RELATED: See 8 offensive rookies who will tear it up in 2025

The big day is getting closer and closer.

We're only about a week away from the beginning of the 2025 NFL Draft in Green Bay. And while the first overall pick will probably be Miami quarterback Cam Ward, this isn't going to be a repeat of 2024, when the first defensive player didn't come off the board until the 15th overall pick.

In the opinion of most draftniks, the top two prospects overall in this draft class are defenders—Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter and Colorado cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter. In the most recent mock draft at Bleacher Report, half of the top-12 players drafted ply their trade on the defensive side of the ball. There are more than a few defensive prospects who are expected to make both a significant and immediate impact at the NFL level.

Now, as important as landing spots can be for the fantasy value of offensive players, it is doubly so in IDP leagues. Schematic fit. Pathway to snaps. Depth chart around them. All can have a massive impact on IDP value—especially in the early going.

But there are a handful of defensive players who have the potential to make fantasy hay in 2025, regardless of where they land. Some are straight from the files of Captain Obvious. Others are a little less so.

But all should be on the radar of IDP managers as the NFL draft comes and goes and fantasy draft season begins in earnest.

EDGE Abdul Carter, Penn State

What? I told you Captain Obvious would be making an appearance.

There was a time when Carter was the odds-on favorite in Vegas to be the first player drafted in 2025. A foot injury that prevented the 6-3, 252-pounder from participating in pre-draft workouts likely threw cold water on that notion, but ESPN's Mel Kiper doesn't expect Carter to get past the New York Giants at No. 3 overall.

In his first season as a full-time edge rusher (after playing primarily off-ball linebacker in past years), Carter had 12 sacks and 23.5 total tackles for loss. I see elite traits on the tape. And considering the Giants have holes all over their roster, they might opt for the best player on the board. They'd have something up front with Carter, Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux, and Dexter Lawrence II.

Carter isn't getting past the Patriots at No. 4, and no matter where he's drafted, he will play early, provided the foot heals as expected. Even the best edge rushers often post relatively modest numbers in Year 1, but there are some serious Micah Parsons vibes with Carter.

Parsons had 13 sacks and was second among edge rushers in fantasy points in 2021.

EDGE Mike Green, Marshall

It's a good year to need help on the edge—it's a deep and talented class. But among that class, no one in FBS had more sacks last year than Green's 17. There are questions about the level of competition and character concerns after Green was accused of sexual assault while at Virginia, but as Lance Zierlein wrote for NFL.com, from a talent perspective, Green has all the ingredients to be a force early in his professional career.

"High-energy pass rusher with productivity and a method of play that should translate to the next level," Zierlein said. "Green displays a natural and instinctive rush, utilizing loose hips and a series of moves and counters that can open doors with force or finesse. He's very physical, with notes of violence in the way he attacks blockers in both phases. His explosiveness allows him to penetrate gaps, play around or through the protection edges, and change direction quickly to finish in the backfield. He relentlessly presses forward, but can run out of gas due to his hot-running motor. Teams might wish he were heavier and longer, but he's willful, skilled, and powerful with the ability to create enormous matchup concerns as an edge rusher on the next level."

Those allegations at Virginia (which Green has vehemently denied) leave his draft stock in limbo—the 6'3", 252-pounder could go inside the top 15 or slide into Day 2. Green's motor and quickness off the edge are as good as any edge rusher in this class, and if he falls to a team like Detroit or Kansas City, White could be one of the steals of Round 1.

LB Jihaad Campbell, Alabama

Campbell is from the Zack Baun Academy for Converted Edge Rushers—he began his Alabama career as the latter but transitioned to the former. That he's relatively new to the position sometimes shows, but that didn't stop Luke Easterling of Athlon Sports from ranking Campbell as the best off-ball linebacker prospect in this draft class.

"He's got all the physical tools to be a three-down playmaker at the second level in the NFL, and everything Campbell struggles with at this point is teachable," he said. "It might take a little patience and technical refinement from his pro coaches, but Campbell has all the makings of a scheme-versatile defender with Pro Bowl potential."

The 6-3, 235-pounder also had shoulder surgery in March, which has clouded his draft stock somewhat. But it's not a difficult calculus—if he's healthy, Campbell is the most talented rookie linebacker of 2025. He will be a difficult player to keep off the field, and his IDP production should get steadily better as the year wears on and he acclimates more to the position.

LB Carson Schwesinger, UCLA

After playing very sparingly in both 2022 and 2023, the 6-2, 242-pound Schwesinger had his chance to shine last year, and shine he did—the UCLA standout piled up 136 tackles and chipped in four sacks. Ryan Fowler of the Draft Network sees Schwesinger as a quality Day 2 pick—and a three-down starter early in his professional career.

"Schwesinger projects as a modern-day three-down defender who should earn heavy snaps early in his career in multiple phases," he said. "His outstanding trigger and football IQ showcase well on run downs. He will drop in space on passing downs to boost the intermediate areas of a pass defense. Long term, Schwesinger has the traits to evolve into a captain within the middle of an NFL defense whose hunger for the game and athletic profile paint the picture of one of the premier LBs in the 2025 class."

Schwesinger isn't necessarily an elite talent. But he has shown the ability to do everything a player needs to be a three-down starter at the professional level, and there are more than a few teams that still need an affordable and capable option at the position. It won't be any kind of real upset if Schwesinger is the highest-scoring rookie linebacker in IDP leagues in 2025.

CB Travis Hunter, Colorado

There has been no shortage of things written about Hunter. About his Heisman-winning exploits at Colorado. About his desire to play both ways in the NFL, just as he did with the Buffaloes. In fact, Hunter told CBS Sports that if it came to it, he'd quit football rather than have to give up playing both offense and defense.

"It's never playing football again," Hunter told CBS Sports. "Because I've been doing it my whole life, and I love being on the football field. I feel like I could dominate on each side of the ball, so I really enjoy doing it. I just feel very confident in myself. And I got a competitive spirit that I can do whatever I put my mind to, and I feel like I can do it."

Frankly, it's still hard to imagine Hunter as a true two-way player in the NFL—there's just too much practice and preparation that goes into playing one position, let alone two. But if Hunter does get dual eligibility in fantasy leagues and plays a substantial number of snaps as a wide receiver, he has the potential to be a league-wrecker in IDP leagues that require cornerbacks.

Too bad he's already being priced as though that's a certainty. Buncha party-poopers.

S Nick Emmanwori, South Carolina

Emmanwori put on arguably the most impressive show of any player in the Class of 2025 at this year's combine—the 6-3, 220-pounder ran a sub-4.4-second 40-yard dash and stood out in just about every drill in which he participated. But per Bucky Brooks of NFL.com, there's more to Emmanwori than just an impressive workout in Indianapolis.

"The star of this year's combine," Brooks said, "is more than just a workout warrior." Emmanwori is a big-play specialist who showcases his decathlete-like skills in pads. Whether nailing a big-bodied running back in the hole or picking off an overthrown pass and taking it back to the house, the South Carolina standout perfectly illustrates how elite athleticism translates into dominant production. With the speed to track down runners from sideline to sideline and the hops to swat away passes thrown inside the numbers, Emmanwori is one of the few defensive game changers in the 2025 class."

Emmanwori has everything that NFL teams covet in safeties these days—the size and physicality to be a factor against the run, and the quickness and ball skills to also hold his own in coverage. That versatility should also appeal to fantasy managers—Emmanwori's a good bet to become a viable fantasy starter sooner rather than later.

Gary Davenport ("The Godfather of IDP") is a two-time Fantasy Sports Writers Association Football Writer of the Year. Follow him on Twitter (Can't make him call it X) at @IDPSharks.