5 defensive players with most sacks in college football available in 2025 NFL Draft feat. Donovan Ezeiruaku

One of the most important things a defensive player can do is rake in sacks by the numbers. Whether you're a defensive end, edge rusher, linebacker, or defensive tackle, if you can record sacks, a team will find you useful. Other than recording an interception or recovering a fumble, a sack is essentially the most important play a defender can make on defense.

This year's draft presents a ton of different defenders who can get after the quarterback. There will be a number of edge rushers and defensive linemen taken in the first round of the 2025 NFL draft. The below list has the top five players available in this year's NFL draft who had the most sacks in college football last season.

Top 5 players with the most sacks from the 2024 season who are available in the NFL draft

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: DEC 07 Big Ten Championship Game - Penn State vs Oregon - Source: Getty

1) Mike Green, Marshall - 17 sacks

It doesn't matter what conference you're in; if you lead the nation in sacks, you will get national attention. That's what Marshall's Mike Green did last season in the Sun Belt Conference as he recorded a total of 17 sacks, leading the nation in the statistical category. He was also a tackle machine last season, recording 81 total tackles to go with three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.

2) Donovan Ezeiruaku, Boston College - 16.5 sacks

Like Mike Green, Boston College defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku had a productive campaign on defense last season. He totaled 16.5 sacks and 80 total tackles to go with three forced fumbles and a pass deflection. With the productivity that Ezeiruaku had, he should be one of the first edge rushers taken in the draft.

3) Antwaun Powell-Ryland, Virginia Tech - 16.0 sacks

The Virginia native showed out for the Virginia Tech Hokies this past season. Antwaun Powell-Ryland had 16 sacks to go with 43 tackles, three forced fumbles, and three fumble recoveries. Again, producing this many sacks will lead to a player being drafted. Powell-Ryland isn't one of the top prospects at his position, but he should still be selected in the earlier rounds of the 2025 NFL draft.

4) JT Tuimoloau, Ohio State - 12.5 sacks

The Ohio State Buckeyes have a few good pass rushers in this year's draft. One of them is JT Tuimoloau. The standout defensive end recorded 12.5 sacks to go with 61 tackles, two forced fumbles, and three pass deflections. He and his teammate, defensive end Jack Sawyer, are both expected to be drafted in the 2025 NFL draft.

5) Abdul Carter, Penn State - 12.0 sacks

Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter is one of the best prospects in the draft and is projected to be a top-five, potentially top-three pick. The Penn State stud recorded 12 total sacks while tallying 68 tackles, two forced fumbles and four pass deflections last season. Carter possesses elite pass-rushing skills and had one of the best seasons for any defensive player last season after converting from an LB to a DE.