2025 Dynasty IDP Rookie Rankings: Does Abdul Carter's Injury Change Things?

Let's Get to Know the New Class

What could possibly knock Penn State Edge Abdul Carter from the top of the IDP rookie rankings? An injury?

Combine doctors discovered a "stress reaction" in Carter's right foot. They quickly deemed surgery unnecessary, at least. And Carter will actually work out at his pro day ... though not at the Combine.

All that said, Carter remains atop our early IDP rookie rankings. But the movers start immediately after him ...

2025 IDP Rookie Rankings

1. Abdul Carter, Edge, Penn State
2. Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama (UP)
3. Jalon Walker, LB, Georgia
4. Mike Green, Edge, Marshall (UP)
5. Travis Hunter, CB, Colorado
6. James Pearce Jr., Edge, Tennessee (DOWN)
7. Nic Scourton, Edge, Texas A&M
8. Carson Schwesinger, LB, UCLA (UP)
9. Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina
10. Malaki Starks, S, Georgia

Dropped out: Danny Stutsman and Mykel Williams

Of course, scoring formats vary widely. So the rankings for your league might look different from everyone else's.

(Fortunately, the 3D values in your dynasty draft war room will sort that out.)

This class looks strong at edge, which would help many a fantasy roster. But it might be even stronger at DT, led by guys who look like more valuable NFL players than fantasy contributors.

We might also see a better batch of CBs than we got the past two years (also meh for fantasy), while the non-edge LB group looks a bit nebulous at the moment.

For now, here are 10 players to know – plus some others who could rise in prominence through the spring …

Early Top 10 IDP Rookies

1. Abdul Carter, Edge, Penn State

If we’ve learned anything, it’s that you should go ahead and draft defenders who wore No. 11 at Penn State. Carter followed:

• LaVar Arrington
• NaVorro Bowman
• Brandon Bell
• Micah Parsons

Bell made no NFL impact, but he also went undrafted. So we knew what to expect. The other three became high-impact players for their NFL teams and our IDP lineups.

Of course, we’re not targeting Carter for his jersey number. We’re chasing a guy who delivered 11 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, and 4 passes defensed as a true-freshman starter. Carter finished his third (and final) season leading the Big Ten in TFLs (22) and sacks (11).

2. Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama

We might wind up seeing a sizable split between the top couple of LB options and the rest of the group. For now, at least, Campbell looks like the best bet to join Walker among the top 2.

Campbell barely saw the field as a 2022 true freshman but became a starter early in his second year. He wound up third on that team in tackles but passed draft classmate Deontae Lawson to rack up 41 more tackles than his nearest teammate in 2024.

Campbell also led the team in sacks (5) and tackles for loss (12), while adding 2 forced fumbles and 2 passes defensed.

He might be more ready than Jalon Walker for an immediate three-down role in the pros.

3. Jalon Walker, LB, Georgia

Some list Walker as an edge prospect, but this 6’2, 245-pounder will offer more value as an off-ball LB.

He spent just one of three Georgia seasons as a full-timer and rushed the passer on nearly one-third of his snaps, according to Pro Football Focus.

We’ll certainly take that sack upside. But we’re also banking on Walker’s speed delivering tackle production and big-play potential in the pros.

He’ll need to prove himself in coverage. But first-round draft capital would indicate his team views Walker as a three-down player early in his career.

4. Mike Green, Edge, Marshall

I nearly wrote up Green in this space initially after he led the nation with 17 sacks in 2024.

He also led all FBS edge players in Pro Football Focus overall defensive grade, ranked second among the group in run-defense grade, and tied for sixth in pass-rushing grade.

Green posted just the one year of good college production but sports intriguing burst off the edge. His testing numbers this week will be key to his profile.

Unfortunately, NFL teams will also have to dig into the sexual-assault allegations that were at least related to Green transferring from Virginia to Marshall -- and which he denies.

“There’s accusations out there. I’ve never been questioned,” Green told reporters at the Combine. “I’ve never been asked. Nobody ever asked me a question about what happened before I departed from Virginia. It was just accusations that caused me to leave.”

5. Travis Hunter, CB, Colorado

I wouldn’t normally put a corner anywhere near this high. But there’s nothing normal about Hunter.

The Heisman winner just finished leading the Big 12 in receptions (96) and TD catches (15), and yet most people expect him to land at CB in the NFL.

If he’s “just” a corner, then the position and his talent threaten to limit Hunter’s fantasy impact.

But if his NFL team also deploys him at WR to at least some degree every week, then Hunter’s scoring floor (and ceiling) will get a big boost.

6. James Pearce Jr., Edge, Tennessee

The pre-draft process and draft itself will help sort a crowded edge group in this draft. But Pearce looks like a consensus top-20 pick.

He led the SEC with 10 sacks as a 2023 sophomore and averaged more than a tackle for loss per game over the past two years.

Pearce could stand to add weight for the pros, but his 6’5 frame could be an advantage in the pass rush. 

There’s a chance that size limits his playing time – especially early. But Pearce at least plays a position that can support fantasy production even on limited playing time.

7. Nic Scourton, Edge, Texas A&M

Scourton led the Big Ten with 10 sacks as a 2023 sophomore. 

That sack total fell by half after a transfer to Texas A&M. But Scourton still generated pressure on 11% of his pass rushes in his lone SEC season, according to Pro Football Focus.

Scourton also averaged a strong 1.26 tackles for loss per game over the past two years.

Two more factors that make him particularly interesting:

• Scourton has the size-athleticism combo to play inside and outside.
• He won’t turn 21 until Aug. 25. So there’s likely lots more development coming.

8. Carson Schwesinger, LB, UCLA

Oklahoma's Danny Stutsman was the second off-ball LB in these rankings initially. And we've got plenty of sorting still to do at the position (as I mentioned in that initial post).

Schwesinger jumps into our top 10 in this update, though, primarily because he now ranks second at the position on the NFL Mock Draft Database consensus big board.

Schwesinger delivered an FBS-leading 90 solo tackles in 2024, along with 4 sacks, 9 tackles for loss, and 2 INTs.

We'll see how Combine testing and the draft help sort out a still muddled -- but intriguing -- LB class.

9. Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina

An attractive edge class could easily push more members into this range by the time most rookie drafts start – and knock these two safeties down. But let’s at least get to know this duo …

Despite arriving as a three-star recruit, Emmanwori spent all three of his South Carolina seasons starting. He led two of those teams in tackles and improved both his overall PFF grade and coverage grade each of the past two years.

Last season found Emmanwori tying for 16th in coverage grade among 200 FBS safeties who played at least 200 snaps. He also grabbed 4 INTs and returned two of them for TDs.

All that in a 6’3, 227-pound package? Sounds like a safety for IDPers to get excited about.

10. Malaki Starks, S, Georgia

The Athletic’s Dane Brugler ranked Starks No. 4 overall on his final Big Board of 2024:

It’s quite possible that Starks will move up this list through the spring. It’s also possible that he spends more time in deep coverage in the pros. That would ding his fantasy upside.

We’ll see where he lands, how early he gets drafted, and what his drafting team says about his role.

More Prospects to Watch

Let's start with the two guys who dropped from our initial rankings ...

Danny Stutsman, LB, Oklahoma

The three-year starter topped 100 total tackles in each of those seasons – leading the Sooners by double digits each time.

Stutsman also averaged 0.95 tackles for loss per game over those three years, a particularly strong rate for an off-ball LB.

His pass-rushing reps decreased each of the past two seasons. But Stutsman will arrive with loads of experience in all phases. His coverage play will likely need development.

Why's He Out?

Stutsman isn't popping in early prospect rankings. He's 10th among non-edge LBs on Mock Draft Database's consensus big board, for example.

There's still plenty of sorting to do with the LBs through the process, though. We'll see where he lands.

Mykel Williams, Edge, Georgia

I included Williams in the original top 10 despite my own reservations.

Williams looks like a consensus top-20 pick (maybe top 15). He brings the size (6’5, 265). And he played right away in the SEC.

But Williams never ranked higher than 112th nationally among edge players in total pass-rushing snaps (per PFF), despite playing 12+ games each season.

His pressure rate also dipped each of the past two years. And he topped out at 9 tackles for loss and 5 sacks in his final season.

Why's He Out Now?

Basically ... why not?

You've seen my doubts about Williams. If some team drafts him super high and touts his potential to immediately contribute, then maybe we move him back up.

But for now -- at least -- let's give the juice to someone more attractive.

More Names to Know

Edge

• Shemar Stewart, Texas A&M
• Landon Jackson, Arkansas
• Princely Umanmielen, Ole Miss
• J.T. Tuimoloau, Ohio State

DT

• Mason Graham, Michigan
• Kenneth Grant, Michigan
• Walter Nolen, Ole Miss
• Derrick Harmon, Oregon
• Tyleik Williams, Ohio State

LB

• Chris Paul Jr., Ole Miss
• Deontae Lawson, Alabama
• Barrett Carter, Clemson
• Lander Barton, Utah
• Jeffrey Bassa, Oregon
• Demetrius Knight, South Carolina

DB

• Xavier Watts, S, Notre Dame
• Kevin Winston Jr., S, Penn State
• Andrew Mukuba, S, Texas

 

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