Top 10 Defensive Ends in the NFL Draft

SI Staff | May 7, 2014

Top 10 Defensive Ends in the NFL Draft /

Top 10 Defensive Ends in the NFL Draft

Jadeveon Clowney

No matter where Jadeveon Clowney is drafted, he will enter the 2014 campaign as a heavy favorite to land Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. Though critics continue to question his work ethic, motor and decreased statistical production last season, the ex-Gamecock is hard to ignore when he is on the field. Clowney put on a show at the combine, running a 4.53 40 and showing off a 37.5-inch vertical jump. He then ran circles around former South Carolina teammates Chaz Sutton and Kelcy Quarles at the school's pro day. <italics>Draft projection: Top three</italics>

Dee Ford

While helping Auburn to the national title game, Dee Ford put an exclamation point on his collegiate career with 10.5 sacks and 14.5 tackles-for-loss. At 6-foot-2 and 252 pounds, he cannot match the 6-6 Jadeveon Clowney physically and has no shot at unseating him as the first DE taken in the draft. He may not be far behind, though, when it comes to production as a rookie. <italics>Draft projection: Late Round 1-Round 2</italics>

Kony Ealy

No matter how inconsistent a player's tape might be, NFL teams rarely turn away from overwhelming athleticism. Enter Kony Ealy, a 6-4 edge rusher who is entering the draft a year early following an eight-sack, 14 tackle-for-loss junior year. His size/speed combo could open the door for him to land with a team running a 3-4 defense, in addition to those projecting him at his familiar 4-3 end spot. <italics>Draft projection: Late Round 1-Round 2</italics>

Scott Crichton

Scott Crichton, a 6-3, 273-pound Oregon State product, chalked up 7.5 sacks last season and 22.5 over his three-year career. Some might argue that Crichton should have stuck it out in school for his senior year, but he already has the strength and experience to be a legitimate Day 2 selection. For a team willing to ease him into the lineup, the payoff should be huge. <italics>Draft projection: Round 2</italics>

Trent Murphy

Trent Murphy left more questions than answers in scouts' minds due to his performance at the combine. His speed (4.86) was fairly average, and his weight-room work (19 reps on the bench press) left something to be desired. As such, not every front office will view him as a worthy Day 2 selection. The others will look back on what he accomplished at Stanford and disagree. Murphy led the country in sacks with 15 last season. He, like Ealy, could fit in either a 3-4 or 4-3 defense, upping his value. <italics>Draft projection: Round 2-3</italics>

Jackson Jeffcoat

The 6-3 Jackson Jeffcoat may have no choice but to transition to a 3-4 OLB spot in the NFL, despite racking up 13 sacks for Texas last season. Eventually, the 2013 co-Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year should be able to pull off that shift, even if it takes him a little while to round out his game and pack on some pounds. <italics>Draft projection: Round 3</italics>

Demarcus Lawrence

An under-the-radar guy, Demarcus Lawrence has a legitimate shot to leapfrog several players and land in Round 1. A transfer to Boise State in 2012 from Butler Community College, Lawrence recorded 9.5 sacks in his first Broncos season and then 10.5 last year. He also totaled 34 tackles-for-loss, a whopping 20.5 coming in his second and final Boise State season. The 6-3, 251-pounder also fits that hybrid 3-4 OLB/4-3 DE mold, though the former may be a better path out of the gate. <italics>Draft projection: Late Round 1-Round 3</italics>

Marcus Smith

Another DE enjoying some positive buzz at just the right time, Marcus Smith actually landed at Louisville as a three-star quarterback recruit before moving to linebacker, then eventually to an end spot. The switch was brilliant -- Smith was named the AAC Defensive Player of the Year last season thanks to 14.5 sacks. <italics>Draft projection: Round 3</italics>

Kareem Martin

A lot to like here for NFL teams, starting with Kareem Martin's 6-6 frame. While GMs may not seek out height at the DE spot like they tend to at the quarterback position, Martin figures to get a bump on draft boards as result of his size. The 11.5 sacks and 21.5 tackles-for-loss he had last season with the Tar Heels won't hurt. Martin falls a little more into the developmental-prospect category than the eight guys above him, but he has the skills to be a situational pass rusher as a rookie if nothing else. <italics>Draft projection: Round 4-Round 5</italics>

Ed Stinson

Ed Stinson's stats -- 5.5 sacks over four seasons -- certainly do not jump off the page. The 6-3 former Alabama lineman, however, makes up for his lack of QB pressures by doing an admirable job holding the edge. He would be an ideal fit for a team hoping to land a 3-4 DE, someone capable of helping to stuff the run on early downs before ceding a spot to a pure pass rusher later. <italics>Draft projection: Round 5</italics> <bold>GALLERY: Top 10 Defensive Tackles in the NFL Draft</bold> <bold>GALLERY: Top 10 Linebackers in the NFL Draft</bold> <bold>GALLERY: Top 10 Cornerbacks in the NFL Draft</bold> <bold>GALLERY: Top 10 Safeties in the NFL Draft</bold>

Published May 7, 2014

SI STAFF