Clemson DT DeMonte Capehart 2025 NFL Draft Profile

Cons:

• Pass rush upside  
  You aren’t drafting Capehart to impact the passing game. He has no plan of attack, and is a very linear player. At best, he’s an early down run stopper, and shouldn’t be depended on much to rush the passer in any capacity. 

• Pad level  
  Capehart has a bad habit of popping straight up on contact. His power is enough to make up for it, and allow him to still create a nice amount of power. It does, however, cause him to lose leverage too often. 
• Awareness  
  There are way too many plays where Capehart is able to create some penetration, but has no awareness to finish plays. There is also no evidence of adjusting his pursuit path. Capehart is a linear player who does little outside of going from Point A to Point B. 

Player Evaluation:

While Capehart might go slightly underrated by the 2025 NFL Draft evaluators out there, his role is incredibly valuable on the NFL level. The Clemson star has a chance to be a very valuable player on early downs, potentially manning the nose in either an even or odd man front. That makes his floor pretty high if he develops. 

There is, however, some boom-or-bust to Capehart’s game. He has the upside to be a plus starter as a run defense, but his inconsistent pad level and overall awareness needs to improve quickly. It could hold him back from holding a substantial role early on in his career. 

Player Comparison:

Bobby Brown III (Los Angeles Rams)

Capehart is an early down run stopper that is almost impossible to move in 1-on-1 situations. There is no upside as a pass rusher, but Capehart still has a role as a plus run defender if his awareness continues to develop. 

A to Z Rankings:

A to Z Big Board Ranking: #13 defensive tackle

A to Z Draft Grade: TBD

Draft projection: Third-Fourth round