How deep is the defensive tackle position in the 2025 NFL Draft? That’s an oft-asked question I’m going to answer below.
But of course your team may not be interested in a defensive tackle this April, so it’s important for me to run through the entire 2025 class, position by position, to lay out the depth at every spot on the field. A bit of a spoiler — edge rusher, running back, and even offensive tackle are very good too.
Below you’ll get the rankings of the position groups, based on my own evaluations in my scouting gradebook, not our CBS Sports consensus prospect rankings — an important distinction.
I’ve ranked based on number of prospects within my Top 100 for every position except running backs. For them, I’ve counted names from the Top 150 instead of the Top 100 because of the positional value boost every other position gets besides running backs in my scouting gradebook. Naturally, they have lower grades than the other positions, so extending the list of “eligible” running backs to 150 seemed like the sensible choice.
And, I’m with the masses — I don’t like the quarterback class.
Now, let’s get to it!
11. Interior Offensive Line
Top 100 prospects: 4
Top 32 grades: 0
I don’t remember a guard class as thin as this one, although it could ultimately get a boost from some collegiate tackles who transition inside at the next level. The center class might be even worse, with only Georgia’s Jared Wilson in my Top 100. This is not the year to go looking for an early-career starter at either of those positions, and the non-explosive combine from Alabama’s Tyler Booker damaged the reputation for the guard spot in this class.
10. Linebacker
Top 100 prospects: 5
Top 32 grades: Jihaad Campbell, Carson Schwesinger, Jalon Walker
The off-ball linebacker group is notably top-heavy, and Campbell and Schwesinger are almost identical, sleek and springy rockets to the football. I didn’t love Walker on film as an off-ball linebacker as much as an edge rusher, but he doesn’t have prototypical edge size. The sleeper in this collection? Cal’s Teddye Buchanan, who had a magnificent combine and is always around the football thanks to his athleticism and smarts. Notre Dame’s Jack Kiser is one of the most fundamentally sound run-defenders I’ve ever scouted.
9. Quarterback
Top 100 prospects: 5
Top 32 grades: Cam Ward, Jalen Milroe
I prefer the upside of Milroe to the steadiness of Shedeur Sanders, the latter of which I have graded just outside my Top 32. As for Ward, I view him like former Jaguars great David Garrard, who often got the job done with slightly above-average traits and a sprinkle of improvisational skill. The other quarterbacks I have inside my Top 100 are Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart and Louisville’s Tyler Shough. From afar, this is much more like the 2019 and 2022 quarterback classes than any others since 2016.
8. Tight End
Top 100 prospects: 5
Top 32 grades: Tyler Warren
I like this tight end class. I don’t adore it. And frankly, I’m higher on some obscure names like Texas Tech’s Jalin Conyers, Notre Dame’s Mitchell Evans, South Carolina’s Joshua Simon, and Alabama’s C.J. Dippre and lower on one highly touted prospect from Michigan, Colston Loveland.
Overall, this is one of the deeper tight end classes we’ve seen in recent memory and Warren is a special prospect at the position because of his physical prowess after the catch and how spectacularly he tracks the football.
7. Safety
Top 100 prospects: 7
Top 32 grades: Malaki Starks, Nick Emmanwori, Kevin Winston Jr.
These safeties are rock-solid. I have top half of the first round grades on Starks and Emmanwori and genuinely believe Winston would’ve been widely considered a first-round prospect at the position had he stayed healthy. His tackling in 2023 was nearly Brian Branch-esque. That good. Notre Dame’s Xavier Watts is a gifted ball hawk, and there are other quality mid-round types with three-down appeal like Wisconsin’s hulking safety Hunter Wohler, Texas’ Andrew Mukuba, and Virginia’s Jonas Sanker. Not a banner class of safeties. A class with two marquee talents and a grouping of steady prospects.
6. Running Back
Top 150 prospects: 9
Top 32 grades: Ashton Jeanty
Yes, I love this running back class, even though it doesn’t bear out with this ranking. It’s mostly due to my slightly tweaked but still mostly unchanged philosophy on the value of the position. Heck, this uber-deep class will ultimately prove that you can always get a talented running back in the draft. I adore Virginia Tech’s Bhayshul Tuten. Auburn’s Jarquez Hunter is being slept on. Same with Texas Tech’s Tahj Smith, Kansas’s Devin Neal, and even Arizona’s Jacory Croskey-Merritt. Then there’s explosive weapons like UCF’s R.J. Harvey, North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton, and SMU’s Brashard Smith. Draft a running back in this class.
5. Wide Receiver
Top 100 prospects: 10
Top 32 grades: Luther Burden III, Tetairoa McMillan
This receiver class is much more about its depth than the clydesdales at the top, although I firmly believe Missouri’s Luther Burden III’s down season production-wise in 2024 has masked what is a tremendous receiver prospect. McMillan is Drake London-esque. I have a few draft crushes at the position who I view as complete receivers, TCU’s Jack Bech and, digging deeper, Florida’s Elijhah Badger.
Jaylin Lane is the explosive, speedy slot receiver with the skill set to erupt on his rookie contract. Jayden Higgins is reminiscent of Courtland Sutton as a prospect too. I could go on and on. In short. Despite not possessing an elite top-flight collection of Malik Nabers, Ja’Marr Chases, this is, once again, a receiver class worth investing in at the game’s most increasingly important position — one that may have already ascended to the second-most vital in the NFL.
4. Cornerback
Top 100 prospects: 10
Top 32 grades: Travis Hunter, Shavon Revel, Benjamin Morrison, Maxwell Hairston, Will Johnson, Azareye’h Thomas
Hunter truly is a transcendent prospect, both at cornerback and receiver. The fact he’s that as one individual is striking. The theme of this cornerback class after Hunter is uncertainty due to injury. Revel and Morrison looked like first-round locks to me on film. Both injured. Johnson too, although I hated his tackling in 2024. I’m much lower on Texas’ Jahdae Barron than most but understand he’s a lock to be picked in the first round. Hairston from Kentucky and Thomas from Florida State are two sudden, fast cornerbacks with a chippy nature on the field I like much more.
3. Offensive Tackle
Top 100 prospects: 12
Top 32 grades: Will Campbell, Armand Membou, Josh Simmons, Josh Conerly Jr., Kelvin Banks
We should see five offensive tackles — maybe six — in the first round, although if Campbell stays at tackle in the NFL, he’ll be a wingspan outlier, as he truly only has guard length. Membou and Simmons are freaky athletic specimens, as is Minnesota’s Aireontae Ersery, who’s just outside my Top 32. Conerly and Banks are extraordinarily NFL-ready blockers at tackle, although I could be convinced Banks should play inside too. The sleepers here include Banks’ teammate, Cameron Williams, Purdue’s Marcus Mbow, and the gigantic elite-testing Jalen Travis from Iowa State.
2. Edge Rusher
Top 100 prospects: 14
Top 32 grades: James Pearce, Abdul Carter, Princely Umanmielen
The edge-rusher class is spectacular. Pearce is my No. 1 overall prospect in the class, two spots ahead of Carter, and I’m higher on Umanmielen than most. He’s big and strong, knows how to utilize his hands at the point of attack and was a steady productive force in the SEC over the past three seasons.
LSU’s Bradyn Swinson might be the most underrated prospect, regardless of position, in the entire class, and Miami’s Tyler Baron really brings it around the corner too. There will be third, fourth, and potentially even some fifth-round picks that will provide the team that picks them tremendous return on investment from this edge-rusher class.
1. Defensive Tackle
Top 100 prospects: 14
Top 32 grades: Mason Graham, Walter Nolen, Omar Norman-Lott
It’s as advertised. The defensive tackle class rocks. Maybe not quite as magnificent as the 2019 group that featured Dexter Lawrence, Jeffrey Simmons, Quinnen Williams, Christian Wilkins, and Ed Oliver, but about as much depth throughout the draft. Graham’s surprisingly small combine weigh-in dinged and otherwise dazzling prospect. Nolen is as explosive as it comes at the position, and Norman-Lott has the talent to be a successful pass-rusher instantly in the NFL.
Oregon’s Derrick Harmon and South Carolina’s T.J. Sanders are slightly outside my Top 32, yet I view them as plus prospects too. The same is true for Toledo’s Darius Alexander, Indiana’s C.J. West, and Kentucky’s Deone Walker. The two-gapping, run-stuff only types will be picked later yet they all provide a glimmer of pass-rushing upside.
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