Today I wanted to look at edge prospects in the upcoming draft, a position that is very deep with quality options that Pittsburgh hopefully invests in. The graph below uses their 2022 PFF Grade and their current rank on PFF’s Big Board that updates through the draft process:
The top overall player on PFF’s current board at the position is Alabama edge Will Anderson at pick number three, and had over 600 snaps the last three seasons and played the most in 2021 (873 snaps). He primarily played outside the tackle along with 100+ snaps over the tackle in each of the last two seasons, and in 2022 had 80+ grades in overall, pass rush, run defense, and true pass sets, along with a great 20.3% pass rush win rate and above average 6.6% run stop rate. Anderson had double digit sack totals in each of the last two seasons, along with 40+ hurries, with a particularly impressive number in 2021 (56), and will likely be selected well before Pittsburgh is on the clock.
Texas Tech edge Tyree Wilson is currently in the top ten on the board, but had a below average 75.1 overall grade in 2022 with 537 snaps. His pass rush and run defense grades were also in the 70 range, with the former being his stronger and more respectable mark (79.8), and had a great true pass set grade in the upper 80’s along with a stout pass rush win rate (22.3%) and 10% run stop win rate. Wilson’s only season eclipsing 600 snaps was in 2021, and increased his production with eight sacks and 32 hurries last year on less opportunity.
Iowa’s Lukas Van Ness is third on the board at pick 12, and had 450+ snaps in each of the last two seasons, playing across the line from outside the tackle where he played primarily, including 155 B gap snaps last year, and even some snaps in the A gap. Van Ness had 80+ overall and run defense grades in 2022, with 70+ grades in pass rush and true pass sets, and had a good 18.8% pass rush win rate, but was below average with a 5% run stop rate. He upped his production last season on similar opportunity to 2021, with nine sacks and 31 hurries with each more than doubling.
Myles Murphy from Clemson had 550+ snaps the last two years, with most of his opportunities coming outside the tackle and played a bit across the line as well. He had 70+ overall, pass rush, run defense, and true pass set grades, along with an above average pass rush win rate (14.3%) and 6.2% run stop rate. Murphy’s highest sack total came in 2021 with nine along with 33 hurries, compared to six sacks and 21 hurries last season.
Army edge Andre Carter played the most his final two seasons with 550+ snaps in each, and 639 in 2021, playing primarily outside the tackle. He had 70+ grades overall, run defense, and true pass sets last year, eclipsed an 80-pass rush grade, along with a great 21.4% pass rush win rate but below average 5.1% run stop rate. Carter had four sacks and 17 hurries last year, with his production noticeably falling off on less opportunity after a 2021 season where he provided 15 sacks and 35 hurries. He played in the Senior Bowl for the National team and made my notes with a play where he got quick penetration off the line, but also a couple negative plays including a snap losing contain on the edge.
Nolan Smith from Georgia got most of his opportunities in 2021 with nearly 500 snaps, and only 150+ in 2020 and last season, playing primarily outside the tackle in each. His stronger grades of 80+ came overall and run defense, and had 70+ pass rush, and true pass set grades, and was excellent with a 25% in pass rush win rate along with an awesome 14.9% run stop rate. Smith only had two sacks last season after posting seven in 2021, along with 12 hurries which also dipped from 18.
The final player that would go in the first round on PFF’s current board is Iowa State’s Will McDonald. He had 500+ snaps each of the last two seasons, primarily outside and over the tackle, with a bit of time in the B gap as well. He had 70+ overall, and run defense grades, 80+ pass rush grade, and an excellent 90+ true pass set grade that showed up in Senior Bowl practices, a good 16.7% pass rush win rate, and an above average 7% run stop rate. His highest sack total came in 2021 with 13 along with 24 hurries, with both falling last season at six sacks and 16 hurries.
LSU’s BJ Ojulari saw his workload increase in each of the last three seasons, with nearly 700 snaps in 2021 and pushing 750 last year with the vast majority of his opportunities coming outside the tackle. He had 70+ grades overall and in run defense, with better numbers of 80+ in pass rush grade and true pass sets, along with a good 18% pass rush win rate but a low 4.5% run stop rate. Ojulari had nine sacks and 26 hurries last season, compared to eight and 33 in 2021.
Northwestern edge Adetomiwa Adebawore saw a snap increase in each season since 2020, eclipsing 700 last year. He played a bit across the line the last three seasons primarily outside the tackle, and notably 250+ in the B gap in 2022. Adebawore had 70+ grades overall and in true pass sets, had an 80-pass rush grade, but a 68.3 grade in run defense along with an above average 14.1% pass rush win rate and slightly below average 5.7% run stop rate. He had similar production the last two seasons, with six sacks and 22 hurries this past year compared to five sacks and 21 hurries in 2021 on fewer snaps. On the Senior Bowl roundtable Terrible Podcast, our own Jonathan Heitritter commented on him being a questionable fit in Pittsburgh as a tweener type.
Felix Anudike-Uzomah out of Kansas State rounds out the top 50, with most of his experience coming his final two seasons with over 500 snaps in 2021 and eclipsing 650 last year, and while he played mostly outside the tackle, had a notable increase of over tackle snaps last year, and saw time in the B gap as well. He had 70+ overall and pass rush grades, an 80+ true pass set grade, but a lower 67.7 run block grade along with good rates of 15.9% pass rush wins and 8.1% in run stops. Anudike-Uzomah had better sack production in 2021 with 13, compared to eight last year but provided more hurries in 2022 with 29, an uptick from 25 previously.
Out of the last three seasons, Georgia Tech’s Keion White only played significant snaps in 2022 with 584, primarily outside the tackle with time over the tackle and a bit in the B gap particularly last season. He had 70+ overall, pass rush, run defense, and true pass rush grades, along with a strong 19.9% pass rush win rate and above average 7.1% run stop rate. White had seven sacks last year along with 30 hurries, compared to no sacks and two hurries on only 72 snaps in 2021.
Notre Dame edge Isaiah Foskey had over 550 snaps in each of the last two seasons, with 450+ of them coming outside the tackle both years, along with bit of time playing off ball linebacker in 2021 and a bit more experience over the tackle in 2022. He had 70+ overall, pass rush, and true pass set grades, but a 67.8 in run defense along with above average rates of 14.8% in pass rush wins and a 6.7% in run stops. Foskey had double digit sack production his final two seasons with 12 and 11, but didn’t add much more in the hurry department with only 18 and 17. Our own Alex Kozora highlighted him as a strong pass rusher and special teamer.
Mike Morris out of Michigan had fewer opportunities than most of the previously mentioned players with 360 snaps in the last two seasons, with good snap diversity in 2021, then playing nearly every snap outside the tackle or over the tackle last year. He had 80+ grades overall and as a pass rusher, a 90+ true pass set grade, but a 69.7 in run defense along with a great 20.5% pass rush win rate but a low 4% run stop rate. Morris upped his production last year with nine sacks and 21 hurries, compared to two sacks and eight hurries in 2021.
Auburn’s Derick Hall provided more snaps in his final two seasons, with over 650 in 2021 and nearly reached 750 last year, primarily outside the tackle and also played off ball a fair amount. He had a 70+ overall grade, was 80+ in pass rush and true pass sets, but a poor 61 run defense grade along with a good 17.4% pass rush win rate but below average 5.5% run stop rate. Hall had eight sacks last year after posting a double-digit season in 2021 (10), but improved his hurry numbers from 25 to 28. On the roundtable podcast, Kozora mentioned his physical downhill style at the position, while Heitritter mentioned him as an ideal fit as an edge rusher for Pittsburgh.
Colby Wooden is a fellow edge rusher from Auburn who had over 550 snaps in each of the last three seasons, and eclipsed 650 in 2022, with great experience across the line including over 350 snaps in the B gap in 2021, 250 last year as well, and also has some experience playing the A gap. He had 70+ overall, pass rush, and true pass set grades in 2022, but a 67.9 run defense grade, along with a slightly above average 12.7% pass rush win rate and fared slightly better with a 7.2% run stop rate. Wooden had slightly better production in 2021 with seven sacks and 26 hurries, compared to six sacks and 24 hurries last year on more opportunities.
Now for players outside PFF’s top 100, starting with Missouri edge Isaiah McGuire, who got the most snaps in his 2021 season with 600+ and had just over 500 last year. In 2020, he played the most snaps in the B gap with over tackle opportunities being a close second, then saw outside the tackle snaps most prominently the last two years along with over 100+ snaps over the tackle from 2020-2021. He had 80+ overall, pass rush, and true pass set grades and a 74.3 run defense grade, along with a good 17.6% pass run win rate and a great 9.8% run stop rate. McGuire had seven sacks last season and 21 hurries, compared to six sacks and 23 hurries in 2021 on over 100 more snaps, and had a quarterback hit in the Senior Bowl.
Tennessee’s Byron Young played the last two seasons, with over 650 snaps last year compared to just over 450 in 2021, and played mostly outside the tackle. He had a 60+ overall and pass rush grade, a 70+ true pass set grade, but a poor 56.9 run defense grade along with a slightly above average 13% pass rush win rate and just below average 5.7% run stop rate. Young had nine sacks and 22 hurries last season, compared to seven sacks and 17 hurries on over 200 fewer snaps. He showed some good things in the Senior Bowl including a play with good push in the run game, a batted pass, and a strong pass rush that resulted in a pick six.
In the last three seasons, Viliami Fehoko out of San Jose State had his highest number of snaps in 2021 (649) and had nearly 600 last season, with most of his opportunities coming outside the tackle, but also had 100+ over the tackle snaps in each year. He had 90+ overall (90.9, the top rank of the group), pass rush, and true pass set grades, along with an 80+ run defense grade, and great rates of 21.5% as a pass rusher and 10.9% in run stopping. Fehoko had nice production last year with 12 sacks and 50 hurries, compared to eight sacks and 34 hurries in 2021, making an improvement in these numbers each season. He played in the Shrine Bowl for the East team, and made my notes with a couple of tackles but was beat in coverage and was penalized on a pass interference.
Zach Harrison from Ohio State had over 550 snaps in 2021, following that up last season with 484, playing the vast majority of his snaps outside the tackle the last three years. He had 80+ overall and pass rush grades, a 90+ true pass set grade, and a high 70 grade in run defense, along with an above average 14.5% pass rush win rate but below average 5.5% run stop rate. Harrison’s sack and hurry production improved slightly on less opportunity in 2022, when he had six sacks and 24 hurries compared to four sacks and 19 hurries in 2021.
Clemson edge K.J. Henry played much more in his 2022 season (650+) compared to the prior two years (each in the 300’s), with outside the tackle being his primary spot. He had 80+ overall and pass rush grades, a 90+ true pass set grade, and high 70 run defense grade, along with a good 15.9% pass rush win rate but below average 5.2% run stop rate. Henry’s sack totals were the same the last two seasons at five a piece, but provided a substantial increase in hurries, going from 13 in 2021 to 34 last year. He jumped out in my Senior Bowl notes winning quick off the line with multiple pressures in his pass rush, and also a nice pursuit and tackle of a screen pass as well.
Next, I would like to highlight some players that are day three options on PFF’s current big board but had strong grades, each against lower-level competition though. First up is Eastern Michigan edge Jose Ramirez whose opportunities increased in each of the last three seasons, playing almost exclusively outside the tackle. He played more than double his snaps from 2020-2021, and had 600+ last year. Ramirez had 80+ grades overall and in run defense, 90+pass rush and true pass set grades, along with great rates of 21.5% in pass rush wins and 10.6% in run stops. He provided 10 sacks in his final two seasons, and upped his hurry production from 23 in 2021 to 33 last year. He impressed at the Shrine Bowl, with our own Josh Carney expressing that he held up well against higher competition with a deep pass rush arsenal despite him being smaller than some of his peers, and made my notes repeatedly in the game with a handful of quality pass rushes including a strip sack, quarterback hit, along with a couple nice run tackles.
Central Michigan edge Thomas Incoom played the last two seasons and saw a substantial increase in opportunities from 350+ to 733 snaps last year, where he played mostly outside the tackle. He had 80+ overall and run defense grades, 70+ pass rush and true pass set grades, along with good rates of 16.9% in pass rush wins and 8.8% in run stops. Incoom’s sack and hurry production increased with more playing time to 11 sacks and 26 hurries, compared to seven sacks and 14 hurries in 2021 on roughly half the snaps. He made my Senior Bowl notes with some positive plays, highlighted by a sack and a couple other strong pass rushes including power on a bull, but also lost the edge on a run play as well.
Small school prospect BJ Thompson out of Stephen F Austin played 500+ snaps the last two seasons, and was just shy of this mark in 2020, and primarily played outside the tackle each year. He had an 80+ overall grade, 90+ in pass rush and true pass set grades, but a poor 61.1 run defense grade, along with a solid 18.3% pass rush win rate but very poor 2.9% run stop rate. Thompsons sack and hurry production was better in 2021 when he had nine sacks and 25 hurries, compared to five sacks and 20 hurries last season on a bit more opportunity. He flashed as a pass rusher in the Shrine Bowl including a half sack but was unblocked, had a nice run tackle in my notes, but was also penalized for a facemask. Thompson is tall but thin, under the typical size requirements Kozora does a great job highlighting in his What The Steelers Look For Studies, so likely off Pittsburgh’s board.
Now for some more late round prospects on PFF’s current big board, and I will discuss some of them. Out of the last three seasons, LSU edge Ali Gaye played the most snaps in 2020 (585), was just shy of 200 the following year, following this up with 500+ again in 2022, primarily playing outside the tackle each season and started to line up more over the tackle (179 snaps) in 2022. He had 60+ overall (lowest grade of the group at 63), pass rush, true pass set, and run defense grades along with a poor 7.8% pass rush win rate and had an above average 6.7% run stop rate. Gaye lacked sack and hurry production, particularly last season (two sacks, 12 hurries), with his best marks coming in 2020 at four sacks and 27 hurries. He did have a couple of good plays in the Senior Bowl including a sack, good push as a pass rusher, but did miss an opportunity on the quarterback in the backfield as well.
Florida edge Brenton Cox had a decrease in opportunities the last three seasons as a primary outside the tackle player, with over 600 snaps in 2020 and 2021, but played 384 last year. He had 60+ overall, pass rush, and run defense grades and a 70+ true pass set grade, along with an above average 15.3% pass rush win rate but below average 5.4% run stop rate. Cox had two sacks and 15 hurries last season with limited opportunities, with his highest sack total of six coming in 2021, and provided 32 hurries in 2020 that dipped the following season to 21 on a similar snap count. He impressed at the Shrine Bowl, with Carney stating he was the best player at the position, and I noted him for a couple positive plays in the game including a sack and tackles in the run game.
Oregon edge DJ Johnson did not play in 2020, and saw a snap increase from 150+ in 2021 to over 400 last season, playing primarily outside the tackle. He had 60+ overall and run defense grades, 70+ pass rush and true pass set grades, along with a good 15.5% pass rush win rate and slightly above average 6.2% run stop rate. Johnson had five sacks and 21 hurries last year, and made my Senior Bowl game notes with a couple good pass rush plays including a nice bull and a pressure.
Habakkuk Baldonado out of Pittsburgh got most of his playing time the last two seasons, with over 650 snaps in 2021 and 353 last year, playing primarily outside the tackle. He had 70+ overall and run defense grades, 60+ pass rush and true pass set grades, along with a good 15.7% pass rush win rate and above average 6.5% run stop rate. Baldonado had 11 sacks and 23 hurries in 2021 when he had substantial opportunities, and had two sacks and 15 hurries last season. He impressed our team that attended the Shrine Bowl, with our own Melanie Friedlander and Carney noting an impressive week of practice, along with Dave Bryan enjoying his play on film. He showed out in the game as well, providing a handful of quality pass rush plays including a near sack, another that forced an incompletion on fourth down, a pass defensed, and a tackle for loss in the run game.
Several names still remain, with the following players currently in the undrafted range on PFF’s board. Mississippi edge Tyrus Wheat played 700+ snaps in each of the last two seasons, and had nearly 400 in 2020, playing mostly outside the tackle but notably had over 100 snaps off the ball each year (200+ his final two seasons). He had 60+ overall and pass rush grades, 70+ run defense and true pass set grades, along with an above average 14.7% pass rush win rate but below average 4.9% run stop rate. Wheat’s sack totals increased by one each season (eight in 2022) and also improved his hurry numbers, going from 12, 13, and doubling to 26 last year. In the Shrine Bowl game, he made my notes in a more negative fashion with a poor angle on an explosive run, was penalized for holding, but did note a nice bull rush as a positive.
YaYa Diaby from Louisville saw a snap increase each of the last three seasons, with 400+ his last two, and primarily played over the tackle along with some experience all across the line. He had 70+ overall, pass rush, and true pass set grades, a 60+ run defense grade, along with a good 16.1% pass rush win rate but poor 3.1% run stop rate. Diaby’s sack numbers jumped to double digits (10) after having only two in 2021, though his hurry numbers plateaued in comparison at 18 and 19 last year and made my Senior Bowl game notes once with a pressure.
Kansas edge Lonnie Phelps’ snaps increased each season primarily playing outside the tackle, with only 77 in 2020, then over 300 the following year when he also had 100+ over the tackle snaps, and had 550+ total snaps in 2022. He had +70 overall and run defense grades, 80+ pass rush and true pass set grades, a strong 18.9% pass rush win rate and a great 10.1% run stop rate. The highlight of Phelps’ sack production came in 2021 when he had 10, following that up with eight last year when he increased his hurries from 18 to 22. He had a strong game at the Senior Bowl, showing out with a sack, a big quarterback hit a forced fumble, along with a couple other solid pass rushes in my notes, a tackle for loss on a reception, and a nice run tackle.
Eku Leota from Auburn played the most snaps in 2021 with just over 500, with 200+ in 2020 and 2022 and played primarily outside the tackle in each. He had an 80+ overall, pass rush, and true pass set grades, a 70+ run defense grade, along with great rates of 17.8% in pass rush wins and 8.9% in run stops. His sack and hurry production was expectedly the strongest in 2021 with nine sacks and 19 hurries, compared to four sacks and ten hurries on roughly half the snaps last year. He made my Senior Bowl game notes mostly in negative fashion, with two missed tackles, was penalized for roughing the passer, though he did show a good inside pass rush on that play and had a nice run tackle.
Louisiana edge Andre Jones played over 550 snaps each of the last three seasons, with the most in 2021 (671) playing primarily outside the tackle and had 100+ over the tackle in 2020 and 2021. He had 70+ overall, pass rush, and run defense grades, an 80+ true pass set grade, a good 15.7% pass rush win rate and an above average 6.9% run stop rate. Jones had seven sacks in both 2021 and 2022, with the former being the stronger year of production in hurries (33) compared to 20 last season. He was a Shrine Bowl participant, with Carney noting him as a well-built prospect, showcasing an impressive fake spin move in practice, and made my game notes with a couple solid pass rush plays along with a run tackle.
The final player on PFF’s current big board is Rice edge Ikenna Enechukwu, who played 700+ snaps in 2021 when he aligned in the B gap the most on nearly 400 snaps, following this with 584 last year where he played 400+ outside the tackle after minimal opportunity (142 snaps) in 2020. He had 70+ overall, pass rush, and run defense grades, a 60+ true pass set grade, along with an above average 14% pass rush win rate but below average 5.3% run stop rate. Enechukwu had eight sacks in 2021 along with 20 hurries, compared to six sacks and a slight bump to 21 hurries on less opportunity last year. He made my Shrine Bowl game notes with a nice pass rush that led to a sack, but also missed a tackle in the run game.
There were a couple of names that were left off of PFF’s current draft board I wanted to mention, starting with Ferris State’s Caleb Murphy who had several wins as a pass rusher in the Shrine Bowl game including a sack, but Carney did note him not showing much in practice. Carney mentioned Wagner edge Titus Leo on the other end of the coin, having a solid practice week, and he made my Shrine game notes with a few solid plays as a pass rusher including a sack, but did have a negative play in run defense.
There is no doubt quality and depth at the position, and hopefully Pittsburgh takes advantage. While the ranks on PFF’s board will certainly change, and surely some names missing from this list, I hope you enjoyed and learned something from the grade data and notes from the all-star games.
What are your thoughts on this year’s edge class? Thanks for reading and let me know your thoughts in the comments!
