The EDGE moniker is a relatively recent name, but EDGE players have been around for a long time. It’s essentially a mix of outside linebackers and defensive ends who have the primary task of rushing the passer. Sometimes they’re stand-up OLB types (think Von Miller), while others are hand-in-dirt ends (think Myles Garrett).
It’s a position where collegiate production is important but athletic upside matters quite a bit, perhaps more than any other spot. The early evaluation of this EDGE class shows a couple of high-end prospects and then a group that is variable based on team/scheme preferences; the No. 3 here might not be in the top 8 for a team that doesn’t run the particular type of scheme that he best fits.
These are very fluid rankings. In general, these are early impressions about the NFL potential of players who still have a considerable amount of football to play before they’re drafted. Some underclassmen are included here strictly as mentions; it is not meant to advocate for a player to leave early.
After watching enough to get a baseline feel for the players, here is an early listing and my preliminary ranking for the EDGEs in the NFL draft class of 2024.
2024 NFL draft: Preseason OT watch list and early rankings
2024 NFL draft: Preseason CB watch list and early rankings
2024 NFL draft: Preseason QB watch list and early rankings
2024 NFL draft: Preseason RB watch list and early rankings
2024 NFL draft: Preseason WR watch list and early rankings
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Verse was someone I thought belonged in the top 15 overall in the 2023 NFL draft before he elected to return to Florida State. After transferring from Albany, Verse quickly proved his disruptiveness and high motor translated very well from the FCS to the ACC. He could very well be the first defensive player drafted in 2024.
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Watching Trice for the Huskies brings back some memories of 2022 No. 2 overall pick Aidan Hutchinson at Michigan. While he’s not quite as long or twitchy off the snap as the Lions EDGE, he plays with a similar style: great hands, excellent move coordination, and a power-to-speed style that also can play too quickly for blockers who overset or lack a good punch.
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Turner gets a chance to emerge from the shadow of 2023 No. 3 overall pick Will Anderson at Alabama. Turner isn’t quite as athletically dominant as Anderson was (and already looks for Houston), but he’s crafty and can fly around the end. His lack of bulk — the listed 245 pounds seems generous — will not work for everyone.
Isaac returned in 2022 from a torn Achilles that cost him a season. His performance against Auburn, where he was unblockable with his quickness off the snap and straight-line finishing speed. He needs to play stronger more consistently, but I’m bullish on Isaac’s considerable upside.
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Tuimoloau starts out at No. 5 here but he’s perhaps the best-suited to unseat Verse and be the first EDGE selected. The length, the long speed for his position, the power at 277 pounds and the snarl he brings on initial contact are very impressive. If the production (just 4 sacks and 17 tackles in 2022) spikes, and it very well could, so will Tuimoloau’s draft stock. Teams/scouts that liked Keon White in 2023 figure to be high on Tuimoloau in ’24.
Adam Cairns-The Columbus Dispatch
Sawyer is a power-to-speed, outside-in style of rusher with good hands and a high football IQ. He needs to display the power more in run defense, but when Sawyer wins the initial battle against an offensive tackle, the 265-pounder knows how to get to the ball and terminate a play. Moving to a more full-time EDGE role should help his draft stock.
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Robinson is the more hyped Nittany Lions EDGE in this class, but a lack of size and bulk (under 240 pounds) keeps him from being ranked higher than teammate Adisa Isaac. Chop (real name: Demeioun) transferred from Maryland and showed a lot of potential but also some technical rawness. One of the most variable draft stocks in the entire class, not just his position group.
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This might seem like a lofty ranking for a player who didn’t record a single sack in 2022, but Foreman’s twitchy potential posit him as a breakout candidate. Good all-around football player who has been spoon-fed snaps by the Trojans. Echoes of a lighter David Ojabo, the Ravens’ second-rounder in 2021.
[Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun]
Ncaa Football Florida Gators Vs South Carolina
Umanmielen has the athletic potential to do a lot more than his 4.5-sack 2022 for the Gators. The stats don’t reflect how quickly he can snap around the edge. The 6-5, 253-pounder already plays the run well on his way to the quarterback, too.
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Tupuola-Fetui initially broke out in 2020 by bagging seven sacks in just over 200 defensive snaps. He largely disappeared in 2021 but resurfaced as a pass rush specialist last year for the Huskies. Speed-to-power with excellent hands and a variety of ways to win as a pass rusher.
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Collin Oliver, Oklahoma State
Laiatu Latu, UCLA
Chris Braswell, Alabama
Cedric Johnson, Ole Miss
Ashton Gillotte, Louisville
Chico Bennett, Virginia
Eyabi Okie, Charlotte
Shemar Turner, Texas A&M
Javontae Jean-Baptiste, Notre Dame
Sean Martin, West Virginia
Barryn Sorrell, Texas
Sai’vion Jones, LSU
Jonah Elliss, Utah
There are scads of others who need more film study and will get it over the course of the season.
Gabriel Murphy, UCLA
Grayson Murphy, UCLA