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The SEC's Ten Best Edges in 2025

by: Paul Wadlington06/30/25
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Nov 23, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns linebacker Colin Simmons (11) celebrates after a quarterback sack against the Kentucky Wildcats in the fourth quarter at Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sara Diggins/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

No conference has a more a dangerous and varied group of body types and skill sets playing on the edge of the defense, menacing the QB, inflicting negative plays in the running game, and demanding that opponents game plan for their impact. Who are the SEC’s best edge defenders?

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Colin Simmons – Texas, 6-3, 240

LOL.

He might be the best pure football player in the SEC. Last year, he recorded 9 sacks and 46 pressures in less than 500 snaps. I wonder what he’ll put up as a starter with 750+ snaps? Elite get-off. Bend. Surprising power for his size. The rare thoroughbred who thinks he’s a draft horse. His size suggests that you should be able to attack him in the run game, but he just sprints under blocks or materializes on the other side of the blocker.

Dylan Stewart – South Carolina, 6-5, 245

That dip and bend. Lordy.

Imagine Charles Haley on speed. Only one player in the league gets off of the ball like Simmons and Stewart does it with a longer wingspan and an extended frame that will carry 260 one day. Stewart had 7 sacks and an amazing 51 pressures last year. The Gamecocks won’t feature three NFL DL next to him this year, and that may limit his opportunities against any OC who can game plan his way out of a wet paper bag. Stewart arguably has a higher ceiling than Simmons because of his length. Can’t wait to hear the debates in 2027 draft rooms.

Simmons and Stewart exist on their own plane. But the next two guys are absolute studs. Do you like power?

Tyreak Sapp – Florida, 6-2, 270

A different body type from the aforementioned. Sapp can play all over the DL and he’s incredibly powerful. Unrelenting bull rush and OL can’t knock him off of his line. He just plays under their leverages and he’s too strong to be big-brothered. He had 8 sacks last year for Florida and he, along with DT Caleb Barnes, really transformed their front last year late in the season. I don’t think most people know who he is. You’ll know soon.

Keldric Faulk – Auburn, 6-6, 285

Faulk is of the jumbo genus in the freak edge family. An obvious NFL future 1st round pick. He had 7 sacks last year. Notice how deceptively fast he is and how quickly he compresses space. Faulk is like a giant friendly dog who doesn’t know his own strength that just casually pushes over your fence. Unlike Texas A&M’s big edges from last year, Faulk can actually finish plays. Look at his motor:

There are multiple games where I saw Faulk throw a 325 pound offensive tackle into the QB.

The edge group takes a drop down from the Faulk and Sapp tier.

LT Overton – Alabama, 6-5, 285

Getting hit by Overton isn’t fun. Cut from the Faulk mode of jumbo DEs, but not quite as bouncy. Overton is a rock against the run game and he can play anywhere on the Bama front. He’s great at collapsing the pocket, but he doesn’t always have the foot speed to finish the play. He’s not going to rack up sacks, but he is vital to Bama’s defense. The NFL will love his versatility. He creates for others.

R Mason Thomas – Oklahoma, 6-2, 250

9 sacks and 35 pressures last year for Oklahoma. His hype was overdone in 2023 vs his actual play on the field, but last year he really came into his own, highlighted by terrific performances against Alabama and LSU. He was really good containing Milroe in Norman. Pretty much good at everything, though perhaps not remarkable at anything.

Cashius Howell – Texas A&M, 6-4, 255

Probably the most underrated edge on the list. He only had 4 sacks last year but he had 34 pressures in 485 snaps. He was more effective than A&M’s NFL edges last year and he fits what Elko wants to do. Reminds me of Barryn Sorrell. He was about six inches from having 10 sacks. The transfer from Bowling Green should have a feature pass rushing role this year and I expect a big season. A&M’s likely failure to address the other edge position could pose a problem for them. I’d just slant everything to Howell.

Trey Moore – Texas, 6-3, 245

A good example of Moore’s closing speed here. Fakes the blitz, mirrors Leavitt. This is really Trey’s wheelhouse – running people down from a broken pocket.

But, but Moore is a linebacker now! Well, he is. But also, he is not. Wait and see. Or you can strike him from this list if you’re overly legalistic. He’s going to rush the passer. Moore didn’t grab a sack until November last year, but after he got it he notched a sack in every one of Texas’ last 8 games against the hardest part of our schedule, finishing with 8 sacks and 36 pressures. Terrific pursuit and unrelenting effort typify his approach.

Joshua Josephs – Tennessee, 6-3, 245

He has 16 tackles for loss and 5.5 career sacks as a rotation player, but his best positional fit was playing behind a NFL 1st round pick who ran a 4.4 40, so that choked off his opportunities a bit. When Josephs played, I saw no appreciable difference between #19 and their 1st rounder, Pearce. I’m very impressed with Josephs. The SEC is just loaded outside.

Elo Modozie – Georgia, 6-3, 245

Modozie was acquired from Army, where he played outside linebacker and didn’t get to rush the passer as much as Georgia will let him. He still had 6.5 sacks for the Black Knights and flashed elite closing speed and quickness. His arms hang down to his feet. He needs more strength, but he is an intriguing asset for the Dawgs. Georgia going and getting him does tell you something about their edge succession confidence post losing two NFL 1st rounders and Damon Wilson transferring out to Mizzou.

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Texas will face at least four of these players. If you can’t block them, there’s a price to be paid. God help Kentucky, who gets to face almost all of them in succession. I could have added Ole Miss’ Suntarine Perkins (10.5 sacks last year), but he’s more of a 210 pound blitzer rather than a true edge. But be aware of him, too.

An encouraging thing about the Texas edge room is that beyond Hill and Moore, Burke would be an honorable mention and a healthy Colton Vasek – the healthy caveat is key – is as gifted as the bottom half of this group.

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