- Cleveland's Myles Garrett tops the list: Garrett finished as the NFL's top pass-rusher for the third consecutive season, leading the league in PFF pass-rush grade (92.8), total pressures (83), pass-rush win rate (23.1%) and pressure rate (18.1%).
- Detroit's Aidan Hutchinson cracks the top five: Hutchinson was on pace for a historic season before suffering fractured tibia and fibula injuries against Dallas in Week 6. The Pro Bowl edge defender was in a league of his own, recording 72 pass-rush wins, the most ever by a defensive player in the PFF era through the first six weeks of a season.
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Estimated Reading Time: 12 minutes
After breaking down the top quarterbacks and wide receivers earlier this week, PFF's positional rankings now shift to the defensive side of the ball.
In today’s NFL, edge defender has become one of the game’s premier positions, and the league is loaded with elite talent off the edge. This ranking was built using a comprehensive approach, factoring in career trajectory, advanced metrics and in-depth film evaluation to identify the top 32 edge defenders heading into the 2025 season. Here’s how they stack up.
Click below for PFF's other rankings:
QB | RB | WR | TE | T | G | C | DI | EDGE | LB | CB | S
1. Myles Garrett, Cleveland Browns
Garrett finished as the NFL's top pass-rusher for the third consecutive season, leading the league in PFF pass-rush grade (92.8), total pressures (83), pass-rush win rate (23.1%) and pressure rate (18.1%).
The future Hall of Famer also became the youngest player in NFL history to reach 100 career sacks and remains the only player to record 14 or more sacks in four straight seasons.
2. Micah Parsons, Dallas Cowboys
Parsons missed four games last season — the first absences of his NFL career due to injury — but still recorded at least 70 pressures for the fourth consecutive year. His 20.2% pass-rush win rate trailed only Myles Garrett.
Since entering the league, Parsons has been nearly unblockable, and he has earned a PFF pass-rush grade of 91.6 or higher in each of his four seasons.
3. T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh Steelers
Watt is best known for his pass-rushing prowess, which was on full display once again in 2024. His 90.1 PFF pass-rush grade marked the fifth time in six seasons he earned a grade of 90.0 or higher.
He also took home PFF Run Defender of the Year honors last season, backed by a 1.63-yard average depth of tackle and a 3.2% negatively graded play rate, the lowest among all box defenders in the NFL.
4. Nick Bosa, San Francisco 49ers
Bosa’s 89.3 PFF pass-rush grade was his lowest since his rookie season in 2019 — a testament to how dominant he has been through the first six years of his career. However, he still finished tied for third in pass-rush win rate (20.0%) and ranked fifth in total pressures (69).
5. Aidan Hutchinson, Detroit Lions
Hutchinson was on pace for a historic season before suffering fractured tibia and fibula injuries against Dallas in Week 6. The Pro Bowl edge defender was in a league of his own, recording 72 pass-rush wins, the most ever by a defensive player in the PFF era through the first six weeks of a season. Remarkably, he accomplished the feat in just five games, as Detroit had a bye in Week 5.
Heading into this season, Hutchinson will be a popular Defensive Player of the Year candidate for the division-favorite Detroit Lions.
6. Maxx Crosby, Las Vegas Raiders
Crosby had a down year by his standards in 2024, partly due to an ankle injury suffered in Week 2 against Baltimore that lingered throughout the season and ultimately required surgery.
His 74.3 PFF grade and 54 total pressures were his lowest marks since 2020. However, considering his previous three-year stretch, during which he never graded below 90.1 overall and averaged 94 pressures per season, a bounce-back campaign seems well within reach for the former All-Pro.
7. Trey Hendrickson, Cincinnati Bengals
The 2024 season was the best of Hendrickson’s career. He led the NFL with 17.5 sacks and tied Myles Garrett for the league lead with 83 total pressures, his fourth consecutive season with 70 or more. His 20.0% pass-rush win rate tied Nick Bosa for the third-best mark in the league.
8. Jared Verse, Los Angeles Rams
Verse established himself as one of the NFL’s premier pass-rushers en route to Defensive Rookie of the Year honors, finishing fourth in total pressures (77) and sixth in pass-rush win rate (19.6%). He also defended the run at a high level, earning an 81.0 PFF run-defense grade. Verse continued his strong play into the postseason, recording 12 pressures and two sacks across the Rams’ two playoff games.
9. Will Anderson Jr., Houston Texans
Anderson, the 2023 Defensive Rookie of the Year, elevated his game in Year 2, earning an 88.8 PFF overall grade — ninth among 119 qualifying edge defenders. He hit his stride late in the season, with four of his five highest-graded performances coming in Week 12 or later, including both playoff games.
10. Khalil Mack, Los Angeles Chargers
What Khalil Mack continues to do at age 33 is nothing short of remarkable. He earned a 90.2 overall PFF grade in 2024, ranking second among edge defenders in run-defense grade (87.7), behind only T.J. Watt. Mack also recorded 50-plus pressures for the 10th time in his career, the lone exception being 2021 when a season-ending foot injury limited him to just seven games.
11. Josh Allen, Jacksonville Jaguars
Hines-Allen has long been one of the NFL’s most underrated players, and 2024 was no exception. The former first-round pick out of Kentucky tied for ninth in the league with 63 total pressures, just one year removed from a career-high 90 in 2023.
12. Danielle Hunter, Houston Texans
After eight productive seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, Hunter signed with the Houston Texans as a free agent in March 2024. In his first year with the team, he ranked among the top 20 edge defenders in both pass-rush grade (81.1) and run-defense grade (73.2).
13. Alex Highsmith, Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers fielded the NFL’s best defensive line in 2024, and Alex Highsmith was a major factor. The fifth-year pro continued his ascent as one of the league’s top edge defenders, earning an 89.0 PFF grade — eighth among 119 qualifying players — despite missing time with an ankle injury. It marked the second consecutive season Highsmith ranked among the top 10 at his position.
14. Greg Rousseau, Buffalo Bills
Rousseau earned an 82.2 PFF grade in 2024, marking his third consecutive season with a grade of 80.0 or higher. He matched a career high with eight regular-season sacks and added two more in the playoffs, making it his most productive NFL campaign to date. The Bills rewarded him with a four-year, $80 million contract extension, including $54 million guaranteed.
15. Jonathan Greenard, Minnesota Vikings
Greenard and Danielle Hunter (No. 12 on this list) essentially swapped teams last season in a move that proved to be a win-win for both sides. Greenard thrived in Brian Flores’ defense, finishing the year with a 15.3% pass-rush win rate and ranking third in the NFL with 80 total pressures.
16. Brian Burns, New York Giants
Burns’ first season in New York was a success, as he posted a career-high 79.2 PFF grade, fueled by an 82.9 pass-rush grade and 61 total pressures — both the second-highest marks of his career.
17. Andrew Van Ginkel, Minnesota Vikings
Van Ginkel reunited with former Dolphins head coach Brian Flores in Minnesota and delivered the most productive season of his career, recording 50 pressures for the second straight year and a career-high 11.5 sacks. His pass-rushing numbers could have been even higher if not for his frequent coverage responsibilities — he dropped into coverage 212 times in 2024, by far the most among edge defenders. Still, with three pick-sixes over the past two seasons, it’s a skill set the Vikings are wise to utilize.
18. Jaelan Phillips, Miami Dolphins
Phillips, who ranked No. 10 on this list last year, suffered a torn ACL in Week 4, marking his second major injury in less than a year after tearing his Achilles in November 2023. He was dominant in just his second NFL season in 2022, finishing the year with an elite 90.1 PFF pass-rush grade.
The potential is undeniable with Phillips, who will very soon turn 26, but returning to form after back-to-back devastating injuries will be no easy task.
19. Rashan Gary, Green Bay Packers
Gary’s PFF overall grade has declined in each of the past three seasons after peaking at 89.8 in 2021, but he remains one of the NFL’s most complete edge defenders, and he’s still just 27 years old. The former Michigan Wolverine has also proven durable, not missing a game over the past two seasons.
20. Abdul Carter, New York Giants
Projecting rookie production is always tricky. However, Carter led the FBS in PFF pass-rush grade (92.4) and total pressures (66), and he also ranked in the top five in pass-rush win rate (22.6%). He has all the tools to make an immediate impact at the NFL level.
Carter has drawn comparisons to fellow Penn State alum Micah Parsons, who was elite as a rookie in 2021. Given his potential, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Carter crack the top 15 on this list next year.
21. Bradley Chubb, Miami Dolphins
Chubb suffered a torn ACL in late December 2023 and missed the entire 2024 season as a result. He was in the midst of his best year as a pro, setting career highs in pass-rush grade (84.9), run-defense grade (71.1), and coverage grade (88.5).
Like teammate Jaelan Phillips, Chubb is working to return from yet another serious injury. He previously tore his other ACL twice — once in high school and again in 2019 as a member of the Denver Broncos.
22. Carl Granderson, New Orleans Saints
After three underwhelming seasons to start his career, Granderson has developed into a consistently productive player over the past three years, earning an overall PFF grade of at least 74.1 in each. Known primarily for his run defense, he posted his best pass-rushing season in 2024, generating a career-high 61 total pressures.
23. Nik Bonitto, Denver Broncos
Bonitto has steadily improved through his first three NFL seasons, boosting his PFF grade from 52.4 as a rookie in 2022 to 78.7 in 2024. He ranked third in the league with 13.5 sacks and earned the highest coverage grade among edge defenders at 92.6.
24. Yaya Diaby, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Diaby made a significant leap in his second season, improving his PFF grade from 60.8 as a rookie in 2023 to 78.0 in 2024. He ranked among the top 15 edge defenders in both pass-rush grade (79.4) and run-defense grade (74.8), finishing the year with 65 total pressures and a 17.4% pass-rush win rate.
25. Josh Sweat, Arizona Cardinals
Sweat capped off a stellar seven-year run with the Eagles by recording 2.5 sacks in the Super Bowl, then signed with the Arizona Cardinals as a free agent in March. He showed improvement against the run in 2024, earning a 67.8 grade after posting a career-low 54.2 in 2023.
26. Odafe Oweh, Baltimore Ravens
Including the playoffs, Oweh set career highs in sacks (11), quarterback hits (16), and total pressures (55) last season. The Ravens picked up his fifth-year option in April 2024, giving him plenty to play for ahead of free agency in 2026.
27. Chop Robinson, Miami Dolphins
Robinson had an impressive rookie season, ranking sixth in the NFL with an 18.8% pass-rush win rate and leading the Dolphins with 56 total pressures. Already an established pass-rusher, he’ll need to improve his run defense — he earned a 55.4 grade in that area last season — to take the next step in his development.
28. Nolan Smith, Philadelphia Eagles
Smith served as a backup on a loaded Eagles defense during his rookie season in 2023, logging just 203 snaps. In Year 2, he became an every-down contributor for the Super Bowl champions, playing 755 snaps over the entire campaign.
Smith graded better against the run (74.0) than as a pass-rusher (68.3) but still managed to generate 50 pressures. With Josh Sweat departing for the Arizona Cardinals in free agency, Smith will face increased pressure to lead the Eagles’ edge unit moving forward.
29. Za'Darius Smith, Free Agent
Smith, who turns 33 in September and is currently a free agent, remains one of the NFL’s most productive edge defenders. He ranked seventh in pass-rush win rate last season at 18.7%, his third consecutive year above 18.0% after missing all but one game in 2021 due to back surgery.
30. Kyle Van Noy, Baltimore Ravens
Like Smith, Van Noy is a veteran who is still producing at a high level late in his career. The 34-year-old recorded a career-high 12.5 sacks in 2024, ranking fourth in the NFL.
After playing for three teams between 2020 and 2022, Van Noy has found a home in Baltimore. He has earned a PFF overall grade of at least 75.0 and recorded 53 or more pressures in each of the past two seasons.
31. Montez Sweat, Chicago Bears
Sweat’s first full season in Chicago wasn’t quite on par with his tenure in Washington — he earned a 65.6 PFF grade in 2024 after grading no lower than 74.8 from 2020 to 2023 — but he still led the Bears with 49 total pressures. It marked the fourth time in six seasons he’s reached that threshold. Since entering the league in 2019, Sweat has consistently performed at a high level against the run.
32. Nick Herbig, Pittsburgh Steelers
No player embodied the “pass-rushing specialist” role better than Herbig in 2024. The second-year pro was elite in limited snaps, earning a 91.5 PFF pass-rush grade — fourth among 109 qualifying edge defenders. However, he struggled against the run, grading out at 48.2 (101st), and will need to improve in that area to move up this list next season.
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