The 2025 NFL Draft class is starting to take shape, and that means we’re getting a clearer picture of some of the top prospects and the position groups with the most depth.
The running back, tight end and offensive tackle positions seem to be the deepest and strongest on the offensive side of the ball. On defense, the edge defender group is as deep as we’ve seen in several years, dominating the projected top 50. There are also more impact defensive backs this year than a year ago, with plenty of options on all three days of the draft, specifically on Days 2 and 3.
Here are PFF's top interior defensive linemen in the 2025 NFL Draft, along with some initial scouting notes courtesy of lead draft analyst Trevor Sikkema.
For the full ranking of draft prospects, along with their three-year player grades and position rankings, click here.
1. DI Mason Graham, Michigan
PFF Big Board Rank: 5
Graham has shorter-than-ideal arms for an NFL interior defensive lineman, but outside of that, there is a lot to love. He is fast, violent and relentless, and he can stop the run with great strength. He brings a high floor at all times and a high ceiling in flashes as a 3-technique defensive tackle for a 4-3 front.
2. DI Walter Nolen, Mississippi
PFF Big Board Rank: 7
Nolen isn't the most polished interior defender, but he might be among the most physically gifted. If he continues to grow in his pre-snap plan and hand usage, he can be an impactful, versatile defensive tackle with a high floor due to his strength in run defense.
3. DI Kenneth Grant, Michigan
PFF Big Board Rank: 21
Grant brings a rare combination of quickness and size to the nose tackle position. He has the strength to dominate single blocks and hold up against doubles. When he's in attack mode, he is an imposing player — I just wish we saw that aggressive mindset more consistently.
4. DI Omarr Norman-Lott, Tennessee
PFF Big Board Rank: 34
Norman-Lott possesses more NFL potential than his snap counts and stats say; look at his grades and win rates for a clearer picture. He is an athletically gifted, undersized 3-technique who, with better hand usage and pass-rush plans, can be a contributing starter.
5. DI Tyleik Williams, Ohio State
PFF Big Board Rank: 41
Williams is a compact and powerful interior defensive lineman who excels at holding the line of scrimmage. His lack of pass-rush production makes nose tackle his best projection, likely as a Day 2 selection.
6. DI Derrick Harmon, Oregon
PFF Big Board Rank: 42
Harmon has just one year of notable production, but that season showcased a player with a high football IQ, consistent competitiveness and NFL-level quickness. He can be an effective 3-technique defensive lineman for an even front.
7. DI Darius Alexander, Toledo
PFF Big Board Rank: 49
Alexander was lightly recruited and was a late bloomer in college football (he will be 25 in his rookie season), but his measurables and strength are NFL-caliber. He is a contributing NFL defensive lineman at worst due to his strength profile, with starting-caliber impact potential in odd and even fronts.
8. DI T.J. Sanders, South Carolina
PFF Big Board Rank: 54
Sanders is a true 3-technique who wins with linear and lateral quickness to shoot gaps and disrupt. He must improve his hand precision and play strength to be a full-time starter. At worst, he is a contributing rotational 3-technique.
9. DI CJ West, Indiana
PFF Big Board Rank: 72
West is on the shorter side (length) but has good size (mass) and burst as a nose tackle who can have strong reps in run defense and some surprisingly impactful reps as a pass-rusher. If he can keep his pad level down, he can be a contributing rotational player in the NFL, preferably in a 4-3 front.
10. DI Alfred Collins, Texas
PFF Big Board Rank: 74
Collins is a long, strong interior defensive lineman with the versatility to play anywhere from 0-technique to 5-technique. His pass-rush profile and inability to disengage quickly limit his ceiling, but his versatility and strength give him a high floor. He projects as a rotational player with starting potential.
11. DI Shemar Turner, Texas A&M
PFF Big Board Rank: 78
Turner played at just about every spot on Texas A&M's defensive line, thanks to his active, violent hands and unwavering effort. He has some length and overall size limitations, but he feels like a guy an NFL coaching staff will push for on Day 2 of the draft.
12. DI Vernon Broughton, Texas
PFF Big Board Rank: 90
Broughton needs to refine his hand placement and technique to become a more effective one-on-one winner at the next level. However, even in his current form, his length and strength provide valuable versatility as a two-gapping defensive lineman, with his best fit likely coming as a 3-4 defensive end.
13. DI Jordan Phillips, Maryland
PFF Big Board Rank: 94
Phillips is a compact, powerful defensive lineman with less-than-ideal length but enough strength to make up for it. While he's unlikely to be a regular pass-rush contributor, he can serve as a rock-solid interior presence with enough power to contribute to any defensive front.
14. DI Jamaree Caldwell, Oregon
PFF Big Board Rank: 105
Caldwell brings intriguing quickness on top of ideal size for an NFL nose tackle. He likely won't be a big backfield presence, but he can be a good rotational nose tackle for an odd-front defense.
15. DI Ty Robinson, Nebraska
PFF Big Board Rank: 120
Robinson enjoyed the best season of his career in his sixth year, tallying a 79.5 pass-rush grade. He's an elite athlete for the position who plays with a bully's mentality. Robinson has below-average length and needs to play with better leverage, but he has the traits and motor to bet on as a projected backup with the upside of one day becoming a starter.
16. DI JJ Pegues, Mississippi
PFF Big Board Rank: 124
Pegues is a versatile player for a number of reasons and could be a fan-favorite for his relentless play on defense and ability to play some goal-line packages offensively.
17. DI Cam'Ron Jackson, Florida
PFF Big Board Rank: 130
Jackson's massive 6-foot-6 and 328-pound frame is designed to clog the A-gaps and free up linebackers to make tackles. He's earned at least a 76.0 run-defense grade across the past three seasons. Teams in search of a late-round run stopper should be interested in Jackson, even if he is likely to be just an early-down player.
18. DI Joshua Farmer, Florida State
PFF Big Board Rank: 135
Farmer is still a budding defensive lineman, even as an upperclassman. With some improved anticipation and technique, he can be a starting-caliber pass-rusher — although he must have a higher floor as a run defender to get on the field consistently.
19. DI Aeneas Peebles, Virginia Tech
PFF Big Board Rank: 141
Peebles' measurables won't do him any favors on draft night, but his tape shows a quick, instinctive 3-technique defensive tackle whose finesse game can be impactful in a rotational role.
20. DI Ty Hamilton, Ohio State
PFF Big Board Rank: 161
Hamilton is undersized by NFL defensive tackle standards, but that helps him stay flexible and quick for an interior lineman. While he’s not going to overwhelm blockers at the point of attack, he generally holds his own. His biggest hurdle is translating his initial quickness into consistent pass-rush production.
21. DI Tim Smith, Alabama
PFF Big Board Rank: 177
Smith is a well-built defensive lineman for the NFL but likely lacks the explosiveness to be more than a depth player with experience in many roles on the line.
22. DI Jared Harrison-Hunte, SMU
PFF Big Board Rank: 183
Harrison-Hunte is an intriguing prospect to develop, considering he has the frame to fill out and flashes very good athleticism (4.86-second 40-yard dash, 1.69-second 10-yard split). He needs to improve his pad level, but he uses his athleticism effectively to defeat blocks at the line of scrimmage, posting 44 pressures with eight sacks in 2024.
23. DI Marcus Harris, Patriots
PFF Big Board Rank: 185
Harris brings solid stop-and-start agility and an aggressive mentality in coverage, making him a potential depth piece in a man-heavy scheme. However, his limited explosiveness and top-end speed likely cap his ceiling as a starter.
24. DI Tonka Hemingway, South Carolina
PFF Big Board Rank: 187
Hemingway's measurements place him in the “tweener” category between interior defensive line and edge. His athleticism suggests a better fit on the edge at the next level, where his explosiveness can stand out and his limited anchor strength won't be as easily exposed.
25. DI Deone Walker, Kentucky
PFF Big Board Rank: 188
Walker's measurables will jump out immediately, but his play on the field doesn't match the dominance suggested on paper. He is a versatile defensive lineman due to his height and length, but he needs more precision in his pass rushes and must hold his ground more consistently to be more than a rotational player.
26. DI Rylie Mills, Notre Dame
PFF Big Board Rank: 201
Mills is a long and lean interior defender who projects best as a 3-4 defensive end due to his length. He'll need to get stronger in the NFL to be a full-time starter on early downs, but he can be a rotational player right off the bat due to his splash potential as a pass-rusher.
27. DI Zeek Biggers, Georgia Tech
PFF Big Board Rank: 226
Biggers brings intriguing size and length to the nose tackle spot in a 3-4 defense, but his high pad level and lack of pass-rush moves limit his overall effectiveness as both a run defender and pass rusher.
28. DI Junior Tafuna, Utah
PFF Big Board Rank: 237
Tafuna is a linebacker-to-defensive tackle convert who brings unique quickness and first-step agility to the defensive tackle position. Overall, he likely lacks the build and strength to be a full-time starter but should hold up as a Day 3 depth player.
29. DI Cam Horsley, Boston College
PFF Big Board Rank: 248
Horsley is a stout run stopper with below-average height and length. His 87.0 run-defense grade is a top-20 mark among FBS defensive tackles since 2023.
30. DI Simeon Barrow Jr., Miami (FL)
PFF Big Board Rank: 253
Barrow's flashes at Miami came when he could rely on his unique quickness to win immediately off the snap, particularly against interior linemen. That won't be as easy in the NFL, where his struggles against the run could get exposed if used in the same way. He'll likely get a shot as a depth interior pass-rush specialist, but adding strength will be key to sticking on a roster.
31. DI Jay Toia, UCLA
PFF Big Board Rank: 275
Toia has the look of a run-stopping nose tackle, but his lack of length (32 1/2-inch arms) is very evident on film. While he plays with aggression and physicality, he struggles to disengage from blocks and doesn't make plays in pursuit away from his gaps. Without much to offer as a pass rusher (one sack and four hits on 380 rushes last season), he is likely at best a late-round selection.
32. DI Desmond Watson, Florida
PFF Big Board Rank: 296
Watson tips the scales at a staggering 465 pounds — likely making him the heaviest player to ever appear in pro football. While he doesn't offer much as a pass rusher (just a 6.3% win rate in 2024), his sheer mass helped him earn an 80.1 run-defense grade, and if he's in good enough shape, his rare size alone could earn him a roster spot.
33. DI Howard Cross III, Notre Dame
PFF Big Board Rank: 315
Cross, the son of Super Bowl-winning tight end Howard Cross Jr., is an undersized defensive tackle who can be easily eaten up by size if blockers get good hands to him, but he maintains a solid profile with natural leverage and disruptive capability. He wasn't quite as consistent in 2024, but his 90.1 PFF overall grade in 2023 shows his potential as both a run defender (83.3) and a pass rusher (89.8).
34. DI Thor Griffith, Louisville
PFF Big Board Rank: 321
After three dominant seasons at Harvard — with an 89.0-plus PFF grade in each season — Griffith made his way to Louisville, where he showcased similar prowess as a run defender (84.0 PFF grade). He approaches the run game with power and violence. He plays with natural leverage but stands a bit undersized. Griffith has work to do to develop as a pass rusher but can latch on with an NFL team as a rotational nose tackle.
35. DI Joe Evans, UTSA
PFF Big Board Rank: 323
Evans began his career at LSU before landing at UTSA. A season-ending injury in 2024 limited him to five games, but in 2023, he posted an elite 91.2 PFF run-defense grade.
36. DI Eric Gregory, Arkansas
PFF Big Board Rank: 325
Gregory enjoyed back-to-back seasons with strong PFF grades against the run, earning an 82.3 mark in 2024 and an 81.2 figure in 2023.
37. DI Nazir Stackhouse, Georgia
PFF Big Board Rank: 326
At 6-foot-4 and 327 pounds, Stackhouse is a big, strong presence in the middle of the defensive line. He earned an 83.1 PFF run-defense grade in 2024.
38. DI Nash Hutmacher, Nebraska
PFF Big Board Rank: 332
Hutmacher was an undefeated four-time state champion heavyweight wrestler in high school — a great foundation for a nose tackle. He recorded nine sacks and 34 defensive stops over the past two years.
39. DI Joey Slackman, Florida
PFF Big Board Rank: 334
Slackman was a graduate transfer who played only 112 snaps in 2024 at Florida due to injuries. However, he had a dominant 2023 season at Penn, where he tallied six sacks and earned a 90.7 PFF overall grade and a 92.9 PFF run-defense grade.
40. DI Tommy Akingbesote, Maryland
PFF Big Board Rank: 357
Akingbesote is a fun watch because he plays with high effort and can close like a freight train on the ball carrier. He uses his length well to establish positioning against blockers but struggles with his balance when trying to string together multiple moves. He posted a 10.9% pass-rush win rate in 2024, but his athletic profile will likely make him a late-round selection.
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