Cameron Ball DT Arkansas |
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| Jersey: #5 SUB-POSITION: NT/DT | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 04/11/2026 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2026 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FORTY time: 5.13 seconds (45%*) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Age: 23.5 DOB: 02/19/2003 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Jersey: #5 | |
| SUB-POSITION: NT/DT | |
| Last Updated: 04/11/2026 | |
| Draft Year: 2026 | |
| Forty time: 5.13 seconds (45%*) | |
| Age: 23.5 DOB: 02/19/2003 | |
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| Overall Rating: | 81.2 / 100 | |
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| Average rating of opposition Offense player has faced | ||
| Offense Rating: |
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76% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| Tackling: |
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66% |
| Pass Rush: |
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68% |
| Run Defense: |
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76% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
6th
Overall Rank:
#190
Position rank:
#41 (DL)
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| College Games: 49 College Snaps: 1787 | ||
ESPN RATING: 78/100
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247 RATING: 88/100
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RIVALS RATING: 5.7 (93%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Tommy Togiai - Ohio State |
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85% |
| Junior Tafuna - Utah |
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78% |
| Jordan Phillips - Maryland |
|
76% |
Draft Profile: Bio
Three-star recruit out of East Point, Georgia, Cameron Ball played four years on both sides of the line at Tri-Cities High School before committing to Arkansas over a group of Big Ten and ACC programs. Most schools recruited him as an offensive lineman; the Razorbacks gave him a chance to play defense, and he spent his college career developing as an interior defender in former coordinator Travis Williams' 4-2-5 base scheme.Ball redshirted in 2021 and worked into a reserve role in 2022, earning his first start in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl against Kansas. He posted 32 tackles in 2023 and became a full-time starter in 2024, logging career highs in tackles, tackles for loss and sacks while starting all 13 games. Named a team captain ahead of 2025, he also appeared on the Wuerffel Trophy Watch List for a second straight year.
His final season was interrupted by a freak practice injury in October, and he finished with 27 tackles across 11 starts. Ball accepted a Senior Bowl invitation and attended the NFL Combine. He graduated with a communications degree in December 2024, wrapping up a five-year career in the SEC.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Works through blocks with eyes up, consistently locating the ball carrier in traffic.
- Adequate size and arm length to hold his ground and two-gap against single blocks.
- Keeps feet active through the full length of pass-rush reps, rarely quitting on plays.
- Shows a workable initial move off the snap, using a slap-club to get upfield.
- Reads screen plays before they develop and disrupts timing at the line of scrimmage.
- Pursues effectively outside his assignment, showing enough lateral quickness to close on ball carriers.
- Bend with arms extended lets him stay square and locate cutback lanes effectively.
- Named team captain as a senior; NFL evaluators noted consistent leadership growth across his career.
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Top-heavy frame gets washed by down blocks, losing his gap assignment entirely.
- Pass-rush plan is thin beyond the initial push; too slow to reach secondary moves.
- Tends to stand upright at contact, which kills his ability to change direction quickly.
- Does not convert enough penetration into backfield stops when he does win his rep.
- Below-average testing speed confirms limited burst as a pass rusher on tape.
- Missed 2025 spring practices with an elbow injury; also missed one regular-season game.
- Career production in tackles for loss and sacks is modest for a five-year SEC starter.
Scouting Report: Summary
Ball is a candidate for a rotational zero- or one-technique role in an even-front defense. His functional size and length give him a workable baseline for that kind of job, and his ability to execute both one- and two-gap assignments makes him scheme-flexible on paper. Against single blocks in run defense, he holds his spot well enough. The concern is durability under the added complexity of NFL blocking combinations. Double teams give him real trouble, and down blocks can move him off his assignment. Until he adds lower-body strength, those problems will follow him.As a pass rusher, he is more effort than execution. He keeps his feet moving and rarely quits on a rep, which counts for something, but the plan is thin. A hard jab step to set up an outside-in move is roughly the extent of his current repertoire, and NFL tackles with any athleticism will adjust to that quickly. His hand usage needs meaningful development before he can be trusted in rotation on third down.
The overall picture is a player with enough size and SEC starting experience to earn a camp invitation from a team running a 4-3 or 3-4 even front. The realistic floor is a practice squad candidate who needs to add functional strength and develop a real rush plan. If he secures a roster spot, it will be as a run-down specialist in limited snaps behind more developed options at the position.
Cameron Ball percentiles vs other Defensive Tackles (NFL Combine historically - higher value represents better perfomance)
How other scouting services rate Cameron Ball (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
229.2
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
57.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.