6 Edge Rushers Worth Watching For The Eagles In The Draft
It is Combine Week in the NFL. Which means it is no longer too early to talk about the draft. We already looked at some Defensive Tackles in this draft who make sense for the Eagles, but what about the Edge Rushers?
Josh Sweat might be leaving in free agency, and Brandon Graham is considering retirement. Edge Rusher would be a need for depth even with those two guys, but if they leave, Edge Rusher immediately becomes the biggest need for this team. Unless you are banking on Bryce Huff to bounce back, it would leave you with just Nolan Smith and Jalyx Hunt.
Howie has drafted an Edge Rusher 3 times in the 1st round since 2010. he has taken 17 total in that time between all 7 rounds, though many never played for the team. You know he loves to draft Edge Rushers. Will he add another one this year? If so, here are some names to know.
Here Are 5 Edge Rushers Worth Keeping An Eye On For The Eagles
Mike Green- Marshall
No player in this draft was as productive off the Edge as Mike Green. He has 17 sacks and 59 pressures. His 20.2% pass rush win rate and 9.4% Run Stop Win rate both ranked in the top 1% of Edge Rushers.
You watch him play, and he is like the Energizer Bunny. The dude never stops working, pursing every play until it is over. And he is usually involced in the end of that play, using his explosive traits and a large tool belt full of moves, highlighted by his spin move, to beat his man.
The issue is going to be where he played. Conference USA is not exactly the SEC. So was he a product of his competition, or can he play at that level vs any competiiton? Well Marshall did play Ohio State this season. And while the team got their asses kicked, he did come away with a sack. And during Senior Bowl practice, he ran right over Josh Connerly from Oregon, who is himself a highly touted prospect.
Mykel Williams- Georgia
The Eagles already have a trifecta of Georgia Linemen, why not make it a quadrella. In Williams the Eagles would get the chance to buy low on a guy with elite tools. He was very limited by an injury this past season. So the production was not where you would hope it would be. But when healthy Williams is a game changer.
His long arms make it hard for O-Linemen to get any leverage. He has the size and strength lets him overpower some linemen, and his quickness and bend lets him go around others. He could do with adding some more tools to his pass rush game, but he already has a bull rush that will let him win at any level.
The effort is always there, and even while banged up, he was still a monster vs the run. Get him healthy, and coach him up, he could be great against the pass too.
Shemar Stewart- Texas A&M
Last year, Quinyon Mitchell was the best player at the Senior Bowl, and the Eagles took him. This year, Shemar Stewart had the best performance at the Senior Bowl for a defensive player. Afterward, one NFL Scout told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler that “he stamped himself as the best player.” Fowler also noted that Stewart had the most “Wow” responses at the Senior Bowl.
Stewart is a boom-or-bust prospect. The traits are great, but the production is nearly non-existent. A lot of Draft Experts are comparing him to Travon Walker, who obviously went 1st overall a few years ago, above Aidan Hutchinson. Walker was also a highly touted recruit, who had very little measurable production at Georgia. But after an underwhelming rookie season, he has 20.5 sacks over his last 2 seasons.
The difference is at least right now, Shemar Stewart is not at the top of the draft. Most people have him projected to go around where the Eagles pick. So he might be more comparable to Nolan Smith. A former 5-star recruit, who possesses elite traits, but never turned those traits into production. We saw Nolan Smith, like Walker, struggle during his rookie season. But also like Walker, he came on strong in year 2.
Stewart is a risk. But if you are looking for bang for your buck, you could be getting a top 10 pick caliber player at pick 32. The question is does a player with traits like him keep rising up the draft board? The Combine could rocket im up the draft board.
James Pearce Jr- Tennessee
The Eagles love their undersized Edge Rushers, and have gotten great production out of them. Nolan Smith showed that this year, and Pearce fits that mold. He is 6ft 5, but only 245 lbs, making him quite slender for your average Edge Rusher.
But that has not stopped him from being productive in the SEC. He had 21 sacks over the last two seasons, and was 4th this past season in pass Rush Win Rate. He was going against some of the best Offensive Linmen in College, and winning regulalrly. So the same way you did not worry about Devonta Smith’s size so much because he proved he could win in the SEC, you don’t have to worry as much about Pearce because he did this against future NFL Linemen.
ESPN’s Matt Miller wrote about Pearce, and he talked to an NFL Scout who had high praise for Pearce.
“Following his breakout 2023 season, one scout told me Pearce would’ve been the top defensive player taken in the 2024 class. His lean frame won’t be a fit for every team, but his speed-rush skills are special.”
His size currenly has him low on Media Big Boards. Does that reflect what NFL teams think? If so, it could benefefit the Eagles. Nolan Smith fell to 31 because of his size, and Pearce could fall into their laps too.
Donovan Ezeiruaku- Boston College
We have talked a lot oabout Senior Bowl standouts, and Ezeiruaku is another guy who showed he can hang with top competition. he popped every day, showcasing how he can use his length and athleticism to beat almost anyone.
He might be slightly shorter than your average EDGE, but his wingspan is elite. That extra reach helps help get quick wins against his blocker.
He accumaled 14 sacks and 60 pressures this past season, to go along with 60 Run Stops. Put his production, his traits, and how he flashed at the Senior Bowl together, he is another potential steal at pick 32 if teams overlook him because of where he played.
Jack Sawyer- Ohio State
You can’t really go wrong taking Edge Rushers from Ohio State. And while Sawyer is not getting the hype the Bosa brothers or Chase Young did coming into the NFL, he is a force to be reckoned with.
Sawyer had the 2nd most pressures of any Edge Rushers going into the draft, Abdul Carter was the guy who had more. His 64 pressures turned into 10 sacks. It was a follow up to his 8 sack season in 2023. He also deflected 7 passes.
He lacks the elite athleticsm some guys on this list have. But he makes up for it with a endless motor, and a refined set of pass rush moves. We also know Eagles love drafting guys who were leaders in College, and Sawyer became one of the biggest voices over his 4 years as a Buckeye. They also love taking guys with championship pedigree, something he clearly now has.
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