The SEC has long been known for its physical and fundamentally sound brand of defense—and 2025 is no exception. With the established programs and newly added Texas and Oklahoma in their sophomore seasons in the conference, the talent pool is deeper than ever. From veterans to youngsters, this list features ten of the most dominant defensive players set to shape the SEC this season. And make no mistake, there are plenty of names beyond this top 10 (and even our trio of honorable mentions) who could quickly emerge as household stars by season’s end.
Honorable Mentions
Isaac Smith (S, Mississippi State)
While he didn’t crack the top 10, Isaac Smith certainly deserves recognition after leading the entire SEC in total tackles in 2024, a remarkable feat from the safety position. Smith piled up 127 total tackles with three pass breakups in his junior campaign. The safety logged seven games with double-digit tackles, highlighted by a staggering 20-tackle performance on the road at #7 Tennessee. Watch the rising senior closely as he helps the Bulldogs rebound through a tough SEC slate.
Will Lee III (DB, Texas A&M)
After a short stint was Kansas State, Will Lee III made a name for himself this past fall in College Station. He recorded 42 total tackles, 10 pass breakups (tied for fourth in the SEC), and two interceptions, one of which became his signature moment—a 93-yard pick-six against #3 Texas, the Aggies’ only score in that game. Lee also showed out with a four-pass breakup performance in a tough 21-17 win over Arkansas and enters 2025 as the unquestioned leader of the Aggies secondary.
Raion Strader (CB, Auburn)
He maybe a lesser-known name, but Raion Strader led the entire nation with 17 pass breakups during the 2024 season—three more than any other player in the country. The Miami (OH) transfer brings two highly productive seasons with the RedHawks into the SEC, including 57 tackles and 12 PBUs as a true freshman. Strader's exclusion from the top 10 only comes from the question of how his talent will translate against SEC-level competition. However, if his ball skills carry over, he and fellow defensive back Kayin Lee could quietly form one of the toughest cornerback duos in the conference.
The SEC's Top 10 Defensive Players for 2025
10. Tyreak Sapp (DE, Florida)
After two developmental years in Gainesville, Tyreak Sapp became a true disruptor off the edge for Florida in 2024. The rising senior led the team in sacks with seven, while compiling 46 tackles and two forced fumbles. During their 8-5 campaign, the Gators were 7-1 in games where Sapp registered a sack. He saved his best performance for late in the year, notching 1.5 sacks in a headline-grabbing win over #9 Ole Miss, keeping the Rebels out of the College Football Playoff.
9. Ashton Stamps (CB, LSU)
Emerging as one of the more consistent coverage corners in the SEC, Ashton Stamps enters 2025 with the most pass breakups among returning defenders in the conference. His 12 PBUs last season only trailed Ole Miss's Trey Amos, who went on to become a second-round NFL Draft pick. Stamps showed up in key moments, recording three pass breakups each in wins over Ole Miss and Baylor and will now pair with high-profile Virginia Tech transfer Mansoor Delane. As a dangerous cornerback duo, their challenge begins immediately in Week 1 at Clemson, where they’ll face what many consider to be the nation’s top receiving trio.
8. Whit Weeks (LB, LSU)
Continuing this list with another Tiger, Whit Weeks was a stabilizing force for their defense. His 120 tackles ranked third in the SEC, and couple that with 3.5 sacks, four pass breakups, and two forced fumbles, the three-down linebacker put his versatility on display as a true sophomore. His signature performance came in an instant classic win over Ole Miss, where he tallied 18 tackles, a forced fumble, and a critical sack that sent the game to overtime. And posting an additional two games with 15+ tackles, the rising junior remains the physical anchor of the defensive unit.
7. Jalon Kilgore (DB, South Carolina)
A pick machine in 2024, Jalon Kilgore tied for the conference lead with five interceptions—matching Texas's future NFL draft picks in Jahdae Barron and Andrew Mukuba. He also tacked on 48 total tackles and five pass breakups in his impressive sophomore campaign. He proved to be a clutch defender, with two of his five picks sealing wins—one against Old Dominion and another in a dramatic Week 12 triumph over #23 Missouri. Though his tackle numbers dipped slightly from a strong freshman campaign, he quickly ascended as a coverage specialist and will now look to lead the SEC—and perhaps the nation—in picks as he enters his junior season.
6. Michael Taaffe (DB, Texas)
A former walk-on turned All-American, Michael Taaffe has become one of the most dependable safeties in the SEC. Among conference players who recorded 10 or more pass breakups last season, Taaffe led the way in total tackles with 78, while adding two picks and two sacks. He achieved game-high marks on the biggest stage, notching 10 tackles and two pass deflections in Texas’s thrilling CFP quarterfinal win over Arizona State. Heading into his senior campaign, Taaffe aims to finish what the Longhorns have been building towards—a run to the national championship.
5. Suntarine Perkins (LB, Ole Miss)
A dynamic pass rusher with elite burst, Suntarine Perkins exploded onto the SEC stage last season, tying for second in the conference with 10.5 sacks—matching teammate Prince Umanmielen and trailing only South Carolina’s Kyle Kennard, both now in the NFL. The rising junior exacted two fumbles in 2024 and displayed a defining performance against Oklahoma in Week 8, assembling 11 tackles and an imposing four sacks in a dominant home victory. With defensive anchors Walter Nolen and Jared Ivey gone to the pros, Perkins steps in as the tone-setter for the Rebels’ front seven in 2025.
4. Jermod McCoy (DB, Tennessee)
A playmaker on both coasts, Jermod McCoy made an instant impact in his first year at Tennessee after transferring from Oregon State. On top of matching his freshman production with seven pass deflections, his four interceptions were part of a four-way tie for second in the stat in the SEC, and is the lone returner from that group to college football this fall. McCoy’s ball-hawking skills helped secure key wins, most notably picking off Alabama and shutting down Ryan Williams in a season-defining upset in October. While he’s recovering from an ACL tear suffered in January, a smooth rehab process would reestablish the rising junior as one of the top defensive backs in the land.
3. Dylan Stewart (EDGE, South Carolina)
Though his stat line won’t blow anyone away, Dylan Stewart’s freak athleticism is impossible to ignore. As a true freshman, he flashed elite burst in limited opportunities and still amassed 6.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. Another factor for a lack of comparative credentials for Stewart was being buried behind a stacked Gamecocks' defensive line that featured Kyle Kennard and T.J. Sanders, both taken within the first four rounds of the draft this spring. Now with more incoming snaps and responsibilities in Columbia, the rising sophomore will continue to keep opposing quarterbacks and offensive coordinators awake at night.
2. Colin Simmons (DE, Texas)
Regarded as one of the premier edge rushers in college football, Colin Simmons enters his sophomore season with sky-high expectations. His nine sacks tied for fifth in the SEC last year and rank second among all returning defenders in the conference. Simmons showcased his dominance in a Week 5 blowout over Mississippi State, racking seven tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble. He was also a disruptor in the Cotton Bowl against eventual national champion Ohio State—deflecting two passes and pressuring the Buckeyes' offense in a tightly contested battle. The race between Simmons and Dylan Stewart for edge rushing supremacy is real—and with both entering 2025 as true sophomores, the battle is just getting started.
1. Anthony Hill Jr. (LB, Texas)
Arguably the most complete linebacker in the country, Anthony Hill Jr. is the engine of Texas’ defense and the top defensive player in the SEC entering the season. With 113 total tackles and eight sacks, Hill was the only player in the conference to rank in the top 10 in both stats, finishing fifth and tied-eighth, respectively. His four forced fumbles tied for the most in the SEC and also added a pass deflection and interception each. His national breakout moment sophomore year came in the Red River Rivalry, where he piled up 11 tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble in a commanding 34-3 win over Oklahoma. As Texas chases a national title, Hill, alongside the other Longhorn honorees on this list, will be the heartbeat of this championship-caliber defense.