Top 10 Pass Rushers in the 2018 NFL Draft

Every NFL covets an elite pass rusher and this group presents a number if interesting prospects. I’m looking at pass rushers that can play on the end with their hand in the dirt or standing up as an outside linebacker.

Ideally a top end pass rusher should be able to work in a 4-3 base or a 3-4 base but I’ll identify which schemes these players fit best. I’m looking for size, speed, power, a high motor and production in the form of quarterback sacks.

Here, I’ll outline my top 10 (Just before the Combine) regardless of team fit/scheme.

Bradley Chubb – North Carolina State – Senior – 6ft-4 – 275lb

Chubb is the clear #1 on this list. He has prototypical size, frame and elite power. Chubb was a productive 3 year starter and his draft stock has been high for some time which speaks of his consistency. Chubb has a great motor and he is able to push to pocket on each play. Chubb has a wide range of pass rush moves and uses his hands extremely well to gain leverage on the blocker. Chubb is a great tackler, he chases down the ball carrier with urgency and also plays contain well on running plays. Chubb has great instincts and really good technique. Chubb doesn’t have elite speed and he’s not a true speed rusher but he bends the corner well and his athleticism is still above average. Chubb appears to have some versatility and I could see him being able to play in a 3-4 even though his ideal fit would be in a 4-3. I can’t really find many flaws with Chubb, all-in-all he’s a top prospect and surely a lock to be taken in the top 5.

Marcus Davenport – UTSA – Senior – 6ft-7 – 255lb

The first thing you notice about Davenport on tape is that the guy is violent, he gets off the snap quickly and aggressively attacks the would-be blocker. Davenport plays with a good motor, he has good closing speed and is relentless in pursuit. Davenport looks both strong and athletic. Davenport could play standing up in a 3-4 or on the edge in a 4-3. Davenport appears to read the game well and has good play recognition although he will sometimes be over pursue. Davenport’s nasty demeanour has drawn comparisons to Jadaveon Clowney. Davenport lacks some lateral agility and his body control/balance is not great. Davenport has not been truly tested against top opponents so you have to temper falling in love with him slightly, he also clearly needs a lot of technical work. I really like Davenport despite his rawness and I would draft him early. In reality, Davenport could be a top 10 pick and will almost definitely hear his name called on day 1 of the draft in April.

Arden Key – LSU – Junior – 6ft-6 – 238lb

I’m taking a risk here, Key is a true boom or bust prospect but I feel, with the right coaching/team, he’s got every chance to be elite. Key is a tall, long edge rusher who is most likely limited to playing OLB for a 3-4 team. Key is quick off the snap and bends the corner exceptionally well. Key is athletic and explosive and uses his long arms to gain leverage. Key has adequate pass rush moves but he won’t win with power and he could do with working on his repertoire. Key was certainly more productive in 2016 than he was last year, he had some injury issues (mainly shoulder) but he didn’t seem to be the same player and was vastly inconsistent. Key appears to lack great conditioning so he’ll need to prove to teams that he can stay healthy. Key has also had some disciplinary issues and doesn’t appear to have an alpha character. Key should be a first round pick but, with so many question marks at this time, he may fall in to round 2.

Sam Hubbard – Ohio State – Junior – 6ft-5 – 265lb

I seem to like Hubbard more than a lot of others, maybe I’m clouded by him being from Ohio State and knowing that their defense generally makes great players. Hubbard has great size & length, he’s athletic too and provides a solid mix of speed and power. Hubbard is tough and a good tackler and he is more than capable playing the run. Hubbard appears to have good play recognition and he has been a consistently productive player, against great opposition. Hubbard seems more suited to playing the edge in a 4-3 but he could move to OLB if required. Hubbard isn’t particularly explosive or dynamic and he isn’t the strongest at the point of attack. Hubbard has good character and a will to succeed, he’s a well rounded prospect that, at very least, will provide good d-line rotation. Hubbard could be chosen late in the first round or early/mis second round.

Hercules Mata’afa – Washington State – Junior – 6ft-2 – 255lb

Mata’afa is rising up draft boards quickly, he’s raw but has amazing potential. Mata’afa has great speed, he’s explosive and quick off the snap. Mata’afa plays with a good motor a good effort. Mata’afa is disruptive on most plays although he needs to work on his consistency. Mata’afa is a playmaker with good production especially in tackles for loss. Mata’afa provides versatility and is about the right size/weight to be considered a ‘tweener’ which, in this case, may be a positive thing. Mata’afa played in a strange defensive scheme at Washington State and often rushed from the inside, he doesn’t project to excel there in the NFL. Mata’afa will needs a lot of coaching on his technique to reach his potential, his hands are particularly inconsistent. Mata’afa may not be NFL ready but he’ll intrigue a lot of teams. I can see someone taking a flyer on him in the early second round.

Duke Ejiofor – Wake Forest – Senior – 6ft-4 – 270lb

Ejiofor is an experienced campaigner who appears to be NFL ready, he’s been very productive in the last 2 seasons. Ejiofor is athletic/quick and he plays with a great motor. Ejiofor is smart, instinctive and he has good play recognition. Ejiofor demonstrates finesse and a refined technique. Ejiofor has some good pass rush moves, especially the spin move, and he is also good against the run. Ejiofor has ideal size for a 4-3 end although he could rush from the inside and also transfer to a 3-4 OLB. Despite great technique, Ejiofor can sometimes lose leverage and he isn’t the strongest at the point of attack. Ejiofor can play too high at times and he doesn’t have elite explosiveness. Ejiofor seems like the kind of prospect that will find a way to forge a career in the NFL, he is versatile enough for a team to go after him in the second round but he could slip to the third round given that he doesn’t have any particularly elite traits.

Harold Landry – Boston College – Senior – 6ft-3 – 250lb

Landry appears to be another feast or famine type player, he’s certainly slipped down a lot of boards after a relatively disappointing 2017 season. Landry projects as a 3-4 OLB but he has decent bulk and could play on the edge as an end in a 4-3 given the right scheme/team. Landry is very fast and explosive. Landry bends well around the edge and beats his blocker with a variety of pass rush moves. Landry has a good frame but he could do with adding weight to gain more strength. Landry doesn’t offer much against the run so would not be considered a 3 down player. Landry needs to show greater effort and consistency but his drop in production last year could be due to some injury issues and he was still disruptive in a number of games. Landry could be taken in the first round, his potential suggests that would be where he should be taken, but those nagging concerns may well drop him to the second or even the third.

Ogbonnia Okoronkwo – Oklahoma – Senior – 6ft-1 – 242lb

I’m not as high on Okoronkwo as some others but he is certainly a prospect with raw talent. Okoronkwo plays with good aggression and a high motor. Okoronkwo already has some good, productive pass rush moves, he demonstrates good hands to gain leverage and good bend to beat big O-linemen. Okoronkwo is a good, explosive athlete who can be very disruptive. Okoronkwo is very productive with good sack numbers and plenty of forced fumbles. Okoronkwo projects as a 3-4 OLB due his lack of height, weight and length. I worry about Okoronkwo’s lack of size and his limited versatility, I think most teams will see him as purely a pass rushing threat and they’ll know that he may not be ready to start straightaway. He does, however, have good potential and signs that he could be really good so I expect him to be drafted in the second round of this year’s draft.

Josh Sweat – Florida State – Junior – 6ft-5 – 250lb

Sweat is a tall, rangy and well built pass rusher. Sweat is a good athlete with decent lateral agility/quickness. Sweat looks like the real deal as a pass rusher and he uses a range of moves to get to the QB. Sweat is also a decent tackler but he doesn’t possess the size/weight to be a true force as as a run stopper and, therefore, isn’t seen as a 3 down player at the moment. Sweat is a fluid, natural athlete but his production hasn’t been that eye-catching. Sweat flashes explosiveness but he isn’t consistently quick off the snap. Sweat looks like a versatile prospect especially if he’s able to bulk up slightly as then he could play end in a 4-3. Sweat has great potential and only a few technical issues such as average balance. Sweat has had some durability issues which will have to check out for teams to be happy to draft him early. I would predict Sweat could be drafted in the early third round or fourth round at latest.

Lorenzo Carter – Georgia – Senior – 6ft-6 – 242lb

My final choice in this list was a close call, I could have chosen any number of other good prospects here (Holland, Nwosu, Thomas) but I’ve gone for Carter. Carter has great height and range which allows him to be a sideline to sideline player. Carter looks really athletic and he’s an explosive pass rusher. Carter appears to have great edge rush tools and he is a playmaker but he lacked production in college in terms of sacks. Carter needs to add bulk to his lanky frame to become a 3 down player but he does flash potential in contain. With added bulk, Carter could add power to his undoubted speed. Carter, at the moment, looks limited to a OLB role in a 3-4 system. Carter has high upside and that, matched with his confident playing style, should make him an intriguing prospect for some teams. I predict that Carter could be chosen in the range of mid third round to early fifth.

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