We're now six games through the 2019 NFL season, and the standout players around the NFL are starting to make themselves known. Last week, we looked at the league's highest-graded offensive linemen, wide receivers and cornerbacks, so we'll kick off this week by looking at our highest-graded pass-rushers through six weeks of NFL play.
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1. Khalil Mack, EDGE, Chicago Bears
Mack has been a force off the edge for the Bears in his second season in Chicago and leads all edge defenders with a 91.5 PFF pass-rushing grade through six weeks. From 191 pass-rushing snaps, he has racked up five sacks, two hits and 21 hurries.
2. Myles Garrett, EDGE, Cleveland Browns
With general disappointment centered around the Browns' 2-4 record, it almost feels like Garrett’s impressive season is flying under the radar. His 90.9 pass-rushing grade ranks second at the position, as do his eight sacks.
3. Aaron Donald, DI, Los Angeles Rams
Donald started the season slowly but has gotten back to his best in recent weeks. Fifteen of his 30 pressures on the season so far have come in the past two weeks, with the former 13th overall selection producing a PFF pass-rush grade of 91.0 or higher in both games.
4. J.J. Watt, EDGE, Houston Texans
Despite the injuries that slowed him down for several years, Watt is back among the best in the NFL off the edge. His 39 total pressures when lined up on the edge are tied for the most in the NFL through six weeks.
5. Calais Campbell, DI, Jacksonville Jaguars
Campbell has kicked back inside this season, and the results have been just as impressive. His 31 total pressures through six weeks are the most among players on the defensive interior.
6. Stephon Tuitt, DI, Pittsburgh Steelers
Tuitt’s season has just been ended through injury, cutting short the best season of his career to date. From 168 pass-rushing snaps in 2019, he had delivered four sacks, two hits and 12 hurries.
7. Chandler Jones, EDGE, Arizona Cardinals
Jones has bounced back from a slightly disappointing 2018 season that saw him rack up just 42 total pressures. Through just six games he is already beyond half of that total, registering five sacks, a hit and 20 hurries on 210 pass-rushing snaps.
8. Joey Bosa, EDGE, Los Angeles Chargers
The first of two Bosa brothers on the list, Joey has been tough for opposing offensive linemen to handle in 2019. From 165 pass-rushing snaps, he has produced four sacks, four hits and 15 hurries.
9. Grady Jarrett, DI, Atlanta Falcons
Jarrett has justified his new contract with an impressive start to the 2019 season. He has produced two sacks, three hits and nine hurries from 187 pass-rushing snaps, and has added a pair of forced fumbles.
10. T.J. Watt, EDGE, Pittsburgh Steelers
The second Watt on the list, the Steelers edge rusher is enjoying the best pass-rushing season of his three-year career so far in 2019. Through six games, he has produced an 83.9 PFF pass-rushing grade, up from 78.7 in his second season.
11. Chris Jones, DI, Kansas City Chiefs
Jones missed the Chiefs loss to the Texans on Sunday but has still managed to impress as a pass-rusher. From 168 pass-rushing snaps, he has been responsible for two sacks, seven hits and 13 hurries in 2019.
12. Nick Bosa, EDGE, San Francisco 49ers
With four sacks, seven hits and 19 hurries from 119 pass-rushing snaps while lined up on the edge, the rookie leads all players who have played at least 30 pass-rushing snaps with a 14.3 pass-rushing productivity rating.
13. Fletcher Cox, DI, Philadelphia Eagles
Consistently one of the top interior rushers in the NFL, it has been no different for Cox in 2019. He may not have recorded a sack yet, but with four hits and 24 hurries, his 28 total pressures rank third at the position through six weeks.
14. Kyle Van Noy, EDGE, New England Patriots
Van Noy’s emergence as one of the top pass-rushers in the NFL has been impressive so far this season. With four sacks, three hits and 18 hurries on 130 pass-rushing snaps so far this season, he has produced an 11.2 pass-rushing productivity.
15. D.J. Reader, DI, Houston Texans
Reader was always a good run defender, but he has taken a big step forward as a pass-rusher so far this season. From 142 pass-rushing snaps in 2019, he has generated three sacks, a hit and 12 hurries.
16. Preston Smith, EDGE, Green Bay Packers
Smith has proven himself to be an impressive signing for the Packers this season, ranking ninth among edge defenders with a pass-rushing productivity rating of 11.1. From 153 snaps lined up on the edge, he has racked up seven sacks, four hits and 16 hurries.
17. Robert Quinn, EDGE, Dallas Cowboys
Quinn is enjoying something of a career resurgence in Dallas this year, racking up five sacks, a hit and 11 hurries from 109 snaps lined up on the edge.
17. Everson Griffen, EDGE, Minnesota Vikings
Griffen has been a force off the edge once again for the Vikings in 2019, with his 36 total pressures, coming in the form of three sacks, eight hits and 25 hurries when lined up on the edge, tied for the second-most pressures at the position.
19. Brandon Graham, EDGE, Philadelphia Eagles
Graham has maintained his position as one of the most productive edge defenders in the NFL, ranking 11th at the position with a 10.9 pass-rushing productivity rating. So far in 2019, he has registered four sacks, five hits and 27 hurries.
20. Danielle Hunter, EDGE, Minnesota Vikings
Hunter has racked up six sacks, six hits and 27 hurries on 201 pass-rushing snaps so far this season, good for a 11.2 pass-rushing productivity rating that ranks eighth among all edge defenders with at least 30 pass-rushing snaps.
21. Shaquil Barrett, EDGE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Barrett has come back down to earth somewhat in the past two weeks, failing to register a sack, hit or hurry against the Saints or Panthers. He does still lead the NFL in sacks, though, and he has registered 25 total pressures on 226 pass-rushing snaps.
22. Terrell Suggs, EDGE, Arizona Cardinals
The old man evidently has still got it. After arriving in Arizona as a free agent this offseason, Suggs is currently on pace for his highest PFF pass-rushing grade in a single season. From 171 pass-rushing snaps, he has racked up five sacks, two hits and 12 hurries.
23. Kenny Clark, DI, Green Bay Packers
Clark has once again proved a nightmare for interior offensive linemen to handle in 2019, racking up 26 total pressures on 206 pass-rushing snaps. He hasn't registered a sack or hit since Week 2, but he has produced at least three hurries each of the past four weeks.
24. Maliek Collins, DI, Dallas Cowboys
In his fourth year out of Nebraska, Collins is enjoying the best season of his career so far as a pass-rusher. His career-high in single-season pressure coming into the year was 31 total pressures, but through six weeks he is already just 11 shy of that mark.
25. Jadeveon Clowney, EDGE, Seattle Seahawks
Clowney started the year slow but has kicked on in recent weeks, registering 14 total pressures over the past three games. Now all he needs are his sack numbers to increase, with his lone takedown so far this season coming in the season opener.
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