NFL Mock Draft: Defense Only

Happy Mock Draft Monday! And today is a special edition of the occasion.

Today’s #MDM features not one, but two mock drafts. The themes for each are simple: one mock (this one) is defensive only, picks 1-32.

The other is the exact opposite, offensive only picks - you can check that out here.

Regarding Travis Hunter: since this is defense only, Hunter will be listed as a cornerback. Conversely, in the offensive mock, he was listed as a wide receiver.

Other than that, that should cover everything. Let’s go ahead and get started!

1. Tennessee Titans: Abdul Carter, Edge Rusher, Penn State

There's already smoke that the Titans could take Carter first overall and it's not hard to see why. The Penn State product went full superman in his junior season after a long transition from linebacker to edge rusher. The Nittany Lions were patient with Carter and he became the second coming of Micah Parsons.

With Tennessee in full rebuild mode, selecting the best player available is the way to go and Carter is arguably the best player in this class. Having an elite edge rusher is a brilliant way to kick off this roster overhaul.

2. Cleveland Browns: Travis Hunter, Cornerback, Colorado

The Browns are desperate to make any sort of move right now to get a brand name in the building that will sell jerseys and get fans reinvested. The perfect move to do that is to grab the Heisman Trophy winner and two-way superstar in Hunter.

Now making a full-time move to cornerback, Hunter can show off his coverage abilities that have been developed from high school and then three years with the legendary Deion Sanders. Not only has Hunter learned to mirror his opponents, but he has elite ball skills to punish quarterbacks who dare throw his way.

Lining up Hunter across from Denzel Burke is a dynamic duo that can alter this defense for the better.

3. New York Giants: Mason Graham, Interior Defensive Lineman, Michigan

Like the Titans, the Giants are in a full blown rebuild right now, meaning they shouldn't overthink it and simply take the top player available when their pick rolls around. And like Tennessee, arguably the top player in the class is available, and they landed him two picks later.

Graham is something special. The Michigan product was one of the biggest factors in the program's run to a national title in 2023 and played at just as high a level in 2024. He has an easy opportunity to translate into the pros and start day one.

With Dexter Lawrence next to him on the line and Kayvon Thibodeaux and Brian Burns off the edge, fans will get flashbacks to the days of elite defensive line play.

4. New England Patriots: James Pearce, Edge Rusher, Tennessee

The Patriots have pieces throughout their defense including a stud defensive tackle, a shutdown corner, and a terrific safety duo. What they need is more depth to their outside pass rush.

Insert Pearce, one of my absolute favorite players in this class. Pearce is as accomplished as any player in the draft and did it at the highest level in the SEC. The Tennessee product enters the pros as a heavy-weight favorite for Defensive Rookie of the Year no matter which team he ends up on.

There's yet to be consensus on how high/low Pearce should be taken; I say don't overthink it and grab the man who gets sacks.

5. Jacksonville Jaguars: Malaki Starks, Safety, Georgia

The Jaguars' secondary is a mess. I love their front seven with both a dynamic edge rusher and linebacker duo. But they lack anyone on the backend that matches what the front seven has.

There are some stud corners here, but Starks is a game-changing safety in the mold of Kyle Hamilton (as a prospect). Starks is a do-it-all kind of defender with game-changing ball skills.

Throwing him to this secondary to be a centerfielder could result in a hefty amount of opportunities thanks to that pass rush up front.

6. Las Vegas Raiders: Mike Green, Edge Rusher, Marshall

Two things matter for the Raiders: speed and star power. Green has both and feels like an easy slot to this franchise.

The Marshall product is coming off a nation-leading 17 sack season and quickly became a favorite for Draft Twitter after the season ended. I can't remember the last time I saw anyone make such a drastic leap up the board seemingly out of nowhere, but it's warranted with Green.

The Raiders have a top-five edge rusher in the league with Maxx Crosby, but they've struggled to find him a running mate. I love Green's potential to compliment how Crosby wins his matchups to give Las Vegas a strong and versatile one-two punch.

7. New York Jets: Mykel Williams, Edge Rusher, Georgia

The Jets have recently shown a preference for having three edge rushers who could all start. 2023 was Bryce Huff and Jermaine Johnson along with rookie Will McDonald IV. Last season was supposed to be Johnson and McDonald plus Haason Reddick via trade, but that didn't work out.

I'd safely assume Gang Green would like to get back to their comfort zone and get a third guy to pair with Johnson (coming off injury) and McDonald (10.5 sack season).

Williams is a raw prospect with the upside to be the best edge rusher in the class, including Carter and Pearce. His potential reminds me of another former Bulldog, Travon Walker. His development has turned him into one of the league's best kept secrets with Jacksonville, and Williams can easily get to that level with the right fit.

8. Carolina Panthers: Kenneth Grant, Interior Defensive Lineman, Michigan

Carolina has no safety depth and they're upset that Starks couldn't slip down to them. There's no other safety worth a top-10 pick, so they'll grab the best player available. Thankfully, that player fills a need.

Grant outplayed his teammate Graham, who was the third overall pick, at times last season in a completely different way. The nearly 340-lb defensive tackle should find the field early and often as a rookie even if that means rotating him; although I doubt the Panthers will find guys to play ahead of him.

The edge rushing spot still needs help, but Grant and Derrick Brown (coming off injury) on the interior creates a more-than-quality pass rush from inside. At their full potential, they could be a tandem that is impossible to run on.

9. New Orleans Saints: Will Johnson, Cornerback, Michigan

Marshon Lattimore is gone and the Saints are facing a new beginning in search of their next lockdown cornerback. Like what happened to Lattimore in the 2017 NFL Draft, New Orleans sees perhaps the top corner prospect fall on their laps.

Johnson has become a somewhat polarizing prospect, but I personally don't have nearly as many drawbacks. There's times where Johnson gambles a bit to generate turnovers, but that's extremely coachable for a guy who can erase his opposition.

As the Saints begin a makeover for their roster, they can check off grabbing an ace cornerback off their checklist.

10. Chicago Bears: Shemar Stewart, Edge Rusher, Texas A&M

After the top three edge rushers, I find the remainder of the class becomes almost entirely subjective. This is partly because of varying production, but more so based on your preference with what you like at the position.

Chicago could go many ways with their preferred edge rusher, but the toolsy Texas A&M product may be tough to pass up. Stewart had nearly no production for the Aggies, but my goodness does he look like a potential superstar at the next level.

A great coaching staff could develop him in a similar way to what the aforementioned Williams needs. If all goes according to plan, look out for Stewart to dominate the pros by his third season at the latest.

11. San Francisco 49ers: Jahdae Barron, Cornerback, Texas

The 49ers' defense is tricky. They have two of the best players in the NFL period in Nick Bosa and Fred Warner. The rest of the group has plenty of studs and underrated players, but free agency could see some of those guys like Dre Greenlaw, Charvarius Ward, and Talanoa Hufanga walk.

That means it's likely time to get younger and cheaper, especially with the pending extension of Brock Purdy.

Barron would be a dream selection here for San Francisco. The reigning Thorpe Award winner has turned into a great outside cornerback, but he has previous experience at safety, as well. I like Barron to take Ward's role as CB, but I wouldn't be surprised to see the Niners throw him all over the place.

12. Dallas Cowboys: Walter Nolen, Interior Defensive Lineman, Ole Miss

Similar to the 49ers, the Cowboys defense has several high-end players, including the vicious Micah Parsons, but other position groups need some upgrades and depth. The interior of the defensive line is one such spot, especially with Osa Odigizuwa likely to test free agency.

Nolen would be a dream fit for this defense and the value of grabbing him with the 12th pick is honestly absurd.

The transfer from Texas A&M to Ole Miss couldn't have gone any better for Nolen as he went from a hypothetical guy to a proven monster. It should result in a smooth transition to the pros.

There's extreme upside for Nolen as an interior pass rusher, but he can develop into a well-rounded defender and ascend to the top tier of interior defenders quickly.

13. Miami Dolphins: Tyleik Williams, Interior Defensive Lineman, Ohio State

The drywall in the Dolphins' war room is sweating after Nolen went just one pick before they could select him. Letting Christian Wilkins walk last offseason resulted in a massively underwhelming defensive line and now there's next to no one returning depending on how free agency shakes out.

Miami could end up being desperate and reach on a player to fill their largest hole considering it's unavoidable, resulting in making Williams a top-15 pick. I do think Williams could find a way to sneak into round one, but 13th overall seems rich. Still, the need is so big that the Dolphins don't have a choice.

To Williams' credit, he has developed wonderfully during his time in Columbus and he could end up being a starter early in his career. Miami will be hoping that's the case, and I sincerely believe he can get there.

14. Indianapolis Colts: Benjamin Morrison, Cornerback, Notre Dame

There's no way the Colts can go into the 2025 season without a makeover in the secondary. Kenny Moore is the only reliable cornerback on the team, but he's a slot defender. The need for a top cover man on the boundary is enormous.

Lucky for them, an elite prospect is available here.

Morrison is nothing short of outstanding. Although he missed the majority of last season with a hip injury, all signs point to him making a full recovery. Barring any setbacks, Morrison should be an opening day starter and a player who will quickly transition to the pros.

Patience will be needed as he regains confidence and comfort from the injury, but he should be back to form with said patience.

15. Atlanta Falcons: Nic Scourton, Edge Rusher, Texas A&M

I can't think of a team who has consistently struggled to sack the quarterback on a near-annual basis than the Falcons. It truly has been almost unbelievable how bad they've been at getting after the quarterback despite heavy investments through the draft and free agency.

But that doesn't mean you stop taking swings on guys, especially because this franchise will not seriously contend for a title until they get it right.

Scourton's stock has been as high as the top-10, but he's found a comfort zone around the middle of the first round. With the 15th pick and despite being the fifth edge rusher off the board, I believe in Scourton to help this pass rush out; after all, the bar is as low as it gets.

I don't foresee some insane rookie season, but I do have faith that the group takes a huge stride forward with his addition.

16. Arizona Cardinals: Jalon Walker, Linebacker, Georgia

One of my favorite draft fits this year is Walker with the Cardinals. Truth be told, I'd love to grab Walker no matter who else is on the board simply because of how quickly he will impact this defense. And yes, I obviously like him to be a candidate for Defensive Rookie of the Year.

The Cards' defense has a preference to versatile players who can do different things at no worse than an average level. Walker has shown great pass rushing skills to the point where a full-time move to the position feels inevitable.

However, his well-documented experience at linebacker is what excites me the most as a guy who can be a rush 'backer while also performing assignments all throughout the front seven.

Walker's addition to Arizona's defense could easily see him become a star and perhaps their version of Jared Verse with the Rams.

17. Cincinnati Bengals: Derrick Harmon, Interior Defensive Lineman, Oregon

Any pass rushing help is needed for the Bengals' defensive line. Trey Hendrickson is the only thing worth a damn up front with consecutive 17.5 sack seasons (by the way, that's otherworldly...). There's genuinely been no one even remotely worth complimenting him though.

Harmon may not play off the edge, but he will play inside and become a destructive force. Cincinnati released Sheldon Rankins and BJ Hill is set to test free agency, leaving almost nothing at the position. Hendrickson at least gives the team an edge rusher, but there's next to nothing on the interior.

With any luck, Harmon can mesh with last year's second round pick Kris Jenkins for a good inside duo.

18. Seattle Seahawks: Jihaad Campbell, Linebacker, Alabama

Seattle's front seven is good with few brand names. Leonard Williams is (mostly) well-known, but casual fans don't know Dre'Mont Jones or even former first-round pick Byron Murphy.

Edge rushers Boye Mafe, Uchenna Nwosu, and Derick Hall are all good at their jobs, but are also unknowns. Linebacker is tricky with not much going on there.

But I think the Seahawks like that trend, so why not keep it going with a defender who is flying under the radar.

Campbell was terrific last season as a full-time linebacker. Fun fact, he was a five-star recruit out of high school as an edge rusher, and we saw it throughout his time in Tuscaloosa. Plugging in a guy who can play the box and generate a pass rush is totally Seattle.

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Trey Amos, Cornerback, Ole Miss

The Buccaneers' safety room is loaded. Antoine Winfield Jr, Jordan Whitehead, and Tykee Smith are a fun trio on the backend. The cornerback room on the other hand is a bit light.

Jamel Dean is still a great player and I'd love for them to try and bring back Carlton Davis in free agency after he spent time with the Lions. But even if those two reunite, let alone the team only has Dean, depth and upgrades are needed.

Amos is ascending in the class recently and it's hard not to see why. The Ole Miss cover man turned a corner once he got to Oxford and realized his true potential. Amos was aged like a fine wine and his move to the pros could see him continue to grow into his potential.

20. Denver Broncos: TJ Sanders, Interior Defensive Lineman, South Carolina

The Broncos defense is absolutely nasty and their front seven is elite. Nic Bonito should have the league's attention by now with Jonathon Cooper also providing excellent production for the edge rushing duo.

The defensive line is also terrific with John Franklin-Myers and Zach Allen fresh off his breakout season.

However, both Franklin-Myers and Allen are free agents after this season. I doubt they both walk, but great teams draft, develop, and replace.

Sanders was one of many star pass rushers for the Gamecocks in 2024. Despite playing inside, Sanders finished fourth on the team in sacks and just a half-sack behind third place. He was also top-five in tackles.

His last two seasons have shown his growth as a starter and he'll spend his rookie season developing behind Franklin-Myers and Allen.

And when the time comes, he'll become one of their successors.

21. Pittsburgh Steelers: Maxwell Hairston, Cornerback, Kentucky

Yet another defense with high-level studs throughout, but several spots needing upgrades and depth. TJ Watt remains arguably the best pass rusher in football. Minkah Fitzpatrick is an ace safety with or without turnovers.

Cam Heyward had a statistical resurgence last season. The majority of the remaining players on defense are above-average to decent.

Cornerback is an especially interesting spot. Joey Porter Jr looks the part as the top cover man, but no one else is ready to play opposite him. This is where Hairston comes into play. Despite missing time last season, we still saw Hairston performing at a high-level.

As long as he checks the boxes at the Combine, he should be a first round pick and an excellent compliment to JPJ.

22. Los Angeles Chargers: Darius Alexander, Interior Defensive Lineman, Toledo

Will the Chargers endless search for a defensive tackle finally come to an end this offseason? We can only hope so considering their decade spanning hunt to solve the position. Their next try could finally be the answer.

Alexander is another player surging up the board and like his teammate Quinyon Mitchell, who was a first round pick last season by the Super Bowl champion Eagles, he's worth the hype.

The big man's production has increased each year and his 6'4 and 310lbs size makes him a great candidate to play defensive tackle oir slide to nose depending on the situation.

23. Green Bay Packers: Landon Jackson, Edge Rusher, Arkansas

The Packers have a type when it comes to their defenders. Pass rushers are expected to be a certain size and weight to fit into the uniform of preference for the position. Guys like Rashan Gary and Lukas Van Ness illustrate that profile.

It's the reason why I'm grabbing Jackson here over some other prospects.

The Arkansas standout has been teetering on round one status since last summer and he spent the 2024 season and the start of the draft process reaffirming that status.

A day one selection on the big man is more than warranted, and Green Bay will happily load him into their depth chart and develop him in a part time role with the end goal of him becoming an eventual cornerstone off the edge.

24. Minnesota Vikings: Shavon Revel, Cornerback, East Carolina

Copy/Paste what I said for the Chargers but switch it to cornerback: Will the Vikings' endless search for a top cornerback finally come to an end this offseason? We can only hope so considering their decade spanning hunt to solve the position. Their next try could finally be the answer.

Revel is recovering from a season-ending injury, and yet he's still perceived as one of the class's top cornerbacks. The East Carolina cover man is a big man at 6'3 and 193lbs with some ball skills to match.

Provided he's allowed the time to recover and get to 100%, I like Revel to grow into a true CB1 for Minnesota

25. Houston Texans: Alfred Collins, Interior Defensive Lineman, Texas

Talk about a loaded defense. Will Anderson Jr and Danielle Hunter are an elite edge rushing combo. Azeez Al-Shaair and Henry To'oTo'o man the middle together. Kamari Lassiter looked great as a rookie opposite Pro Bowler Derek Stingley Jr at corner.

Jalen Pitre and Calen Bullock are stud safeties. All of that and not to mention the depth behind those guys.

A group that needs some work, however, is the interior of the defensive line. Tim Settle and Tommy Togiai are quality players, but can be upgraded.

Grabbing Collins here could be a bit of a reach, but I really like what he could become. Collins is ready to go inside at nose tackle and proved himself along a Texas' defensive line that is loaded with NFL talent and future day one picks.

Although I'm unsure if Collins will ever become some elite sack master, I think the floor is high here and he can start and impact this team quickly to round out one of the best young defenses in the NFL.

26. Los Angeles Rams: Demetrius Knight Jr, Linebacker, South Carolina

A corner or a safety makes sense here, but I can't move past how much fun adding Knight to this front seven would be. MAN OH MAN.

It took some time for Knight to get his footing in his college stints between Georgia Tech, Charlotte, and now South Carolina, but he's arrived and I see a plug-and-play middle linebacker. Knight has a throwback build to the classic linebacker at 6'2 and 245lbs, but he still has the play style of the modern linebacker.

It makes him an extremely fun and fascinating prospect.

The Rams front seven has elite pass rushers like Jared Verse, Byron Young, Kobie Turner, and Braden Fiske. Now we add a stud linebacker and the unit is elite.

And who knows, maybe Knight can continue growing as a pass rusher and make the group that much better... although it feels impossible to envision that.

27. Baltimore Ravens: Xavier Watts, Safety, Notre Dame

The Ravens' defense is at its best when they have three safeties working together. The 2023 squad was an elite defense thanks to Kyle Hamilton, Geno Stone, and Marcus Williams. Last season Hamilton remained great, but Stone left in free agency and Williams was benched for poor play.

Given the previous success with three safeties, I assume Baltimore would be in on doing that again. Hamilton is once again back and Ar'Darius Washington came on late in the season. That means we need one more. And after the success with Hamilton, why not jump back into the Notre Dame pool?

Watts is a turnover machine and a reliable defender in coverage. A role similar to what Stone had in 2023 would be perfect for Watts to get his feet underneath him and eventually become a full-time starter down the road.

28. Detroit Lions: Princely Umanmielen, Edge Rusher, Ole Miss

The Lions enter the draft with the mindset of best edge rusher available. After Aidan Hutchinson went down with an injury, their pass rush wasn't remotely the same. Sure, Hutchinson was playing at a Defensive Player of the Year level, but nobody could help even try and step in for the loss.

In a deep edge rushing class, Umanmielen is one of my favorite climbers and I expect him to crack the first round when it's all said and done. Umanmielen had good production with Florida before a 10.5 season with Ole Miss last year.

I believe Umanmielen can get even better and having Hutchinson across from him will certainly help get him one-on-one matchups for him to exploit.

29. Washington Commanders: Jack Sawyer, Edge Rusher, Ohio State

I am a big, big fan of Sawyer, who was one of the most important players in the Buckeyes run to a national championship. His development from his freshman year to his senior season has been remarkable and he's a far better athlete than given credit for.

The question of "how much better can he be" doesn't feel fair to ask considering he's already a great player.

The Commanders need help with their pass rush. The interior of the defensive line is stout with (a healthy) Jonathan Allen, Daron Payne, and Jer'Zhan Newton. They found production off the edge with veterans Dante Fowler, Frankie Luvu, and Dorance Armstrong.

But, Fowler is a free agent, Luvu is a better linebacker than edge defender, and Armstrong can't do it alone.

Combining Washington's need for a proven edge rusher with one of college football's most experienced edge rushers who has gotten better each year is an awesome pairing.

30. Buffalo Bills: Nick Emmanwori, Safety, South Carolina

Best player available on defense for the Bills. An emphasis on upgrading the secondary is also pivotal. Combining the two is ideal... and I managed to do it.

Taylor Rapp and Cole Bishop are the only returning safeties on the team for 2025 pending a re-signing of Damar Hamlin. Even those three form an OK safety room... but it's not nearly enough to hold down the fort.

Plus, the Bills were at their best when they had elite safety play from Micah Hyde and Jordyn Poyer.

Let's get back to that winning formula.

Emmanwori is special. It's as simple as that. The South Carolina product went from being a consensus three-star out of high school to one of the deadliest safeties in the SEC for three years. A good tackler with ball skills and instincts is deadly at the position.

Buffalo welcomes back top end safety play with the addition of Emmanwori.

31. Kansas City Chiefs: Donovan Ezeiruaku, Edge Rusher, Boston College

The Chiefs were dominated at the line of scrimmage in their embarrassing Super Bowl loss to the Eagles. The defensive line has some studs like Chris Jones (arguably the best defensive tackle in football) and George Karlaftis, but the lack of depth showed up and they were held in check.

The Eagles have an elite offensive line, but the sack production dipped for KC last season. New faces are needed, plus you can never have too many guys who can get after the quarterback.

Ezeiruaku paced the Power Four conferences in sacks with 16.5 and left Boston College with 30 career sacks, tying him for most in program history with Harold Landry. Production is there and he has adequate size to jump to the next level.

Ezeiruaku will be best suited as a rotational player rather than a starter as a rookie, but it wouldn't surprise me to see him post high sack numbers even on a snap count.

32. Philadelphia Eagles: Jared Ivey, Edge Rusher, Ole Miss

The Eagles' pass rush feasted this season as a whole. The edge rushers came alive in the playoffs with Nolan Smith reaching his top potential with the underrated Josh Sweat opposite him. Beyond them is a lack of depth off the edge, especially after the failed attempt to get anything out of Bryce Huff.

Sweat is a free agent, too, so they cannot afford to pass on any available edge rushers.

Just like we expected, a third Ole Miss pass rusher comes off the board in round one with Ivey joining Nolen and Umanmielen. Ivey is a bigger edge rusher at 6'6 and 285lbs, but that didn't stop him from registering seven sacks last season.

There's plenty of untapped potential here, too, making him a fun dice roll, especially for a team like Philadelphia.

There haven't been many pass rushers that the Eagles have drafted that didn't work out with time and Ivey could be the next in a long line of guys.