- Chris Jones unsurprisingly leads the way: The future first-ballot Hall of Famer was the league's highest-graded interior defender this past season and is showing no signs of slowing down.
- Cam Heyward, the ageless wonder: The now-36-year-old continues to produce at an elite level for the Steelers' defense line, coming in at No. 3 on this list.
- Subscribe to PFF+: Get access to player grades, PFF Premium Stats, fantasy football rankings, all of the PFF fantasy draft research tools and more!
Estimated Reading Time: 11 minutes
With so many different schemes and fronts deployed in the NFL, it’s fun to look at which players who line up on the interior — which can be anything from a 4i defensive end to a 0-technique nose tackle — fare against one another.
Here are our top 32 interior defenders heading into the 2025 season.
Click below for PFF's other rankings:
QB | RB | WR | TE | T | G | C | DI | EDGE | LB | CB | S
1. CHRIS JONES, KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
What more is there to say about Chris Jones? The future first-ballot Hall of Famer was once again the highest-graded interior defender in the NFL in 2024 (90.2). That makes it 88.0-plus marks in seven of his nine NFL seasons. His 1.69 PFF WAR over the past three years is by far the most among interior defenders.
2. DEXTER LAWRENCE, NEW YORK GIANTS
Lawrence logged only 550 snaps in 2024 due to some missed time, but he recorded an 89.0-plus PFF overall grade (89.9) for the third season in a row. His 1.07 PFF WAR over the past three years sits behind only Chris Jones at the position.
Dexter Lawrence's Career PFF Grades
3. CAM HEYWARD, PITTSBURGH STEELERS
Even at 35 years old, Heyward was stellar in 2024. His 90.1 single-season PFF overall grade ranked second only to Chris Jones. His 85.9 PFF pass-rush grade was the best mark of his career, too.
4. QUINNEN WILLIAMS, NEW YORK JETS
Williams' production took a dip in 2024, as was the case for the Jets in general, leading to a 69.6 PFF overall grade. He still ranks fifth among interior defenders in total PFF WAR (0.87) over the past three years (fourth if you don’t count Aaron Donald).
5. JALEN CARTER, PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
Carter’s 73.3 PFF overall grade from 2024 doesn’t jump out, but his 84.4 and 84.6 PFF pass-rush grades in each of the past two seasons with 125 total pressures certainly do. He’s not as well-rounded in run defense yet, but he’s already a game-wrecking pass rusher.
6. LEONARD WILLIAMS, SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
Williams had a fantastic 2024 season. He recorded the fifth-highest PFF overall grade among interior defenders (87.1) with 55 quarterback pressures. That 87.1 mark was the highest single-season PFF overall grade of his career.
7. DERRICK BROWN, CAROLINA PANTHERS
Brown played just 60 snaps last season, suffering a meniscus injury in Week 1. But he is still one of the most talented interior defenders in the league, evidenced by his elite 90.1 PFF overall grade in 2023.
8. DEFOREST BUCKNER, INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
Buckner was once again a top-10 interior defender in PFF overall grade (81.7) in 2024. He also places sixth at the position with 0.85 PFF WAR over the past three seasons. Just one of Buckner's past eight seasons has yielded a PFF overall grade below 79.0.
9. JEFFERY SIMMONS, TENNESSEE TITANS
Simmons' 80.0 PFF overall grade in 2024 ranked ninth among interior defenders. His 81.6 PFF pass-rush grade was a career high, and he tallied 45 quarterback pressures — including five sacks — to power it.
10. CHRISTIAN WILKINS, LAS VEGAS RAIDERS
Wilkins was Las Vegas’ high-priced free-agent addition along the defensive line last offseason, but he played just 246 snaps in 2024. Still, his 0.68 PFF WAR over the past three years ranks 11th best among interior defenders.
Wilkins has earned PFF run-defense grades above 78.0 in three of his past four seasons.
11. VITA VEA, TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
The Buccaneers' big man in the middle might not have the stats of other top defensive tackles, but his presence alone is that of a top-12 interior defender. His 65.3 PFF run-defense grade in 2024 was near a career low, and why he isn’t higher on this list, but he recorded a 72.0-plus PFF pass-rush grade for the seventh straight season.
12. NNAMDI MADUBUIKE, BALTIMORE RAVENS
Madubuike posted just a 69.1 PFF overall grade in 2024 but earned a career-high 79.6 PFF pass-rush grade in 2023 with 78 total tackles, 15 sacks and 43 quarterback hurries.
13. ALIM McNEILL, DETROIT LIONS
McNeill’s 0.56 PFF WAR over the past three seasons ranks 16th among interior defenders. His 70.6 PFF overall grade in 2024 was a top-10 at the position, and he recorded a PFF pass-rush grade above 77.0 for the second year in a row.
14. MILTON WILLIAMS, NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
Williams is coming off an impactful 2024 campaign in which his presence on the Eagles' defensive line was a catalyst for their Super Bowl run. His 91.7 PFF pass-rush grade last season ranked first among interior defenders, but his 41.0 PFF run-defense grade placed 181st. His pass-rushing chops got him paid this offseason, and he should continue to display that ability at a high level.
15. POONA FORD, LOS ANGELES RAMS
Ford didn’t crack PFF’s top interior defenders list last season, but he jumps all the way into the top 15 ahead of the 2025 campaign. His 85.3 PFF overall grade in 2024 ranked fifth among interior defenders.
Ford has been a good starting defensive tackle throughout his career, but he seemed to put it all together as a run defender and a pass rusher this past season.
16. CALAIS CAMPBELL, ARIZONA CARDINALS
Campbell is truly ageless. His 85.9 PFF run-defense grade, earned at 37 years old, was the best mark in the league among interior defenders. He has also recorded single-season PFF overall grades above 75.0 for 13 straight years. His 82.9 mark last season was his highest since 2019.
17. KOBIE TURNER, LOS ANGELES RAMS
Turner followed up a fantastic rookie season with a solid Year 2. His 74.8 PFF overall grade was good for 11th among interior defenders, and his grade as a run defender improved from 68.8 to 74.8. He recorded nine sacks in 2023 and eight in 2024.
18. JOHN FRANKLIN-MYERS, DENVER BRONCOS
Over the past three seasons, Franklin-Myers’ 0.65 PFF WAR ranks 13th among interior defenders. His 78.3 PFF overall grade in 2024 also placed 13th at the position, and he generated a career-high 82.9 PFF pass-rush grade.
19. ED OLIVER, BUFFALO BILLS
Oliver continued to win as a pass rusher on his way to a 78.6 PFF pass-rush grade in 2024, but the smaller-sized interior player once again struggled in run defense (50.4) and tackling (31.4). It was his second year in a row of a career-high PFF pass-rush grade but near career-low PFF grades in run defense and tackling.
20. ZACH ALLEN, DENVER BRONCOS
Allen was an iron man last season, playing 1,031 snaps in just 17 games. The Eagles' Jalen Carter was the only defensive tackle who logged more, but he had three extra games to do so.
Allen's 64.9 PFF overall grade was low, but his 73.6 PFF pass-rush grade and 81 quarterback pressures speak for themselves. He was also quite versatile, logging 287 snaps at defensive tackle, 262 at right defensive end and 451 at left defensive end (ends in Denver’s front are more interior players due to the 3-4 alignment).
Zach Allen's 2024 PFF Game Grades
21. ZACH SIELER, MIAMI DOLPHINS
Sieler enjoyed yet another successful season in 2024. He played 749 snaps — the 15th most among interior defenders — and earned a 78.9 PFF overall grade, which placed 11th. He has also recorded 10 sacks in each of the past two seasons.
22. D.J. READER, DETROIT LIONS
Reader is known for being a boulder in the middle of a defensive front. He garnered PFF run-defense grades above 70.0 for three straight seasons prior to 2024. But in his first year in Detroit, his low numbers mirrored those of his first season in Cincinnati four seasons ago. Perhaps a second year in the system is all he needs to get back to form.
23. ARIK ARMSTEAD, JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
Armstead has moved from interior defender to edge defender throughout his career, but he plans to move back inside in 2025 and be an “elite player” once again. He’s not wrong, as he did post a near-elite single-season PFF overall grade (89.6) in 2019. He recorded just 36 quarterback pressures last season, but that could have very well stemmed from playing out of position.
24. GROVER STEWART, INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
Stewart recorded the 17th-highest single-season PFF overall grade among interior defenders last season (76.1). His 78.7 PFF run-defense grade also ranked seventh at the position. Though he is one-dimensional, Stewart is excellent at what he does best.
25. OSA ODIGHIZUWA, DALLAS COWBOYS
Odighizuwa struggled in run defense last year en route to a 50.8 PFF run-defense grade, but the entire Cowboys defense followed suit, so perhaps it came down to coaching. He did earn a 78.0-plus PFF pass-rush grade for the second season in a row.
26. T'VONDRE SWEAT, TENNESSEE TITANS
Sweat had an impactful rookie campaign and is poised to continue that good play in his second season. The 365-pounder earned a 75.0 PFF run-defense grade, ranking 10th among interior defenders. His lowest categorical grade was 64.1 in pass rush.
27. BYRON MURPHY II, SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
Murphy's inclusion on this list is more about projecting a big leap in his second season. He dealt with injuries last year and recorded just a 57.8 PFF overall grade, but he earned an elite 91.1 mark with a 91.5 PFF pass-rush grade in his final year at Texas in 2023. That version of him should show up more in 2025.
28. JORDAN DAVIS, PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
Davis earned a single-season PFF overall grade between 70.0-72.0 (71.0) for the third straight season. The massive nose tackle actually graded better as a pass rusher (73.3) than a run defender (58.0) in 2024.
29. JONATHAN ALLEN, MINNESOTA VIKINGS
Allen is getting up there in age, now 30 years old, and will be settling in with a new team in 2025. But he should still be a strong veteran presence for the Vikings.
His 56.0 PFF overall grade last season was a career low, but he also earned a 68.5 PFF pass-rush grade and is only two years removed from back-to-back single-season grades in the 80.0 range.
30. JAVON HARGRAVE, MINNESOTA VIKINGS
Like Jonathan Allen, Hargrave will don new threads this season. Also similar to Allen, he is coming off a career-low 60.6 PFF overall grade. But his 73.3 PFF pass-rush grade hopefully hints that there is still an impact role for him to play on the Vikings' defensive line. Hargrave recorded PFF pass-rush grades above 82.0 in each of the previous four seasons.
Javon Hargrave's Career PFF Grades
31. KEEANU BENTON, PITTSBURGH STEELERS
Benton’s 69.5 PFF overall grade in 2024 placed 36th among interior defenders. He put together three games with 85.0-plus PFF overall grades. While his 76.8 PFF pass-rush grade was slightly lower than that of his rookie season, he recorded nearly the same number of pressures (23 compared to 24).
32. MORO OJOMO, PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
Ojomo was a good piece of the puzzle for an Eagles' defensive line that helped capture a Super Bowl this past season. He earned a 70.4 PFF overall grade with an 82.4 PFF pass-rush grade. Ojomo did not record a sack, but he did log 39 pressures.
© 2025 PFF - all rights reserved.