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2025 NFL Draft Scouting Watchlist: Edge rusher

Headlined by James Pearce Jr., Abdul Carter, and Mykel Williams, this year's group of edge rushers looks to be one of the best in years.

By Chris McGlynn

James Pearce has the shortest odds of any non-quarterback to be picked No. 1 in the 2025 NFL draft, according to FanDuel.
James Pearce has the shortest odds of any non-quarterback to be picked No. 1 in the 2025 NFL draft, according to FanDuel. / Donald Page/GettyImages
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Marvin Jones Jr.
Marvin Jones Jr. only record two sacks in two seasons at Georgia. / Don Juan Moore/GettyImages

Marvin Jones Jr., 3rd-year junior, Florida State
It is hard to break through on Georgia's defense. Jones earned only one start in two seasons with the Bulldogs and arrived at Florida State in search of a bigger role. This is a homecoming in a sense for Jones as well. His father had a Hall of Fame career for the Seminoles back in the '90s, winning the Butkus, Lombardi, and Lambert awards in 1992. Jones has great size, listed at 6'5", 257 pounds, but will need to show that the athletic traits translate to production with consistent playing time.

Trey Moore, 3rd-year junior, Texas
The star of the UTSA defense in 2023, Moore moved from one Lone Star State school to another joining the Longhorns for 2024. In his redshirt sophomore season with the Roadrunners, he set program records with 14 sacks and 18 tackles for loss. Now, he will get a chance to prove himself against SEC competition. He is a bit light, listed at just 235 pounds, but he has great lateral quickness and an explosive first step that can put tackles on their heels right off the snap. If he can perform against top-tier talent, he has first-round potential.

R.J. Oben, 6th-year senior, Notre Dame
Oben popped onto my radar last year when I was watching Dewayne Carter at Duke. He is far from a dominant player, but he has flashed a good ability to disengage from blocks and push his way into the backfield. Rather than enter the draft this past year, he opted for the transfer portal, joining his quarterback Riley Leonard in picking Notre Dame. As a sixth-year, it is hard to imagine Oben earning much Day 1 or Day 2 consideration, but he projects as a solid rotational rusher at the next level.

Collin Oliver, 4th-year senior, Oklahoma State
Oliver burst onto the scene in 2021 as a true freshman at Oklahoma State. He had eye-popping numbers with 11.5 sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss. He has not quite replicated that over the past two seasons, accounting for 11 sacks in that span. The traits are there for him to be successful though. He has good burst off the line and can bend around tackles to get to the quarterback. He is a bit undersized at 6'2", 240 pounds, but his athleticism should make up for those deficiencies.

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