2015 NFL Draft: Brett Kollmann Ranks His Top Edge Rushers

This year’s collection of edge rushers has been seen throughout the spring as the centerpiece to an otherwise fairly average draft class. As many as eight outside linebackers and defensive ends have been mocked to various teams in the first round, with the first often going as high as third overall to the Jaguars. Like I did with wide receivers in the 2015 NFL Draft, I decided to compile my personal 100-point scale grades and notes on these eight prospects and rank them in order from most to least valuable.

Spoiler alert: not all of them are actually worth first round picks, and my highest graded edge rusher of all might not be the one you expect.

(1) Owamagbe Odighizuwa, DE, UCLA

Size/bulk ---------------------------------- 8 (6'3", 267 lbs. Very good size, though not quite elite)

Length ------------------------------------- 8 (33 3/4" arms. Great length, though again not quite elite. More than adequate for stacking and shedding, however. Rarely lets people control his chest.  Uses that length to his advantage as both a pass rusher and run defender. Uses one arm principles frequently while scraping sideline to sideline to keep himself clear)

Agility/quickness/get off --------------- 8 (Excellent get off from the snap, which was evident by his 39" vert and 10'7" broad. He can get up field in a hurry. Closing burst is superb. Main knock is some stiffness in his hips - key word being "some" and not "a lot" - which may or may not be caused be repeated hip injuries and two hip surgeries over the years)

Strength ----------------------------------- 9 (Very, very strong at the point of attack. Converts speed to power better than most if not all other edge defenders in this class. Bull rush is deadly when he gets inside and under tackles. Phenomenal run defender on the edge)

Hand usage ------------------------------- 8 (Well-developed, violent hands. Works inside out and usually lands the punch right where he needs it. Showed a bit of everything: club-swim, club-rip, bull-jerk...even had a half-decent counter spin that he whipped out whenever offensive tackles [frequently] over-set against his speed. He can of course still grow as a rusher – mainly by learning when and when not to counter inside – but he is already much further along in development than a lot of edge guys in this class)

Leverage/stack and shed ------------- 9 (One of the best run defenders in this group as far as edge guys go. He simply will not be blown off the line of scrimmage with just one guy. Played 5-tech DE in UCLA's 3-4 despite being less than 270 pounds, which is a good indication of his ridiculous pound for pound strength. Lower body explosiveness translated to being an immovable f*** animal against the ground game, and length/violent hands helped him shed and tackle with ease. He didn't have enough bulk to really stand up against double teams as well as heavier 3-4 DEs, but that won't be his position in the pros so I don't really care about that. If you want him to hold the edge, he can do that with physicality that few other prospects in this class can match)

Versatility --------------------------------- 7 (He isn't really a bendy edge rusher, but his amazing combination of first step burst, strength, length, and technical development more than make up for that in my eyes. He can still win and get to the passer in other ways than just dipping and ripping. Not only that, but he has enormous value as a strong side run defender if 3-4 teams want him at Sam. Hell, he could even play strong side end in a 4-3 and do just fine. I don't think he's necessarily fluid enough to trail tight ends and running backs in man coverage, but he might not be a huge liability if asked to just handle zone drops from time to time. I think he could handle it....though not as well as some of the smaller/more fluid prospects in his position group. Either way, as long as he's on a team that lets him just do work on the line of scrimmage he won't let you down)

Toughness/Motor ----------------------- 9 (Motor runs hot at all times. Seemed like he got gassed a bit as games went on because he went hard on every snap, but hopefully if he has someone to rotate with he can keep that effort up for an entire game without tiring himself out too quickly)

Durability ---------------------------------- 5 (The one and only major question I have about him. He's had hip issues for the last few years at UCLA, going back to a hip flexor his freshman year. Then he missed all of 2013 after two hip surgeries, so unless I have a doctor telling me he's 100% behind these issues, I will have reservations. Owa himself says he's healthy and has no problems to look forward to in the future, but it's still worrisome to me without any specific information that the teams themselves have access to. This was also his first season as a full-time starter, so for someone with that much natural talent, I'm genuinely curious what took him so long to break out. Potential one-year wonder syndrome leaves a bad taste in my mouth after Whitney Mercilus failed to live up to his draft status)

Character/leadership --------------------10 (Team co-captain as a fifth year redshirt senior. Named to the Academic All-Conference team as an honorable mention. Presented the Paul I. Wellman Award for All-Around Excellence and the Bobby Field UCLA Captains Award at the team's annual banquet. Just an all around great person, great leader, and someone a locker room can count on)

OVERALL ---------------------------------- 81 (A thick, explosive, run-game-destroying monster. "Owa" might not be the most flexible or fluid candidate to drop in coverage as a linebacker, but his value on the line of scrimmage can't be ignored. He probably won't win with bend and balance as much as Randy Gregory, but he's got a better first step, a better bull rush, and great hands that more than make up the difference. He can still win as a pure edge rusher because of that ridiculous up field explosion, so I’m fine with some stiffness. Clowney has that very same issue and he made it work just fine. People will mainly knock him for his age – he just turned 23 – and his multiple hip surgeries, and both of those points could reasonably cause him to fall a bit in the draft. If I’m looking for someone who is immediately ready to be an NFL starter, however, it’s hard to do better than Odighizuwa. He can step in day one and crush the edge on early downs while providing pass rush support on third and long. If he remains healthy, continues developing counter moves for when tackles sell out against his speed, and the hips don’t bother him long term, this is a pro-bowl caliber player)

(2) Bud Dupree, OLB, Kentucky

Size/bulk ---------------------------------- 9 (6’4" 270 as an OLB is wonderful)

Length ------------------------------------- 6 (32 5/8" arms are short as hell though. He will never win the length battle against any NFL OT without one arm principles. Head on stacking and shedding will be tougher for him)

Agility/quickness/get off -------------- 10 (Best burst pound for pound in this class. First step is breathtaking. Extremely quick and very good bend on the edge. Physically he’s a natural speed rusher)

Strength ----------------------------------- 8 (When he actually does get into TE’s chests he flashes strength to shed and hit. Bull rushing with one arm principles looks good too when he gets under people. Not Hulk strength but still very stout when he’s disciplined in technique and gets into the chest)

Hand usage ------------------------------- 6 (Has no idea what he’s doing. Flashes ability to shoot hands into blocker’s chest but very inconsistent. Rarely uses advanced pass rushing moves other than a swipe of the hands. Doesn’t rip out of his dips much if ever, doesn’t swim often as a counter inside. He’s a blank slate for technical development)

Leverage/stack and shed ------------- 7 (Much better against TE’s than OT’s because he stands a chance length wise. Gets under people fine but he has a hard time stoning people unless they are also short armed like TE’s. Will struggle against guys with 34-35 inch length on the next level because they will always just bench him out of the hole. Should play Sam, but could also rush off the weak side edge in certain systems if he’s protected by a good Will backer and 3-technique on early downs).

Versatility --------------------------------- 9 (Has value both as a pass rusher and in coverage. Most coverage experience out of any of the top EDGE prospects by far. He’s a natural in space and can drop a lot while you rush four, which makes him valuable to 4-3 teams too. He fits any scheme for any team if he’s used right)

Toughness/Motor ----------------------- 8 (Motor flamed out occasionally when he thought play was about to be over or that he couldn’t make an impact in time, when in fact he could have if he just kept going. It’s not that he takes plays off, but he’s not necessarily ALWAYS going 100% to the whistle if he thinks he has no shot at doing something. Only happened a couple of times and not a major issue. Not afraid to mix it up on the LOS or lay the wood, so that’s nice)

Durability ---------------------------------- 9 (Missed one game in four year career – three of those as a starter – and it was due to a strained pec. Other than that he seems to have been consistently healthy and played significant snaps)

Character/leadership ------------------- 9 (Captain, great off the field character, leader in the locker room. See no reason to doubt that he will be a good team mate)

OVERALL ----------------------------------- 81 (Very raw athlete with unlimited potential. Experienced in coverage and brings versatility. Perhaps lack of pass rush snaps compared to other top prospects gave him less time to refine himself as a rusher? Who knows. Either way, he can play Sam in any scheme or front and provide value as a flame thrower off the edge and extra body in zones underneath. Will also have value as a run stopper vs TE’s, but won’t have as much success on early downs against OT’s. If he plays Sam, Dupree should be protected by a really good 5-tech right next to him that can stack and shed so that he only has to worry about playing force until 3^rd and long where he can just get after the passer. The right team can make him a super star if they use him correctly and develop his technique)

(3) Randy Gregory, DE/OLB, Nebraska

Size/bulk ---------------------------------- 8 (6’5", 243 as of most recent reports. Has the height but not quite the bulk yet)

Length ------------------------------------- 9 (34" arms, so he’s one of the longer top edge rushers)

Agility/quickness/get off -------------- 8 (Good get off from the snap, though not quite elite)

Strength ----------------------------------- 9 (Very stout, great power for his bulk. Will only get stronger as he puts on weight)

Hand usage ------------------------------- 9 (Wide variety of moves. Really knows how to control people’s chests without being controlled himself. Great hands)

Leverage/stack and shed ------------- 9 (Great length and strength make him hard to run on. He disengages very, very easily)

Versatility --------------------------------- 8 (Rushes of the edge well, counters inside, stops the run, and is fluid for potential coverage duty. He’s inexperienced in space, but athletically he should be up for it. Can rush from two or three point stances. Very versatile skillset)

Toughness/Motor ----------------------- 9 (Doesn’t take any s*** from anyone. Alpha dog mentality and always plays to the whistle. Saved the Michigan State game all by himself by never quitting in the 4^th quarter and making play after play to put his team into position to win)

Durability ---------------------------------- 6 (Knee and shoulder issues. Missed a little time. Not sure if there are any long term issues or deficiencies that stem from lack of bulk)

Character/leadership ------------------- 5 (Already in stage 1 of NFL substance abuse policy. Didn’t interview well, apparently)

OVERALL ----------------------------------- 80 (Physically gifted, technically proficient, high effort pass rusher who has no holes on the field. Can stand to bulk up a bit but he had no drawbacks as a player. Main knocks are some nagging injuries…knee and shoulder…as well as constant pot use that some teams will be concerned about. Is he Josh Gordon or Justin Houston? If he had a good durability and character score he would have been at 85-87, which would put him at third-ish overall on the big board)

(4) Preston Smith, DE, Mississippi State

Size/bulk ---------------------------------- 9 (6’5", 271. Great size for a strong side end in a 4-3)

Length ------------------------------------- 9 (34" arms. Great length)

Agility/quickness/get off -------------- 7 (Good get off and quickness for his size. He’s quicker than most 4-3 strong side ends. Good bend and flexibility too, certainly more than Owa. He’s not a burner off the edge but he can do some damage as a complementary rusher. Will be most effective when kicked inside though, as he can utilize that good first step and lateral quickness to penetrate)

Strength ----------------------------------- 7 (Decent pop, but nothing special…probably because everyone always got under him when he played high. Never really saw him jolt anyone except for a few occasions like the goal line stand against LSU)

Hand usage ------------------------------- 8 (Very nice hands, particularly when pass rushing. Got a wicked club swim and nice club rip too. Can dip on the edge. Flashed a nice bull-jerk move. Want to see him develop a one armed bull or some kind of power move)

Leverage/stack and shed -------------- 6 (Was always, ALWAYS playing too high. If he played with leverage he would have been a statistical monster. Lacked pop and overpowering strength on contact because he never got under people. I know he can do it, his coaches just have to get it out of him. Athleticism is wasted when he’s too high. Fix that and sky is the limit)

Versatility --------------------------------- 8 (Has value as that new age 5-tech in a 4-3 that plays the run on early downs and then kicks inside on passing downs. Reminds me of Michael Bennett. Line him up anywhere. So long as he fixes his leverage he should be a beast on every down)

Toughness/Motor ----------------------- 8 (Motor was good, but not special or anything. Jogged when he was clearly out of the play…maybe winded? Not sure. Didn’t seem to give up on any plays that were within his range though. Nice effort sack against Ogbuehi)

Durability ---------------------------------- 9 (no known injury history, 40 career games with 27 starts. He’s a picture of health)

Character/leadership ------------------- 9 (Team captain. Leader in the locker room. No known arrests or suspensions. Seems like a great guy)

OVERALL ----------------------------------- 80 (5-tech in a 4-3, ideally used like Michael Bennett…hold the edge on early downs, then kick inside on passing downs. Good size, length, bend, and first step for his bulk. Very nice hands, particularly his arm over. High ceiling prospect as an every down asset. Will pair nicely with a good pass rushing Sam off the edge. Needs to learn to play with leverage though, or he’ll get whooped by NFL O-lines. Playing too high in the pros doesn’t work. That’s his main flaw, which also caused his punch to lack pop. Senior captain with great durability over 40 games with 27 starts. Should fit in well in the locker room. Overall, new age hybrid defenses will absolutely adore him both for his immediate contributions as a rotational pass rusher and for his long term ceiling once he learns to control his pad level)

(5) Dante Fowler, DE/LB, Florida

Size/bulk ---------------------------------- 8 (6’3" 260. Good size)

Length ------------------------------------- 8 (33 ¾" arms. Good length, but not elite. Won’t hurt him at least, just like Owa)

Agility/quickness/get off -------------- 7 (Shows good lateral quickness and fluidity when changing directions, and he has good straight line speed too, but his initial burst off the line is average at best. He won off the edge a grand total of one time in the four games I watched. He just couldn’t win as a dip and rip kind of guy…that’s not his game and he knows it. I wouldn’t put him weak side at all because he can’t win there as a speed rusher)

Strength ----------------------------------- 7 (He does well against tight ends but stoned by OT’s. Has great violence on his clubs too….but just has no consistent bull rush ability for some reason. Probably ties into his lack of lower body strength. He has a strong upper body at least, but lower body obviously more important)

Hand usage ------------------------------- 8 (Really, really quick club swim that he uses quite a bit. Showed very nice counter spin, a few rips here and there, always looks to keep his hands inside on engagement. Nice push pull swim against Erving for a QB hit in the FSU game. He’s already developing his hands very nicely as just a junior)

Leverage/stack and shed -------------- 7 (Usually can maintain good leverage because he’s 6’3" and can get under tackles well, but his lack of lower body strength meant he just couldn’t anchor against the run well consistently unless it was against TE’s. I think he’ll be a SOLB because of that. NFL LT’s will eat him alive on run downs if he can’t improve his anchor)

Versatility --------------------------------- 6 (Can rush from multiple stances and he seems adequate in coverage…though not necessarily "good"…but the fact that he is not able to also threaten QBs off the edge worries me. He had way more success inside as a blitzer. So he’s not an edge rusher, he’s not a stack and shed run defender against OT’s, and he’s not super amazing in coverage, which means his best role is run D against TE’s and as a complementary pass rusher. Even Brooks Reed was more versatile than that)

Toughness/Motor ----------------------- 9 (Very high motor guy. He was intense all the time. Could tell he loves football. Won’t have any problem with him taking plays off)

Durability ---------------------------------- 9 (Never missed a start once he took the starting job his sophomore year. Remained healthy from what I can tell)

Character/leadership ------------------- 10 (Voted permanent team captain by rest of the team his junior year. A locker room leader, high intensity guy, and a brawler on the field in a good way. Didn’t take s*** from anyone. A football player’s football player)

OVERALL ----------------------------------- 79 (I think he’s a SOLB in possibly a 3-4 or 4-3. He’s got good bend, good lateral quickness, adequate zone coverage ability, and good stack and shed ability against tight ends, but despite being bendy and quick laterally he doesn’t have that vertical explosion you need to be an effective edge rusher with a good jump off the snap. On top of that he doesn’t have the lower body strength – which ties into vertical explosion – to really anchor against OT’s against the run. He’s relegated to complementary pass rusher and edge contain run defender roles in my mind, thus being a Sam backer. A good Sam backer, but a Sam backer none the less. I won’t spend a top 5 or even top 10 pick on a Sam unless he provides immense upside as a pass rusher like Von Miller/Vic Beasley or unless I have no other good options. Hell, he might even be a great candidate to convert to inside linebacker like Brian Cushing. They possess a lot of the same skillsets, to be honest. Fowler’s a good football player, but not an elite football player)

(6) Vic Beasley, LB, Clemson

Size/bulk ---------------------------------- 7 (6’3" 246…basically Von Miller sized. Adequate but not ideal)

Length ------------------------------------- 6 (32 1/2" arms. Really short compared to most top pass rushers. Won’t win the length battle against NFL OT’s…pretty much ever)

Agility/quickness/get off -------------- 10 (When he does win it’s with speed and quickness. He’s a pure flame thrower off the edge; that first step is a doozy. He’s also got wheels to get from sideline to sideline in a hurry. Shows fluidity in space as a candidate to drop into coverage and run with athletic TE’s down the field)

Strength ----------------------------------- 6 (Despite repping out 34 times at the combine, he looked very weak on tape. Possibly a product of everyone having a reach advantage on him, but he has zero power as a pass rusher. Bull rushes simply did not work for him. He couldn’t control anyone at all and probably will not have much success – if any – as a stack and shed run defender. Very similar to Bruce Irvin in that regard, except at least Irvin had an extra inch of length on him so he still made it work as a run defender)

Hand usage ------------------------------- 8 (Quick hands and a nice club rip, and love the counter spin he’s got that is set up by the speed rush. Want to see him develop a counter swim too, but he shows enough development with his hands so far for me to consider him an okay technician…still has room to grow)

Leverage/stack and shed ------------- 6 (He won’t be stacking or shedding against anyone. 6 might be generous, even. Doesn’t have the length to stack, nor the pop and strength to engage and stone offensive linemen. He would purely be a force player and even then he has to be protected by a really damn good 5-tech and a really damn good ILB in case the OT widens him too far when he can’t anchor or win the length battle. Also very aggressive and ran himself out of position a few times against the run. He directly cost them the FSU game when he didn’t do his job and contain…instead jumped inside and gave the edge to Karlos Williams for game winning TD)

Versatility --------------------------------- 7 (Can rush from multiple stances, should fare well in coverage with his quickness and fluidity. Taking away points for being bad against the run though. He probably has to be a Sam somewhere because I don’t trust him against OTs)

Toughness/Motor ----------------------- 7 (Okay motor, not bad be he stalls out and seems to stop fighting sometimes. Doesn’t seem to be a "take no shit until the whistle" kind of guy, but he’s not lazy so I’ll take it. Played through some sort of hand and shoulder injury before the GT game, so he can take some pain)

Durability ---------------------------------- 9 (Hasn’t missed a game in two years, very little injury concerns. Seems to be a picture of health)

Character/leadership ------------------- 10 (Stayed in school to be redshirt senior instead of bolting for the draft last year. Could have been a first rounder, but wanted a degree. Voted as captain several times throughout his career by his peers. Never arrested, and no character issues)

OVERALL ----------------------------------- 76 (Undersized pure speed rusher who won’t do s*** against the run because he lacks length and strength. Kind of a one trick pony who will need to be protected on early downs by a good 5-tech and a good ILB. Should be counted on as a complementary pass rusher, but lack of strength and length means he might not have the pass rushing versatility to really be "the guy" since tackles with good feet will give him trouble. So I guess he’s basically Bruce Irvin. Should have the fluidity and quickness to be reliable in coverage. 4-3 Sam or 3-4 Sam are probably his best spots depending on individual schemes)

(7) Shane Ray, DE/LB, Missouri

Size/bulk ---------------------------------- 7 (6’3" 245…basically Von Miller sized. Adequate but not ideal)

Length ------------------------------------- 7 (33 1/8" arms. A little below average, but still longer than Beasley and Dupree. Still might cause him some problems here and there with longer tackles)

Agility/quickness/get off -------------- 7 (Good, but not great first step. Very upright, stiff mover but still somehow changes directions well when flattening to the quarterback. Looks like he has a long torso but a short, squatty lower body, so maybe his center of gravity is lower and he can get away with being stiffer? Tough to tell…he’s just kind of a physical enigma like that. Who knows)

Strength ----------------------------------- 7 (Okay strength, but he really isn’t a power rusher. This might be a product of his lack of length, but he just doesn’t get much push; he’s more of a penetrator. He won’t get run over by offensive linemen like Beasley will, but he’ll need a little protection with a good ILB or a good 5-tech just to make sure he doesn’t get exposed. He might just be "okay" against the run rather than that being a staple of his game like Khalil Mack and Randy Gregory)

Hand usage ------------------------------- 7 (Quick hands. Like his club rip, which is his favorite move. Flashes an arm over every now and then. Makes a concerted effort to keep his chest clear at all times)

Leverage/stack and shed ------------- 7 (Very upright kind of rusher, and not very bendy. Really needs to learn how to dip and get under people. He was way too stiff and way too high most of the time. That stiffness/lack of leverage might have contributed to his averageness against the run)

Versatility --------------------------------- 7 (Mostly a penetrator and pass rusher. Might be adequate at best in coverage but he won’t thrive there, shouldn’t be dropped too often because against he’s kind of stiff. Okay as a stack and shed run defender but it isn’t a plus. He’s pretty much just a pass rusher and a reliable force guy on the edge. I think he can be a good contributor for a 4-3 team that needs a rotational pass rusher, but he’s not necessarily someone you can bank on changing a defense in a multitude of ways)

Toughness/Motor ----------------------- 10 (Great motor and a really tough guy. He doesn’t quit and he’s highly motivated. Doesn’t take s*** from anyone on the field)

Durability ---------------------------------- 7 (Foot injury took him out of the combine and possibly affected his pro day results, which were all below average numbers. That’s something to watch with him if it becomes more serious down the road)

Character/leadership ------------------- 8 (Used to be kind of an a-hole in the locker room by his own admission, but he has really matured over the last couple of years and grown into a leader and a high effort guy. No arrests. Just needed time to grow up)

OVERALL ----------------------------------- 74 (Undersized pass rusher. Has 3-4 OLB size without 3-4 OLB fluidity or skills. Good but not great first step will help, but he’s a very stiff mover and needs to learn to bend so he can grow into a double digit sack guy. If he doesn’t get more flexible, he’ll end up as just a "decent but replaceable" kind of player. Might be okay to drop in coverage every now and then but I don’t think he’ll be as reliable as Dupree, Fowler, Beasley, or Gregory because of his lack of fluidity. Nice club rip move so his hands are at least somewhat ready for the pros, but if he doesn’t bend he won’t be able to take full advantage of it anyway. Got a lot of production out of reading snap counts and beating tackles on cadence reads. Hard counts will hurt him, and once he gets nervous about that and stops jumping snaps he probably isn’t physically gifted enough to make up for it. High effort guy so that’s a plus. Really matured over the last couple years. He’s a higher floor, lower ceiling prospect who can turn out to be a good rotational pass rusher in certain systems, but he’s not versatile enough to be considered a high pick by every team. Probably a second round talent that will end up being picked in the late first round anyway because of the position he plays. 4-3 weak side end is probably his best spot)

(8) Eli Harold, OLB, Virginia

Size/bulk ---------------------------------- 7 (6’3", 247 lbs. Okay size but not ideal. Same general ballpark of Beasley and Ray)

Length ------------------------------------- 7 (33" arms. Not terrible but really not what you want from top flight prospects. Firmly average in this category)

Agility/quickness/get off -------------- 8 (Great sideline to sideline speed and get off on the snap, but not on Dupree’s or Owa’s level. Definitely fits the mold of a speed rusher, though he’s stiffer than Beasley, Dupree, and Gregory and flattens down to the QB noticeably slower than all of them. Does a lot of damage with his speed on stunts inside)

Strength ----------------------------------- 6 (Terrible strength. Extremely soft against the run. Can’t bull rush at all. 24 reps at his pro day are misleading, as are his vertical and broad jumps. He might have a good get off but he cannot convert speed to power AT ALL)

Hand usage ------------------------------- 7 (Somewhat raw pass rusher. Flashes some nice moves here and there with a club-swim and a club- rip, but even his execution of those moves is not refined. Still has a long way to go with his hands. Doesn’t adhere to one arm principles to counter act length disadvantage, doesn’t fire into chests consistently, average bend on the edge due to stiffness. Once he got engaged in his chest he was generally done for. Needs a lot of work from the moment he gets drafted)

Leverage/stack and shed ------------- 6 (Again, he’s terrible against the run. Can’t stack, can’t shed, lost the edge several times. He cannot be counted on for early down run support as a rookie. Needs at least a year to refine his game and even then I wonder if he will ever be strong enough to contribute on early downs)

Versatility --------------------------------- 6 (Didn’t drop into coverage much at all, useless against the run unless he’s just a force player, and he’s still a raw speed rusher. Developmental project all the way, though he has upside due to athleticism)

Toughness/Motor ----------------------- 7 (Ran hot and cold. Was good with chase on one play and then jogging after ball carriers the next. Really didn’t stand out on tape for his effort or toughness)

Durability ---------------------------------- 10 (Never missed a start in three years. No major injury concerns that I could find)

Character/leadership ------------------- 9 (No arrests or suspensions. Not a captain. He has had to overcome a lot of heartbreak during his lifetime and uses that as motivation. Lost his mother to cancer at 15, as well as his nephew in 2010. Shouldn’t be an issue off the field, seems like a very nice guy)

OVERALL ----------------------------------- 73 (Pure speed rusher. Adequate size and length, but not anything special in his dimensions. Great first step and speed, but average bend. Raw hand usage and absolutely no power. Absolutely cannot be counted on against the run early on until he develops his strength…if that’s even possible. Somewhat stiff hips so he has issues flattening to the quarterback off the edge, which means he also might be a bit shaky in space as a linebacker dropped into coverage. All in all he’s a very one dimensional player physically, and the one dimension he is even built for is still years away from being developed into effectiveness. He’s a long term play as a second day pick, and I’m not sure I would really go after him until the third round. Athleticism may lead to him being over drafted)

For those who do not feel like scrolling back to the top of the page, here is a quick recap of the overall grades for these top eight pass rushers.

1. Owamagbe Odighizuwa (81)

2. Bud Dupree (81)

3. Randy Gregory (80)

4. Preston Smith (80)

5. Dante Fowler (79)

6. Vic Beasley (76)

7. Shane Ray (74)

8. Eli Harold (73)

What do you think, BRB? Am I rating Owa Odighizuwa too highly? Is his lofty status on my big board an even bigger affront to logic than my ranking of DeVante Parker as my top wide receiver? I suppose we will all find out after the 2015 season who is right and who is wrong. Hopefully I do not have to eat too much crow.