Justin Scott DT Miami |
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| Jersey: #5 SUB-POSITION: NT/DT | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 11/03/2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2027 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FORTY time: 4.90 seconds (89%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Jersey: #5 | |
| SUB-POSITION: NT/DT | |
| Last Updated: 11/03/2026 | |
| Draft Year: 2027 | |
| Forty time: 4.90 seconds (89%*) | |
| Overall Rating: |
86.2 / 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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77% |
| Pass Rush: |
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72% |
| Run Defense: |
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85% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
2nd - Early
Overall Rank:
#34
Position rank:
#5 (DL)
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| College Games: 35 College Snaps: 938 | ||
ESPN RATING: 88/100
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247 RATING: 98/100
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RIVALS RATING: 6.1 (100%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Ruke Orhorhoro - Clemson |
|
100% |
| Walter Nolen - Ole Miss |
|
83% |
| T.J. Sanders - South Carolina |
|
81% |
Draft Profile: Bio
Justin Scott grew up playing basketball and did not take up football until his freshman year at St. Ignatius College Prep in Chicago. He developed quickly enough to start on both lines, posting 42 tackles, 13 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks as a junior, then earning all-state honors and an All-American Bowl invitation as a senior. ESPN ranked him No. 36 in the 2024 class, and he committed to Ohio State before flipping to Miami in November 2023.Scott appeared on Bruce Feldman's list of the sport's best athletes before playing a college snap. He was a backup as a freshman in 2024, making seven tackles and a sack in 12 games. His role grew in 2025, when he started the final nine games for a team that reached the national championship game, finishing with 26 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, a sack and a forced fumble. He had 2.5 tackles for loss and a sack in the win at Virginia Tech and played in all four playoff games, including the 27-21 title game loss to Indiana.
Scott has been part of the starting interior for an unbeaten Miami team in 2026. He had his busiest game in the double-overtime win over Florida State, and he got to the quarterback against Central Michigan and North Carolina. He has 24 tackles and seven pressures in eight games, and teammate James Brockermeyer has called him really powerful.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Rare get-off for an interior lineman, with a top-tier forty
- Started the final nine games of Miami's march to the national title game
- Holds up against both run and pass, scheme-flexible starter value
- Length lets him stack and shed, keeping his frame clean against single blocks
- Had a sack and 2.5 tackles for loss in the 2025 win at Virginia Tech
- Missed one tackle in eight games this season
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Production lags the traits, with seven pressures in eight games
- Frame is on the lean side for holding up against interior doubles
- Few sacks for a player with his first step
- Still relatively new to football after starting the sport in high school
Scouting Report: Summary
Scott came to Miami as one of the top defensive linemen in his class and looks the part of a movement three-technique, with a get-off that is unusual for an interior player and the length to keep blockers off his chest. He holds up on run downs and passing downs, the profile of a scheme-flexible starter rather than a one-trick interior man, and he has started on two of the best Miami defenses in years.He has also grown quickly for a player who did not play football until high school. He started the final nine games of 2025 during Miami's march to the national title game, made plays in big moments at Virginia Tech and has been part of an unbeaten front this season. He has missed only one tackle in eight games, and his busiest day came in the double-overtime win over Florida State.
However, the production has not yet matched the traits. He has seven pressures in eight games, and his sack totals understate how often he wins the first step but also show that his finish and rush plan are works in progress. His frame is on the lean side, and guards who get their hands on him in the run game can move him. He is still learning the position after only a few years of playing football, so his hand usage is behind his athleticism. He did make 6.5 tackles for loss in 2025, so the flashes are there.
Overall, there is a long-term interior starter here who can rush the passer from over the guard, with a rotational floor and a much higher ceiling if the hand counters and the finish catch up to the first step. He projects as a second-round defensive tackle with the traits to outplay that slot. Miami's unbeaten start has kept him on the field for meaningful snaps against Florida State, North Carolina and Central Michigan.
How other scouting services rate Justin Scott (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
36.6
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
5.0
*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.