2024 NFL Draft- Top 10 Edge Rushers

Nine of the ten highest paid defensive players currently in the NFL are edge rushers. When a team has top notch ends such as Myles Garrett or TJ Watt, opponents have to scheme against them differently, accounting for their ability to disrupt offensive game plans. All teams are on the hunt for a game changing pass rusher in every draft. 

Last season there were 7 edge rushers selected in round one and thirty-two all together.

2024 NFL Draft- Top 10 Defensive Ends & Edge Rushers

Complete list of every Edge rusher pick from the 2023 NFL Draft:

Round 1, Pick 3: Will Anderson, Jr., Alabama

Round 1, Pick 7: Tyree Wilson, Texas Tech

Round 1, Pick 13: Lukas Van Ness, Iowa

Round 1, Pick 15: Will McDonald, Iowa State

Round 1, Pick 28: Myles Murphy, Clemson

Round 1, Pick 30: Nolan Smith, Georgia

Round 1, Pick 31: Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Kansas State

Round 2, Pick 37: Derick Hall, Auburn

Round 2, Pick 40: Isaiah Foskey, Notre Dame

Round 2, Pick 41: B.J. Ojulari, LSU

Round 2, Pick 46: Keion White, Georgia Tech

Round 2, Pick 54: Tuli Tuipulotu, USC

Round 3, Pick 75: Zach Harrison, Ohio State

Round 3, Pick 77: Byron Young, Tennessee

Round 3, PIck 80: D.J. Johnson, Oregon

Round 3, Pick 82: Ya Ya Diaby, Louisville

Round 4, Pick 109: Dylan Horton, TCU

Round 4, PIck 116: Colby Wooden, Auburn

Round 4, Pick 124: Tavius Robinson, Ole Miss

Round 4, Pick 126: Isaiah McGuire, Missouri

Round 4, Pick 129: Viliami Fehoko, San Jose State

Round 4, Pick 130: Tyler Lacy, Oklahoma State

Round 4, Pick 132: Nick Herbig, Wisconsin

Round 5, Pick 136: Yasir Abdullah, Louisville

Round 5, Pick 137: K.J. Henry, Clemson

Round 5, Pick 151: Mike Morris, Michigan

Round 5, Pick 161: Nick Hampton, Appalachian State

Round 5, Pick 173: Robert Beal, Jr., Georgia

Round 6, Pick 189: Ochaun Mathis, Nebraska

Round 6, Pick 196: Jose Ramirez, Eastern Michigan

Round 7, Pick 240: Derek Parish, Houston

Round 7, Pick 259: Desjuan Johnson, Toledo

This season fans will most likely see 4-5 edge rushers taken in the first round and the total number taken overall will exceed thirty again. Here is a list of the top ten edge rushers in this year's draft class:

1. Alabama- Edge- Dallas Turner (6’4” 240 lbs)

Strengths

• Overall pass coverage
• Shedding blocks
• Plays a complete game
• Short yardage burst

Weaknesses

• Pass rush moves
• Mechanics/techniques
• Seals the edge

Dallas Turner is an athletic freak who can make plays all over the field. He will be a presence off the edge that each opponent will need to account for. He will surely be off the board in the first ten picks of the draft.

Projection- 1st round 

 2. Florida State- Edge- Jared Verse (6’3” 246 lbs)

Strengths

• Body control
• Pass rush moves
• High-motor
• Flexibility
• Explosive off snap

Weaknesses

• Shedding blocks
• Run reads
• Gaps

Jared Verse is an explosive pass rusher and can play with one or both hands in the dirt. His versatility and high ceiling will likely have him come off the board as the second edge rusher taken. Draft Nation predicts him going top twenty and as high as #8 to the Falcons.

Projection- 1st round

3. UCLA- Edge- Laiatu Latu (6’5” 265 lbs)

Strengths

• Pass rush moves
• High-motor
• Explosive off snap
• Wingspan

Weaknesses

• Inconsistency
• Run reads
• Injury history

Laiatu Latu is NFL-ready with size and length to pair with great athleticism. He has an injury history but most teams have forgiven this. Latu may turn out to be the best pass rusher in the draft class when all is said and done. Most draft experts expect Latu to be off the board by the mid to late first round. 

Projection- 1st round

4. Penn State- Edge- Chop Robinson (6’3” 250 lbs)

Strengths

• Length
• Athleticism
• Zone coverage
• Strong hands
• Flexibility

Weaknesses

• Play strength
• Inconsistent game motor
• Stiff mechanics

Chop Robinson did not have the 2023 season that many expected he would. He can be inconsistent at times and look like he is going through the motions. However, he is a freak athlete who ran a 4.48 at the combine. He has a high ceiling but may need a little longer to transition than the other top prospects. He will go late in the first or early 2nd round.

Projection- Round 1 or round 2

5. Missouri- Edge- Darius Robinson (6’5” 296 lbs)

Strengths

• Length
• Versatility
• Instincts
• High Energy

Weaknesses

• Tackling
• Spin move
• Chop blocks
• Space eater

Darius Robinson has shot up the draft boards as quickly as any of the other edge prospects. He has a strong season during 2023, doing it in the nation’s best conference, the SEC. He has an outside chance to sneak into the late first round, but will be a steal for any team looking for an edge rusher in round two. 

Projection- Late Round 1 or early Round 2

6. Alabama- Edge- Chris Braswell (6’3” 255 lbs)

Strengths

• Speed
• Athleticism
• Overall pass coverage
• Violent hands

Weaknesses

• Tackling
• Overaggressive
• Pass rush moves
• Goes out of his way to make a big play

Chris Braswell is a former 5-star high school prospect that has elite athleticism. He needs to harness some of his aggressiveness and let some plays come to him as he tends to sell out to make big plays. In the NFL, that won’t work. Braswell, once coached up, will be a beast. 

Projection- 2nd round

7. Utah- DE- Jonah Elliss (6’2” 246 lbs)

Strengths

• Instincts
• Closing speed
• Explosion off the snap
• Game changer

Weaknesses

• Hands
• Size
• Pass rush moves
• Raw

Elliss was having a sensational season in 2023 until being shut down with an injury. He is considered undersized for the edge position, but has game changing instincts and closing speed. He has the potential to be an exciting NFL player and the family pedigree to prove it. He will be off the board before the end of day two.

Projection- 2nd or 3rd Round 

8- Penn State- Edge- Adisa Isaac (6’4” 254 lbs)

Strengths

• Athleticism
• Pass rush moves
• Pursuit angle
• High-motor
• Closing speed

Weaknesses

• Hands
• Strength
• Raw
• Mechanics/ Techniques

Adisa Isaac had 7.5 sacks this past season for Penn State. He's athletic with a high energy motor that never stops. Isaac will need to work on his overall technique and how he uses his hands, but the ceiling is there. He could go anywhere from early 2nd to mid-3rd round.

Projection- 2nd round- 3rd round

9- Washington- Edge- Bralen Trice (6’4” 274 lbs)

Strengths

• Pass rush moves
• Burst
• High motor
• Chase down ability

Weaknesses

• Tackling
• Pursuit angle
• Upright

Trice has the skill set to be a factor in the NFL but needs to improve his tacking and he tends to play upright at times, losing leverage. He was a monster at the collegiate level in Washington and with the right coaching and scheme will excel in the pros. 

Projection- 3rd or 4th round

10. Western Michigan- Edge- Marshawn Kneeland (6’3” 275 lbs)

Strengths

• Strength
• Leverage
• Explosive off snap

Weaknesses

• Speed
• Hands
• Tackling

Kneeland has the versatility to play anywhere on a team’s defensive line and be successful. Playing at a smaller school kept Kneeland off of most radars but his performance at the NFL Combine opened eyes. He will not make it out of round 4 and will add valuable depth to a team’s defense.

Projection- 4th round