• Myles Garrett paces the pack: The 2023 Defensive Player of the Year posted career highs in run stops (22) and tackles for loss or no gain (13), and he tied for third with four forced fumbles.
• Micah Parsons, Nick Bosa round out the top three: Both earned 90.0-plus PFF grades and surpassed 100 quarterback pressures in 2023.
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Estimated Reading Time: 7 minutes
Before we go full steam ahead into free agency and the 2024 NFL Draft, we’re taking one last look at the top players in the NFL at each position.
Here were the top 20 edge defenders in the NFL by overall PFF grade in 2023.
Click below to view other positions:
1. Myles Garrett, Cleveland Browns: 93.6
| Sacks | Hits | Hurries | Total Pressures | Win Rate | Pressure Rate |
| 15 | 14 | 60 | 89 | 27.3% | 18.2% |
Garrett gave blockers fits all season, leading his position in pass-rush win rate. He posted career highs in run stops (22) and tackles for loss or no gain (13), and he tied for third with four forced fumbles.
2. Micah Parsons, Dallas Cowboys: 92.4
| Sacks | Hits | Hurries | Total Pressures | Win Rate | Pressure Rate |
| 16 | 19 | 71 | 106 | 24.2% | 21.5% |
Parsons excels at getting into the backfield. He has 14-plus sacks in each of his three NFL seasons and has recorded more than 100 total pressures in two consecutive campaigns. Parsons led all edge rushers in pressure rate and pass-rushing productivity (12.6) in 2023 while finishing second in pass-rush win rate.
3. Nick Bosa, San Francisco 49ers: 92.2
| Sacks | Hits | Hurries | Total Pressures | Win Rate | Pressure Rate |
| 16 | 31 | 75 | 122 | 21.8% | 18.6% |
Bosa went on a tear in the second half of the season, recording 12 sacks and 78 pressures after Week 10 (first). He led all edge defenders in total pressures and tallied 46 total stops (tied for fifth). He has tallied 14 or more sacks in each full season he’s played in.
4. Maxx Crosby, Las Vegas Raiders: 92.0
| Sacks | Hits | Hurries | Total Pressures | Win Rate | Pressure Rate |
| 15 | 15 | 64 | 94 | 15.5% | 14.9% |
Crosby owns consecutive 15-sack seasons and finished fourth in total pressures in 2023. He also increased his pressure rate from 2022 (13.2%). He batted two passes, giving him 14 for his career, and led all edge players in run-defense grade (92.7).
5. T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh Steelers: 91.9
| Sacks | Hits | Hurries | Total Pressures | Win Rate | Pressure Rate |
| 20 | 19 | 47 | 86 | 16.9% | 16.7% |
Watt recorded the second 20-sack season of his career, with 10 of them coming on third- and fourth-down plays (tied for first). He batted six passes (tied for first), giving him four or more in five straight seasons. Watt also forced four fumbles and recovered three, topping all edge players in both categories.
6. Khalil Mack, Los Angeles Chargers: 91.8
| Sacks | Hits | Hurries | Total Pressures | Win Rate | Pressure Rate |
| 18 | 11 | 59 | 88 | 18.2% | 17.3% |
Mack set career highs in sacks and batted passes (six) at 32 years old in 2023. He finished in the top three in forced fumbles (six) and tackles for loss or no gain (15) while recording his first season with over 70 total pressures since 2019. Mack played 606 snaps at rush linebacker (65%) and graded out as the second-best edge defender from that alignment (90.7).
7. Andrew Van Ginkel, Miami Dolphins: 91.1
| Sacks | Hits | Hurries | Total Pressures | Win Rate | Pressure Rate |
| 8 | 13 | 32 | 53 | 18.1% | 17.5% |
Van Ginkel racked up 50-plus quarterback pressures and ranked second among edge defenders in coverage grade. He was targeted 15 times, picked off one pass, broke up four others and led all edge players in forced incompletion rate (26.7%). Van Ginkel also recorded five batted passes, giving him 14 for his career.
8. Aidan Hutchinson, Detroit Lions: 91.0
| Sacks | Hits | Hurries | Total Pressures | Win Rate | Pressure Rate |
| 14 | 28 | 79 | 121 | 21.0% | 18.0% |
Hutchinson closed out the year with eight sacks in his final five games. His pass-rush win and pressure rates skyrocketed from his rookie season (12.4% win rate, 9.9% pressure rate), and he finished in the top three among edge players in total pressures. Hutchinson recorded 38 total stops, forced three fumbles and batted five passes in 2023.
9. DeMarcus Lawrence, Dallas Cowboys: 91.0
| Sacks | Hits | Hurries | Total Pressures | Win Rate | Pressure Rate |
| 4 | 5 | 39 | 48 | 14.5% | 13.2% |
Lawrence graded out as a top-four edge defender from a rush linebacker alignment (90.1). He finished second among all edge defenders in run-defense grade (92.2), too. In run defense, he recorded 27 stops at a rate of 11.4%, in addition to 14 tackles for loss or no gain.
10. Alex Highsmith, Pittsburgh Steelers: 90.0
| Sacks | Hits | Hurries | Total Pressures | Win Rate | Pressure Rate |
| 8 | 12 | 52 | 72 | 18.0% | 14.4% |
Highsmith played 798 snaps at rush linebacker in 2023 — the fourth most among edge defenders. His sack total dropped from 2022 (15), but he still recorded career highs in pass-rush win rate and pressure rate. Highsmith ranked third among edge defenders in coverage grade after allowing 77 yards and notching two picks, a forced incompletion and a pass breakup on 11 targets.
11. Josh Allen, Jacksonville Jaguars: 89.5
| Sacks | Hits | Hurries | Total Pressures | Win Rate | Pressure Rate |
| 18 | 17 | 54 | 89 | 20.5% | 18.1% |
Allen closed out his rookie contract with his best season yet as a pass rusher (87.2). He ranked in the top five among edge defenders in sacks and total pressures while finishing in the top 10 in pass-rush win rate and pressure rate. Allen recorded 40 total stops (eighth most) and led Jacksonville’s edge group in run-defense grade (73.2).
12. Bradley Chubb, Miami Dolphins: 88.8
| Sacks | Hits | Hurries | Total Pressures | Win Rate | Pressure Rate |
| 13 | 13 | 44 | 70 | 16.6% | 15.7% |
Chubb notched his highest sack total since his rookie season while setting career highs in total pressures, win rate and pressure rate. He led all edge defenders in coverage grade after allowing only 10 yards on five targets. Chubb tore his ACL in Week 17 against Baltimore, putting his availability for the 2024 season in question. He turns 28 this offseason and still projects to be in the prime of his career if he makes a full recovery.
13. Greg Rousseau, Buffalo Bills: 87.1
| Sacks | Hits | Hurries | Total Pressures | Win Rate | Pressure Rate |
| 7 | 14 | 41 | 62 | 16.0% | 15.7% |
Rousseau ranked 10th in run-defense grade at the position, recording 19 stops at a rate of 8.7%. He led the Bills in pressure rate, and his pressure totals have gradually increased in each of his three NFL seasons.
14. Samson Ebukam, Indianapolis Colts: 84.4
| Sacks | Hits | Hurries | Total Pressures | Win Rate | Pressure Rate |
| 10 | 8 | 29 | 47 | 14.4% | 10.9% |
Ebukam set career highs in sacks and win rate in his first year in Indianapolis, also leading the team’s edge group in total pressures. Ebukam ranked ninth in run-defense grade among edge defenders, recording a stop rate of 9.0%. He tallied 38 total stops and finished third on the team with 11 tackles for loss or no gain.
15. Brandon Graham, Philadelphia Eagles: 84.0
| Sacks | Hits | Hurries | Total Pressures | Win Rate | Pressure Rate |
| 5 | 2 | 23 | 30 | 19.5% | 13.3% |
Graham led Philadelphia’s edge rushers in pass-rush win rate and pressure rate in his age-35 season. He ranked third among the group in total stops (13) and led the way in run-defense grade (72.1).
16. Markus Golden, Pittsburgh Steelers: 83.5
| Sacks | Hits | Hurries | Total Pressures | Win Rate | Pressure Rate |
| 5 | 6 | 4 | 16 | 17.0% | 14.3% |
Golden completed his first season in Pittsburgh after spending most of his nine-year career in Arizona. He played in a reduced role (270 total defensive snaps) but still set career marks in overall grade and pass-rush win rate. Golden posted his highest pressure rate since 2020 (15.9%) while recording nine stops and four tackles for loss or no gain in run defense.
17. Za’Darius Smith, Cleveland Browns: 83.1
| Sacks | Hits | Hurries | Total Pressures | Win Rate | Pressure Rate |
| 6 | 15 | 40 | 61 | 18.1% | 16.2% |
The Browns acquired Smith via trade from Minnesota last offseason, and while he recorded his first single-digit sack season since 2017 and will be 32 in 2024, he still ranked 11th among edge defenders in pass-rush win rate and third in PFF grade from a rush linebacker alignment (90.4). He recorded 19 total stops but led Cleveland’s edge group in missed tackle rate (22%).
18. Jermaine Johnson, New York Jets: 83.0
| Sacks | Hits | Hurries | Total Pressures | Win Rate | Pressure Rate |
| 9 | 7 | 40 | 56 | 12.3% | 13.3% |
Johnson made a leap in Year 2, leading the Jets’ edge group in total stops (31) and tackles for loss or no gain (11). He finished second on the team in sacks, batted three passes and forced an incompletion on his lone coverage target.
19. Jadeveon Clowney, Baltimore Ravens: 82.9
| Sacks | Hits | Hurries | Total Pressures | Win Rate | Pressure Rate |
| 11 | 10 | 57 | 78 | 16.8% | 15.4% |
Clowney signed a one-year deal with Baltimore after spending the past two seasons in Cleveland. He recorded 11 sacks for the second time in three years and batted four passes. Clowney set career highs in pass-rush win rate and pressure rate while finishing ninth among all edge players in run-stop rate (9.6%). He led Baltimore’s edge group in total pressures (78), stops (28) and tackles for loss or no gain (seven).
20. Derek Barnett, Houston Texans: 82.4
| Sacks | Hits | Hurries | Total Pressures | Win Rate | Pressure Rate |
| 4 | 10 | 8 | 22 | 14.7% | 11.2% |
The Eagles waived Barnett at the end of November, ending a near-seven-year tenure with the team. He was claimed by Houston and found new life as a Texan. From Week 13 on, Barnett ranked 10th among edge defenders in overall grade (87.7). He also placed second among Houston’s edge group in win rate (18.0%) and led the way with 15 total stops and eight tackles for loss or no gain.
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