Aside from Player of the Year and other individual honors, the All-Pro list is the highest form of recognition NFL players receive annually. There were 12 first-time All-Pros on the defensive side of the ball last year, including all four linebacker selections. Who are some of the candidates to earn All-Pro status for the first time this season?
CBS Sports provides one name, and some others to consider, at each position. Verse had the sixth-most pressures (80) last season. He relies supremely on his bull rush, but could take his game to another level if he is able to craft more hand-fighting moves to counter.
Los Angeles had multiple players capable of pushing the pocket and Verse went under the radar because so much of the pass-rush production was attributed to the collective. In a new setting, can he start to change that narrative? Over the past five years, nine of the 14 edge rushers selected to the first- or second-team All-Pro teams were taken in the first round.
Verse was the 19th overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft. Abdul Carter of the Giants is one to monitor as being capable of ascending to this tier. Jacksonville's Josh Hines-Allen finished with the second-most pressures (95) and the sixth-highest pressure rate (18.2%) last season, but is 29 years old and voters have obviously been hesitant to place that label on him.
Jaelan Phillips (Panthers) and Tuli Tuipulotu (Chargers) are a few others to add to the conversation. Murphy has been willing to do the dirty work in Seattle's defense to free up an arsenal of edge rushers. He still amassed his own personal achievements, however.
The Seattle lineman ranked No. 19 in pressures (50) among players with 200+-pass-rush snaps in 2025, according to TruMedia. He registered seven sacks, which were eighth-most among interior defenders. Derrick Brown (Panthers) and Jordan Davis (Eagles) were a few other considerations, but nose tackles traditionally are not represented unless it is Dexter Lawrence, who averaged six sacks when he was on the list in 2022-2023.
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