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Dontay ‘The Godfather’ Corleone can do Las Vegas Raiders a favor in 2026 NFL draft

Yahoo Sports

Someday, and that day may never come, the Raiders may call upon the nose tackle to do a service and stop the run.

CINCINNATI, OH - NOVEMBER 25: Cincinnati Bearcats defensive lineman Dontay Corleone (2) rushes on defense while blocked by Kansas Jayhawks offensive lineman Michael Ford Jr. (54) during a college football game on November 25, 2023 at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images The Las Vegas Raiders are widely expected to add a nose tackle to the roster during the 2026 NFL draft , but where they take one is still a big mystery.

As a result, Silver and Black Pride has been working through this year’s draft class, and Cincinnati’s Dontay Corleone is an interesting Day 3 option. The former Bearcat ranks 123rd overall and owns a fourth-round projection, according to NFL Mock Draft Database’s consensus big board , as of April 13. Nicknamed “The Godfather” as a tribute to Vito Corleone from the iconic 1970s movie, the defensive lineman can do the Raiders’ run defense a favor.

Granted, he didn’t have much production this past season, recording just 13 tackles in 10 games. However, he’s the type of nose tackle who can be trusted to plug up gaps and take away rushing lanes to set up other defenders to make plays, evidenced by recording the fifth-best Pro Football Focus run defense grade (80. 9) among Big 12 defensive tackles.

In other words, the tape better tells the story of what Corleone could bring to Las Vegas, so let’s dive in. Good example of Dontay Corleone's strength at the POA to reset the LOS and cut the field in half #NFLDraft2026 pic. twitter.

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