Senior Bowl Edge Defender Prospect Rankings for the 2024 NFL Draft after full week of practice
The 2024 Senior Bowl is complete! Where do all the top edge defender prospects rank in this draft class now that we have had a chance to see them up close and personal? Obviously a few of the top names at edge defender did not participate at the Senior Bowl this week like Dallas Turner […]
The 2024 Senior Bowl is complete! Where do all the top edge defender prospects rank in this draft class now that we have had a chance to see them up close and personal?
Obviously a few of the top names at edge defender did not participate at the Senior Bowl this week like Dallas Turner (Alabama), Jared Verse (Florida State), and Chop Robinson (Penn State), but this group was a lot of fun. There was a clear first and second tier most of the week, but the depth was refreshing considering a handful of the edge defenders were not household names prior to the Senior Bowl.
Senior Bowl Edge Defender Rankings
- Laiatu Latu, UCLA
- Chris Braswell, Alabama
- Adisa Isaac, Penn State
- Austin Booker, Kansas
- Cedric Johnson, Ole Miss
- Jaylen Harrell, Michigan
- Jalyx Hunt, Houston Christian
- Javon Solomon, Troy
- Marshawn Kneeland, Western Michigan
- Braiden McGregor, Michigan
As I outlined in my feature piece on Laiatu Latu last week, he is the best pass rusher in the entire 2024 NFL Draft class. Latu made that abundantly clear over the past two seasons, but also put a nice bow on top of things this week at the Senior Bowl with his stellar performance as you can see in a handful of videos below.
Latu was in tier one for edge defender rankings this week by himself. He was physical, technical, and consistently won nearly every rep he played. And not only that, he was a vocal leader and coach for his fellow teammates throughout the event. He should be a top five overall NFL Draft pick.
Chris Braswell (Alabama) and Adisa Isaac (Penn State) were the tier two edge defenders at the Senior Bowl. The two players have vastly different play styles, but won with consistency every day of practice. Braswell displayed his power and subtle counter moves with his strong hands. Isaac, his killer speed and flexibility. Both have top ten pass rush pressure rates among edge prospects in this draft class to pair with their NFL-level traits.
Tier three was a surprise riser to many in Mobile this week. Austin Booker (Kansas) posted the third highest On-Field Athleticism Score (A to Z Sports' custom model using Zebra Technologies player tracking data at the Senior Bowl) among all the edge defenders this week, and it showed on snaps like these two below.
Booker won with speed, power, and agility, showing his creativity in generating pressures on just about every play. He likely goes inside day two of the 2024 NFL Draft now after his strong week.
Beyond Booker, an athletic trio of edge defenders stood out in tier four this week. Cedric Johnson (Ole Miss), Jaylen Harrell (Michigan), and Jalyx Hunt (Houston Christian) were all top six in On-Field Athleticism Score among the edge rushers this week. Johnson's power and consistent "first-to-the-ball" ability was on display all week, both in practice and during the game. Jaylen Harrell's subtle hand techniques separated him from many at the event. And Jalyx Hunt's speed off the ball and throughout positional drills was a site to see.
Senior Bowl Defensive Line Prospect Rankings for the 2024 NFL Draft after full week of practice
2024 Senior Bowl Defensive Line Prospect Rankings
Lastly, Javon Solomon (Troy), Marshawn Kneeland (Western Michigan), and Braiden McGregor (Michigan) were the best of the rest. None of them posted great advanced pass rush statistics in college (all below 13.5% pressure rate), but Solomon's uniquely long frame at his size, Kneeland's above average On Field Athleticism Score, and McGregor's speed-to-power combination made them all intriguing as potential day three NFL Draft prospects.
The edge defender class still seems rather top heavy for the 2024 NFL Draft, with Latu, Braswell, Isaac, and a few other headlining the first couple rounds. But there were certainly a handful of other edge players who put their names in the hat for earlier draft capital consideration at the Senior Bowl.
