Windy City Gridiron
WCG’s lead draft analyst shares his favorite prospects on defense in the 2025 NFL Draft.
With the 2025 NFL Draft right around the corner, now is as good of a time as any to stand your ground and claim which prospects you’ll go to bat for.
I’ve finished my preparations for this year’s draft, a group in which I’ve watched a personal-best 480 players for my big board, which is available in full on my Patreon! Cheap plug aside, this is a class I think gets too much flak.
It’s hardly the flashiest class, but if you’re a believer that football is won and lost in the trenches, the 2025 NFL Draft is the class for you. Particularly on defense, this is a group that’s highlighted by its deep group of defensive linemen, both at edge rusher and along the interior.
I’ve decided to share the players I’ll go to bat for the most in this draft class. These are not my top overall players at each position, but rather, who I feel strongly only compared to their current consensus draft stock.
All consensus rankings will be pulled from the consensus big board at NFL Mock Draft Database, which is a tremendous tool I highly recommend.
Without further ado, these are “My Guys” on defense in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Consensus ranking: 39
My ranking: 32
Scourton is only 20 years old and has a refined skill set unlike few other edge rushers in the 2025 NFL Draft. That’s a pretty safe bet in an early-round pick.
Are there edge rushers who are quicker off the ball or faster in a straight line than Scourton? Absolutely. But with his power, his pass-rushing instincts and his ability to string moves together, he’s a high-floor edge rusher who seems like a pretty likely option to become a six-to-eight sack player. That types of player makes a ton of money in the league.
Consensus ranking: 23
My ranking: 9
I understand why some have Grant as a late first-round pick. After all, the bulk of his value comes in how strong and sturdy he is against the run. That said, I think I’m much higher on his pass-rushing upside and athleticism than most.
Grant is a strong 1-technique defensive tackle with heavy hands and good spatial awareness up the middle. That said, he’s explosive off the line of scrimmage and offers much better agility in space than one would expect for a defender north of 330 pounds. I doubt the Bears take him at No. 10 — it’s more likely he’s there in the second round — but he’ll be one of my top players on the board when they pick.
Consensus ranking: 115
My ranking: 72
As a refined defensive tackle who thrives against the run, West is a player I loved when I first started watching him on tape. The more I studied him, though,...
