2025 NFL Draft Prospects: Defensive End

2/15/25: In 2024, Carter had 68 tackles with 12 sacks, two forced fumbles, and four passes broken up. Carter notched 49 tackles, 4.5 sacks, five passes defended, and one interception in 2023. In 2022, he made his presence felt as a freshman with 56 tackles, 6.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, and four passes defended. Carter is extremely fast off the ball, and his rare explosiveness is even more dynamic with his ability to bend off the edge. Carter is a dangerous speed rusher off the edge, and he has the versatility to play Sam linebacker as well. Penn State lined him up inside the linebacker and rushed off the edge, so he already had experience moving around the defensive front. A number of team sources have Carter as the best prospect in the 2025 NFL Draft.

2/15/25: Williams had two tackles and was active against Clemson in the season opener, but he suffered a sprained ankle in the second half and missed the month of September. Williams came back in early October and has played well. In 2024, Williams had 21 tackles, five sacks, and two forced fumbles. Williams is a good player with an excellent skill set and upside.

6/25/24: While playing behind some veterans, Williams flashed big-time ability as a freshman for Georgia, recording 4.5 sacks, 6.5 tackles for a loss, and 28 tackles. He had 16 tackles with 4.5 sacks and two passes batted as a sophomore while playing in a rotation. Williams has good size, speed, and athleticism. He has the potential to be a breakout player in 2024.

2/15/25: Pearce had 38 tackles, 7.5 sacks, one forced fumble, and one pass batted and produced a lot of pressures in 2024. Pearce has character concerns. Some team sources think they will end up dropping Pearce off their board because of the character.

6/25/24: Pearce was a big-time presence for the Volunteers in 2023, making a lot of splash plays and producing a lot of pressure on the quarterback. He totaled 27 tackles with 9.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, and an interception. Pearce is listed at 6-foot-5, 242 pounds, but that could be inflated. If those numbers are exaggerated, as often is the case, Pearce could fit as an outside linebacker and edge rusher in a 3-4 defense. Pearce would need to gain weight and get stronger to be an every-down defensive end in a 4-3 scheme.

2/15/25: Stewart (6-6, 290) is a big, fast, and strong defensive lineman. In 2024, he had 31 tackles with 1.5 sacks and two passes batted. Stewart had 1.5 sacks in each of the 2023 and 2022 seasons. Some team sources said they graded Stewart in the second round, and some said they graded him in the third because he is a raw developmental project. However, team sources believe that Stewart could go late in the first round based on his tremendous skill set. He has first-round talent and plays a premium position, so he definitely has a shot at getting selected on the opening night of the draft.

While there is no doubt that Stewart is a physical freak with an excellent combination of height, weight, and speed, Stewart was an underachiever in college as he is a better athlete than a football player. Stewart lacks instincts as a player, has vision issues, and has struggled to finish some plays. All of those issues are seen in his career sack total of 4.5. With his speed, strength, and size, Stewart should have had some big seasons and multi-sack games in his career. Instead, he had zero big seasons of production despite being more talented than the players he was going against. Stewart is going to need to learn pass-rushing moves for the NFL, as he will not be able to win alone on being strong and fast.

2/15/25: Collins had 53 tackles, one sack, and six passes batted thus far. While Collins is not a sack producer, he does contribute to the rush by getting a push into the pocket. Collins is strong, physical, and very tough as a run defender. Some team sources think he could sneak into the first round.

6/25/24: In 2023, Collins collected 22 tackles, two sacks, and two passes defended. Collins is a large defensive end that should move inside to defensive tackle for the NFL, or drop weight if he is going to stay on the edge. Collins was a solid run defender over the past three seasons, but he needs to improve his pass-rush production in 2024.

2/15/25: In 2024, Tuimoloau had 12.5 sacks, 61 tackles, two forced fumbles, and three passes batted. He is a solid college player but is not a game-wrecker. Some team sources think Tuimoloau could become a pro starter, and others think he is more of a backup. Tuimoloau got red hot in the college football playoff, and that has seen his stock rise into being an early-rounder.

6/25/24: Tuimoloau totaled 38 tackles, five sacks and two passes broken in 2023. He did not provide a big edge presence for the Buckeyes and has not lived up to the media hype. Hence returned to Ohio State for the 2024 season. As a redshirt freshman in 2022, Tuimoloau turned in an intriguing season for the Buckeyes, showing an ability to produce big plays. He recorded 28 tackles, 3.5 sacks, one forced fumble, two interceptions, and two passes broken up on the year. Tuimoloau could rise for the 2024 NFL Draft if his pass rush and sack production improve in 2023.

2/15/25: In 2024, Burch finally put it all together with 31 tackles, five passes batted, one forced fumble, and 8.5 sacks. Burch played well for Oregon showing dangerous rush ability from defensive end or tackle. With his size, strength, and athleticism, Burch can play defensive end, and he flashes ability to be a power end for the NFL. He also can move inside fulltime or be an interior rusher in the subpackage. Burch has one of the best physical skill sets of any player in the 2025 NFL Draft, but some team sources are wary that Burch never dominated and played up to his amazing skill set.

6/24/24: In 2023, Burch notched 34 tackles, three sacks and a pass batted. He is a physical run defender at the point of attack. After a few quiet years at South Carolina, Burch had a breakout year in 2022, recording 60 tackles with 3.5 sacks. He then transferred to Oregon for 2023. If Burch builds on last season’s performance, he could be a riser for the 2025 NFL Draft.

2/15/25: Green was a monster for the Thundering Herd in 2024, with a ton of big plays for the Marshall defense. In 2024, Green had 17 sacks with three forced fumbles, 81 tackles, and two passes batted. Green is very fast and explosive off the edge, but he lacks size and strength for the NFL. Green also has some character concerns. In 2023, Green had 43 tackles with 4.5 sacks and one forced fumble.

2/15/25: Ezeiruaka is an undersized edge rusher prospect for the NFL, but he was a pass-rushing demon for the Eagles in 2024, recording 16.5 sacks with three forced fumbles and 80 tackles. Ezeiruaka had 7.5 sacks in 2022. In the NFL, he will have to be a Sam linebacker in the base defense and can move to rush off the edge in the subpackage. While Ezeiruaka is undersized, he is strong for his size and plays hard and tough against the run for an undersized speed rusher.

2/15/25: In 2024, Umanmielen had 10.5 sacks with 34 tackles and a forced fumble. Umanmielen is a love/hate prospect. Some feel he is a good-looking player, but is more quick than explosive or sudden. Some teams have character concerns with Umanmielen.

6/25/24: Umanmielen played well in 2023, recording seven sacks and 39 tackles. He transferred out of Florida after the season with a pay day coming from Ole Miss. In 2022, he totaled 39 tackles, 4.5 sacks and two forced fumbles. Umanmielen totaled 3.5 sacks over the 2021 and 2020 seasons. The 6-foot-5, 255-pounder has quality size with some speed and athleticism off the edge. He has shown improvement and growth as he has gained experience. Umanmielen still possesses upside to develop, so he could make a jump in 2024.

2/15/25: In 2024, Jackson had 49 tackles, 6.5 sacks, one forced fumble, and three passes broken up. He is a tough defender at the point of attack. Jackson had a mixed week of practice at the Senior Bowl, but did very well in the Senior Bowl game.

6/25/24: Jackson is strong at the point of attack with good length to keep blockers from getting into his chest. In 2023, Jackson recorded 44 tackles, 6.5 sacks and a pass broken up. He has upside and could emerge as a nice prospect for the 2025 NFL Draft.

2/15/25: In 2024, Sawyer had 59 tackles, three forced fumbles, nine sacks, one interception, and five passes batted. Sawyer dominated Tennessee and was excellent against Oregon in the first two college football playoff games. Some sources think Sawyer could be a second-round pick next April.

6/25/24: In 2023, Sawyer had 48 tackles, 6.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, and two passes batted. He was not a big presence and has been disappointing as a former No. 1 recruit. However, Sawyer decided to return for the 2024 season, so perhaps he makes a big jump as a senior. Sawyer flashed potential for the Buckeyes as a freshman in 2021 with 13 tackles and three sacks in a backup role. In 2022, he recorded 24 tackles, one pass defended and 4.5 sacks.

2/15/25: In 2024, Scourton had 37 tackles with five sacks and one forced fumble. He had a solid but unspectacular season for the Aggies. Multiple team sources said they graded Scourton on day two.

6/25/24: After a tremendous 2023 season for Purdue, Scourton transferred close to home with the Texas A&M Aggies. In 2023 he had 50 tackles, 10 sacks, one forced fumble, and three passes defended. Scourton showed impressive quickness and athleticism for a big-bodied defensive lineman.

2/15/25: Swinson is a tough defender at the point of attack. He is strong to shed blocks and has the speed to run around the corner. In 2024, Swinson had 59 tackles, 8.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles. Swinson has the upside to develop into a starter who could be a sleeper value pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

2/15/25: Diggs had 45 tackles with 7.5 sacks and a forced fumble. He is a tough defender who has size, athleticism, and quickness. Diggs could turn into a solid starting defensive end at the NFL level.

6/25/24: Diggs has a good skill set with upside. In 2023 he totaled 36 tackles with four sacks and two passes batted for Texas A&M. He had 28 tackles with three sacks and three forced fumbles in 2022. After the 2023 season, he transferred to Syracuse.

2/15/25: Baron was an active defender for Miami in 2024. He had 38 tackles with 5.5 sacks and a forced fumble. Last year, he had six sacks with 28 tackles. Baron has a good skill set with upside to develop.

2/15/25: Ivey had 42 tackles with seven sacks and two forced fumbles. He has been a tough defender for the Rebels showing pass rush ability with quickness and strength.

6/25/24: Ivey was a solid defender in 2023, recording 46 tackles with 5.5 sacks and two passes batted in his first season with the Rebels. He has increased his sack and tackle production over the past three seasons. Prior to 2023, Ivey played for Georgia Tech.

2/15/25: Rucker had 30 tackles, six sacks, one interception, and one pass batted in six games of play. Rucker had an undisclosed leg injury, which kept him out of September and into October. He has some pass rush ability off the edge, but lacks height and length for the NFL.

6/25/24: Rucker was a dangerous edge rusher for North Carolina in 2023, recording 8.5 sacks and 61 tackles. In 2022, he totaled 37 tackles and 3.5 sacks. He recorded four sacks in 2021. Rucker is short and lacks length for the NFL, but he has some speed and athleticism off the edge. Rucker could be a designated pass rusher candidate in the NFL due to his length and weight limitations.

2/15/25: Kennard has quality size for the next level and he has enjoyed a breakout season with the Gamecocks. In 2024, Kennard had 11.5 sacks with three forced fumbles and 28 tackles. Kennard had six sacks last year while playing with Georgia Tech. Kennard is a sleeper that could be a riser.

2/15/25: Powell-Ryland has been one of the most productive pass rushers in college football over the past two seasons. In 2024, he was among the best in the nation, recording 16 sacks with three forced fumbles, 43 tackles, and three fumble recoveries. Last year, he had 40 stops with 9.5 sacks and three forced fumbles. Powell-Ryland is undersized for a pro edge rusher, but he could get designated pass rusher consideration for the NFL.

2/15/25: Jones has started the season strong, but then fell quiet in the middle portion of the season. In 2024, Jones had 40 tackles with 4.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, and two passes broken up. He had a good week of practice at the Senior Bowl and performed well in the All-Star game.

6/25/24: In 2023, Jones recorded 32 tackles, 2.5 sacks and two passes broken up in 2023. He was wise to return to LSU to improve before going pro. In 2022, Jones recorded 4.5 sacks, one forced fumble and 23 tackles. He has the athletic potential to be a riser.

2/15/25: Hassanein had 48 tackles with 9.5 sacks in 2024. In 2023, he had a massive presence for the Broncos, recording 53 tackles with 12.5 sacks and two forced fumbles. It would help Hassanein to have an impressive performance at an all-star game.

2/15/25: Gillotte had 43 tackles with 4.5 sacks.

6/25/24: Gillotte has improved in each of his three seasons with the Cardinals. In his debut in 2021, he had four sacks, eight tackles for a loss, and 19 tackles. As a sophomore, he bumped up to six sacks with 23 tackles. In 2023, Gillotte was a big presence for Louisville recording 11 sacks, 14.5 tackles for a loss, three forced fumbles, and 45 tackles. Gillotte lacks some length for the NFL but has a strong build.

2/15/25: Martin had 23 tackles with 3.5 sacks and one pass batted.

6/25/24: In 2023, Martin had 27 tackles and one sack. Despite the small production, Martin made it onto NFL team’s preseason watch list. In 2022, he had 34 tackles with four sacks.

2/15/25: Joyner had 32 tackles with 4.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, and seven passes batted. He has some talent and length, but Joyner is inconsistent and lacks physicality in run defense. Thus, they see him as more of a designated pass rusher. He lacks some speed to power, hand usage, and rush plan. That being said, Joyner has good height, weight, speed, and upside to develop. He flashed ability at the Senior Bowl and could be a sleeper steal in the 2025 NFL Draft.

6/25/24: In 2023, Joyner did not produce much as a run defender, recording only 18 tackles, but he was a real presence in the pass rush, totaling 7.5 sacks with two forced fumbles.

2/15/25: Logan-Redding had 27 tackles with four passes defended. Logan-Redding plays tough but is limited. He could stick in the NFL as a backup, try-hard effort player.

6/25/24: In 2023, Logan-Redding totaled 29 tackles with 2.5 sacks. He has to ramp up his pass-rush production as a senior to rise.

2/15/25: Sorrell had 43 tackles and 5.5 sacks. He finished the year well and had some big plays for Texas at the end of the season.

6/25/24: Sorrell was a quality contributor for the Longhorns, joining other talent up front to give Texas a steady pass rush in 2023. In 2023 Sorrell totaled 36 tackles with four sacks. He had 44 tackles with 5.5 sacks the previous season. Sorrell needs to ramp up his production to rise as a senior.

2/15/25: Harvey had 31 tackles with 7.5 sacks and two forced fumbles.

6/25/24: In 2023, Harvey recorded 23 tackles, a sack and a pass batted for Miami. Harvey entered the transfer portal after the season. Harvey showed some pass-rush potential in 2022, suggesting the upside to improve as he gains experience. Harvey recorded 5.5 sacks and 31 tackles in 2022, but his play disappointed in 2023.