• Abdul Carter is the next Penn State freak pass-rusher: He is green on pass-rush plans beyond being really fast, but even that yielded a 24.8% pass-rush win rate in 2023 — the FBS' third-highest rate among all edge defenders and linebackers.
• Nic Scourton’s pass-rush moves are well beyond his years: Scourton loves to hit his offensive tackles with a spin move, something not many have mastered as well as the true junior.
• Dominate fantasy football season with promo code PFF25: Unlock all of PFF's fantasy content and tools, including full access to the fantasy football mock draft simulator, for 25% off using promo code PFF25.
Estimated Reading Time: 6 minutes
We’re staying in the trenches for our latest 2025 NFL Draft superlatives piece, this time highlighting the edge rusher group. It’s a deep list of prospects with plenty of speed and power traits to boast.
BEST PASS-RUSH MOVES: NIC SCOURTON, TEXAS A&M
Of all the pass-rushers we watched this summer, Scourton brings the deepest pass-rush bag right now, evidenced by his 91.0 pass-rush grade in 2023.
It helps that he is aligned in a wide 7-technique spot, where his angle to the quarterback is softened, but he makes the most of that advantage by having the pass-rush acumen to attack both shoulders of the offensive tackle as they attempt to kick slide in front of him.
Scourton loves to hit his offensive tackles with a spin move, something not many have mastered as well as the true junior. He also has effective reps with cross-chop, push-pull and rip variations. At 6-foot-4 and 280 pounds, Scourton's pass-rush approach at his size makes him tough to stay in front of.
BEST FIRST STEP: ABDUL CARTER, PENN STATE
This was a tough choice between Penn State’s Abdul Carter and Tennessee’s James Pearce Jr., but Carter has some reps where he truly goes from zero to 100 in the span of two steps.
At 6-foot-3 and now 260 pounds, Carter was an off-ball linebacker for Penn State in the previous two seasons, but he is moving to the edge full-time in 2024. He is green on pass-rush plans beyond being really fast, but even that yielded a 24.8% pass-rush win rate in 2023 — the FBS' third-highest rate among all edge defenders and linebackers.
BEST TWITCH: PRINCELY UMANMIELEN, OLE MISS
The speed guys, Carter and Pearce, were once again in consideration here, but Umanmielen has them beat here. He isn’t quite as explosive in a straight line and doesn’t match their top speed, but when it comes to change-of-direction explosiveness and lateral agility, Umanmielen is so difficult for offensive linemen to match.
He recorded a strong 20.7% pass-rush win rate in 2023, and while he looks a bit out of control at times with his speed, that can be honed and taught. The twitchy part is the rare aspect of his game that is worth coveting.
BEST BEND: JAMES PEARCE JR., TENNESSEE
We’ve mentioned Pearce already a few times above in the speed categories. Now it’s time for him to get his own superlative. At 6-foot-5 and 242 pounds, Pearce is a speed demon off the edge. When he times the snap right, very few offensive tackles in college football, if any, can stay in front of him. When he gets even with the outside shoulders, he can dip his shoulder under the arms of the offensive tackle yet maintain speed and acceleration while cornering to get to the ball. Pearce earned an elite 91.9 PFF pass-rush grade in 2023.
BEST HANDS: JACK SAWYER, OHIO STATE
Ohio State’s Jack Sawyer might just be the “safest” edge rusher prospect in the draft. That’s not to say he doesn’t have a decently high ceiling, but his floor is so elevated and reliable, and a big reason for that is his consistent hand usage.
Whether it’s a long arm, a bull rush or just holding the line in run defense, Sawyer is rarely out of position and rarely caught with bad technique. He earned an 86.0 pass-rush grade and an 86.6 run-defense grade in 2023, highlighting how well-rounded his game is.
BEST POWER: ASHTON GILLOTTE, LOUISVILLE
At 6-foot-3 and 275 pounds, Gillotte is a bull of an edge rusher for a 4-3 scheme. With his hands in the dirt, he can get low and fire out of his stance with a ton of power from his leg drive, which is imposing and tough for an offensive tackle to anchor.
Gillotte competed in the state championship weightlifting competition in high school and was even a highly ranked CrossFit athlete. To put his strength in perspective, he’s one of the few edge rushers in this class who not only attempted but pulled off the famous Reggie White “hump” move, forklifting offensive tackles off the ground. NFL teams will love how physicality is the cornerstone of his game.
BEST IN RUN DEFENSE: MYKEL WILLIAMS, GEORGIA
Williams is getting some hype as a potential No. 1 overall pick for the 2025 NFL Draft. He needs to improve as a pass-rusher, but his run-defense abilities are ready for the pros.
Georgia had Williams aligned as a defensive end anywhere from a 4i to a 5-technique last season. As such, his primary objective was controlling the line of scrimmage in run defense. He is strong for his weight, at 6-foot-5 and 265 pounds, with long arms that give offensive tackles fits when they are trying to get hands on him and move him off the line. He is also very quick to stack and shed to get into the backfield or make tackles at the line of scrimmage. Williams should be used more this year as a wider edge rusher to improve his pass-rush potential.
MOST VERSATILE: LANDON JACKSON, ARKANSAS
Jackson is listed at 6-foot-7 and 280 pounds. Some summer measurement reports have him closer to 6-foot-6 and 270 pounds, but those measurables are still what makes him such a versatile player. He can also kick inside to a 3-technique spot on occasion to give guard fits with his length. He has no problem putting his hand in the dirt as a 4- or 5-technique defensive end, and he is even comfortable in a two-point stance as an outside linebacker in a 6- or 7-technique alignment.
Jackson needs to improve his hand usage, but when he has them in the right place, he can be a tough assignment for guards, tackles and tight ends trying to stay in front of him.
© 2024 PFF - all rights reserved.