NFL Power Rankings: Top 10 Defenses

By: Trevor Hillstrom

These are my top 10 rankings for defenses in the NFL:

10. Green Bay Packers

They aren’t dominant in any one area but they don’t have any major weaknesses either. They get solid pass rush from edge rusher Rashan Gary and I think DT Kenny Clark has enough in the tank to be effective. 

9. Buffalo Bills

They added DE Joey Bosa from the Los Angeles Chargers, which will bolster their ability to get after the quarterback. Not only did they add Bosa, but they spent the majority of their 2025 draft capital on defense. CB Maxwell Hairston and DT T.J. Sanders should make immediate impacts.

8. Minnesota Vikings

They added Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen to beef up against the run and to get after the quarterback. They have a solid linebacker unit led by Andrew Van Ginkel and Jonathan Greenard. Look for defensive coordinator, Brian Flores to devise a game plan to get after the quarterback and for the Vikings to be among team leaders in takeaways. 

7. Kansas City Chiefs

It helps to have a mastermind in Defensive Coordinator in Steve Spagnuolo. It helps even more when you have DT Chris Jones. He is such a dominant force against the run and at pressuring the quarterback. His presence up the middle makes everyone around him that much better.

6. Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers defense when healthy, mainly edge rusher T.J. Watt makes my top 10. Watt makes so many plays and forces opposing quarterbacks into timely mistakes. Adding Jalen Ramsey in the trade with the Dolphins should help the pass defense as well.

5. Los Angeles Rams

I have the Rams making a huge jump defensively this season. They were dominant at times in 2024 and they will only get better. DE Jared Verse was a huge dominating force and expect much of the same if not more in 2025.

4. Baltimore Ravens

Their weakness last season is stopping the pass. They did draft safety Malaki Starks from Georgia and added corner Chidobe Awuze so I do expect their pass defense to improve. 

3. Houston Texans

The Texans defense often kept their team in games last season despite the offense being ineffective. They have no major weaknesses and can get after the passer with edge rushers Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter. Their linebacking crew is solid all around and the secondary should get a boost after signing CB C.J. Gardner-Johnson.

2. Philadelphia Eagles

We all saw how good the Eagles defense was when they suffocated a Patrick Mahomes-led Kansas City Chiefs offense in Super Bowl LIX. They did add a pass rusher in Azeez Ojulari. The secondary is outstanding and is led by corners they drafted a season ago in Cooper DeJean and Quinyon Mitchell.

1. Denver Broncos

The Broncos were a top-10 defense a season ago. They have a front 7 that is solid against the run and led the league in sacks. The secondary is led by CB Patrick Surtain II who is the best in the game. They drafted CB Jahdae Barron out of Texas with their first-round pick, who should be just fine at the NFL level.