Ranking the Top 10 Edge-Rushers in the 2024 NFL Draft

With the NFL currently being chock-full of superstar pass-rushers, every team is looking to boost their respective roster by drafting the next Myles Garrett or T.J. Watt. With the storylines of this year’s draft class being largely focused around quarterbacks and receivers, many are failing to realize how talented of a class of pass-rushers there is in the draft this year, and today I’m going to rank the top 10 edge-rushers on my draft board.

1. Dallas Turner - Alabama Crimson Tide

Arguably the best defensive prospect in the 2024 NFL draft, Turner possesses nearly everything you look for out of a blue-chip pass-rusher prospect. Turner already had the number one edge-rusher spot pretty much locked up before the combine, but once he put on a show in Indiannapolis, it is now even harder to not love the Alabama prospect. Turner combines ideal size for the position at 6’ 3”, 247 lbs, with awesome athleticism, having run a 4.46 second 40 yard dash, recording a 40.5” vertical jump, and recording a 10’ 7” broad jump. Even if you aren’t sold on his fantastic measurables, Turner has had stellar production over the past few seasons for the Tide, with 22.5 sacks in his 3 years in Tuscaloosa. Although no prospect is a sure thing, Turner has impressed many with every aspect of his game, and will more than likely be the first pass-rusher of the board come draft night.

2. Jared Verse - Florida State Seminoles

After a historic career at Florida State, Verse has thrown his hat into the ring for the 2024 NFL draft, and will likely be a top 12-15 pick. Verse is considered to be one of if not the best power-rusher in the draft, and his combine performance and measurements support this. Standing at 6’ 4”, 255 lbs with an impressive physique, Verse is imposing coming off of the edge, as well as having proven to be a better run defender than the large majority of this year's pass rushers. At the combine, Verse impressed many, putting up a monstrous 31 reps on the bench press to go with a 4.58 40 yard dash and a 10’ 7” broad jump that showcased his explosiveness. While I do have Verse ranked as the second best edge-rusher in the class, it is fairly close between Turner and him.

3. Laiatu Latu - California - Los Angeles Bruins

Photo Credit: Luis Sinco, Los Angeles Times

Despite having the production and upside to be the best pass-rusher in this draft class, major medical red flags are holding Latu’s draft stock back. In 2021, Latu was forced to medically retire after a major neck injury, but after being cleared prior to the 2022 season, Latu has had back to back years of stellar production in the Pac-12. Latu has excellent size for a pass-rusher, as he stands at 6’ 5”, 259 lbs, which gives him the versatility to play in either a 3-4 or 4-3 defense with the same level of effectiveness. The real key for Latu in both the draft process and the future of his NFL career will be if he is able to stay healthy.

4. Chop Robinson - Pennsylvania State Nittany Lions

Coming into the draft as one of the quickest athletes we’ve ever seen at the position, the only thing that pushes Robinson down the board is his need to fine-tune his pass-rushing moves. At the combine, Robinson blew scouts and fans away with his 40 yard dash time of 4.48, along with a 4.25 20 yard shuttle, which confirmed the blazing speed and acceleration you can see Robinson showcase on tape. After having a fairly solid junior season at Penn State, Robinson decided to declare for the draft, and despite him being viewed as somewhat of a project player, his sky-high ceiling if he can develop his pass-rushing attack will likely make him a first round player.

5. Chris Braswell - Alabama Crimson Tide

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One of my personal favorite draft prospects this year, Chris Braswell is your protypical 4-3 defensive end prospect. After struggling to see the field consistently due to him playing behind Will Anderson Jr. and Dallas Turner for two years, Braswell exploded onto the scene this year with a dominant season for the Tide. Braswell possesses an excellent bull rush with the combination of his strong frame and above average speed for his size. Despite many scouts viewing Braswell as a second round prospect, I would personally be willing to take him as early as pick 18-20.

6. Darius Robinson - Missouri Tigers

Robinson is a rare type of prospect that floats between being an edge-rusher and an interior defensive lineman due to the level of athleticism and pass-rushing ability he possesses for his massive size at 6’ 5”, 290 lbs. Robinson finished a stellar 2023 campaign with 8.5 sacks, and several of them coming against some of the best offensive lines in the country, such as Georgia and Ohio State. While Robinson isn’t extremely fast, he tested very well in explosiveness, agility, and strength. Where exactly Robinson will be drafted is a mystery, as some speculate he could be drafted as early as pick 20, and others think he will be somewhere in the pick 45-50 range; regardless as to where he is drafted, I have faith in Robinson to be a successful pass-rusher on the next level.

7. Bralen Trice - Washington Huskies

After a standout career for some extremely successful Washington teams, Bralen Trice has decided to come out for the 2024 NFL draft. Trice was draft eligible last year, and was considered to be a borderline first round pick, and after another season for the Huskies, not much has changed in his draft stock. Trice possesses a large and powerful frame that he utilizes well in both pass-rush and run defense, standing at 6’ 4”, 274 lbs. After a slow start in the 2023 season, he ended up finishing on a hot streak with 7 sacks in his last 8 games for Washington. Trice is a good player without a doubt, but scouts tend to feel that he is already fairly close to his ceiling as a player, and that he will likely not be as effective at the NFL level unless he can continue to develop from the college player that we’ve seen.

8. Marshawn Kneeland - Western Michigan Broncos

Photo Credit: Kirby Lee, USA Today Sports

A relatively under the radar prospect in this year's draft process, Marshawn Kneeland has been a productive player for the past few years at Western Michigan. After being a major draft sleeper for most of the year, Kneeland’s performances at both the Senior Bowl and the NFL Combine impressed many and showcased his potential as a player. Kneeland had the highest overall athleticism score for edge-rushers around his size at the combine, as he stands at an impressive 6’ 3”, 267 lbs. Even with these impressive offseason performances, Kneeland is still not really in consideration for the top 2 rounds of the draft, but if a team can pick him up in the late third or early fourth round(s), he could be a major difference maker for them.

9. Adisa Isaac - Penn State Nittany Lions

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Depite being the lesser known component of Penn State’s edge-rusher duo with Isaac and Chop Robinson, Isaac is also a formidable force as a pass-rusher. Coming off of his best season in 2024, Isaac put up an impressive 7.5 sacks against a tough schedule that included Ohio State and Michigan. Isaac is more of a traditional defensive end compared to his Penn State counterpart Chop Robinson, as Isaac stands at 6’ 4”, 251 lbs, and relies more on strength than blazing speed to get to the backfield. Many scouts see Isaac as good value for a day 2 selection, and I would tend to agree, as I think the sweet spot for him to be picked at would be between 50 and 65.

10. Austin Booker - Kansas Jayhawks

With multiple possible candidates for the number ten spot on this list in mind, I decided to go with Austin Booker, who had a massive breakout season in 2023. After barely seeing the field before this past season, Booker exploded onto the scene with 8 sacks and 2 forced fumbles against a pretty tough schedule. Booker has a long frame with a great wingspan, that combined with his explosiveness and tenacity as a pass-rusher, gives him high potential to be a successful NFL player. The two factors that are holding his stock back from being higher however, are his overall lack of experience playing good competition, as well as his less than impressive overall athleticism. Once Booker makes it to the NFL and gets into the weightroom along with learning from experienced veterans, he could be an exceptional player in the future.

Ranking the Top 10 Edge-Rushers in the 2024 NFL Draft

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