A.J. Holmes Jr. DL Texas Tech |
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report

Scouting Report: Weaknesses

• Finish as a tackler is ordinary, with four misses on the year
• Average timed speed limits range and back-side pursuit
• Wins more on power than a varied hand plan when the bull stalls

Scouting Report: Summary

Holmes is the kind of interior anchor a defense builds its run front around, and 2025 added a pass-rush dimension that lifts the whole profile. His run defense sat near the top of the position, but the leap was the disruption: five sacks and thirty-seven pressures from inside, headlined by a two-sack, eight-pressure afternoon against Kansas and a forced fumble at BYU. He resets the line with quick hands, holds up against doubles, and gives a defense trustworthy snaps on every down.

The cleanup areas are honest but minor. His tackle finish is ordinary and the grade took a hit from four misses, the timed speed is average so the range is limited, and the rush still leans on power more than a sequenced hand plan when the bull rush stalls. None of it undercuts the core, which is a productive, three-down interior presence who wins the run rep and chips in pressure.

There is a starting-caliber interior defender here, the rare older prospect whose tape backs the grade rather than the upside. He wins now with leverage, hands, and motor, and the pass-rush growth gives him a higher ceiling than a pure run-plugger. Slot him as an early-down cornerstone who earns sub-package snaps, a first-round value on production if the eligibility checks out.