2021 NFL Draft: Miami trio sets the standard in EDGE rankings

The 2021 NFL Draft rankings keep rolling along this week with the next set of prospect hopefuls. Last week, I focused on the interior of the defensive line, and this week it is the pass rushers. This class is a potentially elite group of EDGE players that could prove fruitful for many NFL teams in the coming years.

Take a look below as I rank my top-10 EDGE rushers, including versatile players that can fit in both the 4-3 and 3-4 at the next level. The way offenses are evolving in today’s game, it is important to employ hybrid players that can help from multiple formations and fill various positions on defense. The following players can do that and figure to go very early in the 2021 NFL Draft.

Gregory Rousseau leads the pack of 2021 NFL Draft pass rushers

There may not be a more polarizing defender in the entire 2021 NFL Draft than Miami EDGE rusher Gregory Rousseau. The 6-foot-7, long-armed sack artist was a menace during his first season as a full-time starter in 2019 before opting out in 2020. Rousseau ranked behind only former top-5 pick Chase Young in sacks in 2019 with 14.5.

He has the size, strength, and flexibility to start right away and become an impact player in the NFL. However, there are concerns about his consistency on a play-by-play basis and experience in the position. With only one year of college playing experience, Rousseau is extremely raw but possesses the tools to be a special player. He could hear his name called anywhere from the top-10 to the top of Round 2.

2. Jaelen Phillips – Miami (Fla.)

Another extremely talented with some potential question marks is fellow Miami pass rusher, Jaelen Phillips. A former top recruit and transfer from UCLA, Phillips only started one year at Miami in 2020 but made a lasting impact on the field. He burst onto the college scene with eight sacks and 15.5 tackles for a loss, reminding fans why he was such a highly-touted prep player.

Phillips dominated opponents in 2020, routinely overpowering left tackles and using his great athleticism to make plays all over the field. He does an amazing job locating the ball and keeping his eyes in the backfield while engaging with opposing linemen. He has the perfect size and physique for the position and will be a huge success story if he can prove his injuries and off-the-field concerns are a thing of the past. Phillips should settle in as a top-20 pick and potentially the first rusher off the board.

3. Kwity Paye – Michigan

Michigan is another school that has a great job at producing NFL-quality pass rushers and front seven defenders in recent years. Players such as Nick Perry, Rashan Gary, Frank Clark, and Chase Winovich are some current Wolverines that have experienced success in the NFL. Kwity Paye is the next one up and carries even more upside we head into the final weeks leading to the 2021 NFL Draft.

As a former transplant from Nigeria, Paye is a raw player with some great tools and has a lot of great football ahead of him. His closing speed and acceleration are Paye’s most prominent assets, and he’s a consistent threat to get into the backfield. Paye is also scheme diverse and could play with his hand on the ground or become a rush linebacker. That versatility should help him come off the board within the first 25 picks at the end of April.

4. Azeez Ojulari – Georgia

For teams looking for pass-rushing help in the middle to the late first round, Georgia’s Azeez Ojulari would provide a significant boost. Ojulari has 15 sacks combined the past two seasons with 17.5 tackles for a loss. He is a fixture in the opposing backfield and will be a threat for double-digit sacks at the next level.

While he may lack ideal bulk for the defensive line, Ojulari possesses the ideal body type and skill set for an outside linebacker in a 3-4 front. He also showcases tremendous flexibility and bendability from the EDGE to get around opposing offensive tackles and the closing burst to get to the QB in a hurry. He’s a starting-quality player from day one in the right NFL defensive scheme.

5. Jayson Oweh – Penn State

Every NFL Draft season, there are certain players we fall in love with due to measurables, and Oweh is one of those prospects in 2021. He is an athletic marvel that has unlimited potential as an EDGE rusher heading into the NFL. He formed a dangerous pass-rushing duo with Shaka Toney in the Big Ten this past season.

While he failed to record a sack in a shortened 2020 college season, Oweh recorded 6.5 tackles for a loss and 38 combined tackles in seven games. However, his most significant strength is his length and ridiculous athletic makeup. Oweh blazed a 4.36 40-yard dash at Penn State’s Pro Day, with a 39.5-inch vertical jump and 11-foot-2 broad jump. These elite traits should guarantee Oweh a spot in the late first round.

6. Joseph Ossai – Texas

Joseph Ossai is one of several Texas Longhorn players vying for a spot in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft. He was a bright spot on a disappointing 7-3 Texas team in 2020. He recorded 5.5 sacks and a whopping 13.5 tackles for a loss this past season. Ossai has been a consistent threat behind the line of scrimmage the past few seasons.

At 6-foot-4, 253 pounds, Ossai is a bit of an ILB/OLB/DE tweener as an NFL prospect and could fit on multiple defensive fronts at the next level. He joins other players like Oweh and Ojulari vying for a spot at the end of the first round. Ossai has the versatility and length that could be a great fallback option for any team looking at Micah Parsons earlier in the first frame.

7. Carlos Basham Jr. – Wake Forest

Basham entered the 2020 season as a borderline first-rounder, but after a shortened season that included a late-season opt-out, Basham appears to have fallen down the boards. He recorded only 4.5 tackles for a loss and five sacks in 2020, but Basham could conceivably end up as a better pro than a college player.

At 6-foot-3, 281 pounds, Basham has the size to play a down lineman in a 4-3 or rush linebacker in a 3-4. He may be at his best standing up, as he shows sneaky athleticism for such a big guy. Basham also lacks the strength to hold up against bigger blockers each week. He should settle in as a late second to early third-round pick.

8. Joe Tryon – Washington

Tryon is an ascending player in the 2021 NFL Draft and could end up going earlier than others on this list. He is extremely raw but has the necessary tools to work with at the next level. Tryon was a full-time starter in 2019, recording eight sacks before opting out in 2020.

Drae Harris of The Draft Network breaks down the game of Tryon:

"“He has excellent reactive athleticism with regards to body control and agility for a young man his size. He is a loose-hipped athlete who demonstrates fluidity when he plays on his feet. Setting the edge in the NFL will be no issue for this player. He is explosive off the edge and projects with elite upside with pro coaching. He has true schematic versatility in that he can be an outside LB in an odd front scheme or can gain weight and be a 4-3 defensive end.”"

He has the size and speed to emerge as one of the elite pass rushers from this 2021 NFL Draft class. He is a versatile player with fantastic movement skills that makes explosive plays in the backfield. Like Basham, he should settle in between the end of the second or beginning of the third frame.

9. Quincy Roche – Miami (Fla.)

A former transfer from Temple, Roche exploded onto the scene in Miami this past season for the Hurricanes. He former a dangerous pass-rushing duo with fellow prospect Jaelen Phillips and caused fits for opposing ACC passing games. While Roche’s sack numbers dipped a bit in 2020, he still wreaked havoc in the backfield with an elite 14.5 tackles for a loss.

He may be a tad undersized for a down lineman, but Roche is sturdy, strong, and dependable as a tackler and rusher. Roche also does a great job forcing turnovers with his violent hands and playing style. His 30.5 sacks combined the past four years show he is a consistent force that should find a home before the end of round four.

10. Ronnie Perkins – Oklahoma

The Oklahoma Sooners have done a great job producing solid front seven defensive talent for the past decade with players like Kenneth Murray, Aaron Colvin, Neville Gallimore, and Jordan Phillips. Ronnie Perkins is the next Sooner slated to be selected in the NFL Draft, potentially going as early as the third round.

Perkins is built similarly to Roche with a resembling skill-set, but I believe Roche’s ceiling is a tad higher for the pro game. Perkins is a solid pass rusher with good strength and a great club move to get past bigger blockers. However, he is undisciplined against the run and will need the right system to succeed at the next level. He’s a three-year starter with lots of experience that should contribute right away for a team after the 2021 NFL Draft.