The Admirals of the Marines are widely considered to be some of the most terrifying fighters in the world of One Piece. They boast a high rank in the Marines and are equally respected throughout the world. Capable of keeping even some of the strongest pirates at bay, they are feared throughout the Grand Line and even the New World.
Led by Fleet Admiral Sakazuki, the current Admirals consist of Fujitora, Kizaru, and the mysterious Ryokugyu. There is only a handful of characters who are as strong as them, and even fewer who are stronger. Here is a list of 10 One Piece characters that are Admiral level.
10 Boa Hancock
The ruler of Amazon Lily, Boa Hancock is an exceptionally strong fighter. She's a wielder of all three Haki types, and the paramecia type Mero Mero no Mi, however, most of her strength remains unseen. Despite this, even Sengoku holds her in very high regard, which speaks volumes about her true power.
Hancock was easily able to hurt Smoker at Marineford, and she destroyed Pacifistas without even trying. Even when her Shichibukai status was revoked, Boa Hancock wasn't bothered by the fact that the Admirals and the Vice-Admirals would be hunting her down, and that tells you a lot about how strong she is.
9 King
Also known as 'King The Wildfire', he's one of Kaido's three right-hand men and quite possibly the strongest of them all. King possesses an Ancient Zoan Ryu Ryu no Mi, Model: Pteranodon which gives him the power to transform into a Pteranodon at will. While most of his powers haven't been revealed yet, he was strong enough to push Big Mom's ship off Wano's waterfall.
He likely excels at Armament Haki usage, and since he also carries a sword, it can be assumed that he has decent swordsmanship aptitude. King could certainly give an Admiral a run for his money.
8 Benn Beckman
The First Mate of the Red Hair Pirates and the right-hand man of Red-Haired Shanks, Benn Beckman is one of the strongest characters in the series. Since the Red-Hair Pirates have mostly been a mystery, we don't know much about his capabilities. However, according to Brannew, this Pirate crew is the most stable among the Yonko and is considered to be impenetrable.
Like the other Yonko right-hand men, Benn Beckman should be an adept Haki user, making him a force to be reckoned with. At Marineford, he was able to stop Kizaru in his tracks by his mere presence.
7 Kuzan
Kuzan is a former member of the Marines, and quite literally Admiral level. Before the two year time-skip, Kuzan was one of the three Admirals, and on Sengoku's recommendation, he could've become the Fleet Admiral as well.
Kuzan was challenged by Sakazuki for the top-most Navy position, and he ended up losing the fight, which led to his resignation from the organization. Although Kuzan has now lost a leg, he still around the same level as before, and without the shadow of a doubt, he is still Admiral level right now.
6 Sabo
The Chief of Staff of the Revolutionary Army and the man known as Dragon's No. 2, Sabo is incredibly skilled at combat. As the sworn brother of Luffy and Ace, Sabo's dream is just as big as theirs, and it requires him to be strong.
As expected of Monkey D. Dragon's disciple, Sabo possesses enough strength to stalemate against an Admiral, as seen at Dressrosa. With his advanced Armament Haki and the newly acquired Mera Mera no Mi, Sabo is nigh unstoppable. His bounty of 602 million berries doesn't do justice to his skills as a fighter.
5 Charlotte Katakuri
Katakuri is one of Yonko Big Mom's three right-hand men and her strongest fighter. He's considered to be the spine of the Big Mom Pirates, and as such, he boasts incredible strength. With a bounty of 1.057 billion berries, Katakuri is nearly invincible in battle. He wields all three types of Haki, and his skill in each type is more than decent.
Katakuri possesses a Paramecia ability, called Mochi Mochi no Mi, that allows him to turn into, and manipulate Mochi. Although the Devil Fruit is strong, his real strength lies in his ability to use Kenbunshoku Haki to read the future itself. Whether he can defeat an Admiral or not is debatable, but he can certainly push them to their extreme.
4 Monkey D. Luffy
The Captain of the Strawhat Pirates and the man who currently holds the title of 'The Fifth Yonko', Luffy has grown by leaps and bounds after the two-year time-skip. From being a pirate who couldn't beat a Pacifista to someone who defeated Charlotte Katakuri, Luffy is truly edging closer to being Yonko level every day.
At Wano, he's refined the usage of his Armament Haki and managed to learn Ryuuou. Like Katakuri, Luffy can also see the future, which makes him a threat to any Navy officer. Luffy would certainly relish the chance of fighting an Admiral, and knowing his unyielding spirit, he won't stop until he pulls off a win.
3 Marco
Marco, also known as 'Marco The Phoenix', is the former right-hand man of Whitebeard, and one of the most fearsome pirates in One Piece. He possesses the Mythical Zoan Phoenix fruit, which is considered to be even rarer than a Logia. At Marineford, Marco proved his worth by fighting against all three of the Admirals.
If that wasn't enough, he became the leader of the Whitebeard Pirates after the death of their Captain, and the Gorosei considered him one of the few people capable of defeating Blackbeard. Marco can certainly fight, and likely even win against a Marine Admiral.
2 Dracule Mihawk
The wielder of Kokuto Yoru and holder of the title of the 'Strongest Swordman in the World', Dracule Mihawk is undoubtedly one of the strongest pirates in the series. In his youth, he was strong enough to fight against Shanks, who then went on to become a Yonko. While not much is known about him, his skills with a sword certainly make him an unstoppable force.
Akin to Boa Hancock, he wasn't concerned when he heard the Marines were hunting him down. Instead, he started getting excited at the challenge that was in front of him. While Mihawk's exact strength cannot be gauged, he surely is at least on the same level as an Admiral.
1 Rayleigh
Silvers Rayleigh is the former First Mate of the Roger Pirates and the man who is known as the 'Dark King'. Rayleigh is a monster at using Haki, and he possesses the skill to utilize all three to advanced levels. His observation haki is top-notch, while his Armament Haki is evolved enough to destroy things from within.
While it is unknown how strong his Conqueror's Haki is, it is likely advanced as well. Despite being old and having retired as a pirate, Rayleigh's bounty has still not been retracted by the Marines, which shows how big of a threat he is. At Sabaody, he fought Admiral Kizaru and even managed to wound him.