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New Orleans Saints defensive line coach Bill Johnson didn't have to go into much detail about what makes an effective nose tackle in the NFL. He used attributes like "big and stout" and football qualities such as "short-range explosion" and "strong upper body."

It's not as easy as it sounds. And yet Johnson went as far to say that if there's one position on the defensive front playing consistently well nearly two weeks into training camp, it's nose tackle. Johnson singled out Brodrick Bunkley, rookie John Jenkins and Akiem Hicks as the reason he's encouraged about the position.

Johnson said a nose tackle will be used a lot within Rob Ryan's 3-4 scheme, though it might not be in the traditional sense of being flanked by two defensive ends. Johnson said in nickel situations the Saints may elect to keep in the nose tackle as another wrinkle in Ryan's diverse scheme.

"I would say we're getting a lot of efficiency from that position right now," Johnson said.

Bunkley has been the primary nose tackle with the first-team defense. There hasn't been much variation with Bunkley as his sole position will be at the nose.

The 6-foot-2, 306-pound lineman was once considered one of the best free-agent defensive tackles on the market before last season. Bunkley (32 total tackles) didn't flourish during his first season in New Orleans, but Johnson said the new scheme is a better fit.

"Well, when we looked at him in Denver when we got him in free agency, he really played a nose position," Johnson said. "So that's why we got him. We really got caught a little bit last year with (Bunkley) playing out on the edge and in the three technique.

"It wasn't quite the scheme fit. But now that we've gone in on the 3-4, we're really doing the things that fits him best. It's showing off in camp. ...

"There's no doubt about it how much this fits for Bunkley. I think he'll tell you that."

Hicks described Bunkley in similar terms.

"He's a push guy," Hicks said. "He's a big, strong, low-center-of-gravity guy. That's what you expect from a guy like that. You expect him to push the pocket, and that's what he does really well."

Read more: New Orleans Saints feel good about nose tackles through nearly two weeks of training camp | NOLA.com

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