- Clemson on the high: The Tigers have the nation’s finest line of defense and should have one of the best defensive sort out and edge defender within the 2026 NFL Draft in Peter Woods and T.J. Parker.
- Texas Tech within the high three: The Red Raiders utterly rebuilt their line of defense with all 4 projected starters as star incoming transfers.
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Estimated Reading Time: 8 minutes
An important line of defense can wreck a whole offensive recreation plan. If a quarterback doesn’t have time to throw or there aren’t any lanes for a working again to run by means of, it virtually doesn’t matter what the remainder of the protection is doing.
Here’s a take a look at the ten finest defensive strains in school soccer as we head into the 2025 season.
PFF’s place unit rankings
Quarterback Rooms | Running Back Units | Receiving Corps | Offensive Lines
1. Clemson
Two projected top-10 picks in defensive sort out Peter Woods and edge defender T.J. Parker spearhead the Tigers’ defensive front. Woods is my high returning inside defender and leads all returning Power Four defensive tackles in run-defense grade (89.7) and pass-rush win fee (14.9%) since 2023. Parker is my No. 3 edge rusher and led all returning Power Four edge defenders with 12 sacks final season. He was additionally certainly one of solely three in that very same group who earned 80.0-plus grades each as a pass-rusher and run defender.
Clemson additionally added Purdue edge defender Will Heldt through the switch portal, and he was fourth amongst Big Ten edge defenders with 36 defensive stops final 12 months. DeMonte Capehart and Stephiylan Green are additionally again at defensive sort out and every earned 70.0-plus PFF grades in 2024. Cade Denhoff and Jahiem Lawson present depth at edge defender and every performed over 300 snaps final season, and the Tigers additionally added a five-star defensive sort out in freshman Amare Adams.
2. Alabama
Both edge defender LT Overton and defensive sort out Tim Keenan III may’ve entered the 2025 NFL Draft however determined to return to Tuscaloosa for an additional season, pushing the Crimson Tide’s line of defense close to the highest of this record. Overton broke out at Alabama after transferring in from Texas A&M, ending his junior 12 months as one of many 15 most respected edge defenders in America in response to PFF’s wins above common metric. He’s my No. 6 edge rusher in school soccer. Keenan is third on my inside defenders record and was third amongst Power Four defensive tackles with a 90.1 run-defense grade final season. The solely two forward of him had been Mason Graham and Walter Nolen, two top-20 picks on this previous NFL draft.
The Crimson Tide additionally introduced again three gamers who performed 300 snaps on their line of defense final 12 months in edge defender Jah-Marien Latham, edge defender Qua Russaw and inside defender James Smith. All three earned a minimum of a 65.0 PFF grade in 2024.
3. Texas Tech
The Red Raiders introduced in arguably one of the best switch portal class this offseason, and their line of defense was the largest beneficiary. In reality, all 4 projected starters on Texas Tech’s line of defense performed for a distinct college final 12 months.
Lee Hunter is my No. 5 returning defensive sort out in school soccer after two dominant years at UCF. Across 2022 and 2023, he led all FBS inside defenders in run-defense stops (59) and tackles for loss or no achieve (27). His 49 pressures in that span are second amongst returning Power Four defensive tackles as effectively. Stanford’s David Bailey led all FBS edge defenders in pass-rush grade (93.2) and was second in pass-rush win fee (27.5%) final season.
The different edge spot will likely be manned by Georgia Tech-transfer Romello Height, who was tenth amongst ACC edge rushers with a 78.4 PFF grade in 2024. Skyler Gill-Howard transferred in from Northern Illinois and was a dominant participant for the Huskies. Among Group of Five inside defenders final 12 months, he was fifth in PFF grade (83.8) and pressures (29) whereas putting second in defensive stops (28). The Red Raiders additionally added Houston defensive sort out Anthony Holmes Jr., who positioned fifth within the Big 12 with 23 defensive stops final season.
4. Florida
The Gators return two potential first-round picks on their line of defense in edge defender Tyreak Sapp and inside defender Caleb Banks. Sapp is my No. 7 edge rusher in school soccer and was ninth within the nation with a 90.4 PFF grade in 2024. Banks was my honorable point out defensive sort out and leads all returning Power Four inside defenders with 53 pressures since 2023.
Florida additionally returned one other starter in edge defender George Gumbs. Sophomore defensive sort out LJ McCray can also be anticipated to interrupt out, as he was a top-10 total recruit from the 2024 highschool class.
5. Penn State
While the Nittany Lions won’t have the depth of different faculties on this record, they nonetheless place within the high 5 for the 2 superstars they’ve in Zane Durant and Dani Dennis-Sutton. Durant is my second-ranked defensive sort out within the nation after main all of them with 14 tackles for loss/no-gain final 12 months. His 28 pressures had been additionally a top-25 mark amongst FBS inside defenders. Dennis-Sutton may very well be the third-straight Penn State edge defender to go within the first spherical of the draft, following Abdul Carter and Chop Robinson. Since 2023, he’s second amongst returning Power Four edge rushers in pressures (75) and in our wins above common metric. He’s my No. 9 edge within the nation.
While that’s it for confirmed gamers on the Nittany Lions’ entrance, regulate redshirt senior defensive sort out Alonzo Ford Jr.. His 77.2 run-defense grade final season was tenth amongst Big Ten inside defenders who performed a minimum of 175 snaps.
6. Michigan
The Wolverines are the fifth and ultimate group on this record with a number of gamers talked about in my edge defender/defensive sort out rankings. Even although Michigan misplaced two defensive tackles who had been top-15 picks in Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant, it has one other star in Rayshaun Benny. He’s my No. 9 inside defender in America and was sixteenth amongst them final 12 months with an 83.1 PFF grade. Derrick Moore is my No. 10 edge defender within the nation and was third within the nation final 12 months with a 23.4% pass-rush win fee.
TJ Guy can also be again alongside the sting for the Wolverines, and he was certainly one of eight Big Ten edge rushers final 12 months with 75.0-plus grades each as a pass-rusher and as a run-defender.
7. Georgia
The Bulldogs could have misplaced most of their line of defense manufacturing from final 12 months, however they do return a star in defensive sort out Christen Miller. He’s my No. 4 inside defender in school soccer and was within the high 20 of FBS defensive tackles with an 82.2 PFF grade in 2024.
He’s the one participant who performed a minimum of 300 snaps for Georgia’s line of defense final season, however the Bulldogs do have a slew of former five-star recruits able to step up like Jordan Hall, Joseph Jonah-Ajonye, Elijah Griffin and Isaiah Gibson. Georgia additionally added Army edge defender Elo Modozie within the switch portal, whose 37 pressures final 12 months had been a top-20 mark within the Group of Five.
8. Miami (FL)
Rueben Bain Jr. is again to steer the Hurricanes’ protection in his junior season and is a projected top-15 choose on this upcoming NFL Draft. My No. 4 edge defender within the nation is third amongst returning Power Four edge defenders with 73 pressures since 2023, whereas his 16.9% pass-rush win fee in that span is fourth. On the alternative aspect is Akheem Mesidor, whose 86.1 PFF grade since becoming a member of Miami in 2022 is second amongst returning Power Four edge defenders.
On the inside is redshirt junior Ahmad Moten, who was third amongst ACC defensive tackles final season with a 78.0 pass-rush grade. Sophomore Justin Scott will doubtless be the opposite starter at defensive sort out and the previous five-star recruit had a powerful 73.9 grade throughout 113 snaps in his true freshman marketing campaign. The Hurricanes even have a few former five-star recruits at edge defender in sophomores Armondo Blount and Marquise Lightfoot.
9. Oklahoma
The Sooners have loads of skilled gamers on their line of defense, returning 4 contributors who performed a minimum of 300 snaps final 12 months. Gracen Halton is my No. 10 inside defender within the nation. His 13.6% stress fee since 2023 leads all returning FBS defensive tackles, whereas his 12.5% pass-rush win fee is one of the best amongst returning Power Four ones. R Mason Thomas can also be a terrific pass-rusher, putting second amongst FBS edge defenders with a 93.2 pass-rush grade on true cross units final season.
Damonic Williams can also be again at inside defender and was 14th within the SEC with a 77.3 run-defense grade in 2024. Marvin Jones Jr. will doubtless be the opposite beginning edge rusher after taking part in 387 snaps for Florida State final 12 months. Oklahoma additionally has a few former top-10 total recruits in junior edge defender Adepoju Adebawore and sophomore defensive sort out David Stone.
10. Texas
The Longhorns deliver again the nation’s finest edge defender in Colin Simmons. The former five-star recruit hit the bottom working as a real freshman, ending 2024 because the sixth-most helpful edge defender within the nation in response to our WAA metric. The solely 5 above him had been all drafted inside the first 4 rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft: Abdul Carter, Jack Sawyer, Mike Green, Josaiah Stewart and JT Tuimoloau.
Texas added former Purdue inside defender Cole Brevard within the switch portal, and he was twelfth within the Big Ten with a 75.0 PFF grade final 12 months. Travis Shaw additionally transferred in from North Carolina and was sixteenth amongst ACC defensive tackles with 15 defensive stops a 12 months in the past. The Longhorns introduced again senior edge defender Ethan Burke, who performed 324 snaps final season. Texas added just a few five-star freshmen, as effectively, in defensive sort out Justus Terry and edge defender Lance Jackson, each of whom had been the No. 2 participant at their place within the 2025 highschool class.
It must also be famous that certainly one of its beginning edge defenders from 2024, Trey Moore, is again for an additional 12 months however is anticipated to maneuver to an off-ball linebacker function. His eight sacks final season had been tenth amongst SEC edge rushers, although.
Honorable Mention: Oregon
The Ducks don’t have a defensive sort out or edge defender that made my top-10 record however nonetheless deserves a shoutout right here. Matayo Uiagalelei is a possible first-round choose within the 2026 NFL Draft and tied for sixth amongst Big Ten edge defenders with 9 sacks final 12 months. Starting reverse him is Teitum Tuioti, who was tenth within the convention with a 78.3 pass-rush grade.
Oregon will certainly miss first-round choose Derrick Harmon at defensive sort out, but it surely did add Bear Alexander from the switch portal to assist make up for his departure. His 32 pressures in 2023 had been second amongst Pac-12 inside defenders that 12 months. A’Mauri Washington will doubtless begin subsequent to him after taking part in 298 snaps this previous season.