Leinweber’s Top 13-24 Edge Rushers 2021 Draft

Our Senior Scout ranks his top edge defenders in the 2021 NFL Draft.

While the 2021 class of 4-3 defensive ends and 3-4 outside linebackers lacks the top-end talent that draft classes of the past had, it offers some intriguing options in the middle rounds from immediate contributors to developmental prospects. NFL teams can never have enough players to get after quarterbacks as the last Super Bowl showed.

24. Janarius Robinson, Florida State

A three-year starter for the Seminoles, Robinson looks like he was built in a lab, possessing 35¾-inch arms at 6-foot-5, 266 pounds. When he is able to extend his long arms, he is tough to block as he outreaches anyone and even pushes over slow-footed blockers. Robinson has the play strength to dip his shoulder on an outside track. He makes oversetting tackles pay with an inside swim move and delivers a hard hit when he gets to a ball-carrier. An average athlete, Robinson is unable to threaten the outside shoulder of tackles on a consistent basis. He is a slow processor on the edge. Robinson often arrives without a plan and is unable to adapt, causing him to get stuck on blocks. Stiff ankles prevent him from turning tight corners. Robinson projects as a developmental defensive end who has to be taught a pass-rush plan. In the run game, he needs to develop his hand usage and deconstruct blocks. With his length, Robinson could turn into a part of a rotation along the defensive line. He is likely two years away and is a complete projection at this point.

Value: 7th Round

23. Joshua Kaindoh, Florida State

The former four-star recruit repeatedly dealt with injuries at Florida State causing him to start for only one season. He was deployed in a two- and three-point stance by the Seminoles. Kaindoh looks the part at 6-foot-6, 265 pounds with long arms. He possesses exciting athletic traits including his explosive get-off and play strength. With that get-off, he is able to stress the outside shoulder of tackles on speed tracks, having enough ankle flexibility to flatten back to the passer. Kaindoh flashes power-rush ability, but has to play at extension more frequently. On rare occasions, he is able to convert speed to power successfully. As a run defender, he makes hustle plays in pursuit and at times is able to reset the line of scrimmage with his power. Kaindoh has to improve his hand placement as many of his pass-rushing moves are inefficient at this point, failing to have an impact on, let alone, defeat blockers. He struggles to set the edge in the run game and can get driven back because he loses the leverage battle. As more of a straight-line athlete, he lacks twitch in space. Kaindoh projects as a developmental pass rusher off the edge. He has redeeming traits such as straight-line athleticism and play strength. His technique and understanding of the game are extremely raw. Kaindoh will have a minimal impact early and has to prove that he can contribute on special teams.

Value: 6th/7th Round

22. Jonathon Cooper, Ohio State

The senior had a big breakout last season starting at defensive end for the Buckeyes. Cooper plays with a high motor, allowing him to make effort plays late in reps and has fluid hips as well as the ability to move laterally. Getting to the inside of oversetting tackles is his best move as a pass rusher. In the run game, he makes plays on outside runs with his aforementioned lateral range. Cooper is impressive dropping into space, showing the ability to gain depth with his backpedal, make open-field tackles and even carry running backs in man coverage. He is susceptible to getting washed in the run game, having to do a better job of anticipating and absorbing lead blockers, as well as anchoring. A lack of length allows blockers to latch onto him once they land their hands. While his get-off is not slow, he is unable to dip low enough to avoid punches and gets redirected on outside tracks consistently. Cooper projects as a depth piece as a 3-4 outside linebacker. His lateral ability and effort as well as his agility in space will earn him non-special teams reps.

Value: 6th/7th Round

21. Patrick Jones II, Pittsburgh

Racking up 21 sacks during his time at Pitt, Jones had a productive career at Heinz Field. He is most accustomed to rushing from a two-point stance and has some length to stab the chest of tackles. His effort is great as he plays to the whistle. As a pass rusher, he mostly wins on inside moves as he does not have the bend and burst to win around the outside shoulder. Jones struggles to keep his frame clean and does not deconstruct very well making him a liability in the run game. Jones projects as a depth player. The team captain will impress coaches with leadership and effort, but ultimately lacks either above-average athleticism or technique to become an impact player at the next level.

Value: 6th/7th Round

20. Joe Tryon, Washington

A 2020 opt-out, Tryon has an impressive build at 6-foot-5, 262 pounds with long arms. On tape, he flashes promising power-rush potential that could get even better if he improved basics in terms of hand placement. He is most effective rushing on the inside against guards as he is a better athlete than them and can use his hands to his advantage. When rushing from the outside, he has a difficult time establishing a half-man relationship and winning around the outside shoulder, which is why most of his production comes on inside moves or when he is unblocked. In the run game, he has a long way to go as he does not anchor well and struggles to maintain gap integrity as well as reading and identifying plays. Tryon projects as a developmental project due to his build. If a team can teach him to play at extension and use some of his power, he could turn into a quality rotational player along a defensive line, provided he can improve as a run defender.

Value: 6th/7th Round

19. Hamilcar Rashed, Oregon State

A three-year starter at outside linebacker for the Beavers, Rashed has been productive racking up 16.5 sacks including 14 that came in 2019. Possessing good length, Rashed flashes the ability to convert speed to power. A high-effort run defender, he chases down plays from the back side and makes hustle plays. Rashed is comfortable dropping into space and can play short zone coverage a significant amount of the time. While he has many pass-rush moves, few are effective with his best being a double-hand swipe and push-pull. He uses his athleticism to counter inside well. Rashed is unable to win around the outside shoulder of tackles as his lower body is too stiff to corner, making his pass rush one-dimensional. He has to play at extension more consistently, using his length and controlling the edge in the run game. Rashed projects as a backup 3-4 outside linebacker who can contribute in coverage. He has the physical tools to succeed as a pass rusher, but his moves have to become more refined. Rashed should contribute on special teams due to his athleticism and effort.

Value: 6th/7th Round

18. William Bradley-King, Baylor

The slightly undersized defensive end transferred from Arkansas State after graduating. Bradley-King is a productive run defender with power and intelligence to disrupt the ground game of an offense. He possesses active hands as a pass rusher, but is unable to keep his frame clean causing him to have to disengage repeatedly. From a wide alignment, Bradley-King is able to attack blockers’ chests and drive them into the pocket, but does not have a counter to get to the passer. He is a limited athlete with a body that does not look muscular. Unable to threaten the outside shoulder, he relies on his hands to win as a pass rusher. Bradley-King projects as a backup rusher in a two-gapping front to take advantage of his run defense and power, masking his lack of athleticism and inability to generate quick pass rush wins.

Value: 6th Round

17. Andre Mintze, Vanderbilt

A four-year contributor for the Commodores, Mintze racked up 18 starts in the SEC. He is a well-coached player with consistently low pads, allowing him to win the leverage battle at the point of attack. He understands the techniques of offensive linemen and knows how to counter their punches, taking advantage of what he is offered by the blocker. He is best rushing from wider alignments as he succeeds in defeating the hands of the blocker with his moves. He is an average athlete who lacks the twitch and explosiveness to threaten tackles vertically on a consistent basis. He has to do a better job of protecting his chest as he allows access to it too easily, leading to opponents redirecting him. In the run game, he is not stout, getting driven off the line of scrimmage frequently. Mintze projects as a backup 3-4 outside linebacker who can generate pressure with his hands. His ceiling is limited due to a lack of length and high-level athleticism, but he should contribute in a rotation nonetheless.

Value: 6th Round

16. Carlos Basham, Wake Forest

“Boogie” had a productive career for Wake Forest, amassing 20.5 sacks and 173 tackles in four seasons. He lines up anywhere from 3-technique to wide-9. Basham pairs quick hands and lateral agility to win on inside moves. He recognizes oversets quickly and capitalizes. At 281 pounds, Basham is a fluid athlete who can even perform spin moves. He plays hard until the whistle blows making hustle plays. In run defense, Basham is very aggressive, attacking gaps and using his play strength to penetrate the backfield after establishing a half-man relationship. This aggressiveness can get the better of him when he fails to be gap sound. Stronger linemen drive him off the line. Basham lacks the ability to power rush as tackles outreach him and attack his chest successfully. A hesitation before engaging blockers robs him of speed to convert into power. On outside tracks, he does not possess the explosiveness required to win. Basham projects as a backup or rotational 3-technique who can contribute with his quick hands as a pass rusher. A lack of physical traits and the inability to defend the run will prevent him from playing more snaps.

Value: 6th Round

15. Jordan Smith, UAB

Starting his collegiate career with the Florida Gators, Smith was involved in a credit card scandal and got suspended. Ending up at UAB via the JUCO route, he contributed for two seasons with the Blazers, racking up 14.5 sacks. Smith looks the part with prototypical size for a pass rusher, using his length to attack the chest of blockers and bull-rush them. His hands are violent if they connect with his targets, chopping down the hands of blockers. A long first step that covers plenty of ground puts stress on tackles as they have to gain depth in their sets to counter it, opening up the opportunity for an inside swim move of which Smith takes advantage. When rushing on an outside track, lower-body stiffness prevents him from dipping and bending the corner successfully. He can get driven off the ball in the run game and has to improve his anchor to set the edge on a consistent basis. His aggressive playing style has to be toned down as he attempts to time the snap causing him to jump offside and often comes in late to the ball-carrier. Smith projects as a developmental defensive end who has intriguing tools to work with including his get-off and length. Developing the ability to convert speed to power would make him a starting-caliber player. He will come onto the field in pass-rush situations as a 7-technique to start his NFL career.

Value: 5th Round

14. Victor Dimukeje, Duke

Starting all 49 games in his four-year-long career at Duke, Dimukeje has plenty of experience playing with his hands in the dirt. He is technically sound with pop at the point of attack to uproot and redirect tackles, setting up an inside move. His hands are quick and decisive, defeating the punch of tackles and winning to either shoulder. When rushing from the inside, he has enough play strength to get through holes. Dimukeje reliably stacks blocks in the run game, resetting the line of scrimmage with his power and leverage. He deconstructs quickly, using his hands and shows two-gapping ability. Playing with good effort, he makes plays in pursuit. Dimukeje is an average athlete who does not have the burst and get-off to threaten the outside shoulder of tackles. His anchor needs improvement as he gets driven off the line too easily once latched onto. When he is unable to play at extension, he struggles to disengage. Dimukeje projects as a potential starter or good backup defensive end in a two-gapping front. He can rush the passer with his technique and power. In the run game, he stacks blocks and controls gaps with good leverage. Dimukeje is athletically limited and may have reached his potential already.

Value: 3rd/4th Round

13. Quincy Roche, Miami

After a stellar career at Temple, logging 26 sacks in three years of starting for the Owls, Roche decided to take his talents to South Beach and join the Miami Hurricanes. In the ACC, he continued doing what he does: sacking the quarterback. Roche is surprisingly powerful for his size and plays with great leverage to get underneath blockers' pads consistently. The redshirt senior possesses an array of pass-rushing moves that he executes well thanks to his quick hands. Against slow tackles, he is dominant at dipping his shoulder and ripping around, but struggles when blockers beat him to the apex. His get-off and burst are just solid, making it difficult to project his speed rushing. Roche will be a solid stand-up rusher at the next level. While he has plenty of pass-rush moves, he lacks the speed and bend to be a consistent sack threat. Due to a lack of physical traits, his ceiling is capped as a mid- to low-end starter.

Value: 3rd/4th Round

*Go All Access and reserve your copy of the official 2021 NFL Draft Bible publication, plus unlock our scouting report database featuring prospects for 2022 & beyond!

QB | RB | FB | WR | iWR | TE | LT | RT | OG | OC | DT | NG | 3-4 DE | 4-3 DE | 3-4 OLB | 4-3 OLB | ILB | CB | iCB | FS | SS

*Get more scouting reports just like this one at AllAccessFootball.com. Over 500 reports are being updated and will be available before the NFL Draft

*The Official 2021 NFL Draft Bible publication is now available for pre-order! Reserve your copy today or go ‘All Access’ and gain instant access to our scouting report database, featuring 500+ profiles and updated daily. Nobody brings you the names you need to know like NFL Draft Bible, become a disciple today and order here!

*CLICK HERE for more in-depth scouting reports, be sure to reserve your copy of the 2021 NFL Draft Bible Publication!

*View our updated dynasty fantasy football rookie ADP

*Listen to us on TWITCH. Follow and subscribe.