Next up in the completed positional rankings series for the 2016 NFL draft is the Edge defender rankings. Defensive front seven players are categorised either as defensive line, edge, or linebacker. The edge players generally incorporate defensive ends in a 4-3 scheme and pass rushing outside linebackers in a 3-4 scheme. For this year’s draft, 31 players at the position have been given a draftable grade and a further 17 designated as priority free agents, out of a total of 118 edge defenders scouted, graded and ranked. Sr = Senior, Jr = Junior, So = Sophomore. An “r” prefix indicates a redshirt year (sat out for a year without playing, usually their first year of college) 1. Joey Bosa, Ohio State, Jr – 1st Round A star immediately during his freshman season, he was arguably NFL ready right there and then. He built on that with a sensational sophomore campaign in which he exploded on the stat sheet with 21 tackles for loss (TFLs) and 13.5 sacks, as well as developing an all-round dominant game as a key piece of the team that won the National Championship in the first year of the playoff era. In some people’s minds Bosa didn’t appear to be quite the force this season as that 2014 year. It began with a one game suspension for an unspecified violation of team rules, and ended with an early ejection for targeting in the season-ending bowl game versus Notre Dame. Some of the numbers in between (16 TFLs, 5 sacks) don’t leap off the page, but add in 14 quarterback pressures, and attracting constant double or even triple teams that opened up opportunities for teammates, and in actual fact Bosa was no less effective a game changing presence his junior season. …
Continue Reading: 2016 NFL Draft: Complete Edge Defender rankings
