JACKSONVILLE – There's some special and a lot of really good.
When that's the case at a premium position, that's considered a good year in NFL draft circles – which makes this a very good draft year on the edge of the defense.
The best players have potential to be great and potential starters abound.
"It's a good year for edge rushers," NFL and Jaguars Media draft analyst Bucky Brooks said, with ESPN NFL Draft Analyst Jason Reid calling it a "great edge rusher draft."
Brooks called the edge defenders in the '25 class "a deep group with very good players."
"It's not necessarily great players, but it's deep in you're A-, B+ types – not as many A-pluses," Brooks said.
Of the edge group, one player stands out. That's Penn State edge defender Abdul Carter, who not only is widely considered the draft's best player at his position but who some consider the draft's best overall prospect.
"If you want the great edge, it's Abdul Carter," ESPN NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. said.
Carter, a unanimous All-America selection with 12 sacks and two forced fumbles this past season, forewent his senior season to enter the draft and has been projected by some analysts to be selected No. 1 overall to the Tennessee Titans.
Few analysts have Carter, Kiper called "special," slipping to the Jaguars at No. 5 overall.
"There will be split opinions," Brooks said of Carter. "Some people would say he's a generational talent. I would say he's not a Myles Garrett or Von Miller. He has explosiveness, wiggle and burst.
"What he is is a pass-rushing freak and he came on like gangbusters last year, but that was his only year of true sack production."
With Carter the clear top edge defender, others edges projected in Round 1 include Shemar Stewart and Nic Scourton of Texas A&M, James Pearce Jr. of Tennessee, Mike Green of Marshall and Mykel Williams of Georgia.
"Edge rushers are going to be attractive when you get into the mid-first round," Kiper said, with ESPN NFL Analysts Field Yates adding, "The pass rushing class is very unique this year. After Abdul Carter, there are a lot of healthy debates."
Brooks said of Williams, "Prototypical Georgia guy: great athlete, long arms, checks off all the boxes. His game is still rounding into form. He's more of a base end than a pass-rushing freak. But if the light bulb comes on, you get the double-digit sacks and all those things you're looking for."
Perhaps the highest-rated player in this group after Carter: Georgia linebacker Jalen Walker, who some analysts project as one of the top five or six overall players in the draft and a player Brooks called a "hybrid."
"He's an off-ball linebacker," Brooks said. "He can play in the box on early downs, then he can go to the edges and be a pass-rushing freak on later downs. He really can do anything that you want to do because he's gifted athletically … high IQ. He's a blue-collar player when you turn on the tape. He's just a freak."
Building the fundamentals. 👀 Both the offensive and defensive playmakers are putting in work at the Miller Electric Center a week before the 2025 NFL Draft. 🔥👣 Swipe through some top shots below.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars safety Antonio Johnson during voluntary offseason workouts at the Miller Electric Center on April 15, 2025.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars wide receiver Louis Rees-Zammit during voluntary offseason workouts at the Miller Electric Center on April 17, 2025.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence during voluntary offseason workouts at the Miller Electric Center on April 17, 2025.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars linebacker Chad Muma during voluntary offseason workouts at the Miller Electric Center on April 15, 2025.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. during voluntary offseason workouts at the Miller Electric Center on April 17, 2025.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars cornerback De'Antre Prince during voluntary offseason workouts at the Miller Electric Center on April 15, 2025.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars cornerback Christian Braswell during voluntary offseason workouts at the Miller Electric Center on April 15, 2025.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars linebacker Foyesade Oluokun during voluntary offseason workouts at the Miller Electric Center on April 15, 2025.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars safety Darnell Savage during voluntary offseason workouts at the Miller Electric Center on April 15, 2025.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars cornerback Zechariah McPhearson during voluntary offseason workouts at the Miller Electric Center on April 15, 2025.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars linebacker Devin Lloyd during voluntary offseason workouts at the Miller Electric Center on April 15, 2025.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars linebacker Devin Lloyd during voluntary offseason workouts at the Miller Electric Center on April 15, 2025.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars linebacker Ventrell Miller during voluntary offseason workouts at the Miller Electric Center on April 15, 2025.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars safety Eric Murray during voluntary offseason workouts at the Miller Electric Center on April 15, 2025.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars cornerback Jarrian Jones during voluntary offseason workouts at the Miller Electric Center on April 15, 2025.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars players participate in voluntary offseason workouts at the Miller Electric Center on April 15, 2025.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars linebacker Foyesade Oluokun during voluntary offseason workouts at the Miller Electric Center on April 15, 2025.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars players participate in voluntary offseason workouts at the Miller Electric Center on April 15, 2025.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars wide receiver Parker Washington during voluntary offseason workouts at the Miller Electric Center on April 17, 2025.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars players participate in voluntary offseason workouts at the Miller Electric Center on April 15, 2025.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars cornerback Montaric Brown during voluntary offseason workouts at the Miller Electric Center on April 15, 2025.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars wide receiver Austin Trammell during voluntary offseason workouts at the Miller Electric Center on April 17, 2025.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence during voluntary offseason workouts at the Miller Electric Center on April 17, 2025.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars defensive end Josh Hines-Allen during voluntary offseason workouts at the Miller Electric Center on April 15, 2025.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars cornerback Jarrian Jones during voluntary offseason workouts at the Miller Electric Center on April 15, 2025.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars wide receiver Dyami Brown during voluntary offseason workouts at the Miller Electric Center on April 17, 2025.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars wide receiver Dyami Brown during voluntary offseason workouts at the Miller Electric Center on April 17, 2025.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars linebacker Devin Lloyd during voluntary offseason workouts at the Miller Electric Center on April 15, 2025.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars tight end Johnny Mundt during voluntary offseason workouts at the Miller Electric Center on April 17, 2025.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars wide receiver Louis Rees-Zammit during voluntary offseason workouts at the Miller Electric Center on April 17, 2025.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence during voluntary offseason workouts at the Miller Electric Center on April 17, 2025.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. during voluntary offseason workouts at the Miller Electric Center on April 17, 2025.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars wide receiver Dyami Brown during voluntary offseason workouts at the Miller Electric Center on April 17, 2025.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars wide receiver Dyami Brown during voluntary offseason workouts at the Miller Electric Center on April 17, 2025.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars tight end Brenton Strange during voluntary offseason workouts at the Miller Electric Center on April 17, 2025.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. during voluntary offseason workouts at the Miller Electric Center on April 17, 2025.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars cornerback De'Antre Prince during voluntary offseason workouts at the Miller Electric Center on April 15, 2025.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars cornerback Jourdan Lewis during voluntary offseason workouts at the Miller Electric Center on April 15, 2025.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence during voluntary offseason workouts at the Miller Electric Center on April 17, 2025.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars wide receiver Louis Rees-Zammit during voluntary offseason workouts at the Miller Electric Center on April 17, 2025.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars quarterback Nick Mullens during voluntary offseason workouts at the Miller Electric Center on April 17, 2025.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars running back Keilan Robinson during voluntary offseason workouts at the Miller Electric Center on April 17, 2025.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. during voluntary offseason workouts at the Miller Electric Center on April 17, 2025.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars players participate in voluntary offseason workouts at the Miller Electric Center on April 15, 2025.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars cornerback Tyson Campbell during voluntary offseason workouts at the Miller Electric Center on April 15, 2025.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars running back Keilan Robinson during voluntary offseason workouts at the Miller Electric Center on April 17, 2025.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars quarterback Nick Mullens during voluntary offseason workouts at the Miller Electric Center on April 17, 2025.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars tight end Hunter Long during voluntary offseason workouts at the Miller Electric Center on April 17, 2025.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars wide receiver Parker Washington during voluntary offseason workouts at the Miller Electric Center on April 17, 2025.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars offense during voluntary offseason workouts at the Miller Electric Center on April 17, 2025.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars defensive lineman Arik Armstead during voluntary offseason workouts at the Miller Electric Center on April 15, 2025.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars tight end Hunter Long during voluntary offseason workouts at the Miller Electric Center on April 17, 2025.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars strength and conditioning staff during voluntary offseason workouts at the Miller Electric Center on April 15, 2025.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars tight end Brenton Strange during voluntary offseason workouts at the Miller Electric Center on April 17, 2025.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars running back Tank Bigsby during voluntary offseason workouts at the Miller Electric Center on April 17, 2025.
HANDICAPPING THE JAGUARS
- This is an intriguing area for the Jaguars entering the draft. With edge defenders Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen their two best defensive players, this is one of their strongest overall positions. At the same time, adding a third edge player – particularly one with elite pass-rushing and disruption skills – would add a needed element to a defense that ranked 28th in the NFL with 34 sacks last season. Walker registered 10 sacks in 2023 and 10.5 in 2024, with Hines-Allen registering eight sacks in 2024 after a franchise-record 17.5 sacks in 2023. With Arik Armstead expected to play more inside than he did in his first season with the Jaguars in 2024, second-year veteran Myles Cole is currently the third defensive end.
CHANCE JAGUARS TAKE AN DEFENSIVE END/OUTSIDE LINEBACKER IN ROUND ONE
- Possible.
DEFENSIVE ENDS ON THE JAGUARS ROSTER
- Travon Walker
- Josh Hines-Allen
- Arik Armstead
- Myles Cole
LINEBACKERS ON THE JAGUARS ROSTER
- Foye Oluokun
- Devin Lloyd
- Ventrell Miller
- Chad Muma
- Yasir Abdullah
BUCKY BROOKS' TOP 5 2025 DEFENSIVE ENDS
- Shemar Stewart, Texas A&M
- Nic Scourton, Texas A&M
- Landon Jackson, Arkansas
- Jack Sawyer, Ohio State
- Princely Umanmielen, Mississippi
POSSIBLE FIRST-ROUND DEFENSIVE ENDS
- Shemar Stewart, Texas A&M
- Nic Scourton, Texas A&M
BUCKY BROOKS' TOP 5 2025 OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS
- Abdul Carter, Penn State
- James Pearce Jr., Tennessee
- Mike Green, Marshall
- Mykel Williams, Georgia
- Donovan Ezeiruaku, Boston College
POSSIBLE FIRST-ROUND OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS
- Abdul Carter, Penn State
- James Pearce Jr., Tennessee
- Mike Green, Marshall
- Mykel Williams, Georgia
BUCKY BROOKS' TOP 5 2025 LINEBACKERS
- Jalen Walker, Georgia
- Jihaad Campbell, Alabama
- Carson Schwesinger, UCLA
- Danny Stutsman, Oklahoma
- Barrett Carter, Clemson
POSSIBLE FIRST-ROUND LINEBACKERS
- Jalen Walker, Georgia
- Jihaad Campbell, Alabama
