The 2025 NFL season has seen a sort of renaissance on the defensive side of the ball, as some of the top Super Bowl contenders have been built on the back of their defenses. That renaissance can also be among the players as well, with record-breaking play and high-level individual defensive performances week after week. Let’s examine and rank the top 5 candidates for this season’s NFL Defensive Player of the Year award.
1. Myles Garrett
Speaking of record-breaking performances, there hasn’t been a bigger game-wrecker on the edge than Browns superstar Myles Garrett. The six-time Pro-Bowler currently sits just 1.5 sacks away from breaking the single-season sacks record, as Garrett has been on a tear over the past two months.
Garrett has put together a plethora of multi-sack games since October, with a four-sack performance against the Ravens on November 16 and a five-sack masterpiece against the Patriots on October 26. With one NFL Defensive Player of the Year award already under his belt, Garrett looks poised to add to his collection come February.
2. Will Anderson Jr.
There are many reasons why the Houston Texans currently sport the best defense in all of football. Star edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. is one of the biggest reasons. The former Defensive Rookie of the Year has put on a pass-rushing clinic all season, collecting 10.5 sacks while adding in 3 forced fumbles.
Anderson Jr. has also shown great improvement in his run-stopping ability, as he currently ranks in the top 10 among edge rushers in tackles for loss. The former Crimson Tide star has more than earned his high placement on this list.
3. Nik Bonitto
Before Garrett went on his epic tear to possibly break the sacks record, it looked like Denver Broncos star Nik Bonitto may be the one to break it early on in the season. While Bonitto has only managed 4.5 sacks over the last two months of play, his overall numbers are still impressive.
The former All-Pro has 12.5 sacks to go along with a solid 41 combined tackles and 25 QB hits. For most players, those numbers would represent a career year for them, but in Bonitto’s case, it is just another great year in the young linebacker’s career to this point.
4. Danielle Hunter
Although Anderson Jr. is the anchor of the Texans’ stalwart defense, his teammate Danielle Hunter has also made quite a case for that title. The five-time Pro-Bowler seems to be only getting better with age, as the 31-year-old is having his best season to date.
Hunter ranks 5th in the NFL in sacks at 12, while also ranking in the top 5 in QB pressures and hits. At 111.5 sacks already obtained in his 10-year NFL career, don’t be surprised to see those career numbers continue to jump up both in this season and beyond.
5. Brian Burns
There haven’t been a lot of things to love about this season for New York Giants fans, but the play of Brian Burns has not been one of them. The two-time Pro-Bowler has been an opposing QB’s nightmare all season, and that’s for a lot of reasons.
The Former Carolina Panther has managed a career-high 13 sacks so far this season, which currently ranks second in the league. While the season may be a lost one for the Giants, the future looks bright, especially with New York having the services of Burns for years to come.
Final Thoughts and An Honorable Mention
Although this list primarily features players who are currently healthy, I would be remiss not to have Green Bay Packers star Micah Parsons mentioned here. Before tearing his ACL last week against the Broncos, the former Cowboy sat at 12.5 sacks on the year. Had that injury not ended Parson’s season, this list would look entirely different.
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