2025 NFL defensive line rankings ahead of Week 10: Cleveland Browns remain the gold standard
The defensive line is the heart of any successful defense, tasked with both disrupting the opposing quarterback with a pass rush and shutting down rushing attacks at the line of scrimmage.
Elite defensive lines can change the course of a game by applying pressure, forcing hurried throws and creating turnovers while also stifling run plays to control the tempo.
This season, we will closely monitor NFL defensive line play throughout the season. Unlike our offensive line rankings, which in some cases consider previous-season rankings, these rankings will be based purely on 2025 play.
Here are the highlights for the top defensive lines after Week 9 of the 2025 season.
RankLast WeekTeamPFF GradeTop-graded PlayerMove11Cleveland Browns90.2Myles Garrett022Los Angeles Rams81.3Jared Verse033Detroit Lions80.7Aidan Hutchinson044Green Bay Packers80.7Micah Parsons056Pittsburgh Steelers79.6Nick Herbig+165Houston Texans79.2Will Anderson Jr.-178Indianapolis Colts75Laiatu Latu+187Seattle Seahawks72.8Leonard Williams-199New York Giants71.6Brian Burns01011Buffalo Bills71.3Ed Oliver+11112Philadelphia Eagles71.3Joshua Uche+11210Washington Commanders71.1Dorance Armstrong-21313New England Patriots67.9Harold Landry III01414Minnesota Vikings67.2Jonathan Greenard01519Tennessee Titans66.5Jeffery Simmons+41616Denver Broncos66.4Nik Bonitto01718Los Angeles Chargers65.2Teair Tart+11817New York Jets64.8Quinnen Williams*-11915Carolina Panthers64.3Derrick Brown-42020Atlanta Falcons63.9David Onyemata02126Dallas Cowboys63.2Dante Fowler Jr.+52222Tampa Bay Buccaneers62.1Anthony Nelson02321San Francisco 49ers60.4Bryce Huff-22424Jacksonville Jaguars60.1Josh Hines-Allen02529Kansas City Chiefs58.9George Karlaftis+42625Arizona Cardinals58.8Josh Sweat-12723New Orleans Saints58.4Chase Young-42827Las Vegas Raiders57.6Maxx Crosby-12930Chicago Bears56.5Montez Sweat13031Baltimore Ravens55.1Odafe Oweh13128Cincinnati Bengals51.5Trey Hendrickson-33232Miami Dolphins49.9Jaelan Phillips*0
* On Tuesday, Nov. 4, Jaelan Phillips was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles and Quinnen Williams was traded to the Dallas Cowboys.
Week 9 Highlights
Best Defensive Line & best run-defense unit: Dallas Cowboys
Despite the loss, the Cowboys’ defensive line turned in an excellent performance, with five players earning grades of 74.6 or better. Dante Fowler Jr., who has led the group all season as the highest-graded player, suffered an injury in Week 9 against Arizona. Rookie Donovan Ezeiruaku has come on strong over the past four weeks with a 90.2 overall grade that ranks third among all defensive linemen.
Five players earned run-defense grades of 72.5 or better, while nine were 65.0 or higher. Ezeiruaku posted a season-best 80.0, earning a monster 36.8% positive-grade rate. Solomon Thomas led the unit with two tackles for loss or no gain, while he, Jadeveon Clowney and Kenny Clark each recorded two run stops.
Best Pass-Rush Unit: New York Giants
The Giants’ pass-rush unit was always expected to be a strength in 2025, and it showed flashes of that in Week 9. Brian Burns’ 93.2 pass-rush grade led the team and the NFL, highlighted by a strip sack of Mac Jones and a batted pass. Dexter Lawrence was disruptive from the middle with a team-high 21.7% pass-rush win rate.
Most pressures: Seattle Seahawks & Atlanta Falcons
Both the Seahawks and Falcons lived in the opposing offense’s backfield, each racking up 26 pressures.
The Falcons did so by committee, as all nine defensive linemen recorded at least two pressures, with Jalon Walker and LaCale London leading the way with four apiece. Arnold Ebiketie earned the group’s highest pass-rush grade at 90.7 with three pressures. Despite the loss, the Falcons’ defensive line is starting to round into form after an offseason in which the team heavily addressed the unit.
The Seahawks, meanwhile, reached their 26 pressures behind four linemen who wrecked the Commanders’ offensive line. Derrick Hall and Leonard Williams tallied six each, while Uchenna Nwosu added five and DeMarcus Lawrence earned four.
Most Run Stops: Green Bay Packers
It was a low week across the league in run stops for defensive linemen, with the Packers leading the way with 10. Devonte Wyatt accounted for half of the team’s stops with five, while Micah Parsons added two. The unit combined for just three tackles for loss or no gain, and Kingsley Enagbare led the group with a 79.5 run-defense grade.
Season Highlights
Best defensive line, best run-defense unit & best pass-rush unit: Cleveland Browns
The Browns were on bye in Week 9, and there was no chance of losing the top spot in overall and run-defense grading, but a down week from the Texans allowed them to retake the lead in pass-rush grade.
Myles Garrett leads the NFL in overall grade at 92.7. His 92.6 pass-rush grade ranks second, and his 86.7 run-defense grade is fourth among all defensive linemen but first among edge defenders.
Not only do the Browns lead in all facets of grading, they also lead the NFL in wins above replacement (WAR) off the strength of Garrett and Maliek Collins. Collins’ 90.4 pass-rush grade ranks second among interior defenders as he continues the best season of his career.
Alex Wright, Isaiah McGuire and Shelby Harris all rank inside the top 26 in run-defense grade. The Browns’ defensive line has been a dominant force all season despite facing one of the league’s toughest schedules.
