2020 IDP Rookie Review: Edge Rushers

Yetur Gross-Matos

Jason King Posted On January 21, 2021

No one needs a rehash of the insanity that was 2020, but it helps to provide some context for the 2020 rookie class. There were no rookie minicamps, and no organized team activities (OTAs). Working with COVID-19 restrictions, training camps had a different look and feel. You’ve probably heard chatter about the poor play of rookies in 2020, and it’s understandable as the vast majority of them struggle with the transition from college to the pros in normal years.

I watched the defensive rookies all season, and wanted to put a bow on the class with tiers and rankings by position. Future articles will focus on interior linemen, linebackers, and finally safeties.

In terms of the edge rushers, this wasn’t a great class to begin with. It has one elite asset in Young, another three to four who will likely develop into quality starters, and several others who should be productive in rotational/pass rush specialist roles.

A couple of notes:

I grouped defensive ends and outside linebackers. I’m in leagues that use “true position” designations, and leagues that have scoring systems that value outside linebackers, and leagues where outside linebackers have little value. You’ll have to adjust what’s below based on your individual league setup.
Credit goes to Pro Football Reference for pressures (defined as a combination of hurries, quarterback knockdowns, and sacks) and missed tackle data.

Tier One: Elite Assets

1. Chase Young, DE WAS

Drafted: First round, second overall pick (Ohio State)
Age prior to kickoff of 2021 season: 22

Stats to Know:

770 of 1,045 defensive snaps (73.7 percent)
23 pressures; seven and a half sacks; 12 quarterback hits
32 solo tackles, 12 assists; ten tackles for loss; three missed tackles (6.4 percent missed tackle rate)

There were a handful of rookies who, in spite of 2020 restrictions, performed as hoped or expected. Young was one of those. That’s not to say he played like an All-Pro from day one – he was a rookie, after all – but he was a disruptive piece of a seriously talented Washington defensive line, and his impact on each game was growing by the end of the season. As valuable as defensive ends are in most IDP leagues, Young is already an elite asset – he’s my DL4 behind just Danielle Hunter, Myles Garrett, and Joey Bosa.

Tier Two: Low-End and Matchup-Based Starts

2. Alex Highsmith, LB PIT

Drafted: Third round, No. 102 (UNC Charlotte)
Age prior to kickoff of 2021 season: 24

Stats to Know:

438 of 1031 defensive snaps (42.5 percent)
12 pressures; two sacks; six quarterback hits
30 solo tackles, 18 assists; five tackles for loss; two missed tackles (4 percent missed tackle rate)

Highsmith tops a handful of edge rushers in a tier well behind Young. A supplemental third-round pick, Highsmith surprised early when dropping into pass coverage, and showcased some nice pass rush moves when forced into a larger role after Bud Dupree tore an ACL in week 12.

Given Pittsburgh’s cap situation and long list of free agents and needs, I can’t see Dupree returning to the Steelers. He played on the franchise tag in 2020 and even coming off an injury is likely to command $15 million to $16 million annually on a multi-year deal. Given Highsmith’s promising rookie campaign, the Steelers will likely rely on him to play more than 90 percent of the defensive snaps at the outside linebacker spot opposite TJ Watt. He’ll put up nice fantasy numbers given that type of volume.

3. Yetur Gross-Matos, DE CAR

Drafted: Second round, No. 38 (Penn State)
Age prior to kickoff of 2021 season: 23

Stats to Know:

377 of 1,059 defensive snaps (35.6 percent)
11 pressures; two and a half sacks; six quarterback hits
Nine solo tackles, 15 assists; two tackles for loss; one missed tackle (4 percent missed tackle rate)

After a mostly quiet start to his season, Gross-Matos missed three games with an ankle injury before showing signs of growing into a capable complement to Brian Burns. Gross-Matos already has a nice frame, and an off-season in the NFL weight room will help him become an even bigger problem for offensive lines. His strong finish (four quarterback hits during the Panthers’ final four games) was buoyed by his ability to play as an inside rusher, where he can get into gaps quickly with his explosive burst off the line.

4. K’Lavon Chaisson, DE JAC

Drafted: First round, 20th overall pick (LSU)
Age prior to kickoff of 2021 season: 22

Stats to Know:

568 of 1,120 defensive snaps (50.7 percent)
Nine pressures; one sack; nine quarterback hits
12 solo tackles, seven assists; three tackles for loss; three missed tackles (13.6 percent missed tackle rate)

Chaisson’s fit in Jacksonville was always dubious. Undersized to begin with, he was put in the unfamiliar position of rushing out of a three-point stance for the majority of the time (rather than standing up, which he did for the most part at LSU). The results should have been predictable, and Chaisson was often just rendered useless by tackles once they got their hands on him. He was quickly labeled a bust.

There were some bright spots though, and Chaisson started showing signs of life late in the season with seven quarterback hits over his final five games. A change in coaching staff under Urban Meyer is likely to bring some schematic changes, and hopefully those will put Chaisson in a position to be successful. That, along with an off-season to add much-needed strength and bulk, keep me optimistic that the likeable Chaisson will begin to fulfill some of his promise in 2021.

5. Josh Uche, LB NE

Drafted: Second round, No. 60 (Michigan)
Age prior to kickoff of 2021 season: 22

Stats to Know:

178 of 1017 defensive snaps (17.5 percent)
Ten pressures; one sack; seven quarterback hits
Seven solo tackles, two assists; two tackles for loss; zero missed tackles

Uche’s season got off to a rough start. First he battled an ankle injury, then a foot issue that landed him on injured reserve. He didn’t see the field until week eight, and played in nine games before ending the season on injured reserve with another foot injury. What he put on film as a situational pass rusher was impressive, and though it’s a smaller sample size, his pressure per snap rate (5.6 percent) pops off the page. Assuming the foot problem doesn’t linger and hold him back in the off-season, I like the upside.

Tier Three: Worthy of a Roster Spot

6. Darrell Taylor, DE SEA

Drafted: Second round, No. 48 (Tennessee)
Age prior to kickoff of 2021 season: 24

We didn’t see Taylor on the field in 2020, so any value he has is totally based on draft pedigree and college production. Taylor had shin surgery in the off-season to repair an injury that he suffered at Tennessee and spent the season on injured reserve. Coach Pete Carroll said prior to the playoffs that Taylor was close to practicing and could make a postseason appearance, but that never happened with the Seahawks making a quick exit.

Taylor has the size and bend to give Seattle the consistent pass rush thread it has been missing since Frank Clark’s trade to Kansas City two seasons ago, making Taylor a nice dynasty trade target at what should be a reduced price.

7. DJ Wonnum, DE MIN

Drafted: Fourth round, No. 117 (South Carolina)
Age prior to kickoff of 2021 season: 23

Stats to Know:

471 of 1,075 defensive snaps (43.8 percent)
12 pressures; three sacks; eight quarterback hits
16 solo tackles, eight assists; five tackles for loss; five missed tackles (17.2 percent missed tackle rate)

Wonnum was part of an inconsistent Minnesota pass rush that badly missed Hunter, although it obviously wasn’t Wonnum’s fault altogether. He’s ideally more of a piece of the puzzle due to limited play strength, although he should be a very good rotational pass rusher. I do think his dynasty upside is limited due to volume concerns.

8. Alton Robinson, DE SEA

Drafted: Fifth round, No. 148 (Syracuse)
Age prior to kickoff of 2021 season: 23

Stats to Know:

336 of 1,151 defensive snaps (29.2 percent)
11 pressures; four sacks; four quarterback hits
13 solo tackles, nine assists; five tackles for loss; three missed tackles (12 percent missed tackle rate)

Robinson injected some immediate juice into Seattle’s dormant pass rush once active in week three. Was he inconsistent? Yes – as you would expect from a fifth-round draft pick with some size limitations. He’s a great athlete though, and has a good motor getting after the quarterback. He’ll likely stick in a part-time passing down role, but his arrow is pointing up.

9. AJ Epenesa, DE BUF

Drafted: Second round, No. 54 (Iowa)
Age prior to kickoff of 2021 season: 22

Stats to Know:

291 of 1,070 defensive snaps (27.2 percent)
Seven pressures; one sack; four quarterback hits
11 solo tackles, three assists; three tackles for loss; zero missed tackles

Epenesa lacks the ceiling as a couple of players below him in these rankings, but I think he has a higher floor and seems positioned to grow into a larger role. Buffalo sat veteran Trent Murphy and gave Epenesa a larger role coming off its week 11 bye. His production was nothing earth-shattering for sure, but he showcased a handful of moves and even displayed the ability to make plays on the ball when dropping into coverage. That versatility is good to see and bodes well for future usage.

10. Michael Danna, DE KC

Drafted: Fifth round, No. 177 (Michigan)
Age prior to kickoff of 2021 season: 23

Stats to Know:

333 of 1,074 defensive snaps (31 percent)
Nine pressures; two and a half sacks; six quarterback hits
16 solo tackles, nine assists; four tackles for loss; three missed tackles (10.7 percent missed tackle rate)

Danna was a surprise early-down contributor, overcoming limited reach by consistently getting his hands inside on tackles during his pass rush, and then getting free while using his power to push back the protection and get his man off-balance. He should continue to play a nice rotational role on the Kansas City front.

11. Julian Okwara, DE DET

Drafted: Third round, No. 67 (Notre Dame)
Age prior to kickoff of 2021 season: 23

Stats to Know:

69 of 1,131 defensive snaps (6.1 percent)
Zero pressures; zero sacks; zero quarterback hits
One solo tackle, two assists; one tackle for loss; one missed tackle (25 percent missed tackle rate)

This was mostly a lost season for Okwara, who didn’t see significant snaps until week 16 – he played just 30 snaps over the first six weeks of the season before going on injured reserve with a leg injury. He needs to continue to add some bulk, but he showed good play strength in limited time.

If you’re looking for an upside play and have the roster space, Okwara remains a solid prospect and should come cheap in trades. He’s probably on your waiver wire in leagues with 12 teams or fewer. He’s no better than the third edge right now behind Trey Flowers and older brother Romeo Okwara, but he could still prove to be a valuable rotational piece in Detroit.

12. Terrell Lewis, LB LAR

Drafted: Third round, No. 84 (Alabama)
Age prior to kickoff of 2021 season: 23

Stats to Know:

124 of 1025 defensive snaps (12.1 percent)
Four pressures; two sacks; four quarterback hits
Three solo tackles, two assists; two tackles for loss; zero missed tackles

Lewis’ status here has less to do with how I feel about the player and more with my concern over his right knee. He tore the ACL in July 2018 and missed a game at Alabama in early 2019 after hyperextending it. Prior to this season, his knee situation was described as “unique,” and he missed the first four weeks of the season with the knee issue and COVID-19. Then, in the lead-up to week 12, he had the knee drained and missed the next four games. I honestly love the player, but I am worried about his future.

13. Jonathan Greenard, LB HOU

Drafted: Third round, No. 90 (Florida)
Age prior to kickoff of 2021 season: 24

Stats to Know:

265 of 1109 defensive snaps (23.9 percent)
Three pressures; one sack; three quarterback hits
Ten solo tackles, nine assists; two tackles for loss; five missed tackles (20.8 percent missed tackle rate)

Greenard barely saw the field until week nine when a litany of injuries at outside linebacker earned him 83 percent of the linebacker snaps. He showed himself to be versatile and capable of manning a true linebacker spot (the non-edge rusher variety) as well as serving as a pass rusher from the edge. I can’t say I was all that impressed with him until the season finale, when he popped with his effort and strength. Perhaps the new coaching staff will help him develop into a full-time player.

Tier Four: Watch List

14. Khalid Kareem, DE CIN

Drafted: Fifth round, No. 147 (Notre Dame)
Age prior to kickoff of 2021 season: 23

Stats to Know:

259 of 1,057 defensive snaps (24.5 percent)
Three pressures; one sack; one quarterback hit
Nine solo tackles, ten assists; one tackle for loss; one missed tackle (5 percent missed tackle rate)

Kareem showed some promise during the season but ultimately wasn’t very effective and wasn’t able to capitalize on snaps vacated by Carlos Dunlap following the veteran’s trade to Seattle. With Carl Lawson entering free agency, there’s not a lot on the Bengals’ depth chart at edge other than Kareem and Sam Hubbard, so maybe he’ll get a bump in snaps out of necessity.

15. Jabari Zuniga, DE NYJ

Drafted: Third round, No. 79 (Florida)
Age prior to kickoff of 2021 season: 24

Stats to Know:

103 of 1,144 defensive snaps (9 percent)
One pressure; zero sacks; zero quarterback hits
Three solo tackles, two assists; zero tackles for loss; zero missed tackles

There was a good bit to like about Zuniga as a prospect; his length, size and 1.61-second 10-yard split were among his positive pro traits. He spent the first seven weeks of the season on injured reserve recovering from a quad injury, and never got much in the way of playing time.

Tier Five: Let It Go

16. Bryce Huff, DE NYJ

Undrafted (Memphis)
Age prior to kickoff of 2021 season: 23

Stats to Know:

296 of 1,138 defensive snaps (26 percent)
Eight pressures; two sacks; four quarterback hits
12 solo tackles, four assists; four tackles for loss; one missed tackle (5.9 percent missed tackle rate)

Huff was a surprise contributor as an undrafted free agent and situational pass rusher. It’s hard to see anything more than that going forward though, and a lack of consistent snaps will hamper any dynasty value.

17. Zack Baun, LB NO

Drafted: Third round, No. 74 (Wisconsin)
Age prior to kickoff of 2021 season: 24

Stats to Know:

82 of 1051 defensive snaps (7.8 percent)
Zero pressures; zero sacks; zero quarterback hits
Seven solo tackles, five assists; one tackle for loss; two missed tackles (14.3 percent missed tackle rate)

Baun was a big zero and is only listed here due to his third-round draft pedigree. There were suggestions before the season that he would move to inside linebacker to better suit his size and frame, and maybe that will still happen. He seems like a long shot to make an impact after such a disappointing rookie campaign.

18. Carter Coughlin, LB NYG

Drafted: Seventh round, No. 218 (Minnesota)
Age prior to kickoff of 2021 season: 24

Stats to Know:

192 of 1091 defensive snaps (17.6 percent)
Five pressures; one sack; two quarterback hits
13 solo tackles, four assists; two tackles for loss; two missed tackles (10.5 percent missed tackle rate)

Coughlin started seeing snaps following New York’s week 11 bye, and he played a sizable role in weeks 13 and 14 before seeing his usage drop to 11 snaps in each of the Giants’ final two contests. He was a bit of a defensive chess piece for a couple of weeks though, showing a lot of pre-snap disguises and even serving as a spy on Kyler Murray against the Cardinals. Ultimately, he’s a low-end edge prospect with below-average size.

19. Trevis Gipson, LB CHI

Drafted: Fifth round, No. 155 (Tulsa)
Age prior to kickoff of 2021 season: 24

Stats to Know:

71 of 1076 defensive snaps (6.6 percent)
Three pressures; zero sacks; three quarterback hits
One solo tackle, four assists; zero tackles for loss; one missed tackle (16.7 percent missed tackle rate)

In limited action late in the season, Gipson failed to show a pass rush plan or play strength. He’s got a long way to go, and he’s probably never going to get there.

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Jason King

Contributor at Dynasty League Football

Jason is a lifelong Steelers fan and proud alumnus of NC State University. He caught the fantasy football bug in 1996, and has a strange but strong affinity for IDP dynasty leagues with multiple copies of players. When he's not thinking about fantasy football, he's doing something with his two children, dabbling with photography or fixing something around the house.