Where Does Sieler Rank Among NFL's Best Defensive Tackles?

Madden rankings are not a good evaluation tool and probably shouldn’t be taken too seriously in any scenario. However, they do highlight the notion that many don’t view Sieler as one of the top defensive tackles in the sport. 

Earlier this summer, ESPN released its annual position rankings from team executives, and Sieler was merely an honorable mention — not someone the NFL views as one of the 10 best at his position. 

So, that begs the question: where does Sieler rank among the league’s defensive tackles? Let’s take a look. 

Sieler’s Resume 

Sieler becoming even a fringe top 10 interior defensive lineman is one of the more impressive underdog stories in the league. The Ravens selected him in the seventh round of the 2018 NFL draft out of Ferris State, but released him halfway into the 2019 season. 

The Dolphins claimed him off waivers as they were in full teardown mode that season and were looking to add anyone with even an inkling of talent. Since then, Sieler’s role has steadily grown. 

He’s gone from a reliable rotational player to a solid starter to a well-rounded star who is arguably the best player on the entire team. 

The last two seasons have been the real boon for Sieler’s stock. He’s recorded 10 sacks and at least 10 tackles for loss — he set a new career-high with 13 last year —  in back-to-back seasons.  

Those 13 tackles for loss against the run ranked second among interior defensive linemen and were 14th among all players. 

The only interior defensive lineman who had more sacks than Sieler last season was Leonard Williams of the Seattle Seahawks, who had 11. Sieler also finished 10th among interior defensive linemen in total pressures last season with 46. 

Sieler’s film backs up those stats, too. His strength and surprising quickness make him a lot to handle as a pass rusher, and he’s always been a quality run defender. He’s just gotten better over the years. 

The holes in Sieler’s resume are centered around national recognition. He’s yet to make the Pro Bowl, has never been voted to the All-Pro team, and his numbers from before 2023 are underwhelming. 

It creates an interesting dynamic. Sieler deserves more national recognition for his play now, but one of the reasons he’s not getting it is that he hasn’t gotten it in the past. 

What Sieler Brings off the Field 

What players do for a team’s locker room doesn’t get highlighted in these rankings a ton, but Sieler deserves a lot of credit for how he’s handled his career. 

Going from a seventh-round pick out of Ferris State to a highly productive player is incredibly impressive, but Sieler has also handled his business like a professional. He’s earned a raise on his current contract but is choosing not to hold out (or hold in) at training camp. 

“His teammates very much recognize how Zach Sieler plays football and contributes to the building,” coach Mike McDaniel said about Sieler on Friday. “I think Zach has a vision that he and the team share. He understands, as a leader, he’s trying to show guys how he wants teammates to play football. I’m excited every time I see Zach Sieler.” 

For a team struggling to push back against narratives about poor locker room culture and a lack of toughness, Sieler's leading by example and participating in training camp matters a lot. 

Where Does Sieler Land? 

We’ve established Sieler’s on-field and off-field value, but ranking him among the league’s defensive tackles is tricky. 

If we’re going off our film study, Sieler should land somewhere in the 7-10 range on most lists. He’s one of the more well-rounded interior defensive linemen in the sport and doesn’t have many weaknesses. 

However, that can also hold him back a bit, as he doesn’t quite have the overwhelming positives (athleticism, pass-rush prowess) that tend to hold more value. Additionally, the NFL is absolutely stacked with quality defensive tackles. 

For example, the only true interior defensive lineman who had more sacks than Sieler last season was Leonard Williams. He didn’t make Madden’s top 10 but was sixth in ESPN’s survey of executives. 

Even a player like Osa Odighizuwa of the Dallas Cowboys, who got a significant contract this offseason and plays for the league’s most popular team, didn’t make either list. 

We would put Sieler above Odighizuwa at this point anyway, but it just shows how competitive this position group is. 

There’s also the question of how you value long-term upside. As good as Sieler is right now, someone like Jalen Carter (Eagles) is much younger and already putting up comparable numbers and film. 

Ultimately, though, it’s a bit strange that Sieler isn’t consistently in the top 10. He finished in the top 10 in every major stat among interior defensive linemen last season, and if you watch the Dolphins’ defense even a little bit, he stands out. 

Sieler doesn’t quite have the pedigree (yet) to be a consistent member at the top of lists or rankings, but he should be appearing way more often toward the bottom.