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2025 Dynasty IDP Rookie Rankings

Let's Get to Know the New Class

Here’s something both exciting and scary about the players below …

We don’t know more about them than we do know.

Sure, everyone in these dynasty IDP rookie rankings has 3+ years of college football behind him – most in prominent programs. That’s 3+ years worth of stats, game film, and advanced metrics.

But we don’t yet have testing numbers, draft positions, NFL landing spots, or – obviously – any actual professional playing time.

We know how quickly they got on the field in college and how they performed once there. We’re guessing at how they’ll fare in the pros. And the further away from the draft we sit, the more guesswork comes into play.

2025 IDP Rookie Rankings

With that said, consider this a starting point. These 10 guys look like good bets to go at least relatively early in the 2025 NFL Draft, at positions of value to IDP leagues ...

1. Abdul Carter, Edge, Penn State
2. Jalon Walker, LB, Georgia
3. James Pearce Jr., Edge, Tennessee
4. Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama
5. Travis Hunter, CB, Colorado
6. Nic Scourton, Edge, Texas A&M
7. Danny Stutsman, LB, Oklahoma
8. Mykel Williams, Edge, Georgia
9. Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina
10. Malaki Starks, S, Georgia

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 seen 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).

Carter should test well athletically and appears headed for a top-10 draft slot.

2. Jalon Walker, LB, Georgia

Some list Walker as 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

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. 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 to do.

7. Danny Stutsman, LB, Oklahoma

This 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 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.

8. Mykel Williams, Edge, Georgia

I gotta say, I’m a little wary of this guy vs. perception …

He already 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.

So why’s he here? Williams still looks like a consensus top-20 pick (maybe top 15).

I’ll roll with that for now … but keep digging as we get closer to the draft.

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 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

It’s early. You can bet the rankings above will change. And it’s quite likely that some new guy (or two … or three) will enter the top 10.

Here are some candidates (not necessarily in order) that I’ll be watching over the next few months …

Edge

• Mike Green, Marshall
• 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

DB

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

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Matt Schauf, Editor

Matt has earned two Fantasy Pros accuracy awards for IDP rankings and won thousands of dollars as a player across best ball, dynasty, and high-stakes fantasy formats. He has been creating fantasy football content for more than 20 years, with work featured by Sporting News, Rotoworld, Athlon, Sirius XM, and others. He's been with Draft Sharks since 2011.