2025 NFL Draft: Dynasty IDP Day Two Review
The much-discussed defensive line depth played itself out on day two, with 11 edge rushers and seven interior linemen finding homes by the end of the third round.
In this article, I’ll examine the IDP landing spots, take a look at the top four IDP storylines, and finally rank all the day one and two defensive picks for dynasty.
IDP Landing Spots
Carson Schwesinger, LB CLE (2.01 – 33): The UCLA product is like an electric vehicle – he instantly accelerates – and does a good job of keeping himself free of blocks to make plays. A plug-and-play three-down spark plug, Schwesinger is probably the top IDP linebacker considering the Eagles say they see Jihaad Campbell as an edge.
Nick Emmanwori, S SEA (2.03 – 35): Seattle traded up to nab the draft’s best safety (sorry, Malaki Starks fans) and give Mike Macdonald his new version of Kyle Hamilton. Emmanwori is massive at 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds, and is about as athletic a specimen as you can find (10.0 Relative Athletic Score). He’ll pair with Julian Love to give the Seahawks one of the NFL’s most formidable and versatile safety tandems.
TJ Sanders, DT BUF (2.09 – 41): The second South Carolina Gamecock selected in the early second round (six picks behind Emmanwori), Sanders has good length at 6-foot-3 and a wingspan that reaches almost 81 inches. He plays around 300 pounds and probably fits best as a one-gapper. Despite a very disappointing 2024 season, Ed Oliver is entrenched at one tackle spot. Sanders will have to bide his time in 2025 and rotate in behind Oliver, veterans Larry Ogunjobi and DaQuan Jones, and possibly rising second-year tackle DeWayne Carter.
Alfred Collins, DT SF (2.11 – 43): San Francisco was a prime landing spot for a tackle, and I would have preferred it be someone with greater pass rush ability. Collins is huge at 6-foot-5 and 332 pounds, and at this point better as a run defender than a pocket disruptor.
Donovan Ezeiruaku, Edge DAL (2.12 – 44): For the second year in a row, Dallas dropped its second-round pick on an edge rusher. Ezeiruaku is much different than the weightier Marshawn Kneeland, and perhaps gives Dallas some insurance in case of a standoff with star Micah Parsons. The Cowboys needed to add to the edge room, but it’s a bit of a downer for both Ezeiuraku and Kneeland.
JT Tuimoloau, Edge IND (2.13 – 45): The college football playoffs star is a versatile and improving edge. He’s at this point more solid than star, but there’s some potential fantasy value despite the existence of Laiatu Latu, Kwity Paye and Samson Ebukam; the latter two have one year remaining on their contracts. Tuimoloau fits in as the Dayo Odeyingbo replacement, with versatility to occasionally line up at three-technique.
Will Johnson, CB ARI (2.15 – 47): Johnson, who was considered a potential top five pick when mocks started hitting the streets post-Super Bowl, missed all but six games in 2024 due to a shoulder injury and a turf toe. It’s a great value pick for Arizona, but as an outside corner his fantasy value is questionable.
Demetrius Knight, LB CIN (2.17 – 49): Knight looks bigger than his 6-foot-1, 235-pound frame. Maybe it’s because he’s greatly experienced (six years of college at two different schools) and is already 25. He’s a physical run filler and adept blitzer, and moves well – especially downhill. The Bengals’ selection of Knight probably ensures that Germaine Pratt will have his trade request granted – or he’ll be released.
Nic Scourton, Edge CAR (2.19 – 51): After bypassing edge on day one, the Panthers settled on the active and sizable Scourton. He doesn’t have the highest upside and looks more like an average athlete, but his nonstop motor should earn him time in a rotation once he starts seeing the field regularly. Currently, D.J. Wonnum and Jadeveon Clowney sit atop the Panthers’ edge depth chart, and each has one year remaining on his contract.
Oluwafemi Oladejo, Edge TEN (2.20 – 52): Oladejo seems limited with his pass rush moves and ability to flatten once he wins the edge, but he at least brings power to a Tennessee edge group that lacks quality starters (Arden Key and Lorenzo Carter currently top the depth chart – yuck!). Oladejo is a winner in terms of landing spot.
Benjamin Morrison, CB TB (2.21 – 53): The Bucs got a potential steal in Morrison, who missed all but six games in 2024 due to a hip injury that required surgery. He’s an outside corner with unpredictable fantasy value.
Mike Green, Edge BAL (2.27 – 59): The Ravens stopped Green’s slide before the second round came to a close. My second-favorite edge in this class, Green obviously fell due to the two sexual assault allegations in his past, but as a football prospect Green is one of the more fun edge rush prospects to watch with his lateral agility and quick reactions. Green should immediately see a decent snap share as a situational pass rusher behind Odafe Oweh and Kyle Van Noy. Both starters are in the final years of the deals, so Green has a good path to starting-level snaps by 2026.
Trey Amos, CB WAS (2.29 – 61): The Commanders landed one of the better press man cover corners in the draft. Amos’ selection is good news for Mike Sainristil’s fantasy outlook; we want the 2024 second-rounder to operate out of the fantasy friendly slot defender role.
Shemar Turner, DT CHI (2.30 – 62): Turner is an explosive three-technique, which is again a bit maddening for anyone who invested in Gervon Dexter during his sophomore breakout. The Bears of course added Grady Jarrett in the off-season on a three-year deal. Turner should push Zacch Pickens to the fantasy scrapheap, but it will be difficult for Turner to realize any meaningful fantasy value given the two options ahead of him, barring injury to either.
Omarr Norman-Lott, DT KC (2.31 – 63): The Chiefs needed some help to offset the loss of Tershawn Wharton, and Norman-Lott offers similar pass rush upside from the interior. Jerry Tillery (on a one-year deal) is currently Kansas City’s best interior pass rush option other than Chris Jones.
Andrew Mukuba, S PHI (2.32 – 64): The Eagles closed out round two with Mukuba, a physical downhill presence who has rangy speed and best fits in a free safety role since he’s on the light side (186 pounds). Should Reed Blankenship not return to Philadelphia next off-season, Mukuba could be the replacement. Or, he could overtake the unproven Sydney Brown for a starting spot as early as this season.
Darius Alexander, DT NYG (3.01 – 65): Alexander saw his stock rise after a great Senior Bowl, but was never a consistently dominant interior lineman in the FBS Mid-American Conference. Still, he’s got upside given his strength and lower-half bulk and power. This is a good spot too, as Alexander could slide into a starting role next to Dexter Lawrence within the next year or two.
Ashton Gillotte, Edge KC (3.02 – 66): There’s a lot to like about Gillotte with his “all gas, no brakes” style. The length is less than desired, but he’s got adequate mass and can play a rotational role with good moves and strength. He should bring some Mike Danna-like versatility to the Chiefs’ line.
Darien Porter, CB LV (3.04 – 68): Porter was a late breakout who for most of his career was a special teams standout at Iowa State. The Raiders are desperate for help at corner, so perhaps Porter’s age (24) will help him get on the field early.
Vernon Broughton, DT NO (3.07 – 71): Broughton is a strong man with quick hands with an opportunity to grow into a starting role while learning behind Davon Godchaux. The fantasy appeal is questionable.
Landon Jackson, Edge BUF (3.08 – 72): Jackson’s length and size (6-foot-6, 264 pounds and an 83 5/8-inch wingspan) are his best attributes, and he can utilize power to get push into the backfield. Jackson sports a nice 9.88 RAS but didn’t perform agility testing, and he doesn’t show much bend around the edge. Ultimately this was a nice value pick for the Bills, who need to develop some rotational linemen for 2026 if they elect to move on from both Joey Bosa and A.J. Epenesa.
Azareye’h Thomas, CB NYJ (3.09 – 73): A press man outside corner, Thomas could possibly take snaps from free agent signee Brandon Stephens later in the season.
Nick Martin, LB SF (3.11 – 75): I was worried for my Dee Winters shares entering day two, and while no sure thing, Martin could give Winters and Tatum Bethune a run for their money for the second linebacker job next to Fred Warner. Martin moves well and moves fast, but like Winters is undersized. He piled up 140 tackles and six sacks over 14 games in 2023, and 47 tackles and a sack during a season cut short by a knee injury.
Shavon Revel Jr, CB DAL (3.12 – 76): Slim and coming off an ACL tear in September, Revel is a physical outside corner. As such, the fantasy value is going to be unpredictable.
Princely Umanmielen, Edge CAR (3.13 – 77): The Panthers doubled down on edge rushers on day two, with Unanmielen offering a much different skillset than Scourton. A more slender edge, Umanmielen twice led Florida in sacks before doing the same at Ole Miss in 2024. Quick off the line with bend and speed, he projects as a pass rush option only.
Jordan Burch, Edge ARI (3.14 – 78): You be you, Jonathan Gannon. Arizona just keeps loading up on edge rushers, interior tackles, and linemen who are versatile enough to play both. Burch profiles better from four-technique out to five-tech, and
Justin Walley, CB IND (3.16 – 80): The longtime Golden Gopher starter is possibly the eventual successor to Kenny Moore in the slot.
Kevin Winston, S TEN (3.18 – 82): A big safety (6-foot-1, 215) who made 61 tackles in 2023, Winston has a solid fantasy profile as a physical downhill box-style presence, but only played two games in 2024 due to a torn ACL. His snap upside is blocked for the next couple of seasons behind Amani Hooker and free agent signee Xavier Woods.
Jacob Parrish, CB TB (3.20 – 84): The second corner selected by the Bucs on day two, Parrish is a feisty and physical presence who can play outside or in the slot.
Nohl Williams, CB KC (3.21 – 85): The Chiefs attacked outside corner before day two wrapped up. Williams is physical and it shows in his 105 tackles over his final 26 collegiate games. He also intercepted seven passes in 2024.
Jamaree Caldwell, DT LAC (3.22 – 86): Caldwell will be 25 when the season kicks off, and served as Oregon’s starting nose tackle in his one season with the Ducks. The Chargers have an opening for a pocket disruptor on the interior, but Caldwell’s not that guy.
Caleb Ransaw, CB JAC (3.24 – 88): Ransaw played three seasons at Troy and one at Tulane, proving to be a capable tackler. He projects best as a slot defender.
Josaiah Stewart, Edge LAR (3.26 – 90): After losing Michael Hoecht to Buffalo, the Rams needed a third edge to spell stud Jared Verse and Byron Young. Stewart is nothing like Hoecht though: he’s undersized at 6-foot-1, 249, but he’s so explosion off the line, is great at converting speed-to-power, and has a motor that never quits. He’ll have some games worthy of fantasy starts if either Verse or Young miss time.
Jonas Sanker, S NO (3.29 – 93): Did the Saints land their eventual Honey Badger replacement in round three? Tyrann Mathieu will soon be 33 and has one year remaining on his deal with New Orleans. It’s fair to wonder how many more seasons he has in him. Sanker had great tackle production over his final three seasons at Virginia, and closes quickly on the ball when working downhill or ranging toward a sideline. His all-around skillset suggests he could be an effective starter once a spot opens up for him.
Xavier Watts, S ATL (3.32 – 96): Watts was thought to be a second-round pick given his size, versatility, range and speed. Instead he almost slipped out of the third round before Atlanta made a trade to land him. Watts would make a nice compliment to Jessie Bates, and with only Jordan Fuller and DeMarco Hellams to contend with, fantasy viability is not far off for the former Notre Dame star.
Jaylin Smith, CB HOU (3.33 – 97): His size suggests nickel, but I think he fits better as a rotational outside corner.
Upton Stout, CB SF (3.36 – 100): “Compact” might be a good way to describe the 5-foot-8 Stout. And other than the lack of size, there’s not a lot to like. He’s fast, can stick in coverage and a very willing tackler. He projects as a backup slot defender for the Niners.
Sai’Vion Jones, Edge DEN (3.37 – 101): A huge edge at 6-foot-5, 280, Jones can simply bully tackles backward. I’m not sure he offers much more than that at this point though, and shouldn’t threaten Denver’s top three of Nik Bonitto, Jonathon Cooper and Jonah Elliss.
Top Four IDP Storylines from Day Two
Schwesinger Pick Spells Trouble for JOK
Cleveland kicked off day two with an IDP bang, picking the possible top IDP rookie off-ball in Carson Schwesinger. The former Bruin, now a Brown, was UCLA’s version of Roy Kent (of Ted Lasso fame: “he’s here, he’s there, he’s every f-in’ where). This selection of course means bad things are in play with Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, who suffered a scary neck injury in week eight and hasn’t played since. Since the incident there has been low-key speculation that JOK’s career may be over, and adding an off-ball at the No. 33 overall pick tells us that Cleveland has major concerns. Cleveland was already active at off-ball in free agency, bringing back Devin Bush and adding Jerome Baker to a room that already included elder statesman Jordan Hicks, and homegrown youngsters Mohamoud Diabate, Nathaniel Watson, and Winston Reid.
A Dark Knight Comes for Pratt’s Position
A Germaine Pratt trade has been in the cards ever since the veteran requested one earlier this off-season. He’s had fantasy value in part due to his three-down role with the Bengals, but it seems increasingly likely that those days are done now with Demetrius Knight joining the off-ball room with round two draft capital and a profile that suggests he’s ready to play early. Since a trade has yet to materialize, there’s a good chance Pratt gets released. Pratt may soon find himself a vagabond, and the uncertainty is a killer for his dynasty outlook.
Two Second-Year DLs Among Veterans Taking Hits
I was hopeful that the Cowboys’ 2024 second rounder, Marshawn Kneeland, would ascend in fantasy to regular starter status. Donovan Ezeiruaku’s presence is going to make that difficult. The bigger hit probably came in Arizona, where the Cardinals continued to add to the defensive line after selecting Walter Nolen in the first round. Jordan Burch seems repetitive to 2024 first rounder Darius Robinson, who didn’t see the field much as a rookie due in part to a calf injury.
At safety, Julian Love takes a slight hit with the much larger Emmanwori coming into the fold in Seattle. Though Love has proven to be an adept tackler (124, 123 and 109 combined tackles over the past three seasons), the rookie is going to be used all over the place in Mike Macdonald’s defense, a la Kyle Hamilton.
Following a year two breakout, Gervon Dexter saw the Bears add more competition for snaps at tackle with Shemar Turner joining Grady Jarrett as new faces on the interior. It’s not terrible, as Dexter – despite little quality competition – saw a 67 percent snap share as a sophomore. Still, expect the workload to ease off headed into year three.
Who’s Left?
Ohio State edge Jack Sawyer is probably the biggest surprise of defensive players still on the board. I’ll be interested to see landing spots and draft capital for the remaining linebackers, in particular Ole Miss’ Chris Paul Jr., Oklahoma’s Danny Stutsman, Oregon’s Jeffrey Bassa and Georgia’s Smael Mondon Jr. Any of them could have near-term value with a chance to prove themselves for dynasty purposes if they find their way to Las Vegas, Baltimore or Tampa Bay.
Ranking the IDPs for Dynasty
I’ve updated this list with all IDPs taken through Friday night. I’ll update after Saturday’s selections to take it out to 75.
- Travis Hunter, JAC, CB1 (anywhere he has cornerback eligibility)
- Abdul Carter, NYG, Edge1
- Carswon Schwesinger, CLE, LB1
- Jihaad Campbell, PHI, LB2: I had to drop him behind Schwesinger due to Philly’s dialogue about him primarily playing as an edge rusher. I like him a lot better for fantasy as an off-ball.
- Jalon Walker, ATL, Edge2
- Nick Emmanwori, SEA, S1
- Demetrius Knight, CIN, LB3
- Mason Graham, CLE, DT1
- Mykel Williams, SF, Edge3
- James Pearce Jr., ATL, Edge4
- Mike Green, BAL, Edge5
- Walter Nolen, ARI, DT2
- Derrick Harmon, PIT, DT3
- Jahdae Barron, DEN, CB2
- Shemar Stewart, CIN, Edge6
- Malaki Starks, BAL, S2
- Xavier Watts, ATL, S3
- Nick Martin, SF, LB4
- Donovan Ezeiruaku, DAL, Edge7
- Oluwafemi Oladejo, TEN, Edge8
- Andrew Mukuba, PHI, S4
- Kenneth Grant, MIA, DT4
- J.T. Tuimoloau, IND, Edge9
- Princely Umanmielen, CAR, Edge10
- Darius Alexander, NYG, DT5
- Jonas Sanker, NO, S5
- Josaiah Stewart, LAR, Edge11
- Kevin Winston, TEN, S6
- Nic Scourton, CAR, Edge12
- Landon Jackson, BUF, Edge13
- Jordan Burch, ARI, Edge14
- Ashton Gillotte, KC, Edge15
- Omarr Norman-Lott, KC, DT6
- T.J. Sanders, BUF, DT7
- Maxwell Hairston, BUF, CB3
- Trey Amos, WAS, CB4
- Will Johnson, ARI, CB5
- Jacob Parrish, TB, CB6
- Shemar Turner, CHI, DT8
- Sai’Vion Jones, DEN, Edge16
- Nohl Williams, KC, CB7
- Azareye’h Thomas, NYJ, CB8
- Darien Porter, LV, CB9
- Benjamin Morrison, TB, CB10
- Tyleik Williams, DET, DT9
- Alfred Collins, SF, DT10
- Shavon Revel, DAL, CB11
- Justin Walley, IND, CB12
- Caleb Ransaw, JAC, CB13
- Jamaree Caldwell, LAC, DT11
- Upton Stout, SF, CB14
- Jaylin Smith, HOU, CB15
- Vernon Broughton, NO, DT12
- 2025 NFL Draft: Dynasty IDP Day Two Review - April 26, 2025
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