lateral agility. While Wise excellently leveraged his length, Fiske does a better job using his pad level, with a larger range of pass rush moves available to him. There’s room for him in this defense.