The 2025 NFL draft class boasts one of the best interior defensive line groups in a very long time. Up and down the draft there are a plethora of talented prospects that teams will invest in hoping for both immediate and long term impact. There are at least 4 prospects that undoubtedly have a chance to go in the first round, and plenty more intriguing players later on. Here I am putting together the work I have done scouting these prospects and going over my personal rankings for this exciting positional group, so let’s get into it.
1. Mason Graham – Michigan
Age: 21 | Height/Weight: 6’4″, 295 lbs
2024 Stats: 3.5 sacks, 7 TFL
Value: Top 10 Pick
The best interior defensive lineman in what is shaping up to be a loaded class, Mason Graham brings a rare blend of twitch, toughness, and technical polish. He plays with a non-stop motor and showcases easy movement that’s downright freakish for a man his size. A former wrestler, Graham understands leverage better than most linemen who’ve already spent years in the league. His hand usage is relentless—quick, strong, and always active.
His lateral agility allows him to erase reach blocks and penetrate the backfield consistently. He explodes off the snap, turning himself into a bowling ball of disruption that demands double teams and still wins through them. Play recognition is exceptional—he’s a step ahead of what’s happening, often sniffing out screens or draws before they can develop.
Graham’s lack of ideal length might push some teams to downgrade him slightly, but that would be a mistake. He’s so dense and explosive that the minor measurement shortcoming becomes background noise on tape. He’ll need to improve his ability to disengage once locked up and sharpen his finishing ability as a pass rusher, but those are fixable. Graham is a plug-and-play starter and blue-chip talent who will make teams regret passing on him.
2. Walter Nolen – Ole Miss
Age: 21 | Height/Weight: 6’4″, 295 lbs
2024 Stats: 6.5 sacks, 14 TFL
Value: Round 1
Walter Nolen might be the most electric pass-rushing interior lineman in this class. His first step is nuclear, routinely blowing up plays before they have a chance to develop. His power is equally impressive—he can jolt blockers back on contact, then bend and flatten toward the quarterback with surprising agility for his frame.
What makes Nolen so intriguing is his upside. The body control, bend, and change of direction he shows at nearly 300 pounds are extremely rare. Add in a violent streak and relentless motor, and you’ve got a guy that oozes disruptive potential.
However, he still plays like a high-ceiling prospect more than a polished product. His rush move repertoire is underdeveloped, often relying too much on that initial burst. He struggles to counter when his first move doesn’t win and can get too aggressive, compromising run fits or giving up leverage. Still, Nolen is a chaos agent in the middle of the line—and in today’s NFL, that’s gold.
3. Derrick Harmon – Oregon
Age: 21 | Height/Weight: 6’5″, 315 lbs
2024 Stats: 5 sacks, 11 TFL
Value: Round 1
Derrick Harmon is a prototype build with elite measurables—long, thick, and strong. His combination of length and power makes him incredibly difficult to displace, and he understands how to use that frame to control gaps. His hands are heavy, and he plays with excellent leverage at the point of attack.
Harmon doesn’t just clog lanes—he fights through contact and maintains gap integrity. His motor is impressive, and he’s more than capable of collapsing the pocket when given the chance. He flashes enough burst to disrupt but can get too hot in pursuit, occasionally overrunning plays or whiffing on tackles in space.
He’s not the most flexible lineman laterally and can look stiff in his hips, which hurts him against shiftier offensive linemen. He also plays a bit high at times, which can allow savvy blockers to win leverage. Still, Harmon has massive upside and a high floor. He’s ready to contribute immediately and still has room to grow.
4. Kenneth Grant – Michigan
Age: 21 | Height/Weight: 6’4″, 330 lbs
2024 Stats: 3 sacks, 7 TFL
Value: Late Round 1 – Early Round 2
Kenneth Grant is the premier nose tackle in this class, and his athleticism at 330 pounds is eye-popping. His burst off the line and natural leverage make him a handful in the trenches, often commanding two blockers just to slow him down. He’s quick to diagnose plays and consistently gets his hands up to deflect passes—he knows how to affect the game even when he doesn’t reach the ballcarrier.
Grant’s best football is still ahead of him. He’s raw, no doubt about it. The dominance shows up in flashes, but there are stretches where he disappears. He struggles with angle blocks, lacks lateral agility, and his tackling in tight spaces can be inconsistent. Still, with NFL coaching, he has the tools to become a game-wrecker.
There’s real upside here. He may not be as polished as others on this list, but his ceiling is as high as anyone’s. Teams looking to anchor the middle of their defense with a true space-eater who can still disrupt will be all over Grant.
5. Tyleik Williams – Ohio State
Age: 22 | Height/Weight: 6’3″, 335 lbs
2024 Stats: 2.5 sacks, 8 TFL
Value: Round 2
Tyleik Williams is a powerhouse on the interior who thrives in the run game. His strength is unmatched—he consistently drives centers into the backfield with his bull rush and understands how to stack and shed to control his gap. His ability to mirror and work laterally along the line is especially impressive for his size.
Williams flashes the motor and physicality teams covet in a trench warrior. He’s got excellent hands in the run game and doesn’t hesitate to bring the pain when finishing plays. His versatility to play both 3-tech and nose gives him some good versatility.
Where he needs growth is as a pass rusher. His repertoire is limited, and he plays too upright, making it easier for longer linemen to neutralize him. His length isn’t ideal, and that can hurt him against more polished blockers. If he can develop more rush moves and lower his pad level, Williams could become a true every-down force. As it stands, he’s one of the best run defenders in the class and a foundational piece for any team needing toughness inside.
6. T.J. Sanders – South Carolina
Age: 21 | Height/Weight: 6’4″, 295 lbs
2024 Stats: 4 sacks, 7 TFL
Value: Round 2
T.J. Sanders is the type of high-upside prospect defensive line coaches dream about molding. His explosiveness off the snap is top-tier, and his athleticism at 6’4″ makes him a mismatch against slower guards and centers. He’s got violent, jarring hands at the point of attack and plays with natural leverage and flexibility that allows him to work across multiple fronts.
He brings a polished pass-rushing toolkit—spins, swipes, rips—he’s got them all and uses them fluidly. Sanders also has the movement skills to track plays laterally and slip through small creases in protection. He’s not just a finesse rusher either—he wants to win with impact and plays with a chip on his shoulder.
But there are some rough edges. His base isn’t as strong as it should be, and he doesn’t keep his feet active enough to collapse the pocket through contact. He needs to bulk up and maintain stamina late into games. When he’s on, Sanders looks like a future star. With the right development, he’s a second-round steal.
7. Joshua Farmer – Florida State
Age: 22 | Height/Weight: 6’3″, 305 lbs
2024 Stats: 4 sacks, 8 TFL
Value: Round 2
Joshua Farmer is a high-end athlete playing inside, and it shows right away with his lightning-fast first step. He eats up space in an instant and shows an advanced pass rush arsenal that keeps blockers guessing. His frame is compact but powerful, and he uses that length to create separation consistently.
Farmer does a great job staying low and maintaining leverage in one-on-one situations. He plays under control and finishes plays with intent. Against solo blocks, he’s a major problem—but he has real issues when double-teamed, struggling to anchor or shed in time. He also plays upright occasionally and will need to refine his base technique and anchor ability.
Right now, Farmer is more pass rusher than run stuffer. But in a rotation or sub-package role early on, he can be a major disruptor. He’s got every trait you look for in a modern 3-tech.
8. Darius Alexander – Toledo
Age: 25 | Height/Weight: 6’4″, 305 lbs
2024 Stats: 3.5 sacks, 8 TFL
Value: Late Round 2 – Early Round 3
Darius Alexander’s tape jumps out immediately for how complete his physical profile is. He’s got size, length, explosiveness, and three-down potential. He plays with power in his lower half, consistently generating push and extending his arms to keep himself clean.
Athletically, he checks a lot of boxes. He’s flexible, has good bend for his frame, and fires off the ball with controlled violence. However, his age is going to be a sticking point—he’ll be 25 by the start of the season, limiting his developmental runway.
Alexander also plays a little too fast for his own good at times. He can abandon his gap or overrun plays. His hand usage and pad level are inconsistent, which causes him to lose leverage in key moments. Still, the upside is real, and his motor, combined with his traits, makes him an intriguing early Day 3 flier with starting potential.
9. Ty Robinson – Wisconsin
Age: 23 | Height/Weight: 6’5″, 290 lbs
2024 Stats: 7 sacks, 13 TFL
Value: Round 3
Ty Robinson brings elite production and positional versatility to the table. His frame is long and strong, and he plays with a tenacity that coaches will love. He lines up all over the defensive front and brings consistent disruption wherever he goes. His quickness off the snap is excellent, and his ability to clog passing lanes and recognize concepts is already at an NFL level.
Robinson wins with physicality—he displaces linemen with his strength and locks out with powerful hands. His experience and IQ give him a high floor, and he’s ready to contribute in multiple schemes. However, he leans too heavily on his power right now. He lacks refined pass rush moves and doesn’t have the lateral agility to consistently threaten the edges of blockers.
His lack of ideal arm length and average bend can show up on tape against quicker offensive lines, but his effort and production speak for themselves. Robinson could be a valuable rotational piece from Day 1, with starting upside in the right system.
10. Omarr Norman-Lott – Tennessee
Age: 23 | Height/Weight: 6’2″, 290 lbs
2024 Stats: 4 sacks, 4 TFL
Value: Round 3
Omarr Norman-Lott might not be the most complete prospect on this list, but his pass rush ability and explosiveness are special. His hands are lightning-quick and accurate, and he bends far better than most guys his size. When he gets off the snap cleanly, it’s nearly impossible to keep him out of the backfield.
He’s efficient, productive, and plays with a high motor. Despite his size, he consistently finds ways to collapse the pocket and shows surprising range when tracking down plays. He flashes dominance in spurts, and his win rate reflects that.
The concerns are real, though. His sample size is smaller than most prospects here, and there are questions about character and coachability due to past suspensions. He also needs significant work as a run defender—he plays too loose with his gap integrity and often lacks discipline when reading plays.
If a team can coach him up and keep him focused, Norman-Lott could turn into a splashy, disruptive interior defender in a 3-4 or sub-package role. He’s a high-upside swing late on Day 2 or early Day 3.
11. Alfred Collins – Texas
Age: 23 | Height/Weight: 6’6″, 330 lbs
2024 Stats: 1 sack, 6 TFL
Value: Round 3
Towering frame and raw athleticism. Flashes interior disruption but lacks consistency. Traits-based prospect with intriguing upside.
12. Deone Walker – Kentucky
Age: 21 | Height/Weight: 6’7″, 330 lbs
2024 Stats: 1.5 sacks, 5 TFL
Value: Round 3
Massive interior presence with freakish size. More space-eater than playmaker right now but has a high ceiling if developed properly.
13. Jared Ivey – Ole Miss
Age: 23 | Height/Weight: 6’6″, 275 lbs
2024 Stats: 7 sacks, 11 TFL
Value: Round 3
Edge/DT tweener with great production. Long and lean, wins with burst and bend. Could thrive in a 3-4 front as a disruptive 5-tech.
14. Rylie Mills – Notre Dame
Age: 23 | Height/Weight: 6’5″, 290 lbs
2024 Stats: 7.5 sacks, 9 TFL
Value: Round 3–4
Productive and athletic with a solid frame. Versatile lineman who offers pass rush upside but needs refinement and better pad level.
15. Shemar Turner – Texas A&M
Age: 22 | Height/Weight: 6’3″, 290 lbs
2024 Stats: 2 sacks, 6 TFL
Value: Round 4
Powerful and compact with a dense build. Shows flashes of disruption but hasn’t put it all together. Traits worth betting on late.
16. Vernon Broughton – Texas
Age: 23 | Height/Weight: 6’5″, 310 lbs
2024 Stats: 4 sacks, 5 TFL
Value: Round 4
Tall, long, and explosive when he fires off. Raw but has tools to develop into a rotational disruptor with upside.
17. CJ West – Indiana
Age: 22 | Height/Weight: 6’1″, 315 lbs
2024 Stats: 2 sacks, 8 TFL
Value: Round 4
Stout, low-to-the-ground gap plugger. Uses leverage well and makes plays in the backfield. Solid depth piece for interior rotations.
18. JJ Pegues – Ole Miss
Age: 23 | Height/Weight: 6’3″, 310 lbs
2024 Stats: 3.5 sacks, 14 TFL
Value: Round 4
Violent and productive interior defender. Disruptive against the run and pass. Flashes big-play ability—could outperform draft slot.
19. Aeneas Peebles – Virginia Tech
Age: 23 | Height/Weight: 6’1″, 280 lbs
2024 Stats: 3 sacks, 7 TFL
Value: Day 3
Undersized but quick off the snap. Solid pass rush traits and motor. Could be a strong rotational 3-tech in the right scheme.
20. Cam’Ron Jackson – Florida
Age: 22 | Height/Weight: 6’6″, 330 lbs
2024 Stats: 1.5 sacks, 4 TFL
Value: Day 3
Massive frame with a run-stuffing profile. Struggles with pad level and mobility but offers intriguing size and raw strength.
Check out my Edge prospect rankings here!
Photo credits: ESPN, The Draft Network, Ole Hotty Toddy, Bleacher Report, On3, Toledo Blade, NFL Draft Diamonds, The Crimson Quarry, Gators Wire.
