Entering the 2023 NFL regular season, the league is full of young defensive stars that are claiming the spotlight just as much as their offensive counterparts. That's why it's so difficult to list the best group per position ahead of training camp.

And yet, we're gonna.

From edge rushers to safeties and everything in between, these are the best position groups in the NFL. 

Best NFL Defensive Position Groups Entering 2023 Season

EDGE: Dallas Cowboys

While there were many other units worthy of being considered here, the Cowboys get my vote for two main reasons:

1. Micah Parsons' skillset makes him a unicorn. He's been one of the most doubled-up defenders in the league and manages to impact the game on a down-to-down basis. There's a reason why he's received Defensive Player of the Year votes in each of his first two years in the league.
2. The Cowboys' edge rushers are particularly good in one other area: run defense. Both Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence finished in the Top 10 in stops per PFF.

The depth of this group is also impressive and one breakout player to keep an eye on has to be second-year DE Sam Williams, who put up big numbers in very limited playing time. 

Defensive tackles: New York Giants

Dexter Lawrence and Leonard Williams are one of the best duos in the league. Lawrence was second in total QB pressures (70) behind Chris Jones and third in defensive stops (47). 

Some will knock this group after Williams missed five games in 2022. But in his last two fully-healthy seasons, Williams averaged 9 sacks per year.

There are other units worthy of winning this title but the Giants are still the scariest unit of interior defenders. 

Linebackers: San Francisco 49ers

Fred Warner was recently voted the No. 1 off-ball linebacker in the NFL by executives, coaches, and scouts in an ESPN article put together by Jeremy Fowler.

"He's the perfect new-age linebacker, great against the pass but can handle himself against the run, a big athlete with plus leadership and communication," said an anonymous AFC scout in the piece.

Then there's Greenlaw, whose 71 defensive stops were the third-most in the NFL behind Warner's 72. 

Cornerbacks: New York Jets

This had to be one of the toughest positions to figure out. While the Miami Dolphins’ duo of Jalen Ramsey and Xavien Howard could’ve gotten my vote here, the Jets get the edge for an unexpected tiebreaker (more on that later).

But it all starts with Sauce Gardner, whose rookie season featured big-time performances against the likes of Ja'Marr Chase, and Stefon Diggs, among many other talented wide receivers.

The first-team All-Pro is the real deal and could very well be CB1 in the NFL. D.J. Reed has also earned his dose of respect but it's the Jets' slot CB Michael Carter II who serves as a tiebreaker. He finished the year as the highest-graded cornerback out of the slot.

Safeties: Buffalo Bills

Don’t forget about Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde.

Although the standout duo is coming off a down year, they're still one of the best pairings in the league. Together, Sean McDermott will be able to use them to aggressively change coverages at the last second and keep his defense unpredictable.

Hyde was missed by Bills Mafia last season while Poyer kept a consistently banged-up secondary together. Now that they're back, they'll climb up the safety rankings in no time. 

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Featured image via Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports