Madubuike is a tough evaluation since he only played in two games last season after suffering a neck injury that was considered career-threatening. Fortunately, he's reportedly on track to play this season, but it's difficult to assess how the issue will impact the two-time Pro Bowler's on-field effectiveness. In 2023 and '24, Madubuike made a name for himself as a pass-rusher, showing the quickness and strength to work the edges or push through an offensive lineman's chest to generate pressure. Those traits stood out during this past season's small sample size, too.

The development shown from Coby Bryant going from slot corner early in his career to a do-it-all safety has been fun to watch. That he's pulled down seven interceptions and 13 passes defended in the last two seasons is a testament to that. His range is helped by his instincts and ability to get an early jump on where the ball is going, and he is an excellent zone defender with the awareness to pick up routes and buzz down underneath. While Bryant will miss tackles with aggression, he's a smart run defender who takes good angles, and that shows in his coverage game, too. He'll help shore up the defensive issues the Bears faced last season.

Returning to the team that drafted him for the 2025 season, Minkah Fitzpatrick helped turn around a defense that was struggling through the first few months of the season. He makes plays based more on his football IQ than athletic ability at this point, but he still offers free safety and nickel flexibility. Fitzpatrick knows how to recover, identifies plays quickly, and gets to the football quickly. He missed more tackles last season due to poor pursuit angles, but the physicality in the run and screen game still allows him to be impactful. He suffered a calf injury at the end of the season, but will be fully healthy for his first season with the Jets and hopefully will return to his turnover ways in New York.

Sieler is one of the NFL's best defensive tackles who has yet to make a Pro Bowl or All-Pro team. He's such a well-rounded player, showing the physicality and strength to make tackles near the line of scrimmage as a run-defender, while also racking up 25.5 sacks over the last three seasons. The 30-year-old veteran did get off to a slow start as a pass-rusher this past year, leading to a dip in production after two straight 10-sack campaigns. However, the Dolphins started using him on stunts and line games more often during the second half of the season. All of Sieler's sacks (5.5) occurred during Miami's final eight games to build some momentum heading into his ninth season.

Having a unique athletic profile to weaponize in a defense is a cheat code for someone like Mike Macdonald, and Nick Emmanwori embodies that. He's a "nickel" defender but plays a ton in the box and even down around the line of scrimmage from time to time. A force multiplier against the run, he allows the Seahawks to appear in nickel defense while playing the run like they're in base. He's still figuring out the finer aspects of coverage; tight ends gave him trouble last season, and playing against quicker slot receivers can be problematic, but as his football IQ grows, he'll become an even bigger difference-maker.

The Bears' secondary has so much talent, and Jaylon Johnson is the best of the bunch, even while he missed parts of last season due to injury. He's a physical player at the line of scrimmage, a savvy technician, and plays longer than his measurements with great timing and feel at the catch point. He was excellent in the postseason and began to look like his former self, with the awareness and football IQ to pick up routes in off-coverage and read plays quickly. He's the veteran in the Bears' secondary, and with some of the additions to that defense, Johnson should have a strong year in 2026.

While Greenard's sack production took a significant hit last season, the downturn can be explained away since he battled a shoulder injury that caused him to miss five games. He's still a high-motor pass-rusher who can win with speed around the edge, turn speed-to-power and utilizes a nasty inside-spin move as a counter. The 2024 Pro Bowler does need to improve at finishing plays, though, as he's had tackling issues throughout his six-year career. That weakness partially contributed to his low sack total a year ago. Regardless, Greenard is a good all-around player who can set the edge against the run, too.

After four pedestrian years in Seattle, Brooks has blossomed into a very good run defender in Miami. He has the combination of instincts and lateral movement skills to sift through the trash and constantly make tackles near or behind the line of scrimmage. The 2025 first-team All-Pro isn't much of a space player and is susceptible to getting beaten in coverage, but he can make up for it when blitzing by being a productive pass-rusher.

He didn't look the same in his first week back from injury in the Wild Card round, but Quentin Lake rounded into form quickly for the Rams in the next postseason games. Playing nickel requires a different demeanor in today's game, and Lake has it in spades. Unafraid to take on blocks from offensive linemen or fullbacks, he gives as good as he gets and keeps coming for more. He racked up a career high in interceptions (1) and PBUs (10) in only 10 games played before his injury and was one of the best defenders for the Rams. Lake's safety/nickel versatility is a big part of how Chris Shula wants to call his defense.

Still one of the best tackling players in the NFL, Antoine Winfield Jr. was not a defender offenses looked to test in the passing game. Five targets were the most he faced in a single game, and that happened only once last season, but he didn't entirely look himself. Winfield played more reactively than anticipatorily, and his yards-per-reception allowed were higher than at any point since his rookie season. It's possible his leg/knee injury from the 2024 season lingered into 2025 and hampered the former All-Pro. However, he still found ways to impact games with eight passes defended, two interceptions, and 16 quarterback pressures, the most in his career.

Jones is a Hall of Fame-caliber pass-rusher and still applies pressure on quarterbacks even in the late stages of his career. The 32-year-old's quickness remains evident, and he combines that burst with veteran savvy to beat offensive linemen when lined up on the edge or working the defensive interior. However, Jones has been steadily declining as a run-defender over the last few seasons. Part of downturn is effort-based, as he will take plays off or produce reps where he seems disinterested. Those concerns push the seven-time Pro Bowler down the rankings, even though there's no denying that he's still one of the NFL's better defensive tackles.

As a pass-rusher, Verse's game is rooted in his ability to turn speed-to-power. He can collapse the pocket against offensive tackles, with a few nice counter moves off his primary approach, using his hands and quickness to keep tackles guessing. Additionally, the second-year pro is effective on stunts and can rush from a few different alignments. Verse was more impactful against the run as a rookie, but he still showed the strength to set the edge and be a plus-run defender last season. The 2024 Defensive Rookie of the Year has a bright future and projects as a high-quality three-down player for years to come. He does need to clean up his tackling, though.

Being a rookie on a defense like the Ravens is already full of different pitfalls, and the injuries sustained across the board early put even more on his plate. After the early-season inconsistencies, Starks found himself and was a big part of allowing Alohi Gilman and Kyle Hamilton to rotate down and around the box when needed. He handled tons of rotations, was a good run defender, and quickly identified routes developing downfield to take away big plays. He finished the season strong for the Ravens and set the table to truly break out for the new defensive-minded head coach, Jesse Minter.

Xavier Watts deserved a stronger push for Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2025. He makes up half of the best safety duo in the league with Jessie Bates, allowed Bates to roam closer to the line of scrimmage, and helped unlock the defense and create turnovers. Watts had five interceptions and 11 passes broken up as a rookie, was a plus run defender from depth, and, while there were some lapses, he showed the ability to recover not just physically but also mentally. He didn't look like a rookie out there; he handled more rotations, living on top of the defense, and the NFL stage like he was meant to be there.

Look for Cooper to burst onto the scene as an up-and-coming NFL linebacker this season. Against the run, he has a good combination of instincts, range and athleticism to get to the right spot and make tackles near the line of scrimmage. While the Texas A&M product still has some room for growth when taking on blocks, he's already shown improvement from his college days. Cooper's athletic ability also shows up in his coverage skills. He has the speed and acceleration to click and close, and he's made a handful of plays on the ball with eight passes defended in two seasons. The 2024 third-round pick wasn't as productive and impactful as a pass-rusher this past season, but he did have four sacks as a rookie.

One of the more underrated corners in the NFL, AJ Terrell is a technician on the outside who forced tight-window throws at the fourth-highest rate in the league last season. He mirrors well, attacks the catch point consistently, and is a willing and able run supporter. Bigger route-runners with a good catch radius take advantage of the space he gives them in off coverage, but he closes and uses leverage well. He doesn't create a ton of turnovers, but still gets his hands on the football a lot.

The most impressive aspect of Murphy's second NFL season last year was that the Seahawks asked him to play nose tackle a lot, and he was still very productive, collecting 62 tackles and seven sacks during the regular season. The 2024 first-round pick can split double teams and combo blocks to make tackles near the line of scrimmage, and he can widen out to a 3-technique and get pressures on third downs. Murphy has impressive versatility for an interior defensive lineman and can shoot up the ranks with another strong performance this fall.

When the Colts' secondary is healthy, it's got some of the highest potential in the NFL, and the one that makes it all work is Camryn Bynum. He might not be the rangiest safety to live on top of a defense in the NFL, but he does a great job staying on top of deep routes, taking advantage of overthrows, and turning them into interceptions. Bynum was on the field for 661 coverage snaps and was targeted at a 4.8% rate, and was still able to create eight passes defensed and four interceptions. He's a playmaker for the Colts defense.

A part of the best corner tandem in the NFL, Lassiter burst onto the scene in a big way and has used his junkyard dog mentality to be a chaos-creator for the NFL's best defense. He can be overly aggressive at times and get caught out of position, but he loves being physical as a run and screen defender, and it shows up on the field and in the stat sheet with 11 stuffed rushes last season. The ball production continues to be a bright spot as well, with four interceptions and 17 passes defensed in 2025. Lassiter might be a little boom-or-bust, but he's booming more and more for the Texans' defense.

Bonitto is an explosive pass-rusher who can win in a variety of ways. He has an incredible initial burst to win with speed around the edge, can turn speed-to-power and possesses the quickness and change-of-direction skills to take advantage of oversets by beating offensive tackles on an inside path. The two-time Pro Bowler blends in as a run defender, though. He can use his speed and athleticism to take advantage when he's unblocked or cause an offensive lineman to miss and occasionally make tackles near the line of scrimmage. However, Bonitto struggles to take on and disengage from blocks.

The Patriots' secondary was one of the most complementary rooms in the NFL, and Hawkins had his best season ever in year two of his stint in New England. Showing off his range, Hawkins came down with four interceptions and six passes defensed while playing 75% of his snaps at free safety. While he wasn't bad as a man coverage player, he was excellent in zone. According to NFLPro, "Jaylinn Hawkins was targeted on 3.8% of his snaps in zone coverage, the 5th-lowest mark of any player with at least 200 snaps in zone, and allowed seven receptions for 62 yards on 16 targets while recording four interceptions." He'll be taking his talents to Jesse Minter's defense in Baltimore, where he could have another fantastic season.

Buckner's body is starting to wear down, missing five games in 2024 with a high-ankle sprain and nine last year with a herniated disk that required surgery this offseason. On the field, he's still a well-rounded defender in both phases of the game and capable of winning multiple ways, particularly as a pass-rusher. It will be interesting to watch how effective the 32-year-old continues to be after this past season's neck injury.

It's hard for water to get where it's going with holes everywhere along the pipe, and that's how it felt for Amani Hooker last season. The secondary was riddled with holes, and he was tasked with covering as many as possible. His versatility is outstanding, showcasing the speed and route recognition to come down on short throws and recover over the top. He takes some aggressive angles in run support, but sees the plays unfold and has the effort to track the ball carrier across the field to make a tackle. With a new staff and renewed energy in Tennessee, there's room for Hooker to rebound in a big way.

Marcus Jones is one of the most versatile chess pieces in the NFL thanks to his secondary usage and special-teams impact. He's an electric punt returner with house call ability and brings that juice to the secondary in New England. While he gave up more touchdowns in man coverage last season than at any point in his career, he still took the ball away three times and had 11 passes defensed. He also added another pick and four passes defended in the postseason. It wasn't an even playoff showing for Jones, but he remains a high-effort player in every phase of the game.

Wagner is toward the end of his career, but make no mistake about it, he's still a top-tier run defender on the second level. He operates like The Terminator pre-snap, constantly scanning the offense and taking in information to consistently be in the right spot and around the ball. Also, the 11-time All-Pro is still an elite tackler with his combination of range and rare misses. In coverage, the 36-year-old's age shows up. He isn't as comfortable operating in space as he used to be and had a few coverage breaks last season. Wagner can provide value in the passing game as a blitzer, though, beating running backs to record 4.5 sacks last season.

Elliss is the pinnacle of what a hybrid linebacker should look like. He's the jack-of-all-trades, Swiss-army knife type of player who uses his athleticism to slip blocks in the running game, click and close or make plays on the ball in coverage, and get after the quarterback as a pass-rusher. The do-it-all backer also has the versatility to line up on the edge and cashed in during the offseason, as the Saints gave him a $33 million contract to return to New Orleans.

Film study shows up every Sunday for Delpit, and his instincts take him to the football quickly and often. He's an aggressive downhill player who isn't afraid to fit any run, wants to punish the ball carrier, and ties underneath routes to the quarterback's eyes quickly. Willing to man up against tight ends and make life tough for them, his coverage toolbox varies, but he is a much better player closer to the action than on top of the defense. Delpit flies around the field and brings a ton of energy to the Browns' secondary.

Being a twitched-up athlete with great length, ball skills, and coverage versatility at the cornerback position is tough to find, and those players stick around in the NFL. Jaycee Horn is all of those things. He plays with a great understanding of route concepts and film study on where quarterbacks want to go with the football and how receivers win. He's a poor tackler and falls off ball-carriers more often than he should, which creates more yards after the catch, but he set a career high in interceptions (five) this past season. A few slips in coverage led to giving up touchdowns, but he's one of the best in coverage around the league.

Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner had one of the most interesting seasons of any NFL corner in 2025. He dealt with injuries, was traded to the Colts and had an uneven performance throughout the season. He played a ton of man coverage and forced tight-window throws at a high rate, but allowed the sixth-most receiving yards in the NFL through Week 13—when he suffered an injury and only appeared once more during the season in Week 17. Gardner is at his best as a Cover-3 corner who can drive down, anticipate route breaks, and disrupt the catch point with his superb length.

Lloyd is an interesting player because he fits into the "jack of all trades, master of none" category. As a run defender, he can attack downhill or make plays sideline to sideline, but doesn't record many tackles at or behind the line of scrimmage. Against the passing game, the 2025 second-team All-Pro can click and close and has good ball skills, but he will get beaten in man coverage and occasionally takes subpar angles in pursuit. If the 27-year-old can put it all together in Carolina, he'll start getting more love as one of the best linebackers in the league.

A gold jacket is waiting for T.J. Watt whenever he decides to hang up his cleats. However, the future Hall of Famer's production dipped last season, as he isn't the same player he used to be. Watt can still win on the high side of the rush but lacks a good change-up to keep offensive tackles honest. At this stage of his career, Watt is also more of a finesse player against the run.

Baun's game is rooted in instincts and athleticism. Against the run, he's quick to get to the right spot and can use his movement skills to slip blocks. However, Baun does leave something to be desired in terms of his ability to take on and disengage from blocks. In coverage, the two-time Pro Bowler's athletic ability can help him be effective in man coverage and tight ends and running backs, and close in a hurry when playing zone. He also had seven passes defended last year and can be even more productive if his awareness improves.

Even while sustaining a hamstring injury that forced him to miss nine games in 2025, Julian Love is an absolute dawg and one of the most underrated safeties in the NFL. The coverage instincts are fantastic, and he sniffs out routes over the middle of the field with regularity to pile up PBUs and interceptions. The great clip of Love from the Super Bowl, showcasing how Drake Maye was telegraphing his throws right before he intercepted him, is pure gold. He can man up on tight ends and offer true nickel coverage flexibility for Seattle's defense while maintaining one of the better recovery skill sets at the position. This is the type of safety every defense needs.

Brown's size and strength pop off the tape when working against the run. Not only is the 6'5", 320-pound defender difficult to move, he also tosses offensive linemen out of the way when shedding blocks. As a pass-rusher, his power is apparent with a solid bull-rush and push-pull move. The 2023 Pro Bowler does show some quickness for his size, while adding 28 career passes defended when he doesn't get upfield.

Cooper DeJean has quickly blossomed into one of the best nickel defenders in the NFL after only two pro seasons. He's a physical and willing run defender, just ask Derrick Henry, and has dispelled any and all pre-draft notions that he may be better suited as a safety only. His versatility makes him a near full-time player as he takes snaps on the outside in Philadelphia's base defense. He makes plays at every level of the field, but is at his best in the nickel, closer to the action. His football IQ is his greatest weapon, but he also brings size and athletic ability to a position typically labeled as "small". DeJean is a unique player and a perfect fit in defensive coordinator Vic Fangio's defense.

Ramsey started the season playing predominantly at nickel cornerback and then transitioned to safety after Week 9, and hit the ground running. His football IQ is off the charts, and he still shows great closing speed, making him a force in coverage. Recovery downfield isn't what it used to be, and it showed up a few times, but his willingness and ability to fit the run and be in the right place greatly improved the Steelers' defense over the back half of the year. Ramsey really can do it all.

When it comes to versatility, it's difficult to find a defensive lineman who fits that description better than Williams. He lines up just about everywhere along the front thanks to an ability to defend the run at a high level from several alignments. "Big Cat" can split combo blocks, move his feet to avoid getting reached and win one-on-one matchups with strength or athleticism. Williams isn't as diverse when rushing the passer, but he still places consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks. The three-time Pro Bowler is effective as the pick player on stunts and uses his strength well to defeat guards and tackles during one-on-one matchups. His ability to do so became more apparent over the last two-and-a-half seasons, accounting for 22 of his 61.5 career sacks.

The Texans' defense is full of chess pieces for DeMeco Ryans to terrorize opposing kings (quarterbacks), and Calen Bullock has emerged as the instinctual "queen" patrolling the board. He plays with range, good movement skills, coverage flexibility, and a willingness to not only improve as a tackler, but to play the run as well. He takes some poor angles at times, but he's made up for it with six interceptions and 11 passes defensed last season (regular and postseason). In year two, Bullock established himself as one of the rangiest and most impactful post-safeties in the NFL with the arrow still pointing up as a member of this defense.

The former All-Pro is coming off a down year, but Trent McDuffie remains one of the more complete defensive backs in the league. His football IQ is fantastic; he is a willing and excellent run defender/blitzer, and he brings great experience, grit, and leadership to the cornerback room. McDuffie impacts the game in a variety of ways and turned into a better press-man corner on the outside than many expected given his stature. He's a better nickel than boundary corner, but he never backs down to any receiver, no matter their size.

Carter is a frustrating run-defender to watch, because he shows moments of brilliance, splitting combo blocks to make a tackle or using a rare combination of strength and athleticism to defeat other blocks. However, he typically only makes a quality tackle or two per contest, and the three-year pro has a big problem with missed tackles when working against the run. The 25-year-old's reputation as a standout interior defender is a result of his skills as a pass-rusher. He's impressively quick and athletic enough to work the edges against guards, while displaying good hand-usage. The former high school power-lifter can push the pocket when bull-rushing, too.