NFL Draft 2025 player profile: CJ West could be the Seahawks’ nose tackle solution

NCAA Football: Maryland at Indiana — Robert Goddin-Imagn Images

The Seahawks could find their true nose tackle in Day 3.

One of my favorite times of the year is writing up the NFL Draft player profiles. Some of the eventual Seattle Seahawks picks I’ve nailed down in recent years include Byron Murphy II, Christian Haynes, Tyrice Knight, Devon Witherspoon, Zach Charbonnet, Olu Oluwatimi, Boye Mafe, Kenny McIntosh, Abe Lucas, and Riq Woolen.

With the 2025 NFL Draft less than a week away, we’re continuing to take closer looks at several intriguing prospects, including expected Round 1 picks all the way to Day 3/UDFA options. This scouting report is on Indiana nose tackle C.J. West, who could be a big option for Seattle’s interior defensive line.

Let’s get to the report!

Prospect Info

Name: CJ West

Jersey #: 8

College: Indiana Hoosiers

Position: NT

Awards: – Honorable Mention All-Big Ten Conference;

– Third-team All-MAC;

Class: Senior

Style: Run Stopper

Comparison: Poona Ford

Projection: 5th round

Stats

2024: 13 G, 42 tackles, 7.5 TFLs, 2 sacks, 1 PBU, 1 FF

2023: 12 G, 40 tackles, 7 TFLs, 2 sacks, 1 FF

2022: 10 G, 26 tackles, 4.5 TFLs, 1 sack

2021: 14 G, 43 tackles, 8 TFLs, 4 sacks

2020: Redishirted. 3 G, 1 Tackle

Combine/Pro Day Results

HT 6’ 1’’

WT 316 lbs

Arms: 31 1/2’’

Wingspan 78⅛”

Hands 9 3/4’’

40 yds 4.95s

10 yd split 1.73s

Short Shuttle: N/A

3 Cone Drill: N/A

VJ 33’’

BJ N/A

Bench Press 28

Relative Athletic Score: 9.15

Background

CJ West was one of the standout players on the Indiana team that made it to the playoffs. He arrived at Indiana after playing four years at Kent State. West was a two-star prospect coming out of high school at Nazareth Academy. There he played with eventual Michigan star J.J. McCarthy and was a linebacker.

He is one of the best nose tackles in the class and has the potential to do more. He has the potential to be more consistent as a pass rusher, but it is by being an anchor in the running game that West will find his place in the NFL.

Evaluating the prospect…

Run Defense

Lines up as a nose tackle and anticipates what the OL is going to do well. He is a different guy, not against any OL, but against Michigan’s. His explosive lateral step ends the run.

He is very good at reading the play while holding his gap. He notices the RB’s cut as the LB approaches and easily gets away from the OL to make the tackle.

Aligned as a 1-tech, he shows his strength in holding position, thanks to his leverage and good base. He should have been removed from the play with the impact on the RG’s double-team, but he recovers and makes the tackle.

Indiana’s average depth of tackle against runs in the A gap last season was just 2.11 yards. The next closest team had 2.75. It’s worth noting that Indiana defended just 85 such runs, 104th best in the country, but had 29 TFLs (7.5 from West) or no gains, which was the 4th most.

Good change of direction. He moves in the direction of the run, but has lateral mobility to get back away from the OL and advance into the backfield for the tackle.

For those who don’t remember, Poona Ford was a running back in college. West was “just” a LB. But these NTs keep all the athleticism and mobility they had in their old positions.

Pass Rush

He moves laterally right after the snap. He unbalances the center and gains an advantage with a nice swipe move that prevents contact and throws the center into the QB’s lap with a powerful move.

A move that is combined with his natural leverage. He moves his feet very quickly, so he can generate power to be a nightmare for centers. The QB is rushed with the threat of the C being thrown into his lap.

He basically uses swim move and bull rush. At times he can be undisciplined at pad level. I believe that because he is 6’1 and has a natural leverage advantage, he can be more aggressive. However, with his short arms, this can allow opponents to access his chest and control him. He succeeds here because of all his effort and the fact that the QB is going towards him.

STRENGTHS:

– Identifying blocks

– Anchoring;

– Explosive first step;

– Ability to react;

– Lateral mobility;

WEAKNESSES:

– Short arms;

– Little production in the pass rush;

– Lack of counter moves;

– Exposes his chest too much at pad level;

Final Thoughts

Seattle didn’t have a solid NT during the season. Johnathan Hankins was signed to that role, but he failed to make an impact like he has in other seasons. Byron Murphy missed time with an injury and was the Seahawks’ best player in that role. Bringing in a nose tackle would allow Murphy and his explosiveness to be used more as a 3-tech and help out as a pass rusher, a potential that wasn’t explored because Murphy was too stuck in the 0 and 1-tech roles.

The idea isn’t to take all of Murphy’s snaps in the A gap, but to have someone solid in that role allow him to move around the line. West has the ability to do more than Hankins did in Seattle in the run game and also as a pass rusher. He was used in different spots on the line in Indiana, but I think he’ll just be an NT lining up in front of the center and in the A gap.