Pro Football Focus reveals highest-rated edge defenders in college

South Carolina, Michigan and Oklahoma boast the nation’s highest-rated edge defenders through three weeks, according to Pro Football Focus.

The college football analytics group has Kingsley Enagbare of the South Carolina Gamecocks as No. 1 in the nation, followed by Aidan Hutchinson of Michigan and Nik Bonitto of Oklahoma.

After grading every snap through three games, Enagbare average score is a 92.4. Just .1 currently separates Hutchinson (90.9) from Bonitto (90.8).

PFF goes beyond the stat sheet to grade each CFB player, but from a pure stats perspective, Hutchinson is in a four-way tie for first in the country in sacks with 4.5.

No. 1-graded edge defender: Kingsley Enagbare

Kingsley Enagbare, a senior for the Gamecocks, has eight tackles, five solo and 2.5 sacks through three games. Enagbare and the Gamecocks started the season with a shutout win over Eastern Illinois.

The Gamecocks defense held East Carolina to 17 points and under 300 yards of offense in week two. Enagbare, at 6-foot-4, 265, contributed two of his sacks against the Pirates.

Georgia presented a much bigger challenge in week three and the Gamecock defense gave up 40 points to the Bulldogs.

Though Enagbare’s stats don’t pop off the page, PFF’s grades take into account quarterback pressures and other factors that don’t end up on the stat sheet.

Aidan Hutchinson off to hot start

Michigan edge defender Aidan Hutchinson is terrorizing opposing quarterbacks through three weeks of games. The senior, originally from Plymouth, Michigan, has 4.5 sacks in three games, along with 10 tackles (nine solo).

Hutchinson is a big, long weapon for the Wolverines at 6-foot-6 and 265 pounds.

It’s a breakout year for the senior who’s already posted more sacks than he did in the full 13-game season in 2019.

PFF high on Oklahoma edge Nik Bonitto

It’s no surprise to see Nik Bonitto grading out well. The Fort Lauderdale (Florida) St. Thomas Aquinas alum was a PFF first teamer in 2020 for his 32 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and eight sacks as a redshirt sophomore. He posted the nation’s best pressure rate at 25.7% last season.

The draft-eligible OLB has seven tackles (five solo), 3.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks through three games this season.

Oklahoma’s defense has allowed 17 points per game, including a 76-0 shutout of Western Carolina.