2024 NFL Draft: Top 4 Pass Rushers for Teams to Target
The 2024 NFL Draft is right around the corner (starts on Thursday, April 25), and diehard football fans can't wait to see who their favorite teams are going to bring onboard. Though most draft hype always centers around quarterbacks, folks should never underestimate the value of a solid pass rusher.
Whether its from the defensive end or linebacker position, pass rushers can really set the tone for an NFL defense. Curious about who the top pass rushers are in this year's draft class? Check out our top 4 below!
Dallas Turner, Alabama
Geez, doesn't it seem like the Crimson Tide churns one of these beasts out every year? Turner has great size (6'4", 245 pounds) and his lightning quick speed off the ball (4.46 40-yard time) reminds some folks of a younger Will Anderson.
That type of elite skill set is probably why Turner is priced by DraftKings at -105 to be drafted in the Top 10 on Thursday evening. While it's impossible to know exactly where Turner will end up, most mock drafts have him heading to Atlanta at the No. 8 slot.
Some scouts question Turner's ability to stop the run. That being said, it's hard to argue with the 22.5 sacks and 120 tackles he racked up for Alabama during his 3 year stint in Tuscaloosa.
Laiatu Latu, UCLA
Latu started his career off at Washington, but he moved over to UCLA after the 2020 Covid year. The 23.5 sacks Latu achieved made him one of the top pass rushers in Bruins history, which is saying something.
The Sacramento native would make a great fit for the Chicago Bears at the No. 9 spot on draft night. Though Latu isn't nearly as fast as Turner (Latu 40 time was 4.64), he's 20 pounds heavier and may prove to be a better run stuffer on the edges.
Folks who want to put some money down on Latu to be a Top 10 pick can find odds of +170 over at FanDuel. That's a price that certainly merits some further consideration.
Jared Verse, Florida State
Verse is another blue-chip NFL prospect out of Florida State, and he's a testament to the impressive level of recruiting of FSU head coach Mike Norvell. Verse enjoyed back-to-back seasons with 9 sacks, and scouts love his size (6'4", 254 lbs) and off the ball speed (4.58 40-yard time).
The crazy thing about Verse is that he's still developing as a football player. Larger schools didn't pay attention to him right out of high school, so he ended up at Albany, an FCS school competing in the CAA.
Verse is already one heck of a bull rusher, so it'll be interesting to see if NFL d-line coaches can give him a few more moves as a pass rusher. He's a bit of longshot to be taken in the Top 10 (+280 at Caesars), but the Seattle Seahawks look like a great option for Verse in the No. 16 overall spot.
Chris Braswell, Alabama
Braswell is almost a smaller version of his fellow Alabama teammate Dallas Turner. He's an inch shorter than Turner and about the same poundage, but man oh man, does this kid have some serious quickness.
The Baltimore native only ran the 40 in 4.6 seconds, but that shouldn't hurt his draft stock too bad. There is a little doubt about Braswell's ability to stop the run, but he has the skill set to be a dynamic pass rusher right out of the gate in the NFL.
Braswell was a 3-year starter for head coach Nick Saban, but he really came into his own last season with 8 sacks and 3 forced fumbles. He probably won't be taken in the first round, but you can bet that Braswell will come off the board quickly on Friday (2nd round).
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