Shaw Local’s 2023 NFL draft preview: Edge rushers

With such a premium on finding players who can sack the quarterback, edge rusher always is going to be a premier position in the NFL draft. This year’s group is flat out elite.

It goes far beyond Alabama’s Will Anderson at the top, who almost certainly will be the first defender drafted. This group is deep throughout.

Here’s a look at the edge rushers available in the 2023 NFL Draft.

[ How Barrington native Lukas Van Ness went from relative unknown to potential top-10 draft pick ]

Day 1 prospects

Will Anderson Jr., Alabama

Anderson (6-3, 253) was twice a unanimous All-American and twice won the Bronko Nagurski Trophy as the nation’s top defender. He had 17.5 sacks as a sophomore in 2021 and 10 more as a junior in 2022. He totaled 62 tackles for loss in 41 college games. He has multiple ways he can beat offensive tackles. Anderson is as athletic as they come on the edge, and his college production speaks for itself.

Tyree Wilson, Texas Tech

Wilson (6-6, 271) began his college career at Texas A&M before transferring to Texas Tech, where he had seven sacks and at least 13.5 tackles for loss in each of the past two seasons. His frame is long (with 35 5/8-inch arms) and he still has room to add muscle. He combines that length with lateral quickness. He has all the tools to develop into a Pro Bowl pass rusher, which is why many see him as a top-10 pick.

Lukas Van Ness, Iowa

A Barrington native, Van Ness (6-5, 272) has all the traits to be an NFL pass rusher, but he has less college experience than some of his peers. He played only two seasons after redshirting in 2020, and moved from tackle to the edge in 2022. He had 11 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks last season. Van Ness has the length and athleticism to succeed at the position. Teams will look at his body type and his measurables and see potential.

Nolan Smith, Georgia

Smith (6-2, 238) missed the final six games of last season with a pectoral injury. In eight games, he totaled three sacks and seven tackles for loss. Smith was asked to do numerous different things, and his production numbers can be misleading. He’s surprisingly effective against the run, despite being slightly undersized. Speed and agility are his best attributes.

Myles Murphy, Clemson

Murphy (6-5, 268) has ideal size and length for an NFL edge rusher, and he was a consistent contributor during his three years at Clemson. He totaled 17.5 sacks and 37 tackles for loss in 38 games. Athletically, he measures up with the best pass rushers in this class. He will need to develop additional moves, but he has the tools to be a good player.

Day 2 prospects

BJ Ojulari, LSU

Ojulari (6-2, 248) is the brother of Giants pass rusher Azeez Ojulari, a 2021 second-round pick. BJ Ojulari has explosive speed and quickness (including a 10-foot, 6-inch broad jump at the combine). He needs to show more against the run, but he has the tools to be a good stand-up pass rusher in the NFL.

Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Kansas State

Anudike-Uzomah (6-3, 255) was a two-year starter at Kansas State, totaling 19.5 sacks and 25.5 tackles for loss over the past two seasons. In 2022, he earned Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year honors. He’s not the quickest, but he’s a bulldozer. He used his size and strength well in college but will have to find ways to counter against NFL tackles.

Will McDonald IV, Iowa State

McDonald (6-4, 239) is an intriguing Day 2 option. He has the length and tools that coaches look for. He’s explosive and quick with long arms (34 7/8 inches). He was a first-team All-American in 2021 when he totaled 14 tackles for loss, 11.5 sacks and five forced fumbles. He will have to perform better against the run to become an every-down player.

Derick Hall, Auburn

Hall (6-3, 254) has striking athleticism and speed (he ran a 4.55 in the 40). He can surprise offensive tackles with his first step and first contact. Hall was a first-team All-SEC performer last season with 12 tackles for loss and seven sacks. He will need to diversify his moves as a pass rusher and improve against the run.

Other Day 2 options: Isaiah Foskey, Notre Dame; Tuli Tuipulotu, USC; Keion White, Georgia Tech.

Day 3 prospects

Isaiah McGuire, Missouri

McGuire (6-4, 268) has good length and strength. He has the frame to be a good pass rusher, and he possesses a dominant bull rush. He was a team captain last season at Missouri and totaled 7.5 sacks and 13 tackles for loss. He will need to do a better job varying his moves in the NFL.

Byron Young, Tennessee

Young (6-2, 250) is explosive from the snap, and it was no surprise that he tested well at the combine (11-foot broad jump and 4.43 in the 40). He has quite a story, too. He wasn’t recruited out of high school and didn’t play football in 2018. He worked at a Dollar General for 18 months before trying out for the football team at Georgia Military College (a JUCO). He wound up transferring to Tennessee in 2021 and had double-digit tackles for loss each of the next two seasons.

Additional Day 3 options: Zach Harrison, Ohio State; K.J. Henry, Clemson; Yaya Diaby, Louisville.

Best fits for the Bears

Edge rusher is the Bears’ biggest area of need. If Tyree Wilson drops to No. 9, he’s got to be the pick. If he doesn’t, the Bears could take a chance on the less proven Lukas Van Ness or Nolan Smith.

If the Bears don’t go for a pass rusher in the first round, all of the Day 2 options could be on the board in the second round, where they have two picks. Simply put, they need to get better on the edge. With 10 picks, don’t be surprised if they go for an edge rusher early and take a flyer on a Day 3 option, too.