PlayerProfiler is home to award-winning dynasty rankings and tools. Our Dynasty Deluxe package includes complete Dynasty Rankings, Rookie Rankings, Trade Analyzer, Draft Planner, Mock Drafts, and more. Check it out. Below are Aaron St. Denis’s 2025 NFL Draft IDP rookie rankings.
A Loaded Class
Much like the 2024 running back class, this year’s crop of IDP rookies is fully loaded. The fact that Travis Hunter could be the most valuable fantasy asset of our generation and yet isn’t our top-ranked player should serve to tell you the level of talent from top to bottom. Our 2025 Dynasty IDP Rookie Rankings will take a look at some of the players we are most excited to draft.
Before we get into it, it should be noted that these rankings assume standard IDP scoring settings. IDP scoring can dramatically shift player rankings, just as we see when going from 1QB to Superflex formats. For this reason, it’s important to see how your league scores each IDP position and adjust accordingly. There will never be a more glaring example of this than Travis Hunter who is to football what Shohei Ohtani is to baseball.
Each IDP draft class can be judged based on the strength of their edge rushers, and this class will be no different. Some high-end defensive ends make this a potentially elite class. Let’s dive right into it!
1. Abdul Carter, Edge, Penn State (6-3, 250 pounds)
Despite the obvious upside and potential we will see with Hunter, Carter is still my top overall player because his floor and ceiling are both insanely safe. Carter could easily see himself going first overall in the 2025 NFL Draft and will likely be first overall in your IDP rookie drafts. He was a Freshman All-American and won Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year last season and with edge rushers typically being the most coveted position in IDP leagues, he will be the player I look to target first in drafts.
Carter is not without his red flags as some character concerns and the potential of offseason foot surgery have popped up recently, but this isn’t enough for me to drop him to my second spot outside of the situations we will discuss below about Travis Hunter. During his time at Penn State, he has played both edge rusher and off-the-ball linebacker which showcases his elite athleticism and versatility. Carter may not be the flashiest pick on the board, but he is certain to be an IDP stud for years to come and belongs at the top of our 2025 NFL Draft IDP Rookie Rankings.
2. Travis Hunter, CB/WR, Colorado (6-0, 188 pounds)
OK, time to take a deep breath. Rookie-year Travis Hunter is going to be like reliving the drama of rookie-year Shohei Ohtani. There may never be a more format-dependent player in the history of fantasy football. There are a handful of scenarios that could play out for Hunter and all of them change his value dramatically.
While Hunter attended the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine as a cornerback, he has made it apparent that he intends to be a dual-position player for whichever team drafts him. The team that drafts him is sure to have something to say about that, but for now, we have to play the waiting game.
If Hunter does play both sides of the ball, his value could be immense, but once again it will depend on how your league chooses to score him. If you play in an IDP league that will allow you to score points for his offensive and defensive production, Hunter is not only the top rookie pick on my board, but he may be the top pick overall in dynasty startup drafts. Yes, even over the quarterbacks. If he plays full-time on both sides of the ball and can score points for you on both sides of the ball his value is unmatched in the way Ohtani is for fantasy baseball managers.
The Potential Downside
Here’s where things get tricky. If your league will only allow him to score points for one position, his value drops massively. He may still be an elite cornerback, but his playing snaps on offense increases his risk of injury and puts him in a spot that helps his real-life value without adding value to your fantasy team. A player who plays consistently on both sides of the ball is certain to have some injury issues.
This is the worst-case scenario. You draft Hunter with the first pick in your IDP rookie draft and the team he is drafted by decides they see him as a receiver. Sure, you can then play him as a receiver on your roster instead of a cornerback, but his value on the offensive side of the ball is far lower than on the defensive side. Hunter is truly the most one of the riskiest picks in dynasty history. He has the potential to be a dual-threat player who could be the 1.01, or he could be a player who struggles to find one true identity and falls well short of his fantasy draft capital.
3. Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama (6-2, 235 pounds)
Campell is the class of a surprisingly strong linebacker class. His size and athleticism give him the potential to be elite. He is versatile enough to excel in both blitz packages and coverage schemes and is certain to be a Day 1 starter. Campbell has the potential to be an elite three-down player from the second he hears his name called in the 2025 NFL Draft.
He has been one of the biggest risers of the offseason and is a great pick for anyone who misses out on the top two studs. While he doesn’t have the sex appeal of Carter or Hunter, he is a safe pick in rookie drafts. Campbell has a rare level of explosiveness and is a matchup nightmare all across the field. His frame makes him a massive disruptor in the middle of the field as he frequently gets a piece of passes in the throwing lanes.
This pick isn’t sexy, it’s safe. Campbell will be a set-and-forget player in your lineup even as a rookie. He is likely to go far higher in the 2025 NFL Draft than many expect.
Jihaad Campbell is one of the fastest risers in the 2025 NFL Draft.
4. Jalon Walker, LB/DE, Georgia (6-2, 245 pounds)
Walker is an interesting case as some NFL scouts believe he has the size and athleticism to be a potentially elite edge rusher. For now, we will assume he will be drafted as a versatile linebacker. During his time at Georgia, he rushed the passer early and often and with this elite upside and versatility he could easily fall into the classification of dual-eligibility defender. It wouldn’t surprise me at all to see Walker listed as LB/DE come Week 1 of the 2025 NFL season.
That kind of versatility is always something worth targeting in IDP leagues. A dual-eligibility player gives your IDP lineup so much added flexibility that it cannot be understated. His speed is elite which allows him to operate anywhere on the field, even in coverage. However, his coverage skills need some work, to say the least.
Uncertainty about exactly what position and role he will slot into with an NFL team has many managers afraid to draft him, but that uncertainty is exactly why I’m targeting him. I think he adds value as both a linebacker and an edge rusher and is well worth the leap of faith needed to draft him.
5. Mike Green, Edge, Marshall (6-3, 251 pounds)
Mike Green has been a huge riser lately as one of the darlings of the 2025 Reese’s Senior Bowl. He pancaked lineman after lineman for what seemed like the entire week. Green was PFF’s No. 6 graded edge rusher and also ranked highly as a run-stopper.
He was a physical and elite producer during his college time and looks to be an NFL-ready edge rusher. Green has an elite upside and should be far higher up this list, the reason he is lower is the ever-present off-field concerns. While Green denies the allegations that led him to transfer from Virginia to Marshall, it is a question he will need to answer nevertheless before the 2025 NFL Draft.
The talent and upside are obvious for Green, and if he can answer the questions of NFL general managers he could easily see himself selected in the first round. However, if he falls due to these off-field concerns, his safety and value will subsequently plummet in your fantasy league. Green is a prime example of why you should hold your dynasty drafts after the NFL Draft and not before it. If you draft before it, you are leaving far too much to chance and risk a draft day slide.
6. James Pearce Jr., Edge, Tennessee (6-5, 245 pounds)
Pearce Jr. continues the trend of talented defensive players with elite potential who carry elevated risks due to perceived concerns. He ranked as an elite pass rusher during his college career and has never lacked production but despite displaying all the necessary tools to push for a top-10 selection, he finds himself hoping to stay in the first round.
Rumors have swirled as NFL general managers worry that his desire to play the game does not match his talents. Many see him as a player who coasts on his skill level and is unwilling to put in the work to push his game to the next level.
I’ve seen no indication that this is the case and instead see the potential for an elite pass rusher, but the concerns make him a rink for IDP managers.
I’m not an NFL scout and while I believe he is worthy of being a top-10 pick in IDP rookie drafts, and a first-round selection at the draft, I will let the NFL tell me what they think. If Pearce goes in the first round, you can assume the concerns were just smoke and he can be trusted in fantasy, but if he slips out of the first round it’s time to sound the arms and drop him out of the top-10, at very least.
7. Carson Schwesinger, LB, UCLA (6-3, 242 pounds)
Boy, do I love Carson Schwesinger, but I’m concerned that NFL GMs may not share my feelings. Schwesinger was only a one-year starter during college but was an elite producer for UCLA during that year. He currently projects to be selected outside of Day 1 and has even gone undrafted in some two-round IDP rookie drafts, but sharp IDP managers realize the potential he has to be a sneaky value.
Since the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine, he has been shooting up IDP rankings and now sees himself firmly inside the top two rounds, but there is still a wide range of opinions on him based on the limited sample size. His size and speed are only average which gives him a far lower ceiling than some of the linebackers ranked above him, but his impressive football IQ more than makes up for the lack of physical attributes.
By all accounts, Schwesinger is an intelligent player and great team leader which could see him selected higher than currently expected. He is unlikely to push his way into the first round, but a high second-round selection would be a great vote of confidence for a linebacker with great potential.
8. Mykel Williams, Edge, Georgia (6-5, 260 pounds)
Mykel Williams is the most polarizing player in my top ten outside of Hunter and his unique situation. He looks to be poised for a top-20 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and is a mountain of a man, but with inconsistent production numbers, he is a high-risk and high-reward pick.
He is the prototypical edge rusher that you would want on your team and is about as physically imposing as possible. Williams won a National Championship at Georgia and has the experience of a full-time player for most of his college career. The pedigree here gives him the potential to sneak into the top-10 draft picks. He has been a consistent sack earner in college but despite that production, his stamina has been called into question from time to time as his size looks to leave him gassed and in need of a breather in key spots.
Williams has a nearly unmatched pedigree but will need to demonstrate an ability to play every snap at a high level and not let his size turn him into a part-time player. Whether he needs more conditioning or just needs to work harder, he can be an elite edge rusher if he finds a way to take his game to the next level.
9. Mason Graham, DL, Michigan (6-4, 296 pounds)
Mason Graham might be the most consistent run-stopper in the entire draft and that alone could see him selected in the top-5. The only reason he isn’t higher on this list is that he will lineup as a defensive tackle and not an edge rusher which could make him more format-dependent. Graham is explosive both laterally and through the gaps and is perhaps the most dynamic player in the draft. His ability to recognize a play is unmatched in this draft class and gives him the potential to be the most elite player in it.
His numbers didn’t jump off the page at Michigan, but anyone who has watched him play can see the disruptive impact he has on every play.
Make no mistake about it. If Graham were an edge rusher, he would be far higher up this list and would easily find himself in the top 5.
Graham should be considered a future defensive cornerstone of whichever team is lucky enough to draft him and may be the best value in IDP rookie drafts. The sky is the limit for Graham and the 2025 NFL Draft should reflect just how talented he truly is.
10. Shemar Stewart, Edge, Texas A&M (6-5, 267 pounds)
Shemar Stewart is truly a projection. He has the size and athleticism to be an elite producer for an NFL defense but has yet to show any consistent high-end production. His speed ranks in the 94th percentile and gives him a nearly unmatched motor on the defensive line but he will have to round out his skillset if he hopes to be a consistent NFL defender.
He is massive and explosive and is a disruptive force on nearly every snap but will need to refine the rougher points of his game. Stewart was impressive at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine and should see himself selected in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, but his lack of production in college will likely keep him out of the top 12.
His game isn’t as well-rounded as others on this list and he is far from a stat-box stuffing player. For Stewart to be a viable contributor to your IDP roster, he is going to have to convert his constant pressures into sacks. If he can do that he will be a high-end asset in sack-heavy formats, but could struggle to produce consistently in other scoring formats.
Shemar Stewart boasts elite workout metrics and a high ceiling.
11. Nic Scourton, Edge, Texas A&M (6-3, 257 pounds)
Nic Scourton was the Big Ten sack leader in 2023 before seeing his sack numbers drop drastically with Texas A&M. He is young at only 21 years old and is still developing despite having impressive size. Scourton presents as your prototypical pass rusher but will need some time to fill out and develop.
He combines impressive size and speed with a full toolbag of pass-rush moves, but he remains far from a fully refined player. If a team drafts him into the right defensive scheme and allows him to develop his skills, he could become an elite run-stuffer. For now, he presents a high-ceiling, low-floor option worth taking a chance on in IDP rookie drafts. His ranking reflects his upside, but his lack of refinement will likely cause him to fall to later rounds in IDP drafts, making him more of a developmental project.
12. Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina (6-3, 220 pounds)
While defensive backs are typically the position I value least in IDP leagues anyway, this class ranks even lower for me. Hunter is the lone fantasy stud in the group and my first safety off the board is far from an instant star.
Nick Emmanwori possesses excellent size and speed and impressed at the Combine, but despite these traits, teams should consider him a project-type draft pick. Having him this high might seem generous but his physical tools and knack for making plays give him the ability to develop into a well-rounded defender. He has been a solid tackler and interception producer during his collegiate career and his impressive size will inevitably lead a team to draft him higher than he should be in the 2025 NFL Draft.
This weak safety class could create a scenario where he can secure enough draft capital to send his IDP stock soaring. Emmanwori may not be a household name, but he could quickly turn himself into a full-time producer and valuable IDP asset.
Other Players to Watch
Malaki Starks, S, Georgia
Princely Umanmielen, Edge, Ole MIss
Demetrius Knight, LB, South Carolina
Walter Nolen, DL, Ole Miss
J.T. Tuimoloau, Edge, Ohio State
Landon Jackson, Edge, Arkansas
Donovan Ezeiruaku, Edge, Boston College
Jack Sawyer, Edge, Ohio State
Kenneth Grant, DL, Michigan
Tyleik Williams, DL, Ohio State
Dominate Your League
If you’re a dynasty manager looking to dominate your league then this is the most important time of year for you, so after you check out 2025 Dynasty IDP Rookie Rankings check out our other tools. Stay up to date with our Dynasty Deluxe package to crush your league mates. Our Data Analysis Tool will keep you miles ahead of your competition.
Read Aaron’s tips for owning IDP leagues here: Rules to Dominate IDP Leagues (2025 Edition).
