2025 Greatest NFL Move Rushers: Myles Garrett, T.J. Watt Lead Rankings

Each nice NFL protection appears to have a top-tier cross rusher wreaking havoc on the sphere, however which of them are the perfect?

We polled our FOX Sports activities NFL writers to reply that query, with every rating the highest 10 cross rushers within the league coming into the 2025 season. The highest two vote-getters are the very same from final yr’s prime 10 record, and there are two brand-new names within the prime 10.

So, let’s check out how our writers ranked the highest 10 cross rushers within the league as we start to unveil our prime gamers at a number of positions earlier than the 2025 season kicks off. 

2025 Greatest NFL Move Rushers

Jared Verse received AP Defensive Rookie of the 12 months in 2024. (Photograph by Brooke Sutton/Getty Photos)

Carmen Vitali: Verse could have been considerably of an unknown all through the season outdoors Los Angeles, however after successful Defensive Rookie of the 12 months, he has catapulted into the mainstream discourse and commenced solidifying himself as one of many league’s greatest defensive linemen. Verse solely had 4.5 sacks final yr, however he registered 18 QB hits, 11 tackles for loss and compelled two fumbles. If that’s what Verse is able to in his first yr within the league, there’s no telling the place his ceiling goes ahead.

2024 rank: Unranked

Will Anderson Jr. totaled 11 sacks in 2024. (Photograph by Alex Slitz/Getty Photos)

Ben Arthur: After two robust seasons, Anderson is beginning to get acknowledged as one of many league’s elite edge rushers. The truth is that he’s simply now scratching the floor of how good he might be. The 23-year-old noticed his sack complete bounce to 11.0 final season from 7.0 in 2023, when he received AP Defensive Rookie of the 12 months. He’s a high-motor participant that’s superb within the run recreation as effectively (tied for ninth with 16 tackles for loss final season).

2024 rank: Unranked

Danielle Hunter totaled 12 sacks in 2024 throughout his first season in Houston. (Photograph by Brandon Sloter/Getty Photos)

Arthur: Hunter is on the flawed aspect of 30 — he turns 31 this season — however he’s nonetheless taking part in at an elite degree late in his profession. The previous third-round decide has recorded double-digit sacks in every of the previous three seasons, together with 28.5 throughout the previous two years with the Texans. He tied Micah Parsons for a league-best 19.1% strain price final season amongst certified defensive linemen, in response to Subsequent Gen Stats.

2024 Rank: seventh (-1)

Nick Bosa, a five-time Professional Bowler, received AP Defensive Participant of the 12 months in 2022. (Photograph by Bruce Yeung/Getty Photos)

Eric D. Williams: Bosa stays a dominant drive up entrance for San Francisco defensively. He completed with a team-leading 54 pressures and averaged the quickest cross rush get-off of his profession (0.69 seconds) in 2024, per Subsequent Gen Stats. Nonetheless, the 27-year-old additionally averaged a career-low strain price of 15.3% final season, producing greater than 5 pressures in a recreation twice final season after conducting that at the very least 5 occasions in each season he has performed at the very least 10 video games. Bosa’s 62.5 profession sacks are third-most in 49ers franchise historical past.

2024 rank: fifth (-2)

Aidan Hutchinson totaled 11.5 sacks in 2023, and is trying to bounce again after sustaining a season-ending harm in 2024. (Photograph by Cooper Neill/Getty Photos)

Vitali: We noticed the stress Hutchinson’s harm placed on defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn in Detroit final season. After Hutch went down, the Lions blitz price stored going up — it needed to. They might not win on the line of scrimmage with simply 4 with out Hutchinson. That, in flip, put extra stress on the secondary, and it’s no marvel the protection fell aside of their first postseason recreation, even after getting the first-round bye. Hutchinson was on a historic tempo final yr, too. On the price he was going, he would have completed with 25.5 sacks if he had stayed wholesome. There’s little doubt about his influence on this protection and his place among the many NFL’s elite edge rushers. Right here’s to hoping he’s totally wholesome coming off harm this season.

2024 rank: ninth (+3)

Trey Hendrickson led the NFL with 17.5 sacks final season. (Photograph by Cooper Neill/Getty Photos)

Greg Auman: All of the headlines are about his contract points with Cincinnati, however he has had a exceptional second chapter to his NFL profession there: 4 Professional Bowls in 4 years and 57.0 sacks. Since 2021, solely Myles Garrett (60) and T.J. Watt (58.5) have extra sacks. What’s unimaginable is that Hendrickson had 6.5 complete sacks three years into his NFL profession — the fewest complete for any of the 45 gamers with 100 profession sacks is William Fuller, who had 11.5. Hendrickson is 30, however wants solely 23.0 sacks to hitch that fraternity — a simple two yr’s work by his latest requirements. If the Bengals need any shot at an improved protection to assist them get again within the playoffs, it possible has to start out with working one thing out with Hendrickson.

2024 rank: eighth (+3)

Maxx Crosby has led the NFL twice in tackles for loss. (Photograph by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Photos)

Henry McKenna: The 27-year-old missed time with an ankle harm final yr however hasn’t fallen far in our rankings. I’m excited to see what head coach Pete Carroll can do with the elite edge participant. It would simply be a profession yr within the making for Crosby, who posted 14.5 sacks in his final full season in 2023. Might he be trying to find 20.0 this yr?

2024 rank: third (no change)

Micah Parsons has been voted to the Professional Bowl in all 4 years of his NFL profession. (Photograph by Mitchell Leff/Getty Photos)

Ralph Vacchiano: He’ll possible get a brand new contract that makes him the highest-paid defensive participant within the recreation, and with good purpose. There may not be a extra full defender within the recreation right now. Parsons’ sideline-to-sideline velocity and pursuit are unmatched amongst linebackers. He can cowl when mandatory too. Despite the fact that he’s not turned free as an edge rusher on a regular basis, he’s nice at it when he’s. He’s had 52.5 sacks in his 4 seasons — together with 12.0 in simply 13 video games final yr. He is a defensive weapon that each coach has to game-plan in opposition to, which isn’t simple as a result of he can wreck offenses whereas lining up nearly wherever on the sphere.

2024 rank: 4th (+1)

T.J. Watt has led the NFL in sacks in three separate seasons, and received AP Defensive Participant of the 12 months in 2021. (Photograph by Scott Taetsch/Getty Photos)

Auman: Watt simply received an enormous, well-earned extension after main the league in sacks 3 times over the previous 5 years. He’ll possible cross his brother, J.J. Watt, in profession sacks someday this season, and with seven Professional Bowls, he is a future Corridor of Famer. There’s one obtrusive void in his résumé: postseason relevance. Solely 30 gamers in NFL historical past have extra sacks than Watt, and all of them have performed greater than his 4 profession playoff video games. Myles Garrett solely has three, so Watt is not alone, however he deserves to not solely make the playoffs however expertise his first playoff win with Pittsburgh this season. Now, will he?

2024 rank: 2nd (no change)

Myles Garrett totaled a league-leading 22 tackles for loss final season. (Photograph by G Fiume/Getty Photos)

Auman: Will Garrett find yourself as the subsequent Joe Thomas, a Corridor of Fame profession spent with none actual playoff expertise in Cleveland? Garrett has had at the very least 14.0 sacks in 4 consecutive years, is already at 102.5 for his profession and his new four-year, $160 million contract has him locked up in Cleveland by way of the 2030 season. Solely two gamers in NFL historical past have greater than 160 sacks, and he has an actual shot at becoming a member of that group. Even 10.0 sacks a yr by way of the tip of his present contract would do this. Garrett boasts six Professional Bowls and 4 first-team All-Professional nods by way of his eight seasons, however will he ever see a convention championship recreation? That continues to be to be seen.

2024 rank: 1st (no change)

2024 NFL Positional Rankings

2025-26 NFL Defensive Participant of the 12 months 

Aidan Hutchinson, Lions: +650 (guess $10 to win $75 complete)Micah Parsons, Cowboys: +750 (guess $10 to win $85 complete)Myles Garrett, Browns: +850 (guess $10 to win $95 complete)T.J. Watt, Steelers: +950 (guess $10 to win $105 complete)Will Anderson Jr., Texans: +1300 (guess $10 to win $140 complete)Jared Verse, Rams: +1500 (guess $10 to win $160 complete)Maxx Crosby, Raiders: +1600 (guess $10 to win $170 complete)Nick Bosa, 49ers: +2000 (guess $10 to win $210 complete)Jalen Carter, Eagles: +2200 (guess $10 to win $230 complete)Trey Hendrickson, Bengals: +2200 (guess $10 to win $230 complete)

These rankings have been compiled by:

Ben Arthur (@benyarthur)Greg Auman (@gregauman)Henry McKenna (@McKennAnalysis)Eric D. Williams (@eric_d_williams)Ralph Vacchiano (@RalphVacchiano)Carmen Vitali (@CarmieV)

Try all of our Every day Rankers.

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