NFL EDGE RUSHER RANKINGS 2022

In football, nothing jumps off the screen like a dominant pass rusher, so here are my edge rusher rankings for the 2022 season. When you’re differentiating between players at the pinnacle of their craft, the intricate details are everything. Pass rushing techniques are taught in a bevy of different philosophies. Scheme is also an important variable to factor in when talking about productivity. For example, a 3-4 edge is more apt to be a pure rusher, more athletic, and twitchy. On the other hand, a 4-3 end is more stout, strong and typically relied upon to help in the run game more. All these things will contribute to what type of statistics you have.

While statistics are important, they are not the end all be all. Do you affect the game in ways that don’t show up in the stat sheet? Are you able to work a move after a move when needed? Are you athletic and smart enough to read, react, change direction and make an impact in rollouts or play action? Powerful enough to just decide on any given play you’re just going to get the QB? These qualities are all taken into consideration when determining what makes an edge rusher special. Here are the NFL Edge Rusher Rankings for 2022.

• 1. Myles Garrett DE (Cleveland Browns): 51 tackles. 17 TFL’s. 16 sacks. 33 QB hits. 3 PBU’s. 1 FF. 1 FR’s. 1 TD. (BEST ABILITY: Athleticism/Speed to Power)

• 2. Nick Bosa DE (San Francisco 49ers): 52 tackles. 21 TFL’s. 16 sacks.  32 QB hits. 4 FF’s. 1 PBU. (BEST ABILITY: Get Off/Strike and Shed)

• 3. Joey Bosa DE (Los Angeles Chargers): 51 tackles. 10.5 sacks. 5 TFL’s. 7 FF’s. 20 QB hits. (BEST ABILITY: Most Diverse Toolbox/Short Area Burst/Hand Swipe)

• 4. TJ Watt DE (Pittsburgh Steelers): 64 tackles. 22.5 sacks. 21 TFL’s. 7 PBU’s. 5 FF’s. 3 FR’s. 39 QB hits. (BEST ABILITY: Motor/Dip & Rip)

• 5. Micah Parsons LB (Dallas Cowboys): 84 tackles. 20 TFL’s. 13 sacks. 30 QB hits. 3 PBU’s. 3 FF’s. (BEST ABILITY: Raw Athleticism/Change Of Direction) 

Analyst/Host & Fromer USC Trojan Trevor Trout’s Top 5: 

• 1. Nick Bosa
• 2. Myles Garrett 
• 3. TJ Watt
• 4. Joey Bosa
• 5. Micah Parsons

Former NFL/CFL/AFL Player & Tulane Great Royce LaFrance’s Top 5:

• 1. TJ Watt
• 2. Myles Garrett
• 3. Chandler Jones
• 4. Nick Bosa
• 5. Trey Hendrickson

  Sports Journalist & TLU SID/SMD Bryce Hayes’s Top 5: 

• 1. TJ Watt
• 2. Myles Garrett 
• 3. Nick Bosa
• 4. Joey Bosa
• 5. Trey Hendrickson

HONORABLE MENTION: Cam Jordan DE (New Orleans Saints). Trey Hendrickson DE (Cincinnati Bengals). Von Miller DE (Buffalo Bills). Chandler Jones DE (Las Vegas Raiders). Khalil Mack DE (Los Angeles Chargers). Maxx Crosby DE (Las Vegas Raiders). Shaq Barrett DE (Tampa Bay Buccaneers).