As the 2023 NFL Draft approaches, teams are honing in on their strategies for selecting the best players to add to their rosters. One position that always garners a lot of attention is edge rusher, as the ability to disrupt opposing quarterbacks is crucial in today's pass-heavy game. With that in mind, let's take a closer look at some of the top edge rushers in this year's draft class, and what makes them stand out from the pack. From their physical tools to their on-field production, these prospects are sure to make an impact at the next level.
Will Anderson
Alabama
Grade: Top-5
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Will Anderson Jr. is a highly touted American football player from the University of Alabama, with a draft profile that reflects his impressive achievements. As a high school senior, he was already a top-50 prospect on ESPN's board, and he signed up with the renowned Alabama Crimson Tide. He immediately became a key player and went on to finish fifth in Heisman voting and win the Bronko Nagurski Trophy in 2021, awarded to the country's best defensive player.
Despite not having the size of other top prospects, Anderson has established himself as an imposing player on the field. In his first year, he logged seven sacks and 10.5 tackles for loss, and in his second year, he dominated the field with 17.5 sacks and 31 tackles for loss. His scouting report highlights his many strengths, including his high-end athleticism and elite physical talent, his lateral and vertical explosiveness, and his light feet, which enable him to move quickly and efficiently through congested areas.
Anderson's play strength and power capacity for his frame are also impressive, as evidenced by his strong hands that allow him to control reps and knock back power at the point of attack. His balance, leverage, and hand usage are all advanced for his age, with his unrelenting motor as his strongest attribute. Anderson's pursuit skills are equally impressive, as he reads the run well and consistently wraps up with reliable tackling skills.
Despite his many strengths, Anderson has a few areas in which he could improve. His frame is lighter than average, and he could be locked up in 1-on-1 situations. He also needs to work on his bend and sinking capacity, as he sometimes pops up too upright out of his stance, and his hips can lock up at the apex. Moreover, he has minor stiffness when changing directions in space at times.
Will Anderson Jr. is a blue-chip football player with a bright future ahead of him. His strengths far outweigh his areas for improvement, and with continued dedication to his craft, he is sure to make a name for himself in the sport. Anderson seems like a lock to go within the first few picks of the NFL Draft, and become the first non-QB taken.
Myles Murphy
Clemson
Grade: Top-10
Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
Myles Murphy is a Clemson junior majoring in construction science and management, who aspires to become an architect. His long-term ambition does not, however, detract from his current profession as an “architect of defensive dominance”. He was a five-star recruit in the 2020 class, and his impressive performances in his freshman and sophomore seasons have led him to declare for the NFL draft.
Murphy’s physical attributes and athleticism make him a lock as first-round pick. He has a strong, compact frame, great length, and is an explosive athlete with a torrid first step. He also has high-end lateral burst and a high energy level that enables him to cover a lot of ground, and he is effective in stunts.
Murphy’s power, including his elite power capacity, is a key strength of his game. His strength and power allow him to set the edge in run defense, extend into his opponent’s torso and rip down anchors with force. Murphy also has good ankle flexion, which allows him to execute rip moves.
Murphy’s execution is another aspect of his game that has been improving over time. He has expanded his hand usage and counter arsenal as the 2021 season went on. His hand moves are fast, violent, and forceful, and he has shown the ability to stack combos across reps. These details are crucial for the proper utilization of a pass-rush move.
Overall, Murphy’s physical attributes, athleticism, power, and execution make him an easy first-round pick in the NFL draft. He is a promising talent who has produced impressive results throughout his football career with Clemson that includes 20 career sacks, and nearly 100 pressures. At just 21 years old, Murphy is one of the younger pass rushers in this draft class which will also be enticing to NFL general managers. Murphy will be a dominant player early in his career.
Tyree Wilson
Texas Tech
Grade: Top-15
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The NFL draft in 2022 saw Travon Walker rise unexpectedly to become the first overall pick. His raw power and athleticism were highly valued despite his lack of elite production. This has led analysts to search for the next surprise first-round contender in the upcoming NFL draft. Tyree Wilson, an Edge Rusher from Texas Tech, is not Travon Walker, but he possesses two high-upside traits that put him in the same category - length and power. With his scouting report, could he be the next surprise first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft?
Wilson's size and functional athleticism are remarkable, and his range of outcomes is vast. At 6'6" and 275 pounds, with arms nearly 36" long, Wilson's dominating wingspan allows him to generate disruption on the edge while rotating inside to 3-technique, providing additional value. His explosive capacity enables him to surge through gaps and pressure blockers on stunts. Moreover, he has the ability to control his acceleration and throttle up into the apex with long, powerful strides.
Although Wilson is more of a linear athlete overall, he has serviceable agility and twitch. He's a surprisingly fleet-footed mover and can use modest lateral twitch to displace tackles and bait them into extending early. Furthermore, Wilson flashes impressive lateral agility when shading around moving blocks to invade gaps.
Wilson's otherworldly power capacity, however, is his chief foundational trait. He generates dominating power with full extensions and can sustain power exertion with steady leg drive. His hands have extreme knock-back power, and he consistently drives blockers back on initial contact.
Wilson has the raw strength to hold blocks from inside while surveying option plays, then rip himself free to commit in pursuit. As a pass rusher, he can wrench down opposing anchors and extensions with devastating force. Additionally, he can lock his anchor into place and steamroll linemen into the pocket with overwhelming strength. He improved at getting his base under him as the season progressed and has the ability to sink his pads and drive power.
Tyree Wilson is expected to go early in the first round of the NFL Draft, simply because of the tremendous size and power he brings to the position. Most analysts say he will play edge, but he can also shift inside as a 3-tech defensive tackle with the ability to generate interior pressure in NASCAR packages. That flexibility makes him an intriguing prospect to defensive coordinators with multiple pass rushers. His ability to be multiple is going to be a huge bonus to a team that drafts him.
Lukas Van Ness
Iowa
Grade: 1st-Rd
Icon Sportswire
Despite never starting a game at Iowa, Lukas Van Ness quickly gained recognition for being Iowa's most dynamic force on the defensive front, amassing seven sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss as a redshirt freshman in 2021. He continued to impress in 2022, finishing the season with 10.5 tackles for loss and six sacks. Van Ness is a versatile prospect who has the size, mass, and length to line up at 5-tech, or get after the quartback as a stand-up rusher. He has an impressive arsenal of skills, including athleticism, burst, length, power, and flexibility that will make him a valuable asset to any team.
Van Ness has an exceptional physique, standing at 6’5” and weighing 275 pounds, with arms over 34” long, which gives him the ability to rotate inside situationally and play in various positions. He carries his size well and has the core strength, power, and leverage acquisition that allows him to execute his moves effectively. He is an explosive athlete with build-up speed and foot quickness that he uses to shock blockers with the force he generates from interior alignments. He fits well as a 3-4 defensive end, though likely not best utilized as a 3-technique pass rusher. Van Ness has the ability to stress tackles with his burst and can generate quantifiably elite raw power, which is overwhelming on the edge.
One of Van Ness's strengths is his flexibility. He is an exceptionally twitched-up rusher who can feign inside moves before suddenly redirecting outside again. With his short-area athleticism, he can load additional power into contact, which makes him difficult for blockers to stop. Moreover, he has the lateral agility to quickly offset and displace blockers off the snap, which makes him an elusive target for opposing teams. Van Ness is a disciplined run defender who holds his ground consistently, and his hand strength can be overwhelming in this setting.
Van Ness still has room to grow as a pass rusher, but he has flashed the ability to multitask around the edge. He can hit a cross-chop-rip combo while using ankle flexion to pinch the corner and will attempt swims as well. Van Ness can use swats to widen blockers’ hands, then violently extend inside the torso and plow blockers back with leg drive. He'll actively replace his hands to sustain this leg drive, and he's shown he can feign upfield off the snap to set up power rushes.
Van Ness is a relentless rusher coming downhill who consistently fights through contact and uses his length to close plays. He has a high motor and is a potential force in pursuit due to his size and closing speed. Van Ness projects to play multiple positions in the NFL, with confidence in his ability to excel whether off the edge or as an interior pass rusher. He will be a first round pick come April.
BJ Ojulari
LSU
Grade: 2nd Rd
PHOTO BY: Jonathan Mailhes
As a high school player in Georgia, BJ put up remarkable numbers, tallying 335 tackles, 78 for loss, 33 sacks, four forced fumbles, and five fumble recoveries across three seasons. As a senior in 2019, he set Marietta High School’s record for sacks, leading his team to a state championship. BJ left high school as a highly sought-after four-star prospect, receiving offers from football powerhouses like Alabama, Clemson, and Georgia. His physical attributes were put to use immediately at LSU, and he made an impact right away.
As a lighter edge rusher, Ojulari wins with speed. His first-step explosion jolts opponents, and his sudden change-of-direction ability allows him to disappear from one gap to another. Ojulari visibly came with a pass-rush plan, setting up linemen and almost always working the outside shoulder. He showcased a beautiful ghost move, feinting his inside hand to force the blocker to extend before recoiling and dipping under. Additionally, he has the ankle and hip flexion to bend the edge and explode toward the quarterback. Ojulari can play in a two- or three-point stance but is at his best in a wide alignment. That gives him a runway to convert his speed to power, which he has done consistently.
Ojulari can play in a two- or three-point stance, but he is most effective in a wide alignment. He has already displayed a long-arm bull-rush technique that was better than his brother’s play in college. Ojulari's motor is unquestionable, often generating second and even third-effort pressures and sacks. He is nimble on his feet in run defense, chasing down running backs and quarterbacks sideline to sideline with ease. Additionally, Ojulari proved he could use a blocker's momentum against them and is a reliable tackler. There is still room for improvement in his game, but Ojulari's potential makes him a highly-touted prospect in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Nolan Smith
Georgia
Grade: 2nd Round
APPhoto-Brett Davis
Georgia senior Nolan Smith is one of the most promising prospects for the 2023 NFL Draft. Standing at 6'2 and 238 pounds, Smith is an explosive and agile athlete, with impressive testing numbers from the NFL Combine, including a 4.39 40-yard dash, a 41.5" vertical, and a 10'8" broad jump. Smith is a versatile edge rusher, with exceptional lateral mobility and short-area agility, and shows glimpses of multitasking. His hands are amped up and possess surprising knock-back power, and he has the speed off the ball and serviceable length to work speed to power and stack rips in quick succession.
In his true junior year, Smith put up impressive numbers, with 53 tackles, eight tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, and three forced fumbles in 14 starts, alongside other talented defensive players such as Travon Walker, Jordan Davis, and Devonte Wyatt. After Week 8, Smith was lost for the rest of the 2022 season due to a torn pectoral. Despite this setback, Smith triumphantly announced his return at the NFL Combine where he blew evaluators away with his speed and explosiveness.
Smith's competitive makeup is impressive, as he has a tough, proactive mentality in run defense and shows effortless leverage acquisition, which he uses to control reps. He is a phenomenal run defender who is stronger than his frame suggests, with the flexibility and natural balance to absorb blocks. Moreover, Smith can violently rip down opposing anchors after assuming control. Smith's athletic traits lend him impressive pass-rushing upside, and he flashes elite bend capacity, with the ability to effortlessly reduce his surface area around the apex and accelerate while cornering.
Overall, Smith is a promising prospect for the 2023 NFL Draft. He checks most of the boxes, from his impressive athletic potential to his tough, proactive mentality in run defense, and his pass-rushing upside. The biggest knock is going to be his size. 6'2" 240 pound edge rushers usually struggle in maintaining leverage in the NFL and get moved off their spot with offensive tackles that are 60-80 pounds heavier. Also for concern, Smith was more of a rotational player, logging less than 1,000 total snaps over the last three seasons on a stacked Georgia defensive unit. Smith is getting legit first round hype, but with a crowded edge class, it's fair to question why he should rank above other pass rushers with more field experience.
Felix Anudike-Uzomah
Kansas State
Grade: 2nd Rd
USATodaySports
Felix Anudike-Uzomah is a talented defensive end who has gained attention in the 2023 NFL Draft. Although he was only a three-star recruit from high school, he had impressive stats, with 184 tackles, 55 tackles for loss, and 13 sacks in three years. He played in five games for Kansas State as a true freshman and had three tackles, including his first career sack against Kansas. However, his sophomore season showed his true potential as he tallied 11 sacks, 14.5 tackles for loss, and six forced fumbles, including a four-sack performance against TCU. He enters 2022 with high expectations for the NFL Draft.
Anudike-Uzomah's physical preparation for the NFL level is impressive. He was only 220 pounds when he arrived at the Kansas State program, but now he weighs 255 pounds and looks the part of an NFL pass rusher. He possesses excellent length and high cut, with long legs that allow him to move quickly. He has good play speed and lateral agility, allowing him to make plays both on the outside and inside. He has a strong lower body, making him an immovable object in the ground game and capable of standing his ground against larger offensive linemen.
As a pass rusher, Anudike-Uzomah shows some violence in his hands, using his upper body strength and length to get inside his opponents. He has converted speed to power well and has tried dip and rip moves and spin moves. He also sets the edge well in the run game and is able to locate the ball carrier, stopping them in their tracks. He has showcased his ability to overcome double-teams in both the ground and passing game. Overall, Anudike-Uzomah is a highly promising player with excellent physical attributes and impressive skills, making him an alluring 2023 NFL Draft prospect.
Isaiah Foskey
Notre Dame
Grade: 3rd Rd
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Isaiah Foskey is a redshirt junior at Notre Dame, playing as an EDGE defender. He was a two-way athlete in high school, playing both as a tight end and defensive end. However, his future as a professional football player is seen on the defensive side of the ball. Foskey was a four-star recruit in 2019, with offers from top programs such as Alabama and Clemson, but chose Notre Dame. After redshirting in 2019, Foskey emerged as a talented player in 2020, accumulating 4.5 sacks and five tackles for loss.
In 2021, Foskey had a breakout season, earning him All-Independent and All-American recognition, with 10 sacks and six forced fumbles. His impressive athleticism and power capacity have made him a top prospect for the 2023 NFL draft.
Foskey's physical attributes are impressive, with a lean and compact frame that carries his weight incredibly well. He also has excellent length that helps him in multiple phases. Foskey's burst and acceleration off the snap are elite, and he has great speed as a rusher, capable of building up the necessary speed to surpass the apex and gain space inside from wide alignments.
Foskey's package of high-end length and athleticism affords him excellent power capacity, with the ability to blast blockers back on full extensions and effectively drive power through blocks with acquired leverage and constant leg drive. His agility and visible twitch allow him to build momentum heading into contact, making him unpredictable for blockers in short ranges. His hand usage is particularly impressive, with Foskey effectively loading up his hands to build potential energy and launch into contact on power rushes.
In run defense, Foskey is well-leveraged and able to sink his pads and extend, sidestep blocks, and square up runners. His hand usage also allows him to stack violent swipes, extensions, and moving combos, which can overwhelm offensive linemen. Overall, Foskey's talent and potential make him a strong prospect for the NFL draft, with the potential to become an All-Pro player.
Derick Hall
Auburn
Grade: 3rd Round
University of Auburn
Derick Hall is a senior Edge rusher from Auburn with a height of 6'3" and weight of 255 pounds. Since joining the Auburn Tigers as a four-star recruit in 2019, Hall has been one of the most productive defenders in the SEC, with nearly paced conference production in the past two seasons behind the line of scrimmage. In 2021, Hall broke out as an SEC standout with nine sacks, 12.5 tackles for loss, and two forced fumbles. In the 2022 season, he built on his breakout performance with 6.5 sacks, 11.5 tackles for loss, an interception, and two forced fumbles.
Hall's ability and NFL projection is backed up by his pass-rushing reps on tape, which show enough evidence of his productivity. He could have been even more productive in 2022 if Auburn's game scripts had invited more passing from the opposition. However, his ability to bring raw power and elite proportional length make him a strong NFL prospect.
Arguably, no edge rusher in the 2023 NFL Draft has a more complete skill set than Hall, who brings a dense, compact, and well-leveraged physical build with rare proportional length, quick first step, great closing burst, and brisk foot speed. His elite composite power capacity allows him to align himself behind rushes and maximize power output. His strong natural leverage and play strength contribute to his ability to routinely attain proper alignment, establish a half-man relationship on the edge, and rip down anchors to deconstruct and engage in pursuit.
Hall's agility and twitchiness enable him to adjust attack paths quickly, work across-face against tackles, and counter inside after feigning outside. His length and frame density allow him to forklift blockers and prevent displacement in run defense. In addition, he has a vast array of power combos, such as energetic stutters to widen tackles, violent rip moves, and swims off long-arms and bull-rushes.
Overall, Hall's physical profile has very few holes, and he maximizes that profile with execution and hand usage. He has a skill set that is worthy of Round 1 consideration in the 2023 NFL Draft, despite not always being mentioned in the same breath as other edge rushers like Will Anderson Jr., Tyree Wilson, Myles Murphy.
Andre Carter II
Army
Grade: 3rd Rd
Edward Diller/Getty Images
Andre Carter II is a standout EDGE prospect in the 2023 NFL Draft class. Although he started out as a wide receiver and tight end, he made a switch to defense during his prep year at Cheshire Academy. Despite being a late bloomer, he was able to gain the attention of college recruiters and earned a spot on the Army team. In his third year, Carter set an Army record with 15.5 sacks, placing him as a potential early-round draft pick.
Carter's size, length, and impressive arsenal of pass-rush tools make him a significant pass-rushing threat. Although he has some room for growth in terms of power production, Carter possesses strength in his hands that can visibly shock his opponent on contact. Additionally, he has an elite athletic profile with an explosive first step and great straight-line speed, which he puts to good use in both pass-rushing and coverage.
Carter's size is weaponized by his impressive length, which he uses to make first contact at the point of attack. He can long-arm offensive linemen with his natural advantage and use his long limbs to wrap up as a tackler or force the ball out from the ball carrier. He is also able to clog up passing lanes and make an impact on the ball in the passing game. With his physical development, Carter has the frame to support even more muscle mass as he develops from a college prospect to NFL player.
Despite his impressive college football production, Carter's skill set has to outweigh the eligibility issues that accompany service-academy prospects. Nevertheless, with his size, length, pass-rush tools, and elite athleticism, he has put himself in an excellent position to be one of the stars of the 2023 NFL Draft class. The fact that he is under developed actually works in his favor because of the amount of room he has to grow. Carter could hear his name called on day-two of the NFL Draft.
Zach Harrison - Ohio State
KJ Henry - Clemson
Will McDonald - Iowa State
Isaiah McGuire - Missouri
Isaiah Land - Florida A&M
Byron Young - Tennessee
DJ Johnson - Oregon
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