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The term “edge rusher” didn’t even exist in common football language ten years ago. The new position describes perfectly the primary goal of these players: go get the quarterback. The position is one of the most valuable in the sport, and arguably the most valuable on the defensive side of the ball. Each of the last three Defensive Player of the Year award winners have been edge rushers. In the fourth installment in my position ranking series, I’ve put together my list of the top ten edge rushers in the NFL today.
10. Bryce Huff, Philadelphia Eagles
I struggled with whether Bryce Huff deserved a spot on this list. He is not a run defender. He hasn’t been a three-down player at this point in his career. He’s a designated pass-rusher, and he’s very, very good at it. Last season, Huff finished with only two fewer quarterback hurries than T.J. Watt. He did so on 260 fewer pass-rush snaps than Watt had. In an expanded role in the Eagles’ defense, it’s time for Huff to prove he belongs in this conversation.
9. Josh Hines-Allen, Jacksonville Jaguars
Maybe it’s just because Jacksonville is a small-market team, but Josh Hines-Allen doesn’t get the recognition he deserves. He finished 2023 with 19 sacks, ranking third in the league. His pass-rush win percentage of 20.5% (per PFF) ranked seventh among all edge players. Hines-Allen inked a well-deserved five-year, $141.3 million extension with the Jaguars over the offseason.
8. Trey Hendrickson, Cincinnati Bengals
Many of the league’s elite pass-rushers were not highly drafted. Trey Hendrickson, a former third-round pick, is a prime example. In 2023, Trey Hendrickson tied for the most sacks in the league with 20. Though Hendrickson is rarely mentioned among the top edge players in the league, he has consistently produced over the last few years. Over the past four years, only two players have had more sacks than Hendrickson.
7. Khalil Mack, Los Angeles Chargers
Khalil Mack has been one of my favorite players in the NFL since he was drafted out of Buffalo back in 2014. His combination of elite pass-rushing ability and an unmatched ability to set the edge in the run game sets him apart from any other player in the league. Mack had a bounce-back season in 2023, posting a career-high 18 sacks. Though he may be past his prime, Mack remains a force off the edge.
6. Aiden Hutchinson, Detroit Lions
Aiden Hutchinson, a former first-round pick out of Michigan, finished with an astounding 67 quarterback hurries in 2023, which ranked second in the NFL. He posted a pass-rush win percentage of over 21% according to PFF, which also ranked among the league’s top five. This season, Hutchinson’s numbers have already seen a massive jump. In just two games, he has posted six sacks and a 38.6% pass-rush win percentage. The next-best mark is sixteen percentage points lower.
5. Nick Bosa, San Fransisco 49ers
After an impressive 2022 season in which he won the Defensive Player of the Year award, Nick Bosa had a quietly impressive season in 2023. Though his performance was overshadowed by the dominance of Myles Garrett and Micah Parsons, Bosa was able to produce 14 sacks and 43 quarterback pressures. In a heavily talented 49ers defense, Bosa will surely be one of the league’s premier defenders for years to come.
4. Maxx Crosby, Las Vegas Raiders
Maxx Crosby, a former fourth-round draft pick, has built a career from terrorizing opposing quarterbacks. Though his efficiency numbers leave something to be desired, Crosby finished with 64 quarterback hurries in 2023, which ranked third in the league. Crosby is the leader of one of the most underrated defensive units in football, and he deserves to be mentioned among the league’s best edge players.
3. Micah Parsons, Dallas Cowboys
Micah Parsons, maybe more than any other player in the NFL, does not have a true position. I’ve lumped him in with edge rushers because that’s where the majority of his snaps come from, but Parsons consistently lines up on the interior of the defensive line and even as an off-ball linebacker. Parsons, along with Myles Garrett, has led a movement among elite pass-rushers of choosing advantageous matchups at any position along the line of scrimmage.
2. T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh Steelers
T.J. Watt has finished as a finalist for the Defensive Player of the Year award four times in his career, winning the award once in 2021. Watt has nearly 100 career sacks, including 19 last season. According to PFF, Watt has finished with a pass-rushing grade of at least 90 in five of the last six seasons. He has firmly solidified himself among the league’s elite pass rushers.
1. Myles Garrett, Cleveland Browns
Myles Garrett has posted double-digit sacks in every season since 2018. He may truly be able to challenge Reggie White’s all-time record of nine consecutive seasons with at least ten sacks. With his combination of strength and finesse, Garrett is a matchup nightmare for every opposing offensive line. The reigning Defensive Player of the Year finished 2023 with the highest pass-rushing grade among all edge rushers on the season, per PFF.
