As the Cleveland Browns look to improve their defensive line, they will also look to get a long-term running mate to bookend that unit with Myles Garrett. While Alex Wright is just a third rounder from a year ago, they cannot go into the 2023 season banking on a massive leap from him. As we get further into the 2023 NFL Draft process, with the NFL Scouting Combine next week, it is time to release a new batch of rankings.
A bit about my process, the guys who win in the league and gather constant pressure all have one thing in common: they can win along the outside shoulder and flatten their path to the quarterback with bend. According to PFF, the players with the most pressures in 2022 were Micah Parsons, Nick Bosa, Haason Reddick, Maxx Crosby, Za’Darius Smith, Jaelan Phillips, Josh Allen, Danielle Hunter, Trey Hendrickson, and Myles Garrett.
What is one thing all of these players (with Smith being the lone outlier) have in common? They possess flexible hips and the ability to take the outside shoulder at will with bend. My rankings will look much different from the consensus as this is something I weigh heavily because the path to success with this trait is evident.
Here are my top ten pass rushers as the Browns prepare to gather more in Indianapolis next week.
10
Nick Herbig, Wisconsin
Nick Herbig gives so much to love on tape. He is a nuanced pass rusher with a wide variety of moves to attack with off the edge, he is unbelievably fluid, and his production reflects his ability. The problem? He is listed at just 6-foot-2 and 227 pounds, and this shows up when he is asked to set the edge and defend the run. The play strength of Herbig is substandard, which has led to talks of moving to off-ball linebacker at the next level.
This is not a necessity, however, as Herbig would thrive as a base SAM linebacker who then attacks off the edge in obvious passing situations.
9
Zach Harrison, Ohio State
Get ready for Ohio State’s Zach Harrison to run and jump with eye-popping numbers next week at the combine. He could be on the rise after that, especially considering he possesses nearly 36-inch vines for arms as well, which gives him plenty of leverage points to attack with. His game took a step forward as well, as Harrison reduced the ways he tried to win in 2022 and refined what he was good at. Harrison is an ideal five-tech who can even bring some juice out wide.
8
Will McDonald, Iowa State
Iowa State’s Will McDonald, who Daniel Jeremiah thinks would be a great fit with the Browns, is a hard one to project as he is coming out of the unorthodox 3-3-5 system in college. However, he is long, explosive, flexible, and has a decent-sized toolbox to attack with off the edge. If only he were a bit stronger against the run.
7
Keion White, Georgia Tech
Georgia Tech’s Keion White can do some freakish things on tape, including tracking a running back 85 yards down the field after rotating out in coverage. He moves quite well both linearly and fluidly for a man who is 280 pounds. However, his hands do not pack as much of a punch as you’d hope for a man his size, and his pass rush plan is still not refined for a player who is already 24 years old.
6
Lukas Van Ness, Iowa
This is where the conversation and the rankings get a bit weird compared to consensus. For starters, there is a lot to love about the game of Iowa pass rusher Lukas Van Ness. He challenges the top guy on this list as the most explosive pass rusher in the class, is wildly strong in his lower half to play inside or out and still holds his own against the run with ease, and is a young player. However, his one way of winning as a pass rusher is with power and through the chest of the man across from him.
Van Ness is a linear pass rusher who does not possess much flexibility in his hip to take the outside shoulder or flatten angles to the quarterback. If Van Ness gets anchored in, there is not much else he shows with his hands.
5
Tyree Wilson, Texas Tech
Along the same lines as Van Ness, Wilson has one predominant way of winning: through the chest of the man across from him. Once he’s anchored in, however, Wilson also lacks a second move or counter to replace hands and clear his frame. Sure, Wilson is built in a lab and is going to test off the charts, but his game is quite one-dimensional as a pass rusher who has a volatile pad level upfront.
4
Nolan Smith, Georgia
There is not a twitchier mover in this pass rusher group than Georgia’s Nolan Smith. A former top recruit in the nation, Smith has lived up to the hype for the Bulldogs. With his quick-twitch, he teleports when crossing face inside, his change of direction is dynamic, and his hips possess a staggering amount of flexibility. Even with a smaller frame, Smith shows the ability to set a strong edge and gap out at a high level as a run defender as well.
3
Myles Murphy, Clemson
The game of Myles Murphy has room for exponential growth and refinement. However, the traits are undeniable for the Clemson pass rusher as he is 6-foot-5, 275 pounds, explosive off the snap, and can take the outside shoulder way more than someone his size should be able to. If Murphy can refine a pass rush plan and add some nuance with his hands to his game, he has room to be a perennial game-wrecker off the edge.
2
BJ Ojulari, LSU
This is probably the highest you will see LSU pass rusher BJ Ojulari in anybody’s rankings, and I am okay with that. Ojulari is a rubber band with his ability to bend the edge, possesses long levers, clearly added a good amount of muscle mass, and has an explosive first step off the ball. On top of that, Ojulari is just 20 years old and already has a toolbelt of go-to pass rush moves, including a nasty, nasty ghost move he will deploy to attack opposing quarterbacks.
Who cares about consensus here, Ojulari is a fantastic player and is worth pounding the table over.
1
Will Anderson, Alabama
There is some overthinking happening here, as NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah has stated the league has Alabama’s Will Anderson close with Texas Tech’s Wilson. There is no overthinking here.
Anderson should have won the Heisman over his teammate Bryce Young a year ago as his production has been off the charts for two seasons. He is explosive, converts speed-to-power better than anyone in the nation, and has the nuance to win inside, through the chest, or outside at will. Anderson is a top-two overall player in this 2023 NFL Draft class, and he may not be two.
