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A defensive tackle ( DT) is a position in American football that typically lines up on the line of scrimmage, opposite one of the offensive guards; however, he may also line up opposite one of the offensive tackles. Defensive tackles are typically the largest and strongest of the defensive players. Depending on a team's defensive scheme, a defensive tackle may be called upon to fill several different roles. These may include merely holding the point of attack by refusing to be moved, or penetrating a certain gap between offensive linemen to break up a play in the opponent's backfield. If a defensive tackle reads a pass play, his primary responsibility is to pursue the quarterback, or simply knock the pass down at the line if it is within arm's reach. Other responsibilities of the defensive tackle may be to pursue the screen pass or drop into coverage in a zone blitz scheme. In a traditional 4–3 defense, there is no nose tackle. Instead there are a left and a right defensive tackle. Some teams, especially in the National Football League (NFL), have a nose tackle in this scheme, but most of them do not.
Typical 3–4 nose tackles are "big wide bodies who can hold the point of attack and force double teams by the guard and center". They are usually the heaviest players on the roster, with weights ranging from . Height is critical, as they are supposed to get "under" the offensive line; ideal 3–4 nose tackles are no taller than . Recent examples of such nose tackles include Gilbert Brown, Jamal Williams, Vince Wilfork, and Damon Harrison. Rather uncommon are taller nose tackles, such as Bobby Brown III who is , and Ted Washington and Ma'ake Kemoeatu, each of whom was tall and has won Super Bowl rings. Current notable examples of nose tackles include Dexter Lawrence, Desmond Watson and Vita Vea.
In some 4–3 defenses, the nose tackle is one of two defensive tackles. Some teams, especially in the National Football League, have a nose tackle in the 4–3 defense, who lines up against the opposing center and very likely the weak-side or pulling guard. In a 4–3 defense, nose tackles are rather quick and supposed to "shoot the 'A gap' and beat the center and very likely the weak-side or pulling guard into the backfield." Height is not as important, and their weight is closer to .
The terms "nose guard" or "middle guard" were more commonly used with the five-man defensive line of the older 5–2 defense. Effective against most plays of the day, but with a weakness to the inside short pass, the 5–2 was phased out of the professional game in the late 1950s.Rand, Jonathan, Riddell Presents: The Gridiron's Greatest Linebackers, Sports Publishing, 2003, p. 36Zimmerman, Paul, The New Thinking Man's Guide to Pro Football, HarperCollins, 1984, p. 128. In the 4–3 defense, the upright middle linebacker replaced the middle guard. The nose tackle is also used in a 50 read defense. In this defense there is a nose tackle, two defensive tackles, and two outside linebackers who can play on the line of scrimmage or off the line of scrimmage in a two-point stance. The nose tackle lines up head up on the center about six to eighteen inches off the ball. In a reading 50 defense, the nose tackle's key is to read the offensive center to the ball. In run away, the nose tackle's job is to shed the blocker and pursue down the line of scrimmage, taking an angle of pursuit. The primary responsibility of the nose tackle in this scheme is to absorb multiple blockers so that other players in the defensive front can attack ball carriers and rush the quarterback.
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