Part 6, Edge: Choose your fighter
It's a game of Mortal Kombat on the edge. Who do you want terrorizing QBs? Four stand out above the rest: Dallas Turner, Jared Verse, Laiatu Latu & Chop Robinson. NFL scouts analyze them all here.
This is the 40th year that Bob McGinn has written his NFL Draft Series. Previously, it appeared in the Green Bay Press-Gazette (1985-’91), the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (1992-’17), BobMcGinn Football (2018-’19), The Athletic (2020-’21) and GoLongTD.com (2022-’24). Until 2014, many personnel people were quoted by name. The series reluctantly adopted an all-anonymous format in 2015 at the request of most scouts.
By Bob McGinn
It’s a simple question, and in most years so is the answer.
Who is the best pure pass rusher in the draft?
Based on speed and athleticism, Alabama’s Dallas Turner would be the obvious choice. Chop Robinson of Penn State would be next.
As we know, there are many ways to affect the quarterback. Power rushing, effort rushing and textbook rushing all can get the job done.
The close outcome from the 17-man panel of executives in personnel broke like this:
Turner, 8 votes; Laiatu Latu of UCLA, 6; Robinson, 1; Jared Verse of Florida State, 1. The remaining vote went to a defensive tackle, Byron Murphy of Texas.
“Latu is the exact opposite of Robinson and Turner,” one evaluator said. “Latu’s a technique pass rusher. He’s not explosive but he uses his hands well.”
Latu played just two seasons for the Bruins after a serious cervical injury ended his career at Washington after three years. His 24 sacks fell short of the school record but there’s little doubt that he’s the greatest pass rusher in UCLA history. Defensive end Dave Ball, a fifth-round choice of the San Diego Chargers in 2004, totaled 30 ½ for the Bruins and 15 ½ in eight NFL seasons.
“God, is he good technically,” an admiring scout said. “He’s really good because he knows how to use his hands.”
Turner finished with 23 ½ sacks in three seasons and 42 games, including 27 starts. Will Anderson, his predecessor as the Crimson Tide’s difference-maker on the outside, finished with 34 ½ sacks in a three-year career that included 41 games and 41 starts.
“I love them both,” one exec said. “I think Will Anderson was more of an ass kicker. I like Turner better as an athlete and Will’s toughness better.”
In 17 seasons at Alabama, coach Nick Saban saw a long list of his defensive linemen enter the NFL as early-round draft choices. Turner, however, will join Anderson, the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2023, as his only edge rusher in the first round.
Five other “edgies” — Courtney Upshaw, Tim Williams, Ryan Anderson, Anfernee Jennings and Terrell Lewis — were selected either in the second or third rounds. Upshaw, a 56-game starter in six seasons, was the only one to find much success in the NFL. Combined, the five totaled 24 career sacks.
Derrick Thomas, the Hall of Fame edge rusher, had 52 sacks for the Tide and then 126 ½ (plus 41 forced fumbles) for the Kansas City Chiefs in 11 seasons. He stands as the football model for both Turner and Anderson.
The four aforementioned edge rushers dominated the poll of 17 scouts asking them to rate their best on a 1-2-3-4-5 basis. A first-place vote was worth 5 points, a second-place vote was worth 4 and so on.
Dallas Turner led with 13 firsts and 74 points. Following, in order, were Jared Verse (61, two), Laiatu Latu (55, two), Chop Robinson (39), Chris Braswell (seven), Bralen Trice (seven), Marshawn Kneeland (six), Brennan Jackson (four) and Jonah Elliss (two).
Paid subscribers can access Bob McGinn’s nine-part draft series in full, in addition to all player profiles, all team deep dives, everything at Go Long. Scouts across the NFL supply their unfiltered analysis on this year’s group of edge rushers in Part 6:
Part 1, WR/TE: Hall of Fame talent at the top, then (many) questions
Part 2, OL: Can this 'long-armed Tyrannosaurus Rex' brawl?
Part 3, QB: Gap between Caleb Williams & Jayden Daniels? Closer than you think...
Part 4, RB: Like father, like son?
Part 5, DL: Tale of two very different Texas big men
EDGE RUSHERS
1. DALLAS TURNER, Alabama (6-2 ½, 256, 4.43, 1): Third-year junior. “He’s a traditional 3-4 guy,” one scout said. “Some 4-3 teams won’t see him as valuable as 3-4 teams. He has huge pass-rush potential, and I say potential because he wasn’t a dominant pass rusher in college. But the upside, the body type, the length, bend and speed, it’s there. His wow plays are different than the other guys’ wow plays. It just jumps out on tape. Some teams will love his flexibility to play off the ball, to match up and run vertical with tight ends. If you stand him up and move him around he’ll have a lot of value. He has the potential to be the best pass rusher in the draft, but he hasn’t gotten there yet.” His 40 and vertical jump (40 ½ inches) were position-bests. It should be noted that he weighed 247 when he ran the 40 at the combine before scaling 256 at pro day. “He’s the No. 1 overall defensive player in the draft,” a second scout said. “You see some DeMarcus Ware traits in him. But it’s, like, ‘C’mon, man, give us more against the run, give us more every down.’” Others voiced a similar refrain. “He does have too much coast,” said a third scout. “He’ll piss you off. ‘Do it every down, please.’ He’s a top-5 pick when he turns it on. Then you watch him against South Florida (Sept. 16), their left tackle (Donovan Jennings) is a late pick or free agent, he almost shut Turner down. That bothered me.” Finished with 120 tackles (33 ½ for loss), 23 ½ sacks, two forced fumbles and one pass defensed. “I have problems with him because he doesn’t finish and he doesn’t tackle well,” a fourth scout said. “He’s a full-time player if he tackled well. Soft. They (he and Will Anderson) are not even comparable. Anderson played hard, played tough, played the run. This guy against the run, he just catches. He does have explosive takeoff as a pass rusher.” Arms were 34 3/8, hands were 9 7/8. “There’s some rawness there,” a fifth scout said. “What I liked most was in big moments — third and long, tight games — this guy showed up.” From Fort Lauderdale, Fla. “He’ll flash a big play every so often when they stunt him and he comes free,” said a sixth scout. “He just doesn’t have much distinguishing talent and and he’s not really productive. Off the edge he’s not really a silky-smooth moving guy. Against the run he’s not really rugged. Overall, I don’t see it. It’s Alabama. It’s the Alabama gift that keeps on giving.”