The edge rusher position is a fun one this year. Some legitimate stars are leading the way, but the depth gets me excited. This year, a few small school prospects have my attention, and they look like they have the potential to be legitimate NFL starting caliber talent. Here are the pre-combine top 10 Edge defenders in the NFL Draft.
1. Laiatu Latu, UCLA (6-foot-4, 265 pounds)
2023 Stats: (12 games) 49 tackles (28 solos), 21.5 tackles for a loss, 13 sacks, 2 passes defended, 2 interceptions, and 2 forced fumbles
Latu is a great story. After starting his career in Washington, he took a brief medical retirement his sophomore year after being derailed by a neck injury. His NFL future was in doubt, only to transfer to UCLA for his final two collegiate seasons and tally 34 tackles for a loss and 23.5 sacks during that span.
Latu is incredibly agile for a man with a broad frame. His incredible lateral agility makes it difficult for offensive linemen to cleanly engage him at the point of attack. His snap timing is terrific, matched with an eye-popping initial burst, and showcasing an already NFL-ready technique of using his hands to swipe, grip-and-rip, pull, swim...he has them all. Latu has a red-hot motor with quick back-end pursuit that causes mismatches all over the line of scrimmage. Latu is a dominant force and will likely carry good draft capital to boot.
Related: Pre-Combine Top 10 Rookie IDP Linebackers
2. Jared Verse, Florida State (6-foot-4, 260 pounds)
2023 Stats: (13 games) 41 tackles (23 solos), 12.5 tackles for a loss, 9 sacks, 3 passes defended, 1 forced fumble, and 1 fumble recovery
Verse has speed. He has an explosive first step, almost always winning at the initial point of contact. His hips are like rubber bands, bending underneath offensive linemen just to snap back with a tremendous burst to get to the quarterback. Verse has a polished pass-rushing repertoire and showcases an innate ability to counter his opponents, constantly keeping them off balance.
His obvious strength is his speed rush, but don't let that fool you into thinking he does not have the power to battle the big boys. Verse has plenty of functional strength packing a punch that stands up opponents. His high motor, matched with his cheetah-like speed, is a combination that should keep NFL scouts incredibly intrigued. If there is one thing he could work on in his game, it is patience. He needs to learn to hold his gaps better and not to get behind the quarterback outside, allowing them to easily step up. Other than that, Verse can flat-out ball.
3. Dallas Turner, Alabama (6-foot-4, 242 pounds)
2023 Stats: (14 games) 53 tackles (28 solos), 14.5 tackles for a loss, 10 sacks, 1 pass defended, and 2 forced fumbles
While Verse was both speed and power, Turner is more of a speed rusher. Even still, he is incredibly effective in using his strengths. He has a flexible form from his ankles to his hips with a lightning-quick first step. Turner has shown the ability to change direction without losing ground better than any Edge prospect in this class. He showed improvement in his run defense, getting better setting the edge.
Turner does need to bulk up some. He has a thinner frame than most of the other top-tier prospects, though he has plenty of tools to hide his lower play strength. To become an NFL-caliber star, he must be more powerful at the point of attack. The tools he has, though, matched with the nuance in his counters, hand usage, and body flexibility, leave plenty to be excited about.
4. Chris Braswell, Alabama (6-foot-3, 257 pounds)
2023 Stats: (14 games) 42 tackles (16 solos), 10.5 tackles for a loss, 8 sacks, 1 pass defended, 1 interception, 3 forced fumbles, and 1 defensive touchdown
I think that I may have Braswell ranked a bit higher than most, but he has all the tools to become a three-down, Pro-Bowl caliber player. His first step happens in a flash, almost instantly gaining the upper hand on his opponents. He does a terrific job converting speed to power, often knocking offensive linemen back on their heels. What stands out most to me is his field awareness in coverage.
He is not just a body out there; he understands where he needs to be and reads the field well. Braswell has a strong IQ with great pre-snap reads and run-game instincts. He needs to learn how to flatten out on the edge. I do not think it is a flexibility issue, though more technique. His biggest deficit is his arm length, where you can see longer offensive linemen initiate contact with him, jarring his initial moves. His athleticism is off the charts, though. Pair that with his IQ, and we could have the makings of a great prospect.
5. Bralen Trice, Washington (6-foot-4, 274 pounds)
2023 Stats: (15 games) 49 tackles (30 solos), 11.5 tackles for a loss, 7 sacks, 2 passes defended, 1 forced fumble, and 1 fumble recovery
Trice is a thick, NFL-ready, framed individual who showcases great mobility. He has great strength in his hands and engages quickly at the point of attack, showing a nice rip move. His strong hands also help him control the point of attack and set the edge effectively. Trice has great leg drive that converts power from his legs to his hands, making himself a people mover.
Trice is best when working his inside moves paired with efficient counters and the use of his strength. He is not as bendy as the other high athleticism prospects and does not possess the quick twitch ability, but his intangibles are there paired with his NFL-ready frame, making him a strong prospect.
6. Chop Robinson, Penn State (6-foot-3, 250 pounds)
2023 Stats: (10 games) 15 tackles (12 solos), 7.5 tackles for a loss, 4 sacks, 1 pass defended, 2 forced fumbles, and 1 fumble recovery
Robinson reminds me a lot of former Penn State Edge rusher Arnold Ebiketie. He has all the tools in the bag, but it has not translated to on-field production. He has yet to eclipse five-and-a-half sacks in a single season while only holding 26 tackles on a season as a career-high.
Still, Robinson has an unbelievable combination of speed and power. He packs a thunderous punch at the point of attack that jolts linemen onto their heels. His flexibility is some of the best in the class. He has shown great hand usage and a full complement of pass-rushing moves. Yet, it never seemed to amount to production. His potential is through the roof, but it must be untapped to see what he is truly made of.
7. Jonah Ellis, Utah (6-foot-1, 243 pounds)
2023 Stats: (10 games) 37 tackles (23 solos), 16 tackles for a loss, 12 sacks, 3 passes defended, and 1 forced fumble
Jonah Ellis seems destined to play in the NFL. He has three brothers all currently playing in the NFL. Lineage is not all he has, though. Most noticeably is his relentless motor. Ellis never gives up on a play and has pursuit that just wears on his opponents. He is explosive off the line, and though he has a small frame, he has demonstrated strength and toughness at the point of attack with high-level block shedding.
Ellis has tremendous closing speed making him very disruptive in the backfield. Due to his smaller frame, Ellis has had issues with stronger opponents. He is also a bit tighter in his movements than some of the other prospects. His stature may affect his draft stock, but his IQ and relentlessness could land him a specialist role as a rookie with room to grow.
8. Javon Solomon, Troy (6-foot-0, 247 pounds)
2023 Stats: (14 games) 56 tackles (26 solos), 18 tackles for a loss, 16 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, and 2 fumble recoveries
Solomon is an incredibly intriguing prospect with a different-than-normal build but plenty of tools. Let's address the elephant in the room; he's only six feet tall. I get it; that is less than ideal for an NFL edge defender. The difference is that, though he is short, his frame is packed with muscle and mass, allowing him to play with great leverage, getting underneath the pad level of offensive linemen.
He is explosive at the point of attack while showing a strong anchor in run defense matched with powerful hand usage. Solomon has a mouth-watering spin move that rivals some of the best in the NFL. Though he showed the ability to stack and shed in college, Solomon may have more trouble in the NFL with larger linemen. Either way, I cannot wait to see how he tests at the combine and see what kind of draft capital he gets.
9. Adisa Isaac, Penn State (6-foot-4, 250 pounds)
2023 Stats: (13 games) 37 tackles (23 solos), 16 tackles for a loss, 7.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble, and 1 fumble recovery
This is interesting because Isaac does not have anywhere near the tools that his teammate, Chop Robinson, who was mentioned earlier, but Isaac has had far more success as a collegiate player. Isaac is a bendy athlete with a good hip dip off the edge paired with a strong burst and good short-area quickness to get to the quarterback. His first step pops, and he gets in the backfield quickly while also showing a nice inside counter.
Isaac lacks overall functional strength, which will be a deterrent in the NFL. Finesse needs to be an attribute, not an overall game plan when you are playing with the big boys. Luckily, he has the frame to add weight. Hopefully, it does not take away any of his burst.
10. Mohamed Kamara, Colorado State (6-foot-1, 252 pounds)
2023 Stats: (12 games) 56 tackles (29 solos), 17 tackles for a loss, 13 sacks, 1 pass defended, 2 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery, and 1 defensive touchdown
Probably five or six players could land here, but for now, I am putting Kamara in the No. 10 slot. His final two collegiate years were dominating. Over Kamara's final 24 games, he posted 33 tackles for a loss and 21.5 sacks. Kamara has violent hands, which he uses with great technique to rip, pull, swipe, and punch his opponents, constantly keeping them off balance.
Kamara has the versatility to play defensive end in both a 3-4 base and 4-3 base and has shown the ability to win inside. He lacks elite traits and athleticism, which may cap his ceiling at the NFL level, but he uses the tools he does possess perfectly. I want to see how he tests and if it bumps his draft stock.
Other Names to Know
- Gabriel Murphy, UCLA
- Marshawn Kneeland, Western Michigan
- Darius Robinson, Missouri
- Nelson Ceasar, Houston
- Austin Booker, Kansas
Final Thoughts
This is a pre-combine top 10 and is likely to change even leading up to the combine. There are plenty of prospects to be excited about in this draft class with plenty of star-level potential. Draft time is such a fun time to be a dynasty football fan, and at Footballguys.com, we thrive on keeping you updated on all the most recent coverage. My buddy Kyle Bellefeuil and I love to cover the IDP side of the football and will be covering all of the positions for you. Check out our offensive rookie draft guide that the staff put together; it is amazing. Thank you for reading, and it is almost draft time!
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