Defensive Ends
I define DEs as guys that primarily play with their hand in the dirt, are rarely called upon to drop into space and take on a LB duty. Schematically, they are DEs in a 3-4 or 4-3 front. An EDGE would not be on the LOS in either instance.
The were 17 DEs selected in the 2022 draft, as follows:
Round 1 - 5
Round 2 - 4
Round 3 - 1
Round 4 - 1
Round 5 - 3
Round 6 - 0
Round 7 - 3
The 2022 DE draft class was very strong at the top. Days 1 and 2 produced ready-now talent, many of which will become starters as rookies. Day 3 had a few sprinkles of talent, a couple potential steals, but wasn't deep.
The 2023 DE draft should also be very strong throughout the first two days of the draft. Round 1 won't be as strong, but there should be less of a thinning out in the near rounds to follow, namely Rounds 3 and 4.
1) Myles Murphy | 6'4 | 265 | DE | Clemson
2021 - 7 sacks, 37 tackles
9/24 - Wake Forest - Murphy was solid, but not great in this one. While he did show some good bend as an arc rusher, with good inside counter moves, he wasn't special. He was hemmed up often, seldom shining. He wasn't a liability vs. the run, but wasn't overly impressive in this regard either.
10/1 - NC State - Murphy had a strong game. He was a rock on the edge against the run, and showed off a great pass rush with a great motor. He finished with 4 tackles, 1.5 sacks.
10/8 - Boston College - Murphy was solid, but not great. While he did tally 3 tackles, 1 TFL, he wasn't as constant of a force as we've seen prior.
2) Isaiah Foskey | 6'5 | 257 | DE | Notre Dame
2021 - 11 sacks, 52 tackles
9/3 - Ohio State - Foskey was held in check for the majority of the game, but he did show some explosiveness of the ball, kept the great OT's of Ohio State honest.
10/8 - BYU - Foskey had a good get-off from the LOS, but didn't produce much. He ended up with 3 tackles, 1 solo.
3) Felix Anudike-Uzomah | 6'3 | 255 | DE | Kansas State
2021 - 11 sacks, 52 tackles
9/24 - Kansas State - Anudike-Uzomah had ab average game today. He drew a very good LT in Harrison, and couldn't better the man on most every snap. He didn't shine vs. the run or pass.
4) Tyree Wilson | 6'6 | 275 | DE | Texas Tech
2021 - 7 sacks, 37 tackles
9/10 - Houston - Wilson failed to record sack in this game, but credit Houston and their QB Tune for getting rid of the ball fast and using his legs. Wilson still played with ideal length and strength, came away with 4 tackles.
10/29 - Baylor - Wilson was up and down for my liking in this one. When on, he played with gashing quickness coupled with good leverage. On other snaps, he was soft playing off of blocks, didn't play aggressively. He flashed potential, just wasn't a consistent force.
5) K.J. Henry | 6'4 | 260 | DE | Clemson
2021 - 4.5 sacks, 22 tackles
9/24 - Wake Forest - Henry had a solid game, often looked every bit as good as his more heralded teammate Murphy. Henry played with plus power and intensity against the run, showing off good arm extension. He was also very solid in his pass rush attempts, using speed to power and technique to challenge opposing blockers. He finished with 8 tackles, 1 TFL.
10/1 - NC State - Henry was very good today. He showed plus strength vs. the run, also flashed as a backfield threat.
10/8 - Boston College - Henry continues to ascend. He had 2 tackles, 2 QBH's, 1 TFL. He held the edge well in contain, showed very good explosion when in his pass-rush duties. He was a very challenging block for opposing O-Linemen.
6) Andre Carter | 6'7 | 250 | DE | Army
2021 - 15.5 sacks, 44 tackles
9/17 - Villanova - Carter didn't blow up the stat sheet, but he certainly showed off his athletic ability. At times, he would get too wide and run himself out of plays. However, he shoed he can run the arc w/ a good rip move, as well as counter inside. While he played out of a 2-point stance, he didn't look real fluid dropping into space.
7) D'Anthony Jones | 6'2 | 270 | DE | Houston
2021 - 7 sacks, 17 tackles
9/10 - Texas Tech - Jones had a very solid game. He showed great explosion off the ball, and intensity in efforts to chase plays down. He posted just 3 tackles, 1 TFL, but his bull rush was hard to hem up for long.
10/7 - Memphis - Jones had a good outing. He showed edge strength against the run, while flashing as a pass-rusher. He had 7 tackles, 1.5 TFLS, 1 sack.
8) Derick Parish | 6'2 | 245 | DE | Houston (Out for season, torn bicep)
2021 - 5 sacks, 54 tackles
9/10 - Texas Tech - Parish may have had the single best defensive performance of any defender I've seen thus far in 2022. He displayed great functional strength and hand usage along the edge, making it nearly impossible for would-be blockers to contain. His intensity was great, a true baller to keep an eye on.
9) Zack Harrison | 6'5 | 265 | DE | Ohio State
2021 - 3 sacks, 33 tackles
9/3 - Notre Dame - Harrison had a very quiet game, finishing with just 2 tackles. He was hemmed up throughout the game, provided little pass rush.
9/24 - Wisconsin - Harrison had another quiet game. While he held strong vs. the run at times, he did nothing as a pass-rusher to assert himself.
10/8 - Michigan State - Harrison didn't do much today, was hemmed up throughout the game. He had just 1 tackle, 1 hurry.
10) Habakkuk Baldonado | 6'4 | 260 | DE | Pittsburgh
2021 - 9 sacks, 41 tackles
9/1 - West Virginia - Baldonado finished the game with 3 tackles, .5 TFLs. Off the hoof, he did look the part on a number of his snaps, but wasn't real dynamic or nuanced as a pass-rusher. He was ridden out of plays too often, wasn't a factor as anticipated.
9/10 - Tennessee - Baldonado had a solid game. While shut down by RT Wright, he operated well on the other side. He was strong at the point of attack and in pursuit. He posted 4 tackles, 1 TFL.
11) Isaiah McGuire | 6'3 | 275 | DE | Missouri
2021 - 6 sacks, 55 tackles
10/1 - Georgia - McGuire had a good game, gave LT Broderick Jones the biggest challenge he's faced yet thus year. McGuire fired off the ball with power, was a tough guy to keep at bay. He was stout in all facets of the game.
10/8 - Florida - McGuire made his presence felt. While not flashy, he grinded through blocks to get to the ball. He paced his team in both tackles and TFLs, with 7 and 3 respectively.
11/12 - Tennessee - McGuire had a very solid game. He had 3 tackles, 1 sack, and showed off very good leveraging in driving the LT back in pursuit of the QB.
12) Brandon Dorlus | 6'3 | 290 | DE | Oregon
2021 - 2.5 sacks, 25 tackles
9/17- BYU - Dorlus had a very nice game. He showed off a nice blend of speed and power, moved well for a guy of his size. He paced his squad with 7 tackles, 1.5 TFLs, .5 sacks.
13) John Morgan III | 6'2 | 265 | DE | Pittsburgh
2021 - 5.5 sacks, 26 tackles
9/1 - West Virginia - When teammate Alexandre went down with an injury, Morgan had his card called and did not disappoint. He had 4 tackles, 3 TFLs, 1 sack. He was a menace off the edge, gave the opposing O-line fits throughout the entirety of the game. His play speed combined with his functional strength really stood out.
9/10 - Tennessee - After flashing last week, Morgan was more subdued this game. He had just 2 tackles, looked decent but not great.
14) Mike Morris | 6'6 | 292 | DE | Michigan
2021 - .5 sacks, 16 tackles
10/8 - Indiana - Morris had just 1 tackle, 1 sack, but he showed off a great bull rush off the edge, flashing power. He was a load to hem up.
15) Ali Gaye | 6'6 | 268 | DE | LSU
2021 - 2.5 sacks, 19 tackles
9/4 - Florida State - Gaye had a decent game, but posted just 1 tackle. While he did show some pass-rush ability, he was hemmed up more times than expected. He wasn't bad against the run, but wasn't great either.
9/17 - Mississippi State - Gaye really didn't show up on the stat sheet, but he offered up a decent push rush throughout the game.
10/1 - Auburn - In a game filled with some good defensive plays, Gaye did very little to distinguish himself within the pack. He was in on 2 tackles, .5 TFLs. As a whole, he looked very average.
16) Akheem Mesidor | 6'2 | 270 | DE | Miami
2021 - 4.5 sacks, 38 tackles
9/17 - Texas A&M - Mesidor rotated in, so he didn't get a ton of opportunity to produce. When in, he showed some good explosion off the ball with a complimentary bull rush. He was nuanced in his moves, but was strong.
17) Cedric Johnson | 6'3 | 255 | DE | Ole Miss
2021 - 6.5 sacks, 32 tackles
10/1 - Kentucky - Johnson had a fairly quiet game. He posted 2 tackles, and while not bad, he wasn't a difference maker.
18) Malik Vann | 6'3 | 275 | DE | Cincinnati
2021 - 3.5 sacks, 33 tackles
9/3 - Arkansas - Vann had a decent game, posting 3 tackles, 1 TFL. While he didn't flash much, he generally held well at the LOS.
19) Princely Umanielen | 6'4 | 260 | DE | Florida
2021 - 1.5 sacks, 17 tackles
9/3 - Utah - Umanielen did a decent job in rotation duties, chipped in with 3 tackles. He didn't shine, but never looked bad.
9/10 - Kentucky - Umanielen had another leveled game, one where he contributed with 4 tackles.
9/24 - Tennessee - Umanielen had a quiet game, just 1 tackle, didn't stand out.
10/8 - Missouri - Umanielen flashed in spot duty, had 6 tackles, 3 TFLs, 1 sack. I can't help to think that he wouldn't be a full-timer on many other squads in the nation.
20) Trajan Jeffcoat | 6'3 | 276 | DE | Missouri
2021 - 3.5 sacks, 34 tackles
9/1 - LA Tech - Jeffcoat didn't crack the stat sheet, and didn't see the filed much due to an aggressive rotation scheme. When in, he showed a decent to good blend of strength and pass-rush ability from the edge. He was strong against the run, held contain and stacked well.
9/24 - Auburn - Jeffcoat didn't flash as a pass rusher, but he was very stout against the run, showed good edge strength.
10/1 - Georgia - Something got ahold of Jeffcoat, as he played his best game of the season. He stacked well along the edge and showed off some real promise against the pass. He had 3 tackles, 1.5 TFLs, 1 sack.
10/8 - Florida - Jeffcoat quietly held down his edge, had just 1 tackle.
21) Jordan Burch | 6'5 | 268 | DE | South Carolina
2021 - 1 sack, 26 tackles
9/10 - Arkansas - Burch had a solid, yet somewhat quiet game. While he was in on 10 tackles, and did notch 2 TFLs, 1 sack, it wasn't done in an imposing fashion. Many of his exploits were manufactured through drawn out plays. or others doing their job to free him up. His play was by no means bad, but nothing he did individually really stood out.
10/8 - Kentucky - Burch was pesky at the LOS, tallied 6 tackles, 1.5 sacks. While not a consistent force, he splashed in spurts.
10/8 - Tennessee - Burch had a solid night, posting 6 tackles, 1 TFL. He played with decent strength off the edge, showed some rush capability.
22) Nick Figueroa | 6'4 | 260 | DE | USC
2021 - 0 sacks, 16 tackles
9/10 - Stanford - Figueroa didn't flash much as a whole, but he was decent enough with 3 tackles, 1 sack.
9/17 - Fresno State - See above. Figueroa was solid with 3 tackles, offered little else.
10/1 - Arizona State - Figueroa had another decent game, held down his assignments but didn't pop out.
10/8 - Washington State - In spot duty, Figueroa flashed. He was strong along the edge and showed some good backfield pressure.
23) Cade Hall | 6'2 | 260 | DE | San Jose State
2021 - 4 sacks, 40 tackles
24) Dante Stills | 6'4 | 276 | DE/DT | West Virginia
2021 - 7 sacks, 36 tackles
9/1 - Pittsburgh - Stills finished the game with 6 tackles, 1.5 sacks. He was around the ball often and kept the Pitt O-line honest on a number of plays. Outside of an active motor, he didn't show off any one trait that showed a high ceiling, however. Most of his stat sheet could be attributed to other players doing their jobs, him being freed up.
25) Tyler Batty | 6'5 | 275 | DE | BYU
2021 - 3.5 sacks, 43 tackles
9/10 - Baylor - Batty had a limited snap count due to rotations, so he didn't have a lot to evaluate. When in, he showed off some decent run-stopping ability, however.
9/17 - Oregon - DNP
10/8 - Notre Dame - Batty showed decent functional strength against the run, and some pass rushing ability. However, he was moved around too much, couldn't find a clear niche. He had 5 tackles, 1 TFL.
26) Gabriel Murphy | 6'3 | 255 | DE | UCLA
2021 - 7.5 sacks, 33 tackles
9/30 - Washington - Murphy had a decent game. He amassed 3 solo stops, showed that he can play the edge-contain game well. he showed some burst off the snap running the arc, but wasn't overly dynamic.
10/8 - Utah - Murphy played with intensity, but didn't make a huge impact. He had 3 tackles, .5 TFLs. he played hard, but didn't have one trait that stood put.