Ranking the Top 10 Current NFL Edge Rushers

Highlights

• The inclusion of both outside linebackers and defensive ends in the edge rusher position in the NFL makes for a wide range of skill sets and playing styles.
• Reigning Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett’s all-encompassing game sets him apart from the rest of his peers.
• Micah Parsons has transitioned from an inside linebacker to an elite full-time edge but still has room to improve.

In an attempt to simplify positional labels in the NFL, many have started to combine 4-3 defensive ends and 3-4 outside linebackers into a single position, colloquially referred to as an edge rusher.

These players line up on the outside of their respective defensive lines and are expected to set the edge on both running and passing downs. While the positional duties are fairly self-explanatory, the value of these players can’t be overstated.

An elite edge rusher completely changes the complexion of a defense as well as the offense’s plan of attack. Here are the top 10 edge rushers in the NFL today.

1 Myles Garrett

Garrett is the most impactful edge in the NFL today

Fresh off his first career Defensive Player of the Year award and the fifth All-Pro selection of his career, all of which has been spent with the Cleveland Browns, Myles Garrett tops the list of the league’s best edge rushers.

His sack numbers may not be on par with those of others on this list, although he’s already recorded 88.5 for his career, but when it comes to winning his matchups and creating opportunities for teammates, there simply hasn’t been anyone better over the last handful of years.

In addition to his dominance as a pass-rusher, Garrett has seen increased productivity in the run game and enters the 2024 season as one of the best players not only on defense but in all of football.

2 Micah Parsons

Parsons’ blend of strength and athleticism makes him unstoppable

It’s still hard to believe that Micah Parsons was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys as an inside linebacker. The fact he’s made such a seamless transition into an All-Pro edge is a testament to his talent and athleticism, and his speed off the edge can overwhelm even the league’s most athletic offensive tackles.

However, there are times when he seems to sell out on the pass and will take himself out of run plays as a result. Improved discipline in this area could be the key to Parsons, who’s already a three-time Pro Bowler and a three-time All-Pro, securing his first Defensive Player of the Year award.

There is a chance the Cowboys could look to deploy him in coverage more, given his experience as an off-ball linebacker, but Parsons may be too good at rushing the quarterback to drop back more than a couple of times a game.

3 T.J. Watt

Watt’s production had made him a perennial DPOY threat

Pittsburgh Steelers superstar T.J. Watt has consistently been among the league’s most productive pass rushers, and that trend continued in 2023, as he racked up a league-high 19.0 sacks.

The Wisconsin alum has led the NFL in sacks three times in his career and adds plenty of value as a run defender and coverage player.

With that said, Watt’s reliance on his ball production can make him less impactful on a snap-for-snap basis. With more consistent pressure and pass-rush win rates, he can reclaim his status as the best edge rusher in football.

4 Maxx Crosby

Crosby is an all-around monster for Las Vegas

Maxx Crosby may have entered the league as a liability versus the run, but by the end of this past season with the Las Vegas Raiders, his ability as an all-around edge was undeniable.

Crosby was PFF’s highest-graded run-defender, led the league in tackles for loss with 23, and posted a career-high in sacks with 14.5.

For whatever reason, Crosby’s stellar 2023 campaign flew under the radar, but it’s only a matter of time before he gets his due. He’s improved every season and is dangerous on every down and distance. And he could be even better in 2024 with the addition of Christian Wilkins, who will draw plenty of attention in his own right, which opens up Crosby to do even more damage.

5 Nick Bosa

Bosa wasn’t nearly as effective in 2023

Fresh off his first DPOY in 2022, Nick Bosa took a bit of a step back with the San Francisco 49ers in 2023, recording eight fewer sacks. But he did draw a lot of attention from opposing offenses and was able to generate pressure while keeping contained.

Bosa, however, did have some pretty embarrassing missed tackles, which partially explains the downtick in production. Bosa is, without a doubt, a high-level edge, but he’ll need to take it up a notch from last season and play with a more consistent motor to reinsert himself into DPOY discussions.

6 Khalil Mack

Mack continues to make noticeable contributions

The Los Angeles Chargers were such a dumpster fire last season that searching for moral victories felt futile. Possibly the only bright spot on the defensive side of things was Khalil Mack, who recorded a career-best 17 sacks and was selected to his eighth Pro Bowl.

Los Angeles decided to retain Mack after restructuring his contract, and he’ll look to replicate his 2023 performance under the new coaching staff.

At 33, it’s worth contemplating how much more Mack has in the tank, but he still has the power to overwhelm tackles, and his bull rush looks as lethal as ever.

7 Aidan Hutchinson

Hutchinson may be on a superstar trajectory

Aidan Hutchinson has all the tools to be a premier edge defender; the key now is consistency. The Michigan alum took over multiple games for the Detroit Lions and compiled five of his 11.5 sacks in his final two games of the season. But there were also some games where his presence went unnoticed.

At the root of Hutchinson’s inconsistency is his tendency to overpursue and take poor angles on ball carriers. He’s simply too athletic and strong to miss as many tackles as he did in 2023. Nevertheless, Hutchinson’s surge solidified him as one of the top defensive players under the age of 25.

8 Josh Allen

Allen’s 2023 breakout earned him a much-deserved extension

After years of waiting, the Jacksonville Jaguars were finally awarded with a breakout season from Josh Allen. While the NFL’s most famous Josh Allen, of course, is a quarterback with the Buffalo Bills, Jacksonville’s version is a quarterback’s worst nightmare.

His elite bend allows him to slip behind offensive linemen and corral the quarterback quickly. There are some technical inconsistencies in Allen’s games, but he is talented enough to overcome them, and his 17.5 sacks in 2023 prove that.

For his efforts this past year, Allen was rewarded with a five-year, $150 million contract, making him one of the highest-paid players at his position.

9 Bradley Chubb

Chubb’s status for 2024 is up in the air

Bradley Chubb’s 2023 season was cut short when he tore his ACL in the penultimate week of the regular season, putting his status for the 2024 campaign in jeopardy.

Up to that point, he had put together one of the most complete seasons of his career, and without Chubb’s presence, the Miami Dolphins defense looked like an incomplete unit. As he’s still in his late 20s, it’s possible that he can make a full recovery and return to the player he was for much of last season.

Still, there is a lot of projection involved in Chubb’s placement on this list.

10 Haason Reddick

Reddick could have a bounceback season in New York

The Philadelphia Eagles‘ defense took a step back collectively in 2023, which makes Haason Reddick’s dip in overall performance understandable, although he did still earn a second straight trip to the Pro Bowl.

The Eagles have had multiple ineffective defensive coordinators, and the team’s holes in the back seven became too obvious to ignore. Still, Reddick finished with over 10 sacks for the fourth consecutive season.

With Robert Saleh and a loaded New York Jets defense, Reddick finds himself in a similar situation with his new team as he did in 2022 when he finished fourth in the Defensive Player of the Year voting.

All stats courtesy of Pro Football Reference unless stated otherwise.