2025 Senior Bowl Defensive Linemen that you should watch closely this week

The 2025 Senior Bowl has arrived, and the nation's top seniors have invaded Mobile, Alabama, for a week of festivities. The game itself will be interesting, but it's the handful of practices that define how the week goes for participants. The 2025 defensive tackle group is deep with talented players, so the stakes are high […]

Ian Valentino — National College Football Writer
Add as preferred source on Google
Deone Walker
247Sports

The 2025 Senior Bowl has arrived, and the nation's top seniors have invaded Mobile, Alabama, for a week of festivities. The game itself will be interesting, but it's the handful of practices that define how the week goes for participants.

The 2025 defensive tackle group is deep with talented players, so the stakes are high for everyone in attendance. A bad showing can tank momentum, whereas winning reps will build their stock and credibility. 

Here are a few of our top announcements made for the defensive line class.

Defensive Linemen to watch at the 2025 Senior Bowl

Shemar Stewart, Texas A&M

A mountainous ball of clay who needs development from his hand usage and pad level to having a plan, Shemar Stewart can be the biggest winner of the week on the field. Stewart is quick and athletic for being 290 pounds, so every team could use a body like his. But he'll disappear for stretches of play and be out of position against the run too often. 

There are layers as to why that happens, but if Stewart is coachable, he can become a top-50 pick. Teams know he can penetrate the pocket, but he misses tackles too often, and his run defense goes hot and cold. 

Alfred Collins, Texas

A massive fifth-year senior at 6-foot-5 and 320 pounds, Alfred Collins played several different roles in Texas. His 2024 role was best without another massive clogger in T'Vondre Sweat and pass-rusher in Byron Murphy II. His missed tackle rate dropped to 3% and his pass-rush productivity dropped slightly as he garnered more attention.

A well-balanced three-down option for nose tackle and 1-technique-needy teams, Collins has to show he can handle being the man in the middle in both phases of the game. There's been some early-round buzz for Collins, but I think he will settle in later on Day 2.  

Walter Nolen, Ole Miss

There's not a more talented athlete than Walter Nolen at the position in this class, including Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant. The issue with Nolen, for teams, is the character concerns. He has a big personality with supreme arrogance, which must be managed.

If Nolen loves football and works hard, he can be an All-Pro talent. But that's something he has to prove, and this week will only do so much to help him because his reputation is that bad. Still, dominating on the field and winning evaluators off the field in interviews is a must. 

If he fails, Nolen's stock will plummet in coming mocks.

Deone Walker, Kentucky

The biggest guy in the room is always Deone Walker. The 6-foot-6, 345-pounder is a rare presence with his size, and his 2023 tape was that of a top-10 pick. This past season wasn't as impressive as he missed some time and played fewer snaps, thus affecting his numbers. 

Still, you don't get many cracks at a guy this big, fast, and athletic. His pad level will never be great, but Walker can show he's in relative shape for his size. His quarterback pressures were cut in more than half this past season, and coaches want to see if Walker is a walking red flag who will never be in shape or if he's a big dude ready to carry this weight and be effective.

Jordan Burch, Oregon

A hybrid between an edge and a tackle, I'd like to see Jordan Burch stay bulky and embrace being a 3-4 end and 4-3 tackle. His pass-rush isn't good or bursty enough to survive being a 3-4 linebacker or 4-3 end outside of setting the edge. Even then, Burch is a bad run defender despite weighing 280 pounds.

Burch has to show he can make run keys, understand his assignment, and be coachable. It's great he can win as a pass-rusher with solid agility and power, but his value is much lower if he's a one or two-down player. 

Related Articles