It takes a special kind of player to develop into an effective nose tackle, and it starts with a rare set of physical tools. Players with good movement skills and the combination of size and strength to hold up on the inside -- often against double-teams -- are simply hard to find.
It takes more than just girth and brute strength, though. These prospects need the tenacity to regularly fight off multiple blockers and the mindset to take pride in doing the dirty work without getting much recognition.
Who in the 2012 is cut from that cloth? Here are five prospects who can play the nose in three- or four-man fronts, and where they might land at the next level.