Defensive lineman C.J. Fite (99) runs through drills with the defensive line at Sun Devils spring football practice at Kajikawa Practice fields on April 1, 2025, in Tempe, Ariz. Megan Mendoza/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

ESPN: These Arizona State Defenders Are NFL Prospects

Originally posted on Arizona State Sun Devils on SI
By Kevin Hicks | Last updated Aug 9, 2025 12:30 PM ET

The Arizona State Sun Devils are entering the 2025 season with expectations that have been unheard of in Tempe in a decade following a shocking 11-win output a year ago.

The offense will receive an incredible amount of attention due to the returns of Sam Leavitt and Jordyn Tyson, but Brian Ward's defense brings back an incredible amount of talent/production.

The 2024 defense was a top five unit in the Big 12 despite not generating a great pass rush on a consistent basis - the unit was elite when it came to stopping the run and generating turnovers, however.

That has placed the group firmly in the eyes of the NFL when it comes to players that have the potential to play at the next level - Jordan Reid of ESPN has relayed as much when pointing out the teams that have the most draft prospects heading into 2025.

The prospects in question are below:

"Three starting defensive linemen are on NFL radars, with defensive tackle C.J. Fite and edge rushers Clayton Smith and Prince Dorbah receiving late-round grades. Linebackers Keyshaun Elliott and Jordan Crook also have Day 3 grades. Cornerback Keith Abney II has caught the eye of evaluators because of his consistency in man coverage and is seen as a potential Day 2 pick. Safeties Xavion Alford and Myles Rowser are viewed as late Day 3 selections."

Much of the sentiment surrounding the Sun Devil defense is re-hashed here - as all three levels of the defense are seriously stacked with next-level talent.

Fite is the headliner of the defense when it comes to the context of being a pro prospect - the Texas native is viewed as a day three prospect at the moment, but has the ceiling of a day two or perhaps even a first round selection.

Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Elliott will surely be of interest to NFL teams due to his high floor and ability to meet all demands of being an off-ball linebacker, while Crook has thoroughly impressed coaches during the offseason and could be one of the most improved players on the defense.

Abney is another prospect with a high ceiling in terms of draft slotting, while Alford and Rowser are pro-ready players that bring skills to the field that NFL teams are always in search of.

Javan Robinson is another defender that has potential to garner NFL attention over the course of 2025 - the games must be played in order to validate that the talent is as strong as advertised at the end of the day.

Read more on the case for Leavitt to be an All-American selection at season's end here, and if Dillingham has any built-in recruiting advantages in his role here.

This article first appeared on Arizona State Sun Devils on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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