• Will Johnson has top 10 potential: At 6’2″ and 202 pounds, he has the qualities of a CB1 player that deserves a top-10 finish.
• Michigan is home to two of PFF’s top interior guard prospects: Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant are third and 25th respectively. 2025 PFF Big Board.
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Estimated reading time: 8 minutes
We have updated 2025 PFF Big Board will feature more than 280 players, including many rising defensive stars.
Here are our top five players at each defensive position heading into the final weeks of the 2024 college football regular season.
EDGE DEFENDER
- Abdul Carter, Pennsylvania
- Nick Skorton, Texas A&M
- Mikel Williams, Georgia
- Shemar Stewart, Texas A&M
- James Pierce Jr., Tennessee
The 2025 cornerback class may not be as tough as other classes, as there isn’t yet a player who feels like the No. 1 overall candidate. But it does seem profound, and it will be a theme for 2025.
Abdul CarterHis first season as a full-time quarterback earned him an elite PFF pass-rushing grade of 90.1 and a 20.4% pass-rushing win percentage.
Nick Skorton he hasn’t been the same pass-rushing prowess as he was last season, but that ability is still there with a deep pass-rushing bag.
Mikel Williams, Shemar Stewart And James Pierce Jr. All of them have high athletic potential and deserve first-round consideration.
After these five there are four or five more – Princely Headless, Landon Jackson, J. T. Tuimoloau, Jack Sawyer And Kyle Kennard – in the first round of conversation.
There may not be many cornerbacks in the first 10 picks in the draft, but the position could dominate the top 50 players.
INNER LINE OF DEFENSE
- Mason Graham, Michigan
- Kenneth Grant, Michigan
- Tylake Williams, Ohio
- TJ Sanders, South Carolina
- Walter Nolen, Ole Miss
Mason Graham brings together top five talent in the interior defensive line group and has reached the elite level for two seasons in a row. We’ve seen how effective setting up an interior defensive line can be in the NFL, and Graham showed it. His teammate Kenneth Grant weighs 335 pounds and also deserves consideration in the top half of the first round.
Tylake Williams is a strong defender with pass rush potential, although that is still a work in progress.
TJ Sanders And Walter Nolen are fast and brutal domestic players who have had a strong 2024 season. They should also be talked about in the top 50.
HALF BACKER OUT OF BALL
- Jalon Walker, Georgia
- Jihad Campbell, Alabama
- Chris Paul Jr., Ole Miss
- Jeffrey Bassa, Oregon
- Barrett Carter, Clemson
This isn’t a huge class of off-ball midfielders, but if you expand your scope beyond the early summer scouting names, this class boasts some good players.
Jalon Walker is listed as a linebacker, but his bread and butter in the NFL will be playing offensive lineman.
Jihad Campbell feels like a real off-ball midfielder to bet on in this class. He has the size, length, speed and strength to play outside linebacker in any system. He’s a better run defense and pass-rusher than he is in coverage, but he’s had some strong coverages this season and remains strong in that department.
Chris Paul Jr. incredibly durable. He tackles the ball well, anticipates well, sees where the ball is going first and has good pursuit speed. Its only drawback is that it is smaller.
Geoffrey Bassa He played wide receiver and defensive back in high school but developed into a hybrid linebacker on Dan Lanning’s Oregon defense. He shows tremendous speed in the off-ball spot and feels like a player who matches the flow of the game – an easier, quicker midfielder’s game.
Barrett Carter long-term starter with good explosiveness. He’s also on the smaller side but should have a spot in the NFL as a Day 2 prospect.
OUTSIDE Cornerback
- Will Johnson, Michigan
- Benjamin Morrison, Notre Dame
- Trey Amos, Ole Miss
- Shavon Revel, East Carolina
- Darien Porter, Iowa
Sidelined with injury Will Johnson Michigan’s defense hasn’t been up to par lately either. However, at 6-foot-2 and 202 pounds, he has the qualities of a CB1 man that deserve a top-10 finish.
Benjamin Morrison missed most of the 2024 season with a hip injury, as Shavon Revel with a torn ACL, but both have first-round talent.
Two new names in the rankings are Ole Miss. Trey Amos and Iowa State Darien Porter. Amos is an aggressive defender who has a good combination of size, speed and strength, which has helped him post high forced incompletion rates in each of the last three years. At nearly 6-foot-3, Porter has excellent length for the position. His track and field experience is also extensive, having been a state champion in the 200, 400 (twice) and 800 meters.
CORNER SLOT
- Jade Barron, Texas
- Sebastian Castro, Iowa
- Jacob Parrish, Kansas
- Chandler Rivers, Duke
- Upton Stout, Western Kentucky
Jade Barron You can play wide and in the slot. He has been an impact player in the slot over the last two years and is now a steal machine on the outside.
Sebastian Castro – A slot-only player who is safer than a traditional fullback, but he plays the game with great speed and anticipation and excels in run defense.
Jacob Parrish And Chandler Rivers both are smaller, but their playmaking skill sets will still be effective in the NFL. Parrish wins with his quickness, while Rivers wins with his high IQ and anticipation.
Upton Stout he’s having a good season as well and will have a chance to improve his standing even further at the Senior Bowl.
BOX SAFETY
- Nick Emmanwory, South Carolina
- Jonas Sanker, Virginia
- Ronald Spears-Jennings, Oklahoma
- Xavier Nwankpa, Iowa
- Jalen Catalon, UNLV
He is 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighs 225 pounds. Nick Emmanwory is a highly productive player with a PFF coverage grade of 89.8 in 2024 after four interceptions and four forced incompletions.
Jonas Sanker – fast, physically safe on the downhill that brings tone to the game.
Ronald Spears-Jennings is a power hitter in the middle of the field and has the necessary athleticism to provide good coverage.
Xavier Nwankpa doesn’t play the ball as often as he’d like, but he’s reliable and generally out of place.
Jalen Catalan He’s dealt with a few unfortunate injuries over his long college career, but in his final season at UNLV, he’s showing the traits of a player who was once projected to be a top-50 prospect.
FREE SECURITY
- Malachi Starks, Georgia
- Kamari Ramsey, University of Southern California
- Kevin Winston Jr., University of Pennsylvania
- Lathan Ransom, Ohio
- Xavier Watts, Notre Dame
There are some fun safeties in the upcoming draft, starting with the best defensive player in college football over the last three years: Big Starks. He can truly do it all – play box, slot or single coverage.
I’m taller by Kamari Ramsey than most. While the redshirt sophomore’s record is a bit up and down, he’s already showing a high level of anticipation and IQ for the position.
Kevin Winston Jr. hasn’t played much this season due to injury, but he may be the best athlete of them all.
Lathan Ransom And Xavier Watts These are two of the highest-rated quarterbacks in college football. Watts enters the 2023 season with seven interceptions and four more this season.
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