2024 Defensive Line/Edge Unit Rankings: Ohio State, Michigan reign supreme in 2024
With spring practice in the books and the second transfer portal window closed, it’s time to kickstart our summer series evaluating 2024 positional unit rankings.
I debuted the series with a look at the 10 best quarterback rooms, and then ranked Top 10 running back units in 2024, the best tight end rooms and the top receiver units this fall. We concluded the offensive side of the ball with the big uglies, ranking the Top 10 offensive line units this season.
This week, we take a swing at the best defensive rooms. The defensive line/edge units were super difficult to rank, with as many as 20 teams/rooms being considered for 10 precious spots. There were very hard cuts, but that’s the process.
While 2023 was the Year of the Offensive Linemen, 2024 is Comeback SZN for blue-chip edge rushers and defensive tackles.
With that, the Top 10 defensive line/edge unit in 2024:
1. Ohio State
Few anticipated that the Buckeyes would return their top three defensive linemen from the 2023 season, yet here we are. Edge/ends J.T. Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer, two former 5-star recruits, opted to try to play their way into 2025 1st Round NFL Draft picks, and the seniors will anchor a unit that also has tackles Tyleik Williams and Ty Hamilton back.
Tuimoloau and Sawyer combined for 20 tackles for loss, 11.5 sacks and double-digit hurries. In reserve, Larry Johnson’s unit doesn’t have the greatest depth, but Kenyatta Jackson, another former 5-star recruit, is vying for an increased role, while Caden Curry, Hero Kanu and Tywone Malone should fit into the rotation, too.
There’s an opportunity for 5-star freshman Eddrick Houston to push for snaps if he can carve out a role.
2. Michigan
While the Wolverines lost punishing nose guard Kris Jenkins and their top two sack artists off their national title team (18.0 in total), their defensive line remains a fearsome unit as good as any in the country this fall.
Nose tackle Kenneth Grant and defensive tackle Mason Graham are the best interior duo in the nation, while former Coastal Carolina All-Conference performer Josaiah Stewart had 8.5 sacks in a rotational role in his first season in Ann Arbor. Now Stewart gets to be in a featured role. Michigan also returns junior edge Derrick Moore (a potential breakout candidate who had 6.0 sacks in 2023) and senior TJ Guy.
3. Georgia
After several straight seasons with multiple 1st Round NFL Draft picks, the Bulldogs’ defensive line took a step back in 2023 — ranking 20th in run defense and 65th in tackles for loss. The unit projects to be much more effective this fall, though, as Kirby Smart’s defense will be spearheaded by a versatile front of experience, upside and depth. The Dawgs bring back super-seniors Warren Brinson and Nazir Stackhouse on the interior, while Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins and Christen Miller, who flirted with transferring this spring, will be important rotational pieces at end.
Former 5-star Mykell Williams is a breakout candidate, as he’s transitioning from 3-4 end to edge and is seen as a potential Top 5 pick in many Way-Too-Early Top 25 mock drafts.
Then there’s the upside pieces, which include sophomore Damon Wilson, who has star potential at edge, sophomore end Gabe Harris and sophomore tackle Jordan Hall.
4. Oregon
The Ducks are well-prepared to battle Big Ten foes along the lines of scrimmage in 2024, as Dan Lanning has assembled a nasty group of trench-mobsters — both young and old.
Back are veterans Jordan Burch, a former 5-star recruit, A’Mauri Washington and Keyon Ware-Hudson. Despite a bear DL transfer market, Oregon cleaned up — adding Houston transfer tackle Jamaree Caldwell and Michigan State’s Derrick Harmon.
Sophomore pass rusher/edge Matayo Uiagalelei is set to become a household name by the end of the season, while Oregon also accumulated notable depth (blue-chippers Aydin Breland, Johnny Bowens III and 5-star freshman Elijah Rushing.
5. Clemson
The Tigers keep churning out pro defensive linemen, and despite losing Ruke Orhorhoro and Xavier Thomas, Clemson still touts one of the best fronts in college football.
T.J. Parker, who had 5.5 sacks and 13.0 tackles for loss as a freshman, had a fantastic freshman season and could become one of the best individual pass rushers in the country this fall. Parker is buoyed by the likes of DeMonte Capehart, Cade Denhoff and sophomore tackle (and former 5-star) Peter Woods, who is going to flex to more of a defensive end role in 2024.
Clemson has unrivaled depth compared to most college DLs, as former blue-chip recruits like Payton Page, Vic Burley and others are in the mix for real snaps, too.
6. Ole Miss
Pete Golding has an embarrassment of riches in the trenches this season, as Ole Miss’ defensive line features a combination of returnees and star transfer additions.
The Rebels return end Jared Ivy, tackle JJ Pegues and end/edge Suntarine Perkins — who combined for 25 tackles for loss last season — while bringing in Florida pass rusher Princely Umanmielen and Texas A&M tackle Walter Nolen — two potential Top 50 picks in the NFL Draft next season. Nolan is a former 5-star who is the No. 2 overall prospect in the On3 Transfer Portal Rankings, while Umanmielen had 7.0 sacks and 11.5 tackles for loss last season. The Rebels have never had this much defensive line talent as it hopes to make a run to the College Football Playoff in 2024.
7. Notre Dame
If not for Michigan’s dynamic duo inside, the Irish’s two tackle/ends Howard Cross III and Rylie Mills could give any other tandem a run for their money in 2024. The two seniors are major disrupters inside — both as pass rushers and run-stoppers. They’re undersized (both are just shy of 300 pounds) but they cause all sorts of havoc (52 run stops, per PFF, most among all duos).
Notre Dame brought in Duke end/pass rusher RJ Oben, who had 9.5 sacks the last two season, but Josh Burnham had a big spring and will vie for real snaps this fall, too. The Irish have a rotation of veteran bodies at their “VYPER” but former blue-chip underclassmen Boubacar Tratore is a name to know — perhaps sooner than later.
8. Florida State
The Seminoles sent a pair of 1st and 2nd Round picks (Jared Verse, Braden Fiske) off to the NFL, but their defensive line remains a formidable group thanks to a solid corp of returning players and a couple impact transfers.
Edge Patrick Payton had a breakout sophomore season, recording 14.5 tackles for loss, seven sacks and 10 pass deflections, and now he’ll be playing opposite former 5-star Georgia signee Marvin Jones Jr. The FSU legacy had a breakout spring and the hope is he can reproduce similar results to another former UGA edge who couldn’t quite fulfill his potential in Athens — 1st Round draft pick Jermaine Johnson.
The Noles also return senior tackle Joshua Farmer and former Miami transfer Darrell Jackson, who generated all sorts of buzz last season but was forced to sit out the entire year due to issues surrounding his eligibility.
Mike Novell continued his strong track record in the transfer portal, adding Oregon State end Sione Lolohea, West Virginia tackle/end Tomiwa Durojaiye and Colorado State tackle Grady Kelly, who was a former Freshman All-American.
9. Tennessee
The Vols have the nation’s best pass rusher in junior James Pearce, a potential Top 5 NFL Draft pick next April. Pearce had 10 sacks and a 19% pressure rate — which was No. 3 nationally among all rushers per PFF. They also return senior tackle Omari Thomas, senior end Bryson Eason, senior Elijah Simmons, senior Dominic Bailey and senior Omarr Norman-Lott, a former Arizona State transfer who flashed in a reserve role in 2023.
That’s a boatload of experience for an SEC defensive line, especially a unit coached by the venerable Rodney Garner and one that has intriguing backups like Jordan Ross and Daevin Hobbs.
10. Penn State
At the behest of the player himself, the Nittany Lions moved former linebacker Abdul Carter to end, and the First-Team All-Big Ten standout could truly fulfill his Micah Parsons 2.0 role as a pure pass rusher for Penn State this season. Carter has electric ability, and in just a situational role, had a 24.1% pass-rush win rate last season, which led all linebackers per PFF.
Carter is bookend by junior Dani Dennis-Sutton, who had 6.0 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks in a backup role in 2023. Penn State’s tackles are mostly a blue-collar, no-name unit, but Amin Vanover, Dvone Ellies, Zane Durant and others are the keys to opening up lanes for the Nittany Lions to finish in the Top 5 nationally in TFLs the last two seasons.
Best of the Rest: Miami, Texas A&M, Alabama, Virginia Tech, Texas