Dontay CorleoneHeight: 6’0 ½”Weight: 340 lbsClass: SeniorSchool: CincinnatiHands: 9 ½”Arm length: 31 ⅞”40-yard dash: 4.53 seconds10-yard split: 1.61 secondsSTATS
A former three-star recruit out of Colerain High School in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he was the 48th recruit from his state and the 149th defensive tackle in the 2021 recruiting cycle. Corleone had an elite freshman season with the Bearcats; here are his college statistics:
He added 16 pressures and 31 STOPs in 2022 under defensive coordinator Mike Tressel, who left the Bearcats for Wisconsin after the 2022 season.
Brian Brown took over the defense in 2023 for just one season, and then Tyson Veidt assumed the position for the final two years of Corleone’s time as a Bearcat. Corleone was dealing with blood clots during those two years with Veidt.
Corleone was a First-team All-Big-12 selection in 2024 and All-ACC in 2022 (freshman). He was also Second-Team All-Big-12 in 2023 & 2025. He finished his college career with 68 pressures, 68 STOPs, and a low 7.1% missed tackle rate; he had one of the best defensive grades in college football during his freshman year (PFF) – was a Freshman All-American.
He only played 1,565 snaps through his four seasons at Cincinnati. Dontay Corleone attended the East-West Shrine Game.
Cincinnati Bearcats defensive tackle Dontay Corleone (2) embraces his teammates during a scrimmage, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024, at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati. | Frank Bowen IV/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK
StrengthsInsanely compact frame – short w/ massive sizeVery intriguing athlete – 14th on Bruce Feldman’s list of extraordinary athlete Good quickness for a player of his sizeFires off the ball with solid explosivenessQuick feet + burst to slant from noseAbove-average short area quicknessFire-hydrant run defenderResets the LOS well with very good strength Above-average anchor when he’s reading Heavy hands that are violentSolid hand strength to control blocksGood pass rushing upside for sizeVery good upper-body strength Has played in a variety of defenses Workout warrior (485 pound bench, 615-lb squat, sum-deadlift of 585-pounds)WeaknessesShort arms are a problem Comes off the ball too high Gets moved too easily when on the move – penetrating Pass rush plan?Older prospect – will be 24 at the start of the season Weight management may be an issue2024 blood clots will require more evaluation Had lower-body injuries that kept him out of games in 2025Summary
Dontay Corleone – the Godfather – operated as the nose-tackle in Cincinnati’s 3-3-5 defense. He often leveraged his quick first step to slant into the A-Gaps to occupy blockers, which allowed the stacked backers to fit/fill quickly.
Corleone would make a good rotational nose behind Dexter Lawrence – one that offers some pass rushing skills, while being a sound run defender; there’s more talent with Corleone that may have not been tapped due to the hurdles he overcame through his college career (three different coaches, injuries, etc.).
Corleone has pass rushing upside due to his natural low center of gravity – he does need to keep his hips low, though – plus, his strength, quickness, and powerful hands allow him to get to the half-man well and threaten IOL.
He doesn’t really have a pass rushing plan, though, but traits are evident and there are tools to work with in terms of his skill-set. His injury history will be a big part of his draft profile, but he is an interesting nose-tackle option who should be around on day-three.
GRADE: 6.0D
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