CommRadio 2025 NFL Draft Top 5 edge rushers

Getting to the quarterback with pressure is more important than ever in today’s NFL, and the 2025 NFL Draft offers a blue-chip prospect at the top and solid depth at edge rusher for teams who’ll emphasize that position come late this week.

Here are the top five edge rushers to look out for in the 2025 NFL Draft.

1. Abdul Carter, Penn State (6-foot-3, 250 pounds)

In the mold of Micah Parsons emerges another Nittany Lion who has been used all over the field the same way Parsons has been in his career.

Carter, a 2024 first-team All-American, burst onto the scene in his freshman year with 6.5 sacks and 11 tackles for loss and he capped off his college career with a 12-sack, 24-TFL season, the latter of which led the country.

For the NFL, Carter looks to be a Pro Bowl talent with an intensity that’s very hard to match and excellent explosion off the snap and bend.

Carter looks to be a top-three selection with the Cleveland Browns and New York Giants being the two teams most likely to select him.

2. Jalon Walker, Georgia (6-foot-1, 243 pounds)

Coming from a Georgia program that has had excellent player development in the trenches for as long as Kirby Smart has been head coach, Walker, the 2024 Butkus Award winner, looks to be another player ready to contribute early.

Having played alongside men like Mykel Williams and 2023 first-rounder Nolan Smith, Walker hasn’t had to play much in his college career, but he contributed 6.5 sacks and 11 TFLs this past season.

Walker is relatively small, but he has good strength and great athleticism for the NFL.

Walker appears to be a safe bet to go in the 6-16 range, which includes the Carolina Panthers, who play close to Salisbury, North Carolina, where he was born.

3. Mykel Williams, Georgia (6-foot-5, 260 pounds)

Across from Walker, Williams is another explosive athlete who produced at a more consistent level with the Bulldogs.

Walker tallied at least 4.5 sacks and 7 TFL in each of his three seasons with Georgia, and it’s likely he hasn’t reached his full potential yet.

Unlike Walker, Williams is more of a 4-3 defensive end instead of a 3-4 outside linebacker considering his size. He has a big bull rush and secondary effort.

Williams and Walker have similar ranges in the 2025 NFL Draft. He could go between picks 6 and 16.

4. Shemar Stewart, Texas A&M (6-foot-5, 267 pounds)

Stewart is as raw as any edge rusher and maybe player in this draft class, and if the right team picks him up, he can become a high-end defender in the NFL.

A former five-star recruit, Stewart didn’t produce much with the Aggies, with only 4.5 sacks and 12 TFLs in his career.

Stewart’s impressive skill set includes an excellent burst off the snap, the bend to turn and flatten the edge and the strength to drive lateral blocks in the backfield.

Stewart is a real boom-bust player, and he can go anywhere from as high as 10 to dropping until the end of the first round.

5. Donovan Ezeiruaku, Boston College (6-foot-2, 248 pounds)

Ezeiruaku may be small, but he has a lot of stuff going for him that can translate into three-down value at the NFL level.

Ezeiruaku was a good player in his first three years in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, but he came on last season, tying Harold Landry’s BC record for sacks in a single season with 16.5. He also had 21 TFLs which both led the ACC.

Ezeiruaku is going to fit best as a 3-4 outside linebacker in the NFL with great athleticism and a wide variety of pass-rush moves.

Unlike the others’ ceilings, Ezeiruaku is more likely to go between the 20th pick and the first half of the second round.

Honorable mentions: James Pearce Jr., Tennessee, J.T. Tuimoloau, Ohio State, Mike Green, Marshall

You can watch the NFL Draft on ESPN, ABC and the NFL Network. Coverage of the first round begins on Thursday at 8 p.m.

Owen Klein is a third-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email ojk5092@psu.edu.