Our countdown to the NFL Draft continues as the annual selection of college football’s leading players is set to take place in Green Bay, Wisconsin, on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Here are 10 defensive players who will grab your attention in the opening round. And this list begins with a reminder of the power of the pass rush as several quarterback-hunting defenders will hear their names called early on Thursday night/Friday morning.
ABDUL CARTER – Edge Rusher – Penn State– 6-3/250 (Rd 1)
An electric edge rusher who has been compared to the likes of Von Miller and Micah Parsons, Abdul Carter is set to be a difference-making defender at the NFL level. Carter recorded a career-high 12 sacks at Penn State in 2024 and ranked second in college football with 61 quarterback pressures. He has the ability to completely wreck offensive game plans and will hear his name called very early on Thursday with many experts tabbing him as the most talented player in this class.
JALON WALKER – Edge Rusher - Georgia – 6-1/243 (Rd 1)
After playing 420 snaps as an off-the-ball linebacker and 441 snaps as an edge rusher in 2024, Jalon Walker is the kind of chess piece NFL defensive coordinators are going to covet. Walker is an explosive defender who is likely to do his best work off the edge. But he could be used all over the formation, much like Micah Parsons was during his early days with the Dallas Cowboys. Walker led Georgia with 6 ½ sacks in 2024 and won the Butkus Award as college football’s best linebacker.
MIKE GREEN – Edge Rusher - Marshall – 6-3/251 (Rd 1)
An ultra-explosive and athletic edge rusher, Mike Green will be a sure-fire first-rounder in the 2025 NFL Draft. While he is also strong against the run, Green’s primary job is to chase down quarterbacks and he led college football with 17 sacks in 2024. Green plays with a high motor and a refusal to be blocked. That led to 22 ½ tackles for a loss in his final college football season.
MYKEL WILLIAMS – Edge Rusher – Georgia – 6-5/260 (Rd1)
Mykel Williams boasts the physical size and athletic explosion that NFL coaches salivate over. His get-off is dynamic and instant and he is onto or moving past offensive linemen within a split second of the snap. Williams was injured early in the 2024 season and while he played on, it is mitigation for his recording just five sacks last campaign. The level is about to become much higher, but Williams can double that output in the NFL in 2025.
MASON GRAHAM – Defensive Tackle - Michigan – 6-3/296 (Rd 1)
A powerful and disruptive force at the heart of the defensive line, Mason Graham is a high-effort player who has been compared to Las Vegas Raiders Pro Bowler Christian Wilkins. Graham has all the physical and emotional tools to be the leader of his NFL defense. He is tough to shift on running plays and uses explosiveness to win on passing downs. And if things get down and dirty in the trenches, this former two-time high school wrestling champion will be right at home.
JIHAAD CAMPBELL – Linebacker – Alabama – 6-3/235 (Rd 1)
Tall, rangy and explosive, Jihaad Campbell is the best off-the-ball linebacker in this class and likely the only one to get selected in round one. As he continues to grow in his reading of opposing attacks, Campbell excels through athleticism and speed. He led Alabama with 117 tackles in 2024 and proved his versatility by adding 11 ½ tackles for losses and five sacks. This sideline-to-sideline thumper is only going to get better as he gains more experience.
TRAVIS HUNTER – Cornerback – Colorado – 6-0/188 (Rd 1)
It is still not known how many snaps Travis Hunter will take at wide receiver and cornerback once he kicks off his pro career. But there is no doubting the fact that the Colorado product is one of the most intriguing prospects to enter the NFL for many a year. While it’s easy to pay attention to receivers catching touchdown passes, we should not ignore Hunter’s skills as a cornerback. He recorded four interceptions and 11 pass breakups in 2024 and was Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year. As a pure corner, Hunter plays with good discipline and intelligence and his ball skills are obvious with seven picks over the past two years.
JAHDAE BARRON – Cornerback – Texas – 5-11/194 (Rd 1)
Jahdae Barron is a big cornerback who can get physical with receivers and even cover tight ends in the slot. He recorded five interceptions in 2024 and won the Jim Thorpe Award as college football’s best defensive back. Barron can play on the outside, but he might be best served as a big nickel back on the inside, utilizing his outstanding size and instincts. He also has the physical tools to cross-train as a safety if required.
WILL JOHNSON – Cornerback - Michigan – 6-2/194 (Rd 1)
With NFL teams crying out for big cornerbacks who can move well and find the football, Will Johnson is going to be in demand in the first half of round one. Johnson recorded nine career interceptions in his three college football seasons and has Pro Bowl potential. He can play inside or out and won’t panic when operating on an island against the game’s best receivers.
NICK EMMANWORI – Safety – South Carolina – 6-3/220 (Rd 1)
At 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds, Nick Emmanwori could be the latest to blur the lines between the safety and linebacker positions. If we view him purely in his college position as a safety, Emmanwori is a huge prospect who recorded a career-high four interceptions in 2024. Emmanwori is versatile, playing 962 career snaps in the box close to the line of scrimmage and 553 in the slot. And he is athletic, leading all players at the NFL Combine in the vertical leap (43 inches) and broad jump (11 feet, 6 inches).