The Ringer's 2025 NFL Draft Guide

Carter has a long-levered, sinewy frame. A three-year starter for the Nittany Lions, he’s a versatile playmaker who brings starting experience as both an off-ball linebacker and impact edge rusher. The latter role is where he’ll make his mark in the pros: He has outstanding first-step burst and athleticism off the edge, showing good bend and the flexibility to get low, duck under blocks, and knife into the pocket. He’s a twitchy mover, and his stutter-step and hesitation move often leaves offensive linemen flat-footed. He employs effective Euro-step and swim moves to get past blockers. Carter has excellent range and a wide tackle radius but is slim framed and lacks sand in his pants when taking on blocks against bigger opponents. He needs to be more consistent as a tackler. He doesn’t always take on blocks, instead looking to get around his opponents, at times leaving him out of position. He’s still raw as a pass rusher after playing off the ball earlier in his career and will need to build a more well-rounded arsenal of moves.

Carter is an explosive, bendy athlete with sky-high potential as a pass rusher; he would be a day one contributor on any defensive front.

He’s slim framed and gives up ground in the run game; he’s still developing his pass-rush repertoire.

Graham has a beefy, square build with a barrel chest and powerful lower half. A three-year contributor for the Wolverines, he explodes out of his stance, administering a forceful two-hand punch to knock an opponent onto his heels and off his spot. He has effective swim moves and club moves as a pass rusher. It’s no surprise that he was a big-time high school wrestler, as he shows an expert use of leverage. He has a devastating push-pull move that leaves opponents falling to the ground in shame, and he routinely forklifts blockers up and out of his way. He shows good lateral burst, bounding from gap to gap to knife into the pocket. Against the run, Graham digs in to hold his ground and can fend off double-teams. He’s a forceful tackler who delivers some pop and wraps up ballcarriers. He has surprising range, allowing him to chase down plays on the back side. Graham can border on bull-in-a-china-shop recklessness at times, firing out of his stance haphazardly before losing his balance and ending up on the ground. His aggressiveness can sometimes be used against him by savvy linemen.

Graham’s a disruptive interior lineman who would offer three-down value from day one.

He’s a little too aggressive and at times ends up on the ground.

Walker has a shredded, muscular frame and long arms. He’s an incredibly versatile playmaker who lined up and made plays for the Bulldogs both off the ball as a linebacker and on the edge as a pass rusher. He’s an explosive athlete who has elite closing burst, whether he’s chasing down a ballcarrier or getting to the quarterback for a sack. He ups the intensity of the defense and plays with a tenacious style on the edge, using unrelenting rips, clubs, and hump moves to  dispatch his blocker. He plays with good balance and leverage, showing the ability to get low, flatten to the quarterback, and duck under blocks. Against the run, Walker is an intimidating presence, taking on blocks and hitting with authority. He is also savvy at avoiding blocks on the second level and often leaves opponents lunging and tripping over themselves as he makes a play. His acceleration is rare. He’s an effective blitzer and will put an interior lineman or back on skates with a forceful bull rush to get to the quarterback. Because he lacks ideal height as a pass rusher, there are times when he can be engulfed by bigger, longer tackles. He is still developing his pass-rush repertoire and relies on speed and power more than refined technique. At times, he looks a little mechanical when dropping into coverage, and he’s at his best when he’s moving forward.

Walker is a spark-plug playmaker who can line up and make an impact from both the off-ball linebacker and edge rusher spots.

He could be considered a bit of a tweener; his height is below average for a full-time pass rusher, and at times he struggles when playing off the ball.

Johnson is a tall, well-built corner who plays with extraordinary instincts in coverage. A two-year starter for the Wolverines, he recorded excellent production from the corner position, finishing his college career with nine interceptions (three returned for touchdowns) and 10 passes defensed in 32 games. Playing off coverage, he likes to keep his eyes on the quarterback, showing an understanding of route combinations to anticipate where the ball is going so that he can jump a route. He flashes top-tier click-and-close speed to break up a pass or undercut a route. In press-man looks, he mirrors using deft footwork and excellent overall athleticism. He’s a fluid mover who can flip his hips and run with receivers down the field, planting himself in their hip pocket. He watches receivers’ eyes in trailing coverage and looks to get his hands up into the path of the ball. Johnson missed all but six games in 2024 due to shoulder and toe injuries, issues that teams will have to check on in the draft process. He’s a physical defender but did miss five tackles in six games this year, per PFF. He looks to jump routes, which could make him susceptible to double moves.

Johnson brings ideal speed, length, and playmaking instincts to the corner position; he’s a highly productive playmaker who should start from day one.

He’s coming off multiple injuries that robbed him of all but six games in 2024.

Campbell has a shredded, muscular frame with long arms. A two-year starter for the Crimson Tide, he’s a springy, flexible athlete with a knack for always ending up around the ball. He racked up 117 tackles in 2024, including 11.5 tackles for loss, and ranked third in the FBS with 65 stops, per PFF. A versatile playmaker, he lined up all over the field, seeing snaps off the ball at linebacker, up on the defensive line as a pass rusher, out in the slot in coverage, and even a handful ranging deep at safety. In his main role as linebacker, he showed good initial quickness downhill, decisively knifing through the line to blow up plays in the backfield. He brings excellent range and sideline-to-sideline speed to chase down a ballcarrier and his closing speed is elite. He uses his length to keep blockers off his frame to stack, shed, and make the tackle. He is comfortable dropping into zones and brings some anticipation skills in coverage; he’ll see routes develop and get to the spot where he can make a play on the ball. As a pass rusher, he flashes top-end burst and flexibility—and that's a role he could be asked to play a lot more at the next level. He gets his hands up and uses his long frame to disrupt passing lanes and knock down balls. There are times when Campbell comes in too high as a tackler, allowing himself to get pushed back or run through. He needs to break down and play with better leverage and balance. He could improve his consistency on getting off blocks. He can be slow to diagnose a play, and too often he’ll take the cheese on ball fakes and end up out of position. He takes poor angles to the ball at times, and gets caught up in traffic or overruns the play.

Campbell has a prototypical frame, high-end athleticism, and the versatility to line up and make plays at both linebacker and edge rusher.

He can be drawn out of position and struggles at times to discard blockers; he’s still raw as a pass rusher.

Barron has a compact, muscular frame and plays with quick feet in coverage. A three-year starter for the Longhorns, he lines up all over the defensive formation, seeing snaps primarily at outside corner but also looks in the slot, in the box, up on the defensive line, and at free safety. He mirrors in coverage, showing the reaction skills and short-area quickness to stick with his opponent. He’s a patient defender who forces opposing pass catchers to complete their double moves rather than jumping their first cut. He’s most comfortable in a half-turn technique, where he can survey route combinations and watch the quarterback’s eyes, and he shows a good feel for spacing, splitting the difference between two receivers in his zone so that he can make a play against either one. He flashes great instincts, regularly getting an early jump on a route to undercut it and knock the ball away. He has excellent ball skills, timing his punch to rake the ball away at the catch point and turning would-be catches into drops. He picked off five throws while surrendering zero touchdowns in coverage in 2024, per PFF. Against the run, he works hard to discard blocks and is a sound, physical tackler. Barron has a stocky frame and lacks length, which could lead some teams to see him as a slot-nickelback type. He’s very handsy and physical at opposing receivers’ route stems and may need to be a little more discreet at the next level. He loves to play off coverage but is less consistent in press-man looks. He had inconsistencies tackling in 2022 and 2023 but was better in 2024.

Barron is an intensity-raising defender who anticipates well in coverage and can make plays against the ball from several different spots.

He lacks length and gets a bit too physical at times, which could lead to flags.

Grant has a massive, wide-bodied frame and a powerful lower half. A two-year starter for the Wolverines, he has a surprisingly quick first step as a pass rusher and employs a powerful club move to discard blockers. He shocks opponents with his punch, immediately putting them on the defensive. He keeps his feet moving to bull-rush blockers into the quarterback. He’s a heady player who does a good job of getting his hands up into passing lanes to knock throws down. He shows good awareness and anticipation for picking up screens. Against the run, Grant plays with excellent upper-body torque to stack and shed at the point of attack. He absorbs blocks and holds his ground, often against double-teams, and he’s a reliable tackler. While Grant moves well for his size, he lacks the range to chase down plays on the opposite side of the field. He ends up on the ground more than you’d like. He can add a bit of value as a pocket pusher but is more of a run plugger right now, which could put a cap on his draft stock.

Grant is a massive interior lineman who brings rare quickness for his size; he’s an excellent run plugger who can also penetrate the pocket.

He’s better as a run defender than pass rusher.

Stewart is tall, with a robust, muscular frame and long arms. A three-year contributor on the Aggies’ defensive front, he does not move like a man his size should move, blending a quick first step with exceptional power. He threatens the edge with his burst and frequently counters with a powerful bull rush—administering a long-arm-stab move to strike and lift opponents onto their heels and push them back into the pocket. He’s an active hand fighter who constantly rips and clubs and swipes away opponents’ arms to get off blocks. Against the run, Stewart sets a hard edge and stacks opponents with a strong punch. He shows good hustle when chasing down plays to the outside and doesn’t quit. He can be a bit of a bull in a china shop and will explode into the backfield but then lose track of the ballcarrier. He needs to finish more consistently and misses a few too many tackles. He’s too reliant on the long-arm move and needs to build in more counters. His production hasn’t yet matched his traits.

Stewart brings a rare combination of traits, boasting very good size and explosive movement skills; he’s still just scratching the surface of his pass-rush potential.

His production didn’t always match his traits, and he may need time to develop into a well-rounded edge defender.

Nolan has a rugged, athletic frame and rushes the passer with an explosive first step. A transfer to Ole Miss via Texas A&M, he played all across the defensive line for the Rebels. He uncoils out of his stance to fire through gaps and create havoc in the backfield. He brings powerful swim moves, cross chops, and hump moves that leave opponents lunging, and is incredibly slippery as a rusher, leaving blockers routinely sloughing off of block attempts as he makes his way into the pocket. He plays with active, powerful hands that rip and swipe and reset throughout his rush, keeping opponents on their heels. He’s really quick and marries his feet with his hands to swat away blocks while shooting through the line. Against the run, Nolan shows the range to carry blocks down the line and chase down outside runs. He does a good job of not taking the bait on misdirection, and finds a way to end up on the ball even when initially pushed back or sealed away. He was very productive in 2024, racking up 6.5 sacks to go with 35 pressures, and 32 stops, per PFF. Nolan’s aggressiveness can be used against him at times with traps in the run game and screens in the pass game. He can play recklessly at times, lunging and diving at blocks while losing sight of the ballcarrier. He can get knocked back at the snap against the run; he’ll pop up too high out of his stance and lose leverage.

Nolen is a high-energy rusher who consistently creates disruption against both the pass and the run; he offers plug-and-play production on all three downs.

He plays a little out of control at times, and can get knocked back or knocked down by savvy offensive linemen.

Williams is tall, with a shredded, muscular frame and very long arms. A two-year starter for the Bulldogs, he’s tenacious as a bull-rusher, using a long-arm stab to drive opponents into the pocket. He has a good inside countermove, setting up opposing linemen with a strong outside rush before Euro-stepping to the interior. He’s a versatile defender, capable of lining up at multiple spots, and he flashes good leverage and power when playing over the tackle or on the interior. Against the run, Williams stacks blockers and gets them onto their heels, controlling the rep with length and leverage. He sets the edge with authority, hustles from snap to whistle, and tackles consistently. While Williams has scintillating traits, his production has never really matched his potential. He’s still developing a pass-rush plan and relies primarily on his long-arm-stab bull-rush move. He tends to get stymied if his initial attack doesn’t work. He battled a high-ankle sprain this year.

Williams has the traits to develop into a high-level pass rusher, and he boasts excellent size, length, and first-step burst.

His production was underwhelming, and he may need time to reach his potential.

Ezeiruaku has below-average height but sports a rugged, muscular build and long arms. A three-year starter for the Eagles, he is a high-energy rusher who ups the intensity on the defensive line and creates disruption from the edge. He brings a quick first step, using a long-arm stab to lift and bull-rush opposing tackles into the pocket. He’s a bouncy athlete and uses a bounding Euro-step move to counter to the inside. He consistently batters opponents with clubs and swim moves, using his length to create leverage and keep offensive linemen flailing. Against the run, he does well stacking tackles at the point of attack, locking out his arms to keep them from getting into his chest and controlling him. He sets the edge with toughness and is a solid, reliable tackler. He shows good hustle from snap to whistle. Ezeiruaku needs to play a little more under control at times and too often ends up on the ground. His aggressiveness can be used against him, and he occasionally over-pursues in space or freelances, putting himself out of position to make a play. He’s undersized and can be engulfed at times by bigger tackles.

Ezeirauku is a productive, high-energy edge defender with a variety of effective pass rush moves.

He lacks prototypical height and needs to play with a little more discipline.

Green has an athletic, muscular frame and rushes with excellent first-step burst and lateral agility. A two-year starter for the Thundering Herd, he’s a slippery rusher who uses a variety of pass rush moves, including effective club moves, swim moves, and long-arm stabs. Opposing tackles struggle to stay squared up against Green, who uses explosive speed to win on the edge or Euro-step to the inside as a counter. He converts speed to power on his bull rush, quickly putting tackles on their heels. He flashes good bend to get low and flatten to the pocket and explosive closing speed to finish his rush. He bounds from gap to gap on stunts. A former high school wrestler, Green understands how to hold his leverage in the run game, setting a strong edge while forcing runs back inside. He’s aggressive as a tackler and attacks the mesh point with abandon, regularly blowing up runs in the backfield before they start. Green is a bit undersized and may need to add some bulk to his frame. His aggressiveness can work against him, and he’ll take the cheese on play fakes and end up out of position. He over-pursues or ends up off-balance and on the ground at times.

Green is a twitchy, active pass rusher with top-tier production off the edge; his traits give him tons of upside.

He’s undersized and relatively inexperienced as a pass rusher; he could face a steep learning curve in the pros.

Starks has a compact, muscular frame and long arms. A three-year starter for the Bulldogs, he’s an outstanding athlete with excellent range in the defensive secondary. He plays at all three levels and sees snaps in the box, in the slot, from deep, and basically everywhere in between. He has the fluidity and sticky coverage skills to turn and run with receivers, and he picks up running backs out of the backfield and smothers them. He flashes an awareness of where the ball is going and is quick to diagnose misdirections and sniff out screens, swings, and reverses. He usually takes good angles on the ball. He pursues in space with discipline, tracking the inside hip of the ballcarrier to avoid overrunning the play. He’s an explosive blitzer and reliable tackler. There are times when Starks can hesitate to pick up crossing routes and gives up a step in coverage. He will occasionally come in too hot in run support and ends up out of position. 

Starks is a hyper-versatile defensive back who can cover, tackle, and blitz with aplomb; he pairs his instincts with top-tier athleticism.

There are times when he gives up a step or two in coverage; safeties tend to fall a bit in the draft.

Pearce has a slender, long-levered frame, an explosive first step, and twitchy movement skills. The three-year contributor for the Volunteers is a bouncy, flexible athlete who uses effective Euro-steps and cross chops to discard blocks on the edge. His acceleration off the snap immediately threatens the outside shoulders of opposing tackles, giving him the ability to slice back inside on a countermove or convert speed to power on a bull rush. He fires a long-arm stab into the chests of opposing tackles to drive them into the pocket. He’s effective on stunts, able to change direction and close ground on the quarterback extremely quickly. He flashes the ability to get low and bend around the corner to shoot into the pocket. He sticks with rushes and keeps his motor running hot until the whistle. Pearce lacks top-end play strength and may need to add bulk at the next level to avoid getting pushed around. He could add more moves to his pass rush repertoire and needs to do a more consistent job of finishing; too often, he lets the quarterback escape on otherwise excellent rush reps. He works hard against the run but lacks the size and ballast to stop blocks in their tracks. At times, he struggles to dislodge himself from blocks once opponents have locked on. 

Pearce is a long, twitchy athlete with multiple years of production on his résumé; he should factor into a pass rush rotation right away.

He lacks bulk and could struggle against the run early in his career.

Williams has a robust, wide frame with a massive, powerful lower half. A four-year contributor for the Buckeyes, he’s an active and tenacious defensive lineman with foot quickness and lateral agility at the snap. He shows the ability to convert speed to power with a strong punch and long-arm stab, using upper-body torque to wrench blockers off their feet and into the quarterback’s lap. He knows how to use opponents’ aggression against them, utilizing push-pull moves and swim moves to leave opponents flailing. He is used frequently on stunts and twists, and slices into the backfield to rush the pass or disrupt running lanes. Against the run, he stacks offensive linemen and sheds blocks, keeping his eyes in the backfield so he can maintain his gap. He shows good awareness to sniff out and blow up screen plays, and gets his hands up to try to knock down passes. Williams is a better run plugger than pass rusher at this point and may be viewed primarily as an early-down option. He needs to be better at finishing rushes when he is able to work his way into the backfield. He will at times pop up out of his stance and quickly lose leverage. He lacks prototypical length, which could limit his upside as a pass rusher.

Williams does the dirty work on the interior defensive line​​—absorbing blocks, holding the line, and mucking up opposing run schemes; he’s a plug-and-play early-down defender.

He may be viewed as a run defender only and may lack the physical traits to develop an NFL-caliber pass rush.

Harmon is tall, with a long-levered, burly frame. A transfer to Oregon from Michigan State, he’s a big, fluid mover with good balance and twitch as a pass rusher. He fires out of his stance and gets his mitts on opponents, using effective push-pull moves, swim moves, and hump moves to leave offensive linemen flailing. He has a devastating long-arm stab move that gets linemen on their heels, and he regularly walks opponents back into the quarterback’s lap. Against the run, Harmon stacks opponents at the line, keeping his eyes in the backfield to hold his gap, discard the block, and make a stop. Despite his height, he can get low and maintain his leverage against double-teams. Harmon wins quickly when rushing the passer but consistently fails to finish, just barely missing the back or allowing the quarterback to escape the pocket. He doesn’t wrap up consistently enough and missed 12 tackles in 2024, per PFF.

Harmon combines size, length, and versatility; he’s consistently disruptive from multiple spots on the line.

He’s an inconsistent finisher and needs to improve as a wrap-up tackler.

Scourton has a stout, powerfully built frame and long arms. A transfer to Texas A&M from Purdue, he’s a high-energy rusher who attacks the hands of opponents, chopping and punching and swiping away at blocks to keep himself clean. He has an effective club move and loves to mix in his spin move, which consistently leaves offensive tackles lunging. He brings tons of power as a rusher and puts opposing tackles on skates, helping to disrupt the pocket or redirect the run lane. He has the short-area burst to use an inside countermove, setting up tackles with a quick first step to the edge before slicing back inside. Against the run, he stacks opponents to keep himself clean and always brings the hustle to chase down plays to the opposite side of the field. He brings some versatility, boasting the size and strength to mix it up from the interior if needed. Scouton is more of a power rusher and lacks the explosiveness and bend to regularly win on the edge. He occasionally allows himself to get hooked and sealed in the run game. His production trailed off compared to last year with the Boilermakers, and teams may dock him for not making a big jump in 2024.

Scourton is a big, physical edge rusher who collapses the pocket with a powerful bull rush and spin-move counter; at just 20 years old, he’s still developing.

He lacks top-end explosiveness to threaten the edge; his production dropped in 2024.

Schwesinger has a compact, muscular frame and does everything at top speed. A former walk-on at UCLA, he’s a one-year starter who filled up the stat sheet in 2024, racking up an FBS-best 90 solo tackles (136 total) to go with four sacks, two picks, three pass deflections, and a forced fumble. He’s an instinctive player who triggers downhill in a blink, using top-tier short-area burst and lateral agility to change direction on a dime and chase the ball. He diagnoses the play and moves decisively to sift through the trash, emerging unscathed from a mass of bodies to find the football. He’s a very reliable tackler (just a 7.6 percent missed tackle rate, per PFF), and he never quits on a play, going full bore from snap to whistle. He’s rangy in coverage and looks comfortable dropping back in space. He can flip his hips to run with a tight end or receiver down the seam and flashes talent for identifying offensive designs quickly to put himself in a position to make a play. He tracks down screen plays like a heat-seeking missile. Schwesinger is just a one-year starter and lacks both size and length, which can hinder his ability to take on and defeat blocks. He can get swallowed up by blockers at the second level, and at times his lack of arm length shows up in coverage. He has excellent quickness in the box but lacks the top-end speed to make up a cushion between him and a receiver or chase a back down the field.

Schwesinger is a super-productive, intensity-raising defender who plays with instincts, range, and reliable tackling skills.

He lacks size and length and can struggle to disengage from blocks at the second level; he has just one year of starting experience.

Umanmielen is tall, with a shredded, muscular frame and very long arms. A transfer to Ole Miss from Florida, he has an explosive first step, using his speed and long-striding burst to make it tough for tackles to track him on the edge. He’s a tenacious rusher who fires his hands into opponents and knocks them back off their spot. He converts speed to power on his bull rush and uses an effective spin, often leaving offensive tackles lunging. He flashes good flexibility in his lower body, getting low to duck under and around blocks on the edge. In the run game, Umanmielen uses his length to stack defenders and keep himself clean. He shows good hustle to chase the play down on the backside. There are times when he takes on blocks too high, loses sight of the ballcarrier, or fails to contain a rush. He has the tendency to take the cheese on read-option plays or misdirection plays. His rip and spin moves work well, but he needs to continue to add more tools to his pass rush repertoire. He can be overly aggressive at times and gets out over his skis on a rush, often ending up on the ground.

Umanmielen is big, explosive, and tenacious off the edge; he has proven production.

With inconsistencies against the run, he may not be trusted as a three-down edge player early on; he needs to expand his pass rush repertoire.

Thomas is tall, with a well-built frame and excellent length. He lined up primarily on the outside for the Seminoles and loves to press and crowd the receiver at the line. He uses his size and length to disrupt timing and routes, using his quick reactions and relatively smooth hips to mirror routes. He’s patient in press, trusts his quickness when reacting to the route, and hangs with double moves without losing a step. In a trailing position, he has a good feel for timing when to look back for the ball, positioning himself to stay connected and still find the football in the air. He’s effective when asked to blitz, showing good burst and excellent closing speed. Against the run, he does well in breaking down space and preventing ballcarriers from making a cutback, and while he doesn’t always bring the desired aggression as a tackler, he makes sure to maintain his gap and force runs back inside to help. Thomas is super physical, to the point that it could be an issue at the next level; he grapples, holds, and tangles with the opposing receiver, pushing the line toward a penalty. He lacks elite twitchiness and top-end speed. His production was underwhelming; he had just two interceptions in three seasons.

Thomas is a big, physical corner who knows how to use his length to disrupt the timing and depth of opponents’ routes; he’s a smart player who finds the football.

He borders on being too physical in coverage and could draw flags; he lacks top-end speed, and his production was middling at FSU.

Emmanwori is tall, with a shredded, muscular frame and long arms. A three-year starter for the Gamecocks, he has experience playing both deep and in the box. He flashes an awareness of route combinations and anticipates throws, undercutting routes or breaking early to bat the ball away or make a pick. He uses excellent makeup speed to close the gap on a receiver with the ball in the air, and his elite length helps him reach past opponents and break up passes at the catch point. He has good range and can really fly when he hits the gas pedal in pursuit. He returned a pick-six about 100 yards against LSU (it was eventually called back), and I’m not sure whether even DK Metcalf could’ve caught up with him in the open field. He can lay hat as a tackler and brings an intimidation factor over the middle of the field in the passing game. Against the run, he triggers quickly and flies downhill, expertly sifting through the trash to arrive at the ball using hops, skips, and jumps. He’s a very sure tackler, with just seven missed tackles in 2024. Emmanwori has a taller frame, and he can look a little clunky in his transitions from a backpedal to a trailing position in coverage. Shorter, quicker opponents could exploit this weakness. He doesn’t always take the ideal angle against a ballcarrier and could do a better job of taking on blocks at the second level. He may be best suited coming forward as a box defender and isn’t likely to be viewed as a true center-field safety at the next level.

Emmanwori has an uncommon combination of size and speed in the secondary and has the instincts to make plays on the ball; he’s versatile and could play multiple roles in the back end.

He’s clunky when moving backward and isn’t consistent enough to be trusted as a deep safety.

Revel is very tall, with a high-cut, muscular frame and vines for arms. A supersized corner for the Pirates, he administers a strong punch and press at the line of scrimmage, disrupting the timing and direction of opponents’ routes. He plays with quick feet and is smooth in his backpedal, showing good fluidity that lets him flip his hips and run with receivers. He has top-tier speed at the position, bringing incredible closing burst to make up ground on an opponent. He can use his rare length to get his hands up into passing lanes and break up throws that would be out of range for most cornerbacks. He shows good recognition and anticipation of routes, jumping passes or positioning himself to undercut a route. He is aggressive coming downhill in run support, flying in like a bat out of Hades, and he brings some attitude and stopping power as a tackler. Revel tore his ACL after just three games this season, an injury that could affect his ability to get onto the field right away. His long frame makes it more difficult for him to change directions as quickly as smaller corners. There are times when he over-pursues against the run and lets the back spill outside. He has been inconsistent catching the football in coverage. 

Revel brings rare size and length to the cornerback position, playing with physicality both in coverage and against the run. 

He’s coming off an ACL injury that knocked him out of most of the 2024 season.

Stewart lacks height but sports a compact, muscular frame, and he plays with very good bend and burst. A Coastal Carolina transfer to Michigan, he’s a team captain who plays with boundless energy off the edge. He rushes from both two- and three-point stances, exploding upfield. He’s a twitchy mover, and tackles struggle to match his speed; he pairs that with a devastating inside Euro-step counter. He dips his shoulder to bend into the pocket and has incredible closing speed. He can convert speed to power on his bull rush. He’s consistently productive when allowed to pin his ears back and tallied a 41.2 percent pass-rush win rate on true pass sets last year, per PFF, which ranked third best among all edge players with 100-plus pass-rush reps. Against the run, he is aggressive, taking on blocks and working hard to set the edge. He chases down plays from the backside and has the athleticism and body control to drop back into space. Stewart can be reckless—sometimes in a good way, but occasionally, not so much. He puts his head down and flies upfield, sometimes losing sight of the ballcarrier or allowing runs or scrambles to spill outside his zone. He lacks size and will need to further develop his repertoire of pass-rush moves at the next level. He’s too reliant on his speed and his spin move. He can be knocked back at the point of attack in the run game.

Stewart has blazing speed and plenty of bend off the edge; wind him up and let him rush the passer, and he’ll produce results.

He’s undersized and undisciplined at times; he needs to refine his rush plan and do a better job of maintaining his gap.

Collins has a massive, broad-shouldered frame, powerhouse legs, and very long arms. A stalwart contributor for the Longhorns over the past five seasons, he has natural movement skills for a man his size, with quick feet, good body control, and the occasional spin move that leaves offensive linemen reeling. He lines up all across the defensive front, seeing snaps at the nose, over the guard, and across from tackles. He has a powerful punch at the snap that shocks opponents and sets them on their heels. He employs rips, clubs, and swim moves through blocks, looking to close ground on the quarterback. He’s frequently used on stunts, where his quickness makes him effective. Against the run, he uses his length to stack opponents and keep himself clean. He’s capable of two-gapping and plugging up the middle of the field, monitoring the backfield to see the action and react quickly to bring down the ballcarrier. He plays with good leverage despite his height; he digs his heels in, drops his weight, and holds his ground even against double-teams. He gets his hands up and into passing lanes and netted seven pass breakups in 2024. He casts a wide net as a tackler and missed just two tackles last year. Collins is a better run defender than pass rusher at this point (his 14 percent win rate in pass-rush situations, per PFF, is solid but not spectacular), and while he will mix in some pass-rush moves, he mostly just relies on his strength and size. He may be considered only an early-down option to begin his career until his pass-rush game is better refined. He lacks the range to chase down ballcarriers outside his area. 

Collins is a big, powerful lineman with surprising quickness and elite length; he’s a reliable tackler and heads-up playe, and can play in multiple schemes.

He’s more of a run defender at this point and will need to develop his pass-rush repertoire.

Walker has a hulking, square build and plays with exceptional quickness for his size. A three-year starter for the Wildcats, he has strong, active hands and employs clubs, rips, and swim moves to free himself from blocks. He absolutely engulfs opponents and overtakes them with pure power. He’s a savvy defender, looking to get his hands up and into passing lanes (with six pass knockdowns in three seasons). It’s tough to move him off his spot in the run game, and he can take on and stonewall double-teams. He has the versatility to line up at multiple spots on the defensive line, including some snaps over the tackle and a handful on the edge. Walker needs to be more consistent with his pad level, and he often stands up too quickly and loses his leverage. He comes in a little bit hot at times and opens himself up to rip-pull moves. He’s not regularly going to chase down plays outside the tackle box.

There just aren’t a lot of dudes Walker’s size who can move like him.

He’s more of a run plugger right now and will need to develop to be a more consistent pass-rush threat.

Amos is tall with a slender build. A transfer to Ole Miss via Alabama and Louisiana, he’s a one-year starter with good ball skills and a natural feel for positioning himself to break up or intercept a pass. He showed good ball production in 2024, collecting three picks and 13 pass breakups with just two touchdowns surrendered, per PFF. He’s a fluid mover who can flip his hips and change direction without gearing down. Even when he does false-step, he shows good recovery speed to quickly make up the separation with his opponent. He is patient and physical in press, employing a strong punch to disrupt timing at the snap; he crowds receivers and makes them fight to get into their route, mirroring expertly on the outside. He shows discipline to not take the bait on double-moves. In zone or off-coverage, he reads the quarterback’s eyes and anticipates well, breaking on the ball quickly or undercutting a route. He competes well at the catch point and knows when to look back for the ball, timing his jump and raking through arms to dislodge passes. There are times when Amos loses track of a pass catcher on crossing routes or allows separation on deep routes, and he may lack top-end speed. He occasionally guesses wrong, flips his hips too early, and gets turned around in tight coverage. He’s inconsistent as a tackler, and too often fails to wrap up.

Amos is tall with good length and sticky coverage skills; he’s scheme versatile, showing physicality in press and instincts from off-coverage looks.

He may lack the long speed to hang with speedy receivers on vertical routes; he needs to improve his consistency as a tackler.

Hairston has a slim, wiry frame. A two-year starter for the Wildcats, he brings a tenacious, fiery style to the field that ups the intensity of the entire secondary. He’s an instinctive playmaker with good ball skills who notched six picks (three returned for touchdowns), 10 passes defensed, and three forced fumbles over the past two seasons. He’s comfortable in off coverage, where he can key in on the eyes of the quarterback and anticipate throws to get early jumps on the ball. He brings top-tier acceleration to click-and-close on the ball with authority. He is hyper aggressive in trying to rip and club at the ball to dislodge it. He shows a smooth transition from backpedal to trailing position, where his excellent balance and speed help him stay connected down the field. He doesn’t bite on double-moves, and brings a savvy feel for plastering on scramble-drill plays, forcing the quarterback to look elsewhere. He didn’t give up a touchdown in coverage last year, per PFF. He flies in off the edge as a blitzer, showing closing speed and burst. Hairston is wiry and lacks stopping power against the run. His tackling can be hit or miss. He missed time in 2024 to a shoulder injury. 

Hairston is a ball of energy in the secondary, bringing twitchy speed, instincts in coverage, and a penchant for big-time plays.

His tackling can be an issue; he missed time to a shoulder injury last year.

Tuimoloau is tall with a well-built, rugged frame. A three-year starter for the Buckeyes, he’s a strong, physical defender who plays with excellent balance and power. He rushes with heavy hands, employing an effective long-arm stab to bull-rush opponents into the backfield. He mixes in a swim move that leaves offensive linemen lunging and is a savvy hand fighter who keeps himself clean with a nonstop barrage of swipes and chops. He’s a heady player who shows excellent awareness and anticipation of what the offense is doing, positioning himself smartly to make a play. He’s patient and controlled and doesn’t bite on play fakes. In the run game, he is strong at the point of attack, stacking, shedding, and ripping away from block attempts to get into the backfield and arrive at the ballcarrier quickly. Tuimoloau has an unremarkable get-off and average bend and burst as a rusher. He relies heavily on his bull rush and will need to expand his repertoire of pass rush moves. He occasionally allows runs to spill past him.

Tuimoloau is a big, powerful edge defender with heavy hands who makes an impact on all three downs; he would be a plug-and-play contributor on the line.

He’s a jack-of-all-trades and master of none who lacks the burst and bend to threaten the high-side edge as a rusher.