Skill-Set Summary: There is a lot for NFL scouts to like about Nix. He has a rare combination of size, power, quickness and athletic ability. There are few defensive tackle prospects who have Nix's movement skills at his size. While the senior is a heavy tackle, he isn't slow. Nix has a quick burst off the snap and is surprisingly agile for such a big lineman.
Nix is a superb run-defender. He is nearly impossible to move at the point of attack and always seems to fill his gap. Nix does a great job of stuffing holes and eating up blockers to free up his linebackers. He isn't just a plugger either; he has the power and burst to explode through the line to stuff the running back for a loss or no gain. Many times, Nix has barreled through the line and to blow up the play. He plays with good pad level that makes it really hard to run at him.
While Nix isn't a threat to put up a huge sack total, he isn't a lackluster pass-rusher; he puts more pressure on the quarterback than the numbers indicate. Nix has a huge bull rush to collapse the pocket. He also has some quickness to try and fire by slower offensive linemen.
Nix probably won't ever have big sack totals in the NFL like Warren Sapp or Geno Atkins, but Nix could contribute to the pass rush by getting a push down the middle to prevent quarterbacks from having the room to step up in the pocket. Just like he has at Notre Dame, he could easily set up his defensive ends for a lot of sacks.
One area that Nix could stand to improve for the NFL is his conditioning. He'll need to be in good shape to remain effective while handling a large snap count over four quarters.
For the pros, Nix would be a phenomenal fit as a nose tackle in a 3-4 defense. Good ones are tough to find, but Nix's explosive burst off the snap with his girth make him a perfect fit as a zero-technique lined up over the center. In a 4-3 defense, Nix would be a nose tackle who stuffs the run and eats up double-teams.
