2025 NFL Draft Edge Rusher Prospect Rankings

2025 NFL Draft coverage is sponsored by Chatty’s Pizzeria (www.chattyspizzeria.com), North Olmsted Sportsman Club (https://nosc-online.com), Cement Mason Local 404 Union (www.cementmasons404.com) and JBL Roofing & Construction (www.jblrc.com).

14. Kyle Kennard – South Carolina

Kennard can align as either a 4-3 DE or 3-4 OLB. He has some natural twitch, refined pass rush tools, such as a nasty rip move and a very high motor. His spatial awareness is impressive, along with a high football IQ. Kennard’s timing and instincts as a pass rusher will make him a nice rotational piece. He might have some issues setting the edge at the next level and he is developing a more diverse pass rush plan. Kennard will tend to lose containment and his stack and shed technique is also still developing. To be more effective, he will have to drop his pad level and not play too high.

Player Comparisons: K.J. Henry / Xavier Thomas

Projection: 5^th – 6^th Round

Best Fits: Bengals, Panthers, Falcons (Wild Card – Saints)

13. Bradyn Swinson – LSU

 Swinson is a 4-3 hybrid DE or 3-4 OLB with great counter moves, length and plenty of closing speed. His hand usage is solid and he is great at converting speed to power. Swinson is an explosive prospect with a dog mentality in pursuit. His natural feel for leverage and angles combined with rare athleticism makes him an intriguing prospect. Swinson’s size is merely average and he needs to work on being consistent. He tends to struggle with double teams and gets overaggressive in pursuit. When he guesses wrong, he gets out of place and hurts his team on the play.

Player Comparison: Jonathon Cooper / Jonathan Greenard

Projection: 4^th – 6^th Round

Best Fits: Titans, Jaguars, Raiders (Wild Card – Buccaneers)

12. Josaiah Stewart – Michigan

Stewart is a true 3-4 outside linebacker with an explosive first step and natural leverage. He has an elite motor, high IQ and can drop in coverage easily. Stewart is a hand technician with quick processing ability and versatility. He is undersized with short arms and can struggle with gap integrity. His bend is surprisingly limited and he gets overeager while pursuing in the backfield.

Player Comparisons: Arnold Ebiketie / Nik Bonitto

Projection: 4^th – 5^th Round

Best Fits: Ravens, Chargers, Eagles (Wild Card – Chiefs)

11. Donovan Ezeiruaku – Boston College

Ezeiruaku is a highly productive pass rusher with 3-4 OLB and hybrid 4-3 DE versatility. He has a ton of pass rush moves at his disposal and his natural bend, explosive first step and relentless motor makes him a force to deal with each game. Ezeiruaku has high-level processing speed and an advanced setup ability. The way he contorts his body in tight spaces is almost unbelievable. However, he only has limited power, lacks ideal anchor strength and needs to bull rush some but hardly does it. His speed is not necessarily elite and his hands are still developing.

Player Comparisons: DeAngelo Malone / Uchenna Nwosu

Projection: 4^th – 5^th Round

Best Fits: Browns, Cowboys, Commanders (Wild Card – Jaguars)

10. Princely Umanmielen – Ole Miss                                                 

Umanmielen best translates as a 3-4 outside linebacker with his natural bend, nasty inside counter move and long arms. His spatial awareness is impressive, while his change of direction ability, high-level competitive toughness and quick processing speed will make him a nice rotational piece. He is usually patient on the edge but his slow build up and lack of speed can make him easier to latch onto and control. He then struggles to disengage and needs to develop his hand usage to fight off blockers. Umanmielen is a predictable pass rusher and can’t play inside at all. He will need to work on his pad level as well.

Player Comparisons: Bralen Trice / Derick Hall

Projection: 3^rd – 5^th Round

Best Fits: Falcons, Ravens, Eagles (Wild Card – Cardinals)

9. J.T. Tuimoloau – Ohio State                                                           

Tuimoloau is a complicated 4-3 defensive end. His talent is top-tier, but his production and impact is so up and down. One game he will terrorize the opponent and then the next two he will be so quiet. It can be a bit of a mystery. Tuimoloau has heavy hands, power to collapse the pocket and elite spatial awareness. His instincts versus screens result in him making plays in space and he can also set the edge versus the run game. Tuimoloau has mastered his precisely timed spin move and his length plus functional strength also helps him beat opposing offensive linemen. His football IQ is always switched on but the motor is what runs hot and cold. Tuimoloau is not great at changing direction and is also not overly explosive. His flexibility is limited which takes away his ability to make a good 3-4 outside linebacker. When he plays too tall, offensive linemen are able to get to his chest and he doesn’t have enough counter moves to work out of that. If he becomes more consistent, then he could be great. As he is now, the ceiling is an average starter.

Player Comparisons: Cameron Thomas / George Karlaftis

Projection: 3^rd – 4^th Round

Best Fits: 49ers, Lions, Bengals (Wild Card – Raiders)

8. Landon Jackson – Arkansas                                                         

Jackson is a natural 4-3 defensive end who plays best with his hand in the dirt. When he is standing up, the closer he moves to the football, the better. Jackson has great length, power at the point of attack and advanced hand technique. He excels as an edge setter against the run and has the leverage to hold up versus bigger opponents. His motor is impressive, movements are fluid and football IQ is great. Jackson has very limited bend, plays methodical and not too explosive and also plays very vertical in the way he moves. He’s not a natural in space and his game is strictly predicated on power, not speed.

Player Comparisons: Lukas Van Ness / Zach Harrison

Projection: 2^nd – 3^rd Round

Best Fits: Browns, Lions, Bears (Wild Card – Saints)

7. Nic Scourton – Texas A&M                                                               

Scourton has 4-3 DE/3-4 OLB versatility with his quickness, excellent athleticism and advanced pass rush arsenal. His spin move is exceptional. Scourton shoots gaps well, brings thunder and power in everything he does and his natural play strength shines. His motor is always hot even on special teams. Scourton struggles with a bit of hip tightness and he struggles to maintain leverage versus double teams. He could benefit from more counter moves at his disposal and needs to stop diving and missing on tackles. When he gets tired, his pad level begins to rise.

Player Comparisons: Felix Anudike-Uzomah / Jonah Elliss

Projection: 2^nd – 3^rd Round

Best Fits: Panthers, Commanders, Chiefs (Wild Card – Patriots)

6. Mykel Williams – Georgia                                                               

Williams is another hybrid 4-3 DE/3-4 OLB in this class. His length, patience natural leverage and scheme versatility makes him a highly valued prospect by most people. Williams has some nice run game recognition and typically stays in position during the play. He sticks with a play well but often finds himself jumping late off the snap. His pass rush arsenal is still a work in progress and he often plays too high in his stance. Williams will get caught up in traffic and won’t ever be an overly dominant force on the edge.

Player Comparisons: Javontae Jean-Baptiste / Josh Sweat

Projection: 2^nd – 3^rd Round

Best Fits: Ravens, Packers, Eagles (Wild Card – Falcons)

5. James Pearce Jr. – Tennessee                                                     

Pearce will do best as a 3-4 outside linebacker in the NFL due to his long and lean frame. He is perhaps the fastest edge rusher in the class with incredible explosiveness and great bend around the edge. He is a true speed rusher with natural instincts while also maintaining rush integrity. Pearce knows how to finish plays and can change direction quite well. His IQ is also a major factor in his game. Pearce lacks strength, struggles with pulling guards and gets up field so fast that he leaves an open gap for mobile quarterbacks to scramble towards. Pearce needs some more counter moves and is going to need to continue his development as a rookie.

Player Comparison: David Ojabo / Joe Tryon-Shoyinka

Projection: Late 1^st – 2^nd Round

Best Fits: Chargers, Falcons, Buccaneers (Wild Card – Cardinals)

4. Jack Sawyer – Ohio State                                                              

Sawyer is a true 4-3 defensive end with a nasty demeanor, incredible power and natural instincts. His bull rush is tough to stop and his cross-chop moves are a thing of beauty. Sawyer is a natural leader with a high football IQ and knows how to clean up plays with coverage sacks. His strong hands and refined technique has him headed in the trajectory of a productive NFL edge rusher. Sawyer only possesses below average burst, lacks bend and his spin move isn’t too quick. Although he won’t typically win with speed, he will regularly finds way to make an impact.

Player Comparisons: Derek Barnett / Trey Hendrickson

Projection: Late 1^st – 2^nd Round

Best Fits: Bengals, Commanders, Lions (Wild Card – Bills)

Watch as Cole unveils the top 3 – highlights included!

https://youtu.be/6LSIygYOHYc