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Gil Brandt's top five college football senior defensive tackles
Gil Brandt's look at the top senior defensive tackles includes a player affectionately known as "Shade Tree."

The 2013 NFL Draft provided a plethora of talented defensive tackles, with four selected in the first 28 picks. It's important for defensive tackles in the NFL to have outstanding strength and quickness. However, defensive tackles usually don't run as fast as defensive ends.
-- Gil Brandt (follow on Twitter @gil_brandt)

The play of the 6-foot-3 1/2, 330-pound Jones was a big reason why the Nittany Lions won eight games during the 2012 season. He is a strong player with good speed (5.15 seconds in the 40-yard dash) for the position. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

The 6-foot-6, 350-pound McCullers makes most big guys look small. Despite his mass, McCullers is very fast for his size (5.15 in the 40). He is also very strong and possesses very good movement stills. His nickname is "Shade Tree," which should give you an idea of his size. (Credit:Tennessee Athletics)

Sutton (6-foot-0 1/2, 285 pounds) is undersized for the position, but did have 13 sacks and 10 1/2 tackles for loss in 2012 despite missing two games (he was hurt on the first play of the Oregon game and missed the UCLA game). He has great quickness (4.85 in the 40) and strength for his size. Sutton is also a great competitor. (AP Photo/Matt York)

The 6-foot-4 7/8, 316-pound Coleman is a big, strong player with good feet and ability to get off blockers. Coleman -- who runs the 40-yard dash in 5.15 seconds -- is a developing player with lots of upside. (Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports)

The 6-foot-2 1/8, 288-pound McAllister is a strong inside player who had 3 1/2 sacks and 33 tackles last season. (AP Photo/Phil Sears)

Reid (6-foot-2, 305 pounds) runs the 40 in 4.82 seconds. He is a very good Ivy League player who needs to be watched this fall as a possible NFL prospect. Reid's former teammate, DE Mike Catapano, was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the seventh round of the 2013 NFL Draft. Catapano was one of three Ivy Leaguers to be selected in this year's draft. (Beverly Schaefer/Princeton Athletics)