ClutchPoints
When it comes to ranking the top defensive players in 2025 so far, there’s one in Denver who must be near the top. And there’s one surprising name you won’t see on this list. Here are the 2025 NFL quarter-season defensive player of the year power rankings.
It has been a strange season for defensive units thus far. Some of the best have been bad at times, like the Green Bay Packers. And some expected to be good have been awful, like the Baltimore Ravens.
But there are still players who are making noise on the defensive side of the ball. And here are the top five guys.
Although the Packers’ defense is coming off a poor showing against the Cowboys, Gary is still off to a terrific start. He seems to have benefited from playing alongside Micah Parsons.
He already has 4.5 sacks on the season, along with 17 tackles, four for loss.
The Packers see him as a leader, choosing him as a captain. That’s an honor he appreciated, according to Sports Illustrated.
“Man, it’s a blessing and honor, shoot a privilege,” Gary said. “Out of all teams, to have all my teammates vote me as a captain, it’s something I’ve always dreamed of, something I prayed for. It’s something I won’t take for granted. Anytime I wear that ‘C,’ I’m going to lead that way.”
Injuries held Burns back in 2024, but he’s off to a roaring start this season, according to Newsday.
“Yeah, I was [messed] up last year,” he said of dealing with groin and Achilles issues for most of the schedule. “A grade-2 groin, that can mess you up a little bit.”
And he went into the offseason with the mindset of doing things differently. He changed his diet, determined to take his game to a new level.
“It’s a different process,” he said. “I am focusing on how it looks more than being based on the stats. I’m looking at how I’m playing more than the sacks. I like the sacks, don’t get me wrong, but at the same time, I want the way I look, how I’m playing, to look a certain way. I understand every play isn’t going to look that way, but I just want more plays to look like that than don’t.”
In four games, Burns has totaled 20 tackles, six for loss, three passes defended, one forced fumble, and an NFL-high five sacks.
“This is the fastest start I have ever [had],” he said. “Just the way it looks, I feel like I caught my stride early. Now I have to maintain it. I don’t want to go into a drought. That would be the worst.”
Maybe Crosby hasn’t gotten to the quarterback quite as much as he would like. But he’s getting it done in other areas of the game. He’s tied for second in...
