2024 NFL Draft: DE Rankings
1
DE, Jared Verse
School: Florida State
Ht/Wt: 6’4”, 254 lbs
Strengths:
Verse is a great athlete, showing an unbelievably good get-off and super quick feet on tape. He is someone who can win purely based on athleticism, whether he is shooting the gap, bending around the edge, or turning speed into power with a late bull rush. But he can also win in so many other ways. He has an array of rush moves. His spin is highly effective, and his arm over move has been successful as well. Verse has made some splash plays against the run, thanks also to his gap penetrating ability, and also his ability to get off of blocks, and advance towards the backfield.
Weaknesses:
Verse will make some plays against the run, but his awareness in this area is average. There are times where he will over pursue getting around the edge or beating his opponent 1 on 1, and a play against the run will pass him by. Verse can generate power from his speed, but overall strength is just okay. Bigger OT’s can stall his rush, and pave him out of the way when run blocking. Length is also just average.
Summary:
Verse is a potent threat as a pass rusher. His speed, burst, and bend are all elite, and the fact that his rush moves are already so refined makes him someone who can make big contributions early on. He isn’t the strongest guy, per se, but I like how he can convert speed into power. The biggest improvement he needs to make is being more aware of his surroundings when playing the run. Overall, Verse is a high end prospect.
| Grade: 90.1 | Round Grade: 1st |
2
DE, Laiatu Latu
School: UCLA
Ht/Wt: 6’5”, 259 lbs
Strengths:
Latu is a technician as a pass rusher. His hand technique is developed to a point that you rarely see from rookies, which makes him effective from the edge and the interior.. His hands are active on every play, and he is always looking to add that element of finesse into his rush. Latu’s swim moves are highly effective. He has also been able to strike and swipe his opponent, moving him out of the way as he pursues the QB. Latu is a good athlete with the speed and burst to threaten. He also is able to track down the ball carriers on run plays, even when he starts to get away from the line of scrimmage.
Weaknesses:
Latu is a good athlete overall, but I wouldn’t say he has elite bend. When it comes to making those tight turns around the bend, he sometimes has to take it a bit wider. At this point, his frame is on the lean side. He could stand to fill out a little bit to play with more strength. Had a bad neck injury at Washington that initially forced him to retire. Things have looked good for him since he has returned to the game, but it is something to watch.
Summary:
Latu has the potential to be a quality starting DE in the NFL. He isn’t the bendiest player, but his hand technique and rush moves are so well refined. This should allow him to win early on. I’d like to see him get a bit stronger, which would help against the run. He isn’t a perfect prospect, but should be a good starter, as long as health doesn’t become an issue.
| Grade:86.9 | Round Grade: 1st |
3
DE, Dallas Turner
School: Alabama
Ht/Wt: 6’3”, 247 lbs
Strengths:
Turner is a great athlete, possessing great burst in his get off, good speed, and good bend to turn the corner. He is at his best right now as a speed rusher, and can be tough to contain when he bends so well around the edge. Turner also has some gap shooting ability, given how good his burst is. He is a quick, twitchy athlete and is able to track the run horizontally and make plays closer to the sideline. The fact that Alabama was willing to drop him into zone coverage also speaks to his athleticism. As a pass rusher, he shows glimpses of converting speed into power.
Weaknesses:
Turner has ability, largely thanks to his athleticism, but he is still a bit raw. His athleticism is largely what he relies on to win, but will need to play with more technique at the pro level. Diversifying his rush plan and throwing counters into his game is something that can take it up a notch. I wouldn’t say he is the strongest player. Though he shows glimpses of speed to power, he can also get taken out of the play at times. I’d like to see more of him as a run defender. He tracks well to the sideline, but isn’t a big force closer to the trenches, when it comes to stopping the run.
Summary:
Turner has the potential to be a great player at the next level. His high end athleticism should allow him to play at a solid level early on. But his ability to go from solid to great will depend largely on how well he is able to develop and diversify his plan of attack as a pass rusher. Better technique, and some additional strength, would also help him improve against the run. Overall, Turner isn’t a finished product, but he has the tools to develop into a quality player off the edge.
| Grade: 85.1 | Round Grade: 1st |
4
DE, Chop Robinson
School: Penn State
Ht/Wt: 6’3”, 254 lbs
Strengths:
Robinson rushes with good speed from the outside, and he has the bend to get around the corner on OT’s that don’t have quick enough feet to stop him. He has a high enough motor to make things happen, even as the play begins to drag on. Robinson has shown the odd flash of a rip move, and is capable of converting speed to power against some opponents. Penn State had him drop into coverage on occasion, which speaks further to his athleticism.
Weaknesses:
Robinson is a raw player. Outside of a few occasions here and there, his rush attack consists of winning with speed around the edge, or a few times where he tried to bull rush. He will need to add moves to his tool box. As it stands, his rush plan is basic and predictable, and will make things a lot easier for opposing OT’s if it stays that way. Robinson’s frame is lean and is a bit lacking when it comes to strength. His rush gets stifled quite a bit, and he will need to get stronger to better matchup against NFL opponents.
Summary:
Robinson has the tools to develop into a high end NFL pass rusher. His athleticism is outstanding. On a regular basis, you see him threaten with speed and then bend, as he turns the corner. However, he needs development to reach that point. Robinson’s rush attack lacks variety and is too predictable, which has caused him to disappear in some games. He’ll need to add to his tool box and also get stronger. In time, Robinson can become a high end pass rusher in the NFL.
| Grade: 81.0 | Round Grade: 2nd |
5
DE, Chris Braswell
School: Alabama
Ht/Wt: 6’3”, 251 lbs
Strengths:
Braswell is a well built, strong DE. He is good at setting the edge and preventing guys from getting outside for a big gain. Braswell is strong, but also has good explosion and speed. This makes for a nice mixture. He explodes off the snap to get a jump on the play, and is then able to convert his speed into power, and an impactful bull rush. He is able to strike his opponent in the chest and drive him backwards towards the QB. This combination of strength and power can be hard to contain.
Weaknesses:
Where Braswell falls short is lateral agility. He has such great speed and burst off the line, if he just had the bend, he would be able to finish more plays off without having to go to his bull rush so often. It would be good if he could develop more rush moves and counters, in order to keep the play alive if his first attack is stopped. Looking at his traits, length is another thing, in addition to bend, that he is lacking.
Summary:
Braswell should be a good all around player at the NFL level. While his lack of bend takes some shine away from his game, his speed and power is enough to still contribute as a pass rusher. And his ability to play the run and set the edge rounds out his game nicely. It won’t always be flashy, but Braswell is someone who can contribute right away and for a long time, even if he might not become a super star.
| Grade: 77.3 | Round Grade: 3rd |
6
DE, Marshawn Keenland
School: Western Michigan
Ht/Wt: 6’3”, 267 lbs
Strengths:
Keenland is a very powerful player who shows the ability to generate a lot of push with his bull rush. He then has the hand technique to get loose at the end of it and get after the QB. Keenland sets a firm edge and is able to make plays as a run defender, showing the ability to fight off blocks and wrap up the ball carrier. His high motor also is a big contributing factor when he has success. His feet are moving constantly, which makes him tough to contain.
Weaknesses:
Keenland isn’t the best athlete, which puts a cap on his ceiling. He won’t be winning around the edge with speed, and certainly not with bend. When matched up against a towering OT that is able to match power for power, it is often goodnight for him as a pass rusher.
Summary:
Keenland has a safe floor, thanks to his abundance of power and high motor. He’ll be disruptive as a bull rusher, and make plays against the run. However, he’ll also fade in some matchups where his power is being neutralized by a bigger opponent. There will be great stretches and poor ones, based on the matchup. Teams looking for more dynamic athletes might not be as interested, but Keenland should be a solid player at the next level.
| Grade: 75.0 | Round Grade: 3rd |
7
DE, Austin Booker
School: Kansas
Ht/Wt: 6’5”, 240 lbs
Strengths:
Booker has good speed and a long frame that helps him in battles for leverage. His length and well developed hand technique is probably the best part of his game right now. Arm over moves and swipes etc. are largely how Booker is able to win at this point. His length also gives him a big tackle radius to wrap up when defending the run or tracking down from behind.
Weaknesses:
Booker has good enough speed, but isn’t super twitchy. He tries to rush around the edge, but is unable to turn the corner and gets pushed out the back door. His frame is lean, and there are times where he gets out-muscled in battles by bigger OT’s. He’ll need to fill out and get stronger in order to matchup better against power in the NFL. This would help him as a pass rusher and also in run defence.
Summary:
Booker has some things to like. His speed is good, and he has been able to win with different rush moves, allowing for a diverse plan of attack. However, limited bend puts a cap on his upside, and his effectiveness may also be limited at the next level until he gets strong enough to handle the power he’ll face in the NFL. While there are some limitations, there are also likable traits. Booker can potentially be a good rotational DE in the NFL.
| Grade: 73.4 | Round Grade: 4th |
8
DE, Bralen Trice
School: Washington
Ht/Wt: 6’4”, 245 lbs
Strengths:
Trice has a big, well built frame that is able to take on powerful players. He has an effective bull rush that can get him a ticket into the backfield. He also has a few rush moves and counters that he’ll pull out of the bag from time to time. Trice gets off of blocks well and is able to defend against the run. For the most part, he is a pretty strong tackler, not letting guys out once they are in his grip.
Weaknesses:
Trice is lacking twitch and agility, which unfortunately limits his abilities as a pass rusher. He doesn’t have the bend to threaten around the edge, and his opponents are able to stay focused on protecting the inside edge, without worrying about a major threat outside. Trice also is a bit lacking when it comes to length, which makes it tougher to win leverage battles, and further enhances any issues that arise due to or partially due to his lack of speed.
Summary:
Trice brings some strength, power, and decent technique which has allowed him to have some success. He’s got a good bull rush and is able to get away from blocks when he needs to stop the run. Despite being a solid player overall, he is lacking the lateral agility and twitch, which will make things more predictable for opponents and harder for him. At the next level, he should be a solid rotational piece or a reliable, yet unspectacular starter.
| Grade: 73.0 | Round Grade: 4th |
9
DE, Gabriel Murphy
School: UCLA
Ht/Wt: 6’2”, 247 lbs
Strengths:
Murphy has a revved up motor, and is always moving, it seems. He is a good pass rusher, showing a good dip/rip, swim move, and the odd spin. He is pretty twitchy and has good speed as well. Murphy gets into the backfield using the finesse that these things allow him to play with, but he can also get in via power and determination. He isn’t the biggest guy, but is well built. He might not necessarily bull rush his way into the backfield, but he has split double teams after being too powerful to contain, on some occasions.
Weaknesses:
Murphy is on the smaller side. His lack of length sometimes makes it tough for him, especially when defending the run. He has a hard time disengaging from blocks, and is often too late to make an impact on the play. As a pass rusher, he can generate some power, but towering OT’s are able to out leverage him and anchor against his rush, when he chooses to use brute force.
Summary:
Murphy is a good pass rusher, with the athleticism, motor, and technical refinement to make an impact. However, his lack of length has been a significant issue, and is likely to still cause issues. As well, he can be a liability in the run game. He might be able to carve out a 3 down role for himself, but if he is unable to improve as a run defender, Murphy will likely end up as a situational pass rusher.
| Grade: 68.3 | Round Grade: 5th |
10
DE, Adisa Isaac
School: Penn State
Ht/Wt: 6’4”, 247 lbs
Strengths:
Isaac is a pretty solid run defender. While he may not be the biggest guy in the field, he has a good amount of strength, which allows him to get off of blocks and track down the ball carrier. He has enough speed to track down ball carriers from behind, as well. As a pass rusher, he shows some speed and rush moves, such as a dip/rip or spin. He can also play pretty physically and with good leverage.
Weaknesses:
Isaac is lacking when it comes to twitch and lateral agility. He has enough speed to threaten around the arc, but a lot of times, the threat fizzes out when it comes time to turn the corner. He can’t do it without sacrificing a lot of speed in the process. His hand technique could also be more consistent. These issues have led to stretches where he was invisible as a pass rusher.
Summary:
Isaac has enough going for him that he can be a solid player on defence. He generally defends the run well and can set the edge. Isaac can rush the passer with speed and strength, but his lack of bend puts a cap on his ceiling in this area, and could lead to a lot of ups and downs at the pro level, depending on the matchup.
| Grade: 64.2 | Round Grade: 6th |
11
DE, Grayson Murphy
School: UCLA
Ht/Wt: 6’2”, 251 lbs
Strengths:
Murphy is a great athlete, showing burst off the line, some bend, and a high motor, which allows him to make splash as a pass rusher. He flies into the backfield, and when he gets there, he is making sure to deliver as hard a hit as he possibly can. He’ll blow people up. Murphy has some rush moves in his toolbox, like a good swim move, and he has used them with effectiveness. He earned an invite to the East-West Shrine Game and was impressive.
Weaknesses:
Murphy is a bit undersized, and gets handled by the OL on most running plays. This led to him becoming more of a rotational player. This won’t change in the NFL. I don’t see him being too effective against the run at the next level. Murphy’s aggressiveness and hard hitting style is a good thing, but he has to keep it under control, especially after the play, where he can get flagged.
Summary:
Murphy projects as a rotational pass rusher at the next level. His intensity and athleticism are assets that any defence could use. However, his lack of ability against the run will prevent him from being a 3 down player, and drop his draft stock. But on the right team, Murphy can be productive.
| Grade: 63.7 | Round Grade: 6th |
12
DE, Brennan Jackson
School: Washington State
Ht/Wt: 6’4”, 264 lbs
Strengths:
Jackson is a strong player who is able to push the pocket from the outside. He’s got a high running motor, and his determination allows him to go farther on some plays than you’d expect. He sets a pretty firm edge, and has shown that he can make plays against the run. Jackson has more burst than you would expect from someone with his style. And he uses kind of a jump cut to get through gaps as a pass rusher, which has had some success.
Weaknesses:
Jackson flashes burst on tape, but overall, is an average athlete at best. Outside of power, he hasn’t had any method of attack that has regularly worked for him. And this is also partly because he doesn’t often use hand moves when rushing the passer. Technique is definitely something that will have to be worked on. Having played 6 seasons of college football, it is concerning that technique is still this big of an issue.
Summary:
Jackson has a few things going for him, like his strength and his motor. However, he doesn’t have the athleticism or technique to be a true impact player. It is tough to project a lot of technical improvements being made because he could not get it done in 6 seasons in college. Maybe he surpasses this if he can figure things out, but he projects as a backup at the next level, that can make a few places, but an overall modest impact.
| Grade: 60.1 | Round Grade: 6th |
13
DE, Solomon Byrd
School: USC
Ht/Wt: 6’3”, 255 lbs
Strengths:
Byrd is an interesting prospect as a pass rusher. He possesses good bend, which allows him to turn the corner at the top of the arc and get the QB. For his size, he has decent strength, and can create a bit of power. Byrd is such a tenacious, scrappy player, which helps him in his pursuit of the QB. When his first rush is stifled, he’ll twist inside and attempt another pass. He has shown a few good rush moves on tape. As well, a thing I love about his game is that he is always going for the ball, attempting to strip the QB.
Weaknesses:
Byrd is lacking when it comes to speed, and this has been a big thing that has hindered him. While it is good that he can bend at the top of his rush, this trait means less if he doesn’t have the speed required to consistently beat OT’s around the edge. Byrd is also on the smaller side. While he is strong and can play with some power, he is naturally going to lose to some of the bigger players that he’ll face. And this isn’t just about the pass rush, he’ll sometimes get washed out in the run game too.
Summary:
Byrd shows nice flashes when he is able to get an early jump on the edge. If he can get to the top, he has the bend to turn the corner to the backfield, and will look to create a turnover by stripping the ball. However, he lacks the speed to get these wins on a consistent basis. He has some strength in his pass rush, but he is undersized and will encounter some problems. As well, he is not at his best when playing the run.
| Grade: 57.4 | Round Grade: 7th |
DE Rankings:
- Jared Verse (90.1, Rd 1)
- Laiatu Latu (86.9, Rd 1)
- Dallas Turner (85.1, Rd )
- Chop Robinson (81.0, Rd 2)
- Chris Braswell (77.3, Rd 3)
- Marshawn Keenland (75.0, Rd 3)
- Austin Booker (73.4, Rd 4)
- Bralen Trice (73.0, Rd 4)
- Gabriel Murphy (68.3, Rd 5)
- Adisa Isaac (64.2, Rd 6)
- Grayson Murphy (63.7, Rd 7)
- Brennan Jackson (60.1, Rd 6)
- Solomon Byrd (57.4, Rd 7)
Notables Not Graded:
- Mohamed Kamara
- Jalyx Hunt
- Javon Solomon
- Jonah Elliss
- Myles Cole
- Cedric Johnson
- Xavier Thomas
- Braiden McGregor
- Javontae Jean-Baptiste
