When it comes to ranking the top defensive players in 2025 so far, there’s one in Denver who must be near the top. And there’s one surprising name you won’t see on this list. Here are the 2025 NFL quarter-season defensive player of the year power rankings.
It has been a strange season for defensive units thus far. Some of the best have been bad at times, like the Green Bay Packers. And some expected to be good have been awful, like the Baltimore Ravens.
But there are still players who are making noise on the defensive side of the ball. And here are the top five guys.
No. 5 — Rashan Gary, Packers
Although the Packers’ defense is coming off a poor showing against the Cowboys, Gary is still off to a terrific start. He seems to have benefited from playing alongside Micah Parsons.
He already has 4.5 sacks on the season, along with 17 tackles, four for loss.
The Packers see him as a leader, choosing him as a captain. That’s an honor he appreciated, according to Sports Illustrated.
“Man, it’s a blessing and honor, shoot a privilege,” Gary said. “Out of all teams, to have all my teammates vote me as a captain, it’s something I’ve always dreamed of, something I prayed for. It’s something I won’t take for granted. Anytime I wear that ‘C,’ I’m going to lead that way.”
No. 4 — LB Brian Burns, Giants
Injuries held Burns back in 2024, but he’s off to a roaring start this season, according to Newsday.
“Yeah, I was [messed] up last year,” he said of dealing with groin and Achilles issues for most of the schedule. “A grade-2 groin, that can mess you up a little bit.”
And he went into the offseason with the mindset of doing things differently. He changed his diet, determined to take his game to a new level.
“It’s a different process,” he said. “I am focusing on how it looks more than being based on the stats. I’m looking at how I’m playing more than the sacks. I like the sacks, don’t get me wrong, but at the same time, I want the way I look, how I’m playing, to look a certain way. I understand every play isn’t going to look that way, but I just want more plays to look like that than don’t.”
In four games, Burns has totaled 20 tackles, six for loss, three passes defended, one forced fumble, and an NFL-high five sacks.
“This is the fastest start I have ever [had],” he said. “Just the way it looks, I feel like I caught my stride early. Now I have to maintain it. I don’t want to go into a drought. That would be the worst.”
No. 3 — Maxx Crosby, Raiders
Maybe Crosby hasn’t gotten to the quarterback quite as much as he would like. But he’s getting it done in other areas of the game. He’s tied for second in the NFL with seven tackles for loss.
Also, he leads the NFL in passes defended among non-defensive backs with four already. His career high was seven.
Raiders head coach Pete Carroll said Crosby is getting things done, according to the Raiders’ YouTube via heavy.com.
“Every time he’s been on the field, he makes things happen,” Carroll said. “And he’s doing it with very limited opportunities, because he’s getting doubled all the time in pass pro. And the ball is going away from him the whole time in the games. They’re running away from him, but he makes a play in the backside. And if you challenge him, he’s been there. I mean, he’s all over the football and almost had two picks.”
No. 2 — Nik Bonitto, Broncos
This seems early like a two-horse race for the top spot. And Bonitto has a real shot to chase down the man in front of him.
Bonitto has 4.5 sacks on the season with five tackles for loss. He’s a game-wrecker and a defense-maker. And he’s the front-runner, according to ESPN.
“Leave sacks aside,” Bill Barnwell wrote. “Pressures? Bonitto's 27 are the most in football, and his 31.4% pressure rate is about double that of superstars like Hines-Allen and Aidan Hutchinson. Quick pressures? Bonitto's 15 are four more than anybody else in the league, and his 17.4% quick pressure rate is almost laughably outlandish.”
However, he stays at No. 2 for one giant reason: He doesn’t get double-teamed like the guy at No. 1.
No. 1 — Myles Garrett, Browns
Garrett is going to get his. Write it down. This year, he has four sacks and an NFL-best eight tackles for loss. Plus, he gets more attention than any defensive player in the league other than Parsons.
“Every offensive playcaller comes into the week with stopping Garrett as the first thing on the game plan,” Barnwell wrote. “You can read him on a run concept or two, but if you don't have a plan to stop Garrett, he's going to ruin your day.”
Need any other proof? How about these numbers?
“Garrett leads all edge rushers in pass rush win rate (37.5%) and is second in the NFL in quick quarterback pressures (11) despite playing on a defense that has faced the second-fewest snaps,” Barnwell wrote.
Dude is beast. Crown him.
But wait. Parsons isn’t on this list just yet. But don’t count him out of the mix.
