My Top Five Edge Rushers In The 2025 NFL Draft.
Top Five Edge Rusher If You’re An NFL Fan You Know That The Edge Rusher Market Ranks Amongst The Best Positional Strata To Place A Career. Some NFL Markets Have Depress(Linebacker, Running back) Others Have Stagnated Or Remain In Limbo(Tight End, Interior Offensive Line) Others Have Started To Catch Up(Cornerback) But for A While, Quarterbacks and Wide Receivers Looked As If They’d Run Away With The Champions Portion Of NFL cap Space. Things Have Picked Up In The Rusher Market After Two Edge Rushers Reset The Now Officially Established “Non-Quarterback” Market Before Jamar Chase Re-Took The Top Spot in Terms Of Drafting The Skillset Of Edge Rushers Easily Translating to The Next Level. For The First Time In a while, This Edge Rusher Class Out Classes The Wide Receiver, And Unlike Quarterback This Edge Rusher Class Has A Clear Hierarchy Which I’ll Discuss. Edge Rushers Come Woven In Multiple Fabrics, Freaks, Technicians, and Freaky Technicians And This Draft Comes Installed With Many Of The Kinds. I Didnt Actually rank These Guys In Any Order I JUst Reviewed Their Tape and Numbers And Discussed My Thoughts.
Abdul Carter, Penn State—Along With The Top Two Quarterbacks In The Draft and The Heisman Trophy Winner Travis Hunter CArter Enters With The Weightiest Name In This Year’s Draft. With An Impressive 6’3 250 Lbs Frame Carter Finds Himself In Play At The Number One Pick. Carter Demonstrates Elite Quickness And Bend When Challenging Tackles And Blockers in His Three Years At Penn State. As A Freshman In 2022, He Led The Nittany Lions In Sacks, Twice Carter Can Shift His Center Of Gravity and Ultimate The Course Of His Rush In Spilt Second Throwing Blockers Into a Reactive Spiral and Paving A Way For Abdul To Jump The Edge And Into The Quarterback’s lap. Carter Has Elite Quickness, Near ‘Body Flicker Technique Effective’, He Didn’t Test But Moves Quickly To Close the Space Between He And His Opposing Blocker To His Ability To Dive Under Them. He’s Especially Gifted At Attacking Quarterbacks From A Wide Rush Coming Around The Corner and In Closes In On Passers With Bad Intention, Passers Rarely Escape His 35.3 percent Pass Rush Win Rate. On The Weakness Side, He’s Not Incredibly Strong From what I watched, You Don’t Watch Carter Just Push A Tackles Chest into The Quarterbacks Lap Even When Tackles Expose Their Chest And Drop Their Hands To Handle Carter’s Speed and Bend. Carter’s Not Particularly Technical, Clubs, Swing Moves, and Other Pass Rush Sets Don’t Come Installed Because He’s Still New To The Position. He’s A Speed And Misdirection Type and His Spin Move Lacks Conviction On The Next Level With More Consistent And Athletic Tackles Carter Will Have A Harder Time Securing Those Pass Rush Wins. Carter Perform Well At Attack The Pocket And Score 24 Tackles For Loss But With His Lighter Size “setting” The Edge and Holding Blocks Could Prove A Challenge. Most Film Set Salivate Over His Pass Rush Talent But Edge Rushers Also Have Gap Responsibilities and Teams Could Just Run The Ball his Way If He Can't Set The Edge. He’s Not Incredibly Long either, Added To His Lack Of Power, So Shedding Blocks Will Have To Come With Some Improved Technically Savvy. He’s New To the Position Having Only Played One Year Of Edge Moving From Linebacker So That’s A Concern. He’s Not Traits Heavy Like Travon Walker, Whose Lack Of Production Didn’t Scare Off The Jags Or Physical Imposing Like Myles Garrett. I’ ’ve Read Mocks With Abdul Goimg Number One And Truthfully I’m Not There On Him, I Think He’s Top 10 But Not One.
Pro Comp: Von Miller, Klavion Chaisson.
Jalon Walker, Georgia—Georgia’s Reputation As Defensive Football Player’s Breeding Ground Needs A Reset Because The Players Haven’t Lived Up To Hype. For Every Jalen Carter(Great Player), Several “Meh” Georgia Players Have Flooded The League Like Devonte Wyatt, Eric Stokes, and Quay Walker(All First Round Packer Picks) Who Haven’t Lived Up To The Billing. Playing On Uber Talented Teams Seems To Force Guys Into “Niches” Where They Excel Like Wyatt Who Can Rush The pass From The Interior But Struggles Against The Run Or Eric Stokes Who Can Play Good Coverage But Struggles To Provide Anything In Terms Blitz, Run fits, Or tackling. Jalon Walker Could Stimulate The Georgia Reputation. He Comes Into The Draft Labeled As a “Hybrid” Linebacker But Projected As A Dynamic Pass Rusher Similar To Micah Parsons But Less Formless. As A Pass Rusher Walker Doesn’t Have that “Wow” Ability Like Abdul, Nothing About What He Does You Haven’t Seen If You’ve Ever Watch Football But He’s Gifted. Standing 6’2 245 He’s Not Impressive Physically, but Builds With Solid 32 Inch Arms That Allow Him To Take On And Dislodge Blockers. He’s Got Motor, A lot Of Extra Effort Rushes So When Initially Confronted Walker Continues To Work His Way Through Into The Backfield And That Show Up On Tape. When He’s Unblocked He’s A Wrecking Ball Headed Down Hill But He’s Also Patience In Letting The Play Develop Before Attacking DownField But No One Escape His Grasp. Walker Lack next Level Hands technique And Pass Rush Moves Once He’s Caught He’s Trapped By tackle who Easily Over Powered Him.
Shemar Stewart, Texas A&M— Winning The Battle Between A Traits Heavy And Low Production On A Draft Prospect Always Seems To Come Up Nearly Every Draft Season And A Never A Direct Solution. In College production Levels Don’t Always Follow Talent And Film Study And Physical Testing Reveals Traits The Lack Of Production Also Present A Question Of Motor and Consistency. Shemar Stewart Enters The Draft As The Quintessential, Token Traits Heavy Edge Rusher With Low Production. Every Year These Guys Produce A Tough Judgement And Shemar Stewart Of Texas A&M Shine is the Latest Induction Of The Low Production Class. On Tape The Production Looks Like A “Ghost” Like Quality, Sacks Should Be On His Stat Sheet But The Quarterback Just Gets Away. Stewart’s Did Everything But Close The Deal. He’s A Big Strong And Fast Rusher At 6’5, 267 Lbs Which Covers Athlete Who Possesses An 40 Inch Vertical, a 10’11” Broad Jump, The Third Best 40 Time(4.59) Defensive Lineman, and All Off Of This Shows Up On Tape. Stewart Generates A Freight Train Worth Of Force Out His Stance In Just A Short Few Steps. His Speed To Power Looks Like The Best In This Class and He Carves His Way Into The Back Field Pushing Away Blocker To Take Down Running Backs and Wreak Havoc For Quarterbacks. He’s Still Raw In Terms Of Using His Hands and Length If There’s a pass Move In His Arsenal He saves it For Another Opportunity And THis Leaves Stewart Open To Getting Caught Hand Fighting With Tackles and Guards Rather Than Trying To Defeat Blocks Quickly In The NFL A Split Second Makes The Difference. He Can Bend The Edge On Tackles But He’s Too Hulkish To Win Consistently Using speed Around Tackles So Attacking and Dislodging Will Prove The Best Way For Him To Win on The Next Level. I’ve Read Rumors Of Him Going As High As One And Not Escaping The Top Ten and I Believe In His Ability. The Myles Garrett Comparison Will Come As Botha share Similar Frames And Went To Texas A&M But He’s Not Myles Not Even at That Stage In Myles’s Career.
Pro Comp: Pat Jones III.
James Pearce Jr., Tennessee— A True Rubber Man Type Pass Able to quickly Bend And absorb Contract On His Way To The Quarterback I’ve Watched James Pearce Stock Fly Up And Downs Boards But After Becoming A Combine Sensation He’s Amongst The Top Three Edges Maybe Even The Best Edge Rusher In This Class. Standing In At 6’5, Pearce Brings The Lighter Side With Smooth Fluid Athleticism And Movements. Pearce Rushed Exclusively From The Outside Where He Uses His Frame And Movement To Get Offensive Lineman Off Platform And Break In For The Quarterback. Pearce Picked Up a 23% Pass Rush Win Rate One Of The Best In The College. He Tested Exemplary At The Combine Register A 4.47 Forty and 1.56 Ten Yard Split, He Picked 19.5 Career Sacks and 60 Pressures Last Year In The SEC. Pearce Doesn’t Have The Bend Of An Abdul Carter but He’s Plenty Quick Around The Edge He’s One Of The Best Hand Users I’ve Seen In This Draft. He Does Lack Power With A Lighter Frame But He Packs A Punch And Could Ram Through A Tight End On The NFL and Lesser Tackles. Some Scouts Knock Him For His Run Defense But PFF Gave Pearce A Solid Score This Past Season. I Think He’s The Best Edge From What I've Seen In This Class And Truthfully I Haven’t Watched Everybody.
Pro Comp: Leonard Floyd
Mike Green, Marshall—Small School Draft Prospects Have A Tough Wrap To Beat Because They Play At A Lower Level Of Competition And Most Teams Like Their Edge Rusher To Exit The SEC Or Big 10 Before Entering The NFL. The Rule Of Thumb On Small School Guys, They Have To Dominate Their Level To Look Top Tier and They Need To Stand on Tape and Mike Green Of Marshall Fits The Billing. Kahlil Mack Made A Name As A Small School Pass Rusher and Mike Green Could Be Next with A Similar Build At 6’3, 251 Lbs, Green Has a Torpedo Explosion Off The Snap And Hits Blockers With The Strength Of An Atom Bomb. He’s Pass Rush Moves Don’t Pop The Way His Speed To Power Does But He’s Demonstrated A Solid Arsenal Of Moves. His Number 16.5 Sacks Don’t Have The Same Value As James Pearce Who Played IN The SEC But Green Play Two GameS Against Top Shelf Teams Like Ohio State And Virginia Tech And Held His Own. He’s A Touch Undersize But That Shouldn’t Bother Him Too Much On The Next Level. He’s Talented But I’d Feel Safer Taking Him On Day Two Rather Than Day One.
Pro comp: Robert Mathis
This Class Has Solid Depth At Edge And Three Or Four Other Guys Could’ve Made The List and Have Made The List For Other Draft Boards.
Mykel Williams Another Georgia Bulldog With Size And Power Whose Production Fell Flat But His Traits Shot off the Boards. I Gave The “Edge” To Green And Others Who Didnt Have The Ensemble To Work With Around Him Like Georgia Guys. He’s More Of A “Project” With His Raw Road Crater Power And Speed But With A Less Refrained Technical Attack.
Donavan Ezeruike The Stand Out Edge Rusher From Boston College Bring A Ton Of Power And Energy Packed Into A Relatively Smaller Frame. At He Reminds Me A Touch Of Jared Verse Whom The Rams Took In The First Round Last Season Amd Kayvon Thibodeaux. At 6’2 Donavan Doesn’t Have The Height But He Possesses Inspiring Length You Can See His Arms Dangling Away From His Body, Ezieruaku Also Has Great Feel block Leverage Which allows him To Use Spins But He’s Also Tenacious and Uses A Sudden First Step When Attacking The Edge Of Blocker and Getting Around Into Quarterbacks Laps. His Small Frame Also Donavan To Utilize Foot Work In Game A lot More and A lot Better Than Edge Rusher, He Often Takes Blockers On Dance Routines Using His Quick Feet To Misdirect And Move By Tackles. Size Also Allows Donavan A Great Bend To Beat Undisciplined Tackles Who Get Fooled and Expose Their Hands Too Soon For A Punch Which Allows Ezeiruaku To Slide Right Under Blocks. If Donavan Hits He Probably Become The Mold For Futuristic Pass Rushers With Less Than Ideal Height That Could Cost Them On Them Holding The Edge But More Than Reliable At Attacking The Pocket.
Landon Jackson Of Arkansa A Freakish 6’7 280 Lbs Pass Rusher Looks Like A Lab Project Of An Avengers Enemy. He’s An Explosive Athlete Boosting A 40.5 Inch Vertical Jump, 10’9 Broad Jump, 4.6 Speed, and 1.65 10 Yard Split, and The Second Highest Athletic Score Of All The Edge Rushers Tested at The Combine. Jackson’s Athleticism Shows Up On Tape As He Can Move, can Change Direction Once His Dial In On a Sack Of Chasing Down A Runner. The Bigger Pass Rusher has limitations, Jackson Doesn’t Get Around The Edge Swiftly, He Probably Takes Twice As Many Steps Around The Edge As Any Other Pass Rusher In This Class and Finished With an 11.2 Pass Rush Win Rate and Just 6.5 Sacks Though Jackson Faced A lot Of Double Teams a lot Of His Production Comes Off Of Extra Effort And Simply Blunt Force. He’s Build High And Doesn’t Drop His Weight and Hips Well Which Could Lead To a Struggle Tackling Quarterbacks and Running Back With Better Contact Balance Who Could Dislodge His Arm Tackles and Change Of Direction.
The Taller Pass Rushers Tend Not To Work Out More Times Than Not But Jackson Can Break The Mold.
