This is one of the toughest evaluations in this process, with Kerby Joseph's status unknown after suffering a season-ending knee injury in Week 6 last season. The 2024 season wasn't just All-Pro worthy; it was one of the best seasons we've seen from a free safety in a long time. He started 2025 with three interceptions in six games and was on his way to another incredible season. Quarterbacks didn't want to test him, as he had only 11 targets before sustaining the injury. Joseph is one of the most instinctive players in the league, and we're all hoping to see him on the field in 2026.

What a difference a few seasons and a change in defensive coordinator made for Kevin Byard. The addition of Dennis Allen gave the veteran safety a DC who knew how to unlock Byard's football IQ and instinctual nature. While he was more involved at the line of scrimmage in 2024, Allen put Byard on top of the defense, where he played 870 of his snaps last season, allowing him to patrol like RoboCop. After having only two interceptions total in 2023 and 2024, Byard came down with seven picks and eight passes defensed, helping to lead him to his third First-Team All-Pro nomination. Byard was fantastic last season and showed everyone that the "old man" still has it.

Heyward primarily lines up as a 4i-technique (inside shoulder of an offensive tackle) in the Steelers' odd front, though he regularly lines up as a 2i-technique (inside shoulder of the guard). A big reason why is that he can hold his own against any type of block against the run. The 37-year-old may be closer to the end of his career than the beginning, but he's still an elite run-defender. As a pass-rusher, Heyward's age has begun to show in his quickness and ability to win with finesse moves. But the six-time All-Pro can still push the pocket with a bull-rush and remains very good at batting passes near the line of scrimmage.

Hutchinson is a very good pass-rusher who excels at turning speed-to-power and has showed a few counter-moves to keep offensive tackles guessing. Additionally, he has a nasty inside spin, can win with speed around the edge and displays a good hand-swipe move. The two-time Pro Bowler veers more toward average against the run, though, primarily making plays when unblocked or against tight ends.

Budda Baker might be a Cardinal, but he converges on throws and routes over the middle of the field like an Osprey diving full speed into the water to catch a fish. He reads route concepts at high speed and flies downhill to break up the throw, impact the catch point, or make the tackle short of the line to gain. Baker is one of the most active safeties against the run with his instinctual nature, and while his aggressiveness will catch him out of position and lead to missing tackles, he's right far more than he's wrong. Even after his ninth season in the NFL, Baker is one of the best at his position and incredibly fun to watch.

While Maxx Crosby's pass-rush production has dipped over the last two seasons, his hand-swipe move and relentless motor remain top-notch. Also, he still accumulated 10 sacks in 2025. A lack of surrounding talent in the Raiders' lineup should be attributed as part of the reason for his drop in numbers. Las Vegas lacks a notable bookend or interior pass-rusher to take the pressure off the five-time Pro Bowler. Conversely, Crosby can make a strong case as the best run-defender working off the edge. He displays the strength to establish contain, and his elite get-off leaves blockers grasping at air while the "Condor" collects tackles for loss, accumulating 90 TFLs over the last four seasons. As such, Crosby is easily one of the league's more disruptive players.

Nick Bosa was difficult to assess since he missed all but three games last season and sat out three contests during the prior campaign. However, the 2022 NFL Defensive Player of the Year previously built a big enough track record to rank and assume a baseline level of performance. As a pass-rusher, Bosa's hand-use is elite and where he primarily wins. He's also effective at turning speed-to-power, providing more juice off the edge than most expect. Additionally, the 2019 No. 2 overall pick's run defense is underrated. He has the strength to set the edge and escape blocks, while also showing enough athleticism to take advantage during the rare occasions he's unblocked.

From a run defending and gap control standpoint, Lawrence is actually coming off a down season for his standards. But that had a lot to do with him lining up slightly out of position as a 3-technique more often last year. Keep him over the center and put that wide stance and 6'4", 340-pound frame to good use, and the new Cincinnati Bengal will continue to be a boulder in the running game. Plus, the three-time Pro Bowler still destroys one-on-one blocks to make tackles near the line of scrimmage. Lawrence only had half a sack last season, but he did manage to generate a lot of pressure for the position. His size and strength can be overwhelming for centers on third downs, and Sexy Dexy's nimbleness helps him win around the edges of interior offensive linemen with a rip move. He also managed to record four passes defended in 2025.

The first thing that stands out about Smith's game is his rare speed for a linebacker. The Georgia product ran a 4.51-second 40-yard dash years ago at the NFL Combine, and that shows in his ability to beat blockers to the spot against the run. He's also able to make tackles from the backside of runs with his elite sideline-to-sideline range. In coverage, Smith can click and close to limit gains or make chase-down tackles to prevent explosive plays. His ball skills are more solid than anything special, recording 10 interceptions and 38 passes defended over eight seasons. Finally, the 2018 first-round pick may not have had any sacks last year, but he does offer value as a blitzer with his ability to beat running backs in pass protection.

As a run-defender, Simmons is quick to get his hands up and displays plenty of strength to win at the point of attack. He has also shown flashes of using his athleticism as a change of pace to keep offensive linemen guessing. This combination helps the four-time Pro Bowler be disruptive and make tackles at or behind the line of scrimmage. The 2025 first-team All-Pro is coming off his best season as a pass-rusher, too, recording a career-high 11 sacks. He wins more with his quickness, hand-usage and a good rip move (or some combination of those three). Also, the 28-year-old veteran has a deep arsenal to push the pocket when using power. Simmons must cut down on the costly penalties, though.

While the elite ball production isn't there for Quinyon Mitchell, everything else shows up on the field, and he is one of the best young corners in the NFL. A physical presence on the outside, Mitchell squared up against some of the most talented receivers in the NFL last season and never wavered. He struggled early on against the 49ers in the Wild Card round, but added two more playoff interceptions to his resume. He has not recorded any picks in the regular season, but he now has four in his first two postseasons. Big-time moments for a big-time player.

Will Anderson Jr.'s ability to turn speed-to-power as a pass-rusher has never been in question. The trait clearly translated from Alabama to the pro game. He then added some finesse moves to his arsenal, which became a big reason why he was able to win more frequently last season. The 2023 No. 3 overall pick has lived up to the hype. He's easily the league's best edge-defender under 25 years old. Against the run, Anderson's strength stands out when setting the edge and defeating blocks. Additionally, his speed and athleticism show up as a run-defender, leading to an uptick in tackles for loss this past season. Look for the 2025 first-team All-Pro's continued ascension into eventual elite status.

Vea is one of the most unique players in the NFL. He doesn't really have a true position because he can play from so many alignments. But the 6'4", 347-pound defensive lineman fits the size profile, is listed as a nose tackle, and spends enough time in the A-gaps to qualify for the position. The 2018 first-round pick can play a variety of positions because he has uncanny athleticism for his size and can defeat any type of block against the run. As a pass-rusher, that shows up in his ability to work the edges of an offensive lineman, and Vea is really effective at creating rushing lanes for teammates during line games. Of course, he can win with power, too.

Williams primarily lines up as a 3-technique (outside shoulder of the guard) but made plenty of plays from several alignments when splitting time between the New York Jets and Dallas Cowboys last season. The four-time Pro Bowler consistently dictates the rep when working against the run regardless of where he is playing. When rushing the passer, Williams' strength, motor and active hands make it difficult for offensive linemen to anchor against his bull-rush. He did have a down year statistically, with a career-low 2.5 sacks, but his quickness and unique athleticism showed up more in Dallas and helped the 28-year-old win more frequently than he did earlier in the season.

Campbell is known for his brute strength and instincts as a run defender. He has some of the heaviest hands at the position to disengage from blocks consistently, and he's quick to diagnose plays while getting to the right spot. But the first-team All-Pro's athleticism is underrated, with impressive change-of-direction skills to mirror running backs. Some of those traits transfer over to coverage. Again, Campbell has good awareness and is effective at closing to limit explosive plays. However, his lack of elite athletic ability makes it harder for him to tighten throwing windows and make plays on the ball. The 2023 first-round draft pick does make up for deficiencies by adding value as a pass-rusher after securing five sacks last season.

Having a velociraptor in the defensive secondary gives the defensive coordinator a weapon that can ruin opposing offenses. Jalen Pitre is that player. He's crafty, aggressive, and plays at 100 miles an hour. His closing speed and instincts limit yards after the catch to the point where he didn't allow a touchdown the entire season in over 500 consecutive coverage snaps. He added 12 passes defended and four interceptions from the nickel position to showcase his value to one of the best defenses in the NFL.

Play the game like you're pissed off at the opposing team. That's the motto of Seahawks corner Devon Witherspoon, and he flies around the field making plays. One of the core pieces of a Super Bowl-winning unit, Witherspoon's run defense, negative play creation, and athletic versatility allow him to wreck games for the opposition. He played lights out in the playoffs and sees the game at an extremely high level. Witherspoon keeps getting better and better and is in the right place to continue that trend.

After the Myles Garrett trade, Denzel Ward is the best player wearing a Cleveland Browns uniform. His technique, smooth transitions, and jack-of-all-trades ability stand tall, even as he enters his ninth NFL season. Ward allowed the second-fewest receiving yards of his career in 2025 and was one of the toughest outs for wide receivers every week because of his physical mindset. He's showing no signs of slowing down.

While he tends to find penalty flags, Brian Branch is a premier player at his position in the NFL. He's a do-it-all defender who will play at the line of scrimmage, in the box, and deep down the field. He's there to chew bubble gum and kick some ass, but he's all out of bubble gum. With the processing speed Branch displays, he can trigger from deep and fill the run, and execute a wide array of rotations with excellent depth. You could play him at corner, and he'd still be a high-level impact player. The possibilities are endless for Branch, and even though it was a "down" statistical year for him that included a suspension and injury, he's not a player teams want to test consistently. He makes them all pay eventually.

If an underrated elite pass-rusher exists, since it's considered a premium position, Danielle Hunter fits the mold. He may not be discussed in the same category as Myles Garrett, but Hunter is easily one of the league's best at getting to the quarterback. He wins every way imaginable, whether it's going through an offensive tackle's chest, around the edge with speed or across the tackle's face. Against the run, the 10-year veteran's strength at the point of attack really shines. He can set the edge and shed blocks against offensive linemen to make tackles near the line of scrimmage. He's also a hustle player who factors into gang tackles down the field. However, Hunter isn't a top-tier penetrator, limiting his disruptiveness.

Playing some of his best football in the biggest moments last season, Christian Gonzalez has gotten better and better each year in the NFL. He's coming off a Super Bowl appearance where he faced off against one of the best receivers in football and only gave up one reception over 14 reps and three targets. He's an elite man corner with quick recognition skills, closing ability, and attacks the catch point, allowing a career-low 38.7% completion percentage in man coverage. If this trend holds, Gonzalez should continue to rise in these rankings.