2025 NFL Scouting Combine: Dynasty Defensive Player Review
Another year of the NFL Scouting Combine is in the books. The week-long event gave us some further insight into the rookie class with player interviews and on-the-field workouts. Not everyone participated in on-the-field workouts, as has become the norm recently with some of the top-end prospects.
This looks to be a pretty stellar defensive group, which could have some major impact players for IDP purposes. Let’s take a look at the defensive tiers after the completion of the combine in Indianapolis.
Rookie Defensive Line Tiers
Tier 1
Mason Graham, Michigan
Walter Nolen, Ole Miss
Kenneth Grant, Michigan
Tier 2
Derrick Harmon, Oregon
Tyleik Williams, Ohio State
Tier 3
Deone Walker, Kentucky
TJ Sanders, South Carolina
Graham is the prize of this defensive line group. He looks locked into being a top-ten pick and only did the bench press at the combine. He should be one of the players at the top of your list in an IDP league that starts a defensive tackle, but he will still be valuable in combined defensive line leagues because of his ability to rush the passer and get in on tackles.
Nolan decided to not participate at the combine, but is a big, disruptive player who can play on the inside or as a traditional 4-3 defensive end. He was the top prospect in the country coming out of high school and should be taken in the first half of the first round.
Grant has some impressive athletic ability for a guy that is 6-3, 331 pounds, but will he get locked in as a nose tackle only in the NFL? That’s something to keep an eye on.
Harmon was impressive. He is 6-4, 313 pounds with 34 3/8-inch arms. He ran an unofficial 4.95-second 40-yard dash and moved well in on-field work.
Williams didn’t run the 40-yard dash, but at 334 pounds, he moved quickly and with a low center of gravity in all of the drills.
Rookie Edge Tiers
Tier 1
Abdul Carter, Penn State
Mykel Williams, Georgia
Tier 2
James Pierce Jr, Tennessee
Shemar Stewart, Texas A&M
Mike Green, Marshall
Tier 3
Jack Sawyer, Ohio State
JT Tuimoloau, Ohio State
Princely Umanmielen, Ole Miss
Nic Scourton, Texas A&M
Carter has a foot injury, so he skipped the combine. Williams dealt with an ankle injury last season at Georgia and told reporters he played at about 60% most of the season. He is planning on working out at his pro day.
Pearce impressed with a 4.47 second 40-yard dash at 245 pounds. He was smooth in drills with quick feet. Pierce has a ton of athletic traits to be a good pass rusher in the NFL, but the question is whether he can put it all together.
If anyone was going to help themselves at the combine it was Stewart. He posted a 40-inch vertical, which was second-best among defensive linemen, added a 10-11 broad jump, which was tops in the group, and had a 4.59 second 40-yard dash, which was fourth-fastest among the defensive linemen. It was reported that he injured his hamstring running the 40, so he didn’t participate in on the field drills. Stewart is an elite athlete, but he only had 4.5 sacks in three seasons at Texas A&M.
Umanmielen didn’t have a great combine. He ran a 4.72 second 40-yard dash at 244 pounds. His 7.33 second three-cone drill wasn’t great. Umanmielen is a good prospect, but this is a very competitive group this year and he doesn’t want to fall behind.
Rookie Linebacker Tiers
Tier 1
Jalon Walker, Georgia
Jihaad Campbell, Alabama
Tier 2
Carson Schwesinger, UCLA
Demetrius Knight II, South Carolina
Barrett Carter, Clemson
Tier 3
Danny Stutsman, Oklahoma
Jeffrey Bassa, Oregon
Campbell chose to work out at the combine and took full advantage of the situation. He ran a 4.52 second 40-yard dash at 235 pounds and had a 10-7 broad jump. Campbell looked like a first-round pick in drill work. He is going to be a must-get player in IDP formats.
Schwesinger has been rising up draft boards after a productive season at UCLA where he recorded more than 130 tackles. He was considered undersized but weighed in at 242 pounds and had a 39.5 inch vertical. He should now be on IDP manager’s radars.
Stutsman has had three consecutive good seasons for the Sooners, yet some questioned his athletic traits. Not anymore. He ran a 4.52 second 40-yard dash at 233 pounds. He likely solidified himself as a third-round pick in the draft.
Rookie Defensive Back Tiers
Tier 1
Travis Hunter, Colorado
Nick Emmanwori, South Carolina
Malaki Starks, Georgia
Tier 2
Jahdae Barron, Texas
Xavier Watts, Notre Dame
Tier 3
Will Johnson, Michigan
Malachi Moore, Alabama
Typically, you don’t want a shutdown corner in IDP leagues, because they don’t score you any fantasy points. But Hunter is rare. If he plays wide receiver as well, he could be an IDP-cheat code. He didn’t work out at the combine because he is a likely top-five pick.
Emmanwori has been gaining steam lately, and then he blew the top off Lucas Oil Stadium this past week. He put together maybe the most impressive combine of all time. He had a perfect 10.0 RAS score. He ran an incredible 4.38 second 40-yard dash at 6-3, 220 pounds. He then added a 43-inch vertical jump and an 11-6 broad jump. The only players at that size to hit those metrics since 2003, DK Metcalf and Emmanwori. He is going to be a first-round pick and possibly the top safety off the board.
Starks didn’t have the same type of performance as Emmanwori, but he still looks like a first-round selection. He had a below average 33-inch vertical, and a decent 4.5 second 40-yard dash, but had a great 1.51 second 10-yard split. But Starks looked really good during the rest of the drills, where he was fluid with some of the top speeds per Next Gen Stats.
Barron received some comparisons to Detroit safety Brian Branch and Seattle slot corner Devon Witherspoon. Um… yes please. Barron ran a 4.39 second 40-yard dash with a 1.50-second 10-yard split. He added a 35-inch vertical and 10-3 broad jump. Barron looks to be a first-round pick that could bounce back and forth between slot corner and strong safety.
While there will still be some movement after pro days, we got a good look at some of the top IDP talent in this draft. There are going to be some impact defensive players in this draft for sure. I’m excited to see where these guys eventually land in April at the 2025 NFL Draft.
- 2025 NFL Scouting Combine: Dynasty Defensive Player Review - March 9, 2025
- Past/Present/Future Rookie Pick Value: 2025 Early 2nd - March 5, 2025
- Past/Present/Future Rookie Pick Value: 2025 Early 3rd - February 25, 2025
