Texas Football: 3 NFL Draft landing spots for T'Vondre Sweat

A core piece of Texas football's 2023 defense, DL T'Vondre Sweat, has the potential to be a long-term impact starter at defensive tackle in the NFL.
T'Vondre Sweat, Texas football
T'Vondre Sweat, Texas football / Aaron E. Martinez/American-Statesman /
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The reigning Outland Trophy Award winner for the best interior lineman in the nation, Texas football's T'Vondre Sweat embodies the mantra of "big humans" in the 2024 NFL Draft. Sweat is literally the biggest defensive tackle in the 2024 draft class, based on his weigh-in at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis this week.

Sweat weighed in at 6-foot-4.5 and 366 pounds, at least 30 pounds heavier than the next-heaviest defensive tackle at the combine. We don't yet have the offensive line measurements among the combine participants, but it's safe to say that Sweat will rank among the biggest players in Indy.

Texas football DT T'Vondre Sweat viewed as a top 50 prospect in the 2024 NFL Draft

What makes Sweat such a highly valued prospect in this 2024 draft class is how he moves and takes up space with his big 366-pound frame. Sweat was among the most disruptive defensive tackles in recent memory in college football during his award-laden 2023 campaign at Texas.

Sweat was the highest-graded defensive tackle in the Power Five last season. His traits and upside in the NFL is clear. Sweat will almost certainly be taken off draft boards by the middle of Day 2 this spring. He could go as early as the middle-to-late round picks on Day 1 of the draft.

Here are three viable destinations for Sweat in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Arizona Cardinals

The Arizona Cardinals and head coach Jonathan Gannon have multiple position groups to prioritize building via the NFL Draft and free agency this offseason on both sides of the ball. On defense, specifically, the Cardinals must bolster the trenches first.

Arizona is set to lose multiple key contributors along the defensive line to free agency this offseason, including starters Kevin Strong and Jonathan Ledbetter.

Rebuilding the defensive line starts with getting an anchor at defensive tackle. They probably need multiple defensive tackles via free agency and/or the draft.

Drafting an impactful defensive tackle on Day 1 or Day 2 would be a wise move for the Cardinals. Sweat could provide them good value with their first Day 2 pick of the draft, which is in the 35th overall spot in the second round.

Sweat is projected to be a late first or second round pick in the draft, so this spot could be a perfect fit for him and the Cardinals.