PFF50: The 50 best players in the NFL ahead of the 2025 season
By
Dalton Wasserman
and
Trevor Sikkema
- Antoine Winfield Jr. remains a key piece of the Bucs defense: Since 2020, no safety has accumulated more cumulative PFF WAR than Antoine Winfield Jr. In 2023, he posted Defensive Player of the Year-caliber numbers, earning a 90.7 overall grade, 91.5 run-defense grade, 92.7 pass-rush grade and 84.0 coverage grade.
- One of the best dual-threat weapons in the game: Jahmyr Gibbs broke out in 2024, finishing top-five among running backs in forced missed tackles (68) and runs of 10-plus yards (46). He also added 587 receiving yards, the second-most at the position.
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The 2025 PFF50 showcases the league’s elite talent, highlighting the top 50 players in the NFL. These rankings will be based on a combination of past performance, future potential and overall impact on the game.
At its heart, PFF is a player evaluation company that quantifies hundreds of data points on any given play in an effort to identify the best players and use that information to create insights that cannot be found anywhere else.
This is a list of the best 50 players in the NFL entering the 2025 season. No single number or grade dictates this list, but the grading — along with PFF’s wins above replacement (WAR) metric — has been used as a foundation while leaning toward the most recent season.
The reveal builds all week, culminating with the top 10 on Friday, July 18.
41. EDGE TREY HENDRICKSON, CINCINNATI BENGALS
Hendrickson led the NFL with 87 total pressures in 2024, pairing volume with efficiency thanks to a 20.6% pass-rush win rate. It marked his second straight season with an elite pass-rush grade above 90.0 and his fourth consecutive season grading above 86.0. Over the past four years, Hendrickson ranks fifth in total pressures (323) and fifth in pass-rush win rate (18.9%).
42. S ANTOINE WINFIELD JR., TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
Since 2020, no safety has accumulated more cumulative PFF WAR than Antoine Winfield Jr. In 2023, he posted Defensive Player of the Year-caliber numbers, earning a 90.7 overall grade, 91.5 run-defense grade, 92.7 pass-rush grade and 84.0 coverage grade. His 2024 production dipped slightly—his lowest in several categories—but he battled through injuries for much of the season.
Winfield remains the ultimate chess piece in Todd Bowles’ defense, as he has played 2,959 career snaps at free safety, 922 at slot corner and 861 in the box since entering the league.
Antoine Winfield Jr.: PFF Grades (2020–2024)
| Season | Snaps | PFF Grade | PFF Grade Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 601 | 57.8 | 80th of 106 |
| 2023 | 1,230 | 90.7 | 1st of 104 |
| 2022 | 833 | 78.7 | 11th of 93 |
| 2021 | 1,014 | 89.5 | 2nd of 98 |
| 2020 | 1,243 | 67.2 | 35th of 97 |
43. G JOE THUNEY, KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
Thuney’s reliability and consistency have been pivotal during the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl runs, particularly in 2024 when he stepped in at left tackle and still earned an 80.0 overall grade. Since 2020, he ranks fourth among guards in PFF WAR (1.99). Over the past eight seasons, Thuney has never posted a single-season overall blocking grade below 74.0, and across his nine-year career, he has allowed just 19 sacks on 7,040 pass-blocking snaps.
44. DI QUINNEN WILLIAMS, NEW YORK JETS
Williams’ numbers dipped in 2024, mirroring the struggles of the Jets’ defense as a whole. He finished with a 69.9 overall grade, well below the elite marks of 90.1 and 90.8 he posted in the two prior seasons. With Aaron Glenn bringing a more aggressive, attacking front to New York, Williams is a strong candidate to rebound in 2025 and reestablish himself as one of the league’s most disruptive interior defenders.
45. DI JALEN CARTER, PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
As a pure pass rusher, Carter could easily rank higher on this list. He’s coming off his second consecutive season with a pass-rush grade above 84.0, and his cumulative 89.3 mark over the past two years ranks third among defensive tackles, trailing only Chris Jones and Dexter Lawrence.
However, his 14.2% pass-rush win rate sits outside the top 10 at the position, and his run-defense grade is just 61.0 over that span. If he can add more consistency against the run, Carter has the tools to climb these rankings and cement himself as one of the league’s premier interior defenders.
46. RB JAHMYR GIBBS, DETROIT LIONS
Gibbs broke out in 2024, finishing top-five among running backs in forced missed tackles (68) and runs of 10-plus yards (46). He also added 587 receiving yards, the second-most at the position. With his explosiveness as both a rusher and a receiver, Gibbs has quickly emerged as one of the NFL’s most dangerous dual-threat weapons out of the backfield.
47. EDGE JARED VERSE, LOS ANGELES RAMS
The 2024 campaign was only his rookie season, but Verse proved to be one of the league’s toughest edge defenders to block. His 81 total pressures trailed only Trey Hendrickson, and he earned grades above 80.0 as a pass rusher and run defender. The one blemish was the 30% missed tackle rate in pass-rush situations, which kept him from converting more of those pressures into sacks.
Most Total Pressures by Rookie Edge Defenders (2015–2024)
| Player | Season | Sacks | Hits | Hurries | Total Pressures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nick Bosa | 2019 | 14 | 20 | 68 | 102 |
| Jared Verse | 2024 | 8 | 15 | 65 | 88 |
| Will Anderson Jr. | 2023 | 8 | 15 | 45 | 68 |
| Carl Lawson | 2017 | 10 | 11 | 38 | 59 |
| Joey Bosa | 2016 | 11 | 11 | 37 | 59 |
48. WR MIKE EVANS, TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
Evans wasn’t just productive in 2024 — he was dramatic in the best way possible.
Extending his 1,000-yard receiving streak to 11 seasons came down to his final catch of the regular season. Even more impressive, his 90.2 receiving grade was the second highest of his career, achieved at age 31. He also maintained his dominance in contested situations, posting a 63.2% contested catch rate, the seventh straight season he’s been above 50%.
With Baker Mayfield and much of the offense returning, Evans should remain Tampa Bay’s clear WR1 and is well-positioned to push his streak to 12 if he stays healthy.
49. RB JOSH JACOBS, GREEN BAY PACKERS
Josh Jacobs’ 93.0 rushing grade over the past three seasons trails only Derrick Henry among NFL running backs. In 2024, he added a 91.3 rushing grade and an 89.2 receiving grade, reinforcing his status as one of the league’s most versatile backs. Over the last four years, Jacobs also ranks fourth at the position in PFF WAR (0.58). Whether as the focal point or in a supporting role — most often the former — he remains a steady engine for his offense.
50. QB JALEN HURTS, PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
Hurts was inconsistent at times during the Eagles’ Super Bowl run, finishing with 22 big-time throws and 19 turnover-worthy plays across the regular season and playoffs. But when it mattered most, he delivered. He posted a 91.5 passing grade in the NFC Championship Game and followed it up with a 78.7 grade in the Super Bowl, recording four big-time throws. Over those final two games, Hurts totaled seven big-time throws against just one turnover-worthy play.
