Arguably the most athletic position in all of football, we have seen countless elite athletes over the years rush the passer. Some of these decisions were not easy, but we believe we narrowed it down to the best of the best. Let’s dive in and count down the 30 greatest to ever do it.
20. Cameron Jordan
After 13 seasons in the league, teams still have to account for Cameron Jordan whenever he’s on the field. Jordan has been a one-man wrecking crew for a Saints defense that was quietly among the league’s best groups over the last several seasons. Since 2012, Jordan has recorded 116.5 sacks — the most in the league over that span. As a traditional 4-3 end, Jordan can disrupt both the pass and run game. His ability to play both is what makes game-planning for the near 290-pound edge rusher so difficult. Jordan has made eight Pro Bowls and was an All-Pro First-Team selection in 2017.
19. Alan Page
Vikings legend Alan Page made history in 1971 when he became the first primarily defensive player to win the NFL Most Valuable Player trophy. At that time, the only players to win MVP were quarterbacks and running backs. Page made his case undeniable by dominating the line of scrimmage all season long. In 15 seasons with the Vikings, Page helped the team capture four conference titles and a league championship. He was a member of the popular “Purple People Eaters” defensive line which was known for getting after opposing quarterbacks. Page ended his career with 148.5 sacks and a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
18. Dwight Freeney
Dwight Freeney was a game-changer from the moment he stepped into the NFL. As a defensive end, Freeney’s speed was unmatched for the position. Using a sharp first-step, Freeney could blow by offensive linemen before they could even get their hands on him. He quickly became one of the league’s premier pass rushers and collected 51.0 sacks over his first four seasons. In 2006, Freeney helped the Colts win Super Bowl XLI as he recovered a fumble in the win.
17. Terrell Suggs
His teammates Ray Lewis and Ed Reed often drew more praise, but Terrell Suggs was an All-Pro talent in his own right. Suggs completed the first 16 years of his career with the Ravens, becoming a stalwart for a franchise that has become synonymous with the defensive side of the ball. Suggs won Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2003 after starting in just one game all year and finishing with 12.0 sacks. When his Baltimore run had ended, Suggs finished with 132.5 sacks, 33 forced fumbles, a Defensive Player of the Year trophy (2011) and a Super Bowl championship. He collected one more Super Bowl ring in his final year as a member of the 2019 Kansas City Chiefs.
16. Jason Taylor
A Hall of Fame inductee in 2017, Jason Taylor was an elite athlete who utilized his length and burst to wreak havoc on opposing defenses. The Dolphin legend finished his career with 139.5 sacks over 15 seasons. His most prolific year came in 2002 when registered a league-high 18.5 sacks and finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting. While some thought Taylor peaked in that season, he silenced all critics by putting up another monster year in ’06. Starring for a stacked Miami defense, Taylor collected 13.5 sacks, nine forced fumbles, 11 deflected passes, and scored twice on defense on his way to a Defensive Player of the Year trophy.
15. Simeon Rice
Simeon Rice entered the league with a ton of hype and surely lived up to it. In his rookie year, Rice tied the NFL record with 12.5 sacks by a first-year player. He was named a Pro Bowler on three occasions. In 2002, Rice was named a First-Team All-Pro after collecting 15.5 sacks. He later helped the Buccaneers win the Super Bowl that year when he collected two sacks in the championship game. Rice was an ironman (missed just two games in 10 years) who always seemed to play his best on the biggest stage.
14. Jared Allen
A fourth-round pick who ended up being a four-time All-Pro. Allen entered the league with little fanfare but gained some notoriety after finishing his rookie season with 9.0 sacks. Allen’s career didn’t take off until he joined the Vikings in 2008. From ’08-13, Allen played in 96 games and registered 85.5 sacks. In 2011, Allen set a career-high with 22.0 sacks — just 0.5 short of Michael Strahan’s record — and won Defensive Player of the Year. His sudden burst off the line and endless motor made him impossibly difficult to contend with.
13. Jack Youngblood
Pro Football Hall of Famer Jack Youngblood is among the greatest players to ever don a Rams uniform. Youngblood played the entirety of his 14-year career with the Rams and was a consistent force on the defensive side. For six-straight seasons from 1974-79, Youngblood was named an All-Pro each year and collected 79.0 sacks in 88 games. He ended his career with 151.5 sacks and is a member of the NFL’s All-1970s Team.
12. Von Miller
It was evident from Miller’s first season that he would eventually become one of the league’s premier defenders. The No. 2 overall pick in a stacked 2011 NFL Draft, Miller won Defensive Rookie of the Year and was named a Second-Team All-Pro in his first year with the Broncos. He was regularly in the discussion as one of the best edge rushers and truly cemented himself as an all-time great in Super Bowl 50 when he won MVP honors.
Had he retired following that game, Miller very likely would have already done enough to be a Hall of Famer. He’s played seven more seasons since then (notching 63.5 additional sacks) and won another Super Bowl as a member of the Los Angeles Rams. When he does finally decide to hang up his cleats, Miller has a one-way ticket to Canton, Ohio.
11. Derrick Thomas
Derrick Thomas cannot be overlooked when discussing the top defenders in league history. Playing the entirety of his career with the Kansas City Chiefs, Thomas was as prolific of a pass rusher as there was in the league. In just his second year as a pro, Thomas notched 20.0 sacks — just two shy of the all-time record. And, he did so while missing a game — a game in which the Chiefs (sans Thomas) sacked the opposing QB six times. In Week 10 of the 1990 season, Thomas set the record for the most sacks in a single game with 7.0 — a record which still stands to this day. After his career was tragically cut short due to a fatal car crash in 2000, Thomas was posthumously enshrined in the Hall of Fame.
10. Michael Strahan
Strahan had a flexible frame which did him wonders. He wasn’t a bulky player carrying extra weight. Instead, he was light on his feet, agile, and thus super explosive coming off the edge. His career started somewhat slow from a statistical standpoint. However, the light turned on in Year 5 of his tenure with the Giants. It was here where he notched double-digit sacks for the first time (14.0). That eventually led to two monstrous years where Strahan accrued 22.5 sacks and 18.5 sacks, respectively. Unsurprisingly, the seven-time Pro Bowler was named the Defensive Player of the Year during that iconic season. To this day, only Al Baker (23.0) has more sacks in a single season than Strahan.
9. DeMarcus Ware
Micah Parsons might one day be the best defender in the history of the Cowboys’ franchise. That certainly would be a major feat. However, as of right now, the most prolific pass rusher emanating from Dallas happens to be DeMarcus Ware. Hailing from tiny Troy University, Ware made his impact known immediately — notching 8.0 sacks as a rookie. From there, he enjoyed a stretch in which he accrued at least 10.0 sacks in eight of his next nine seasons. The best for Ware came in 2008 where he set career-highs in sacks (20.0) and tackles-for-loss (27.0). In many ways, he helped in redefining the rush end/stand-up OLB role we’ve grown so accustomed to seeing since he dominated in the 2000s.
8. Aaron Donald
Aaron Donald doesn’t fall into the classic category of what many would consider to be a pass rusher. For one, the position is usually reserved for rangy 6-foot-4 to 6-foot-6 athletes who line up on the edges rather than up the middle. You know — guys with supreme length and jaw-dropping athleticism. Donald is a bowling ball of a man who’s even considered to be very undersized for his position as an interior defensive lineman.
Well…Donald shattered those preconceived notions — and more. Some think he’s the best defensive player to ever play the game. As an ‘undersized’ defensive tackle, Donald demonstrated himself to be a disruptor of the absolute highest order. Donald’s motor never stopped, and the low center of gravity with which he played enabled him to drive guards back into the pocket — namely because he’s equipped with ridiculous strength. As a defensive tackle (!), the three-time Defensive Player of the Year registered 111.0 sacks and 24 forced fumbles in 154 games.
7. Julius Peppers
Peppers was a true physical specimen during his days in Carolina. Originally a basketball player for the North Carolina Tar Heels, he used his 6-foot-7 frame/correspondingly freakish wingspan to turn into one of the most dynamic defense ends in league history. Almost spider-like at the point of attack, Peppers was either making his way towards opposing quarterbacks or batting down passes at the line of scrimmage.
His background in basketball enabled Peppers to have terrific footwork. The short-area quickness was something Peppers prided himself on, and as a result, he was often able to evade tackles before they tried latching onto him. For his career, Peppers accumulated nine Pro Bowl appearances and 159.5 sacks (in only 266 games played).
6. J.J. Watt
J.J. Watt’s career was stalled somewhat by injury. He won’t ultimately finish within the top-20 all-time in career sacks. For that reason, some may question why he’d be listed among the top-10 in this list. Well, there’s an argument to be made that he had arguably the most dominant four-year run of any NFL player — regardless of position.
From 2012-15, Watt accrued a whopping 69.0 sacks. Unsurprisingly, he won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award three separate times. Watt also was a five-time First-Team All-Pro selection. His combination of power and agility truly was striking before he became hindered by a plethora of injuries.
5. Kevin Greene
A warrior. Greene was a player who exceeded his physical talents and instead became an all-time great based on work ethic, toughness, and the will to win at all costs. Astonishingly, he began his college career as a walk-on punter at Auburn — and eventually became third on the NFL’s all-time sack list (160.0). As his career got underway, Greene flipped back and forth between the defensive end and outside linebacker spot. He was a three-time All-NFL First-Team selection and a member of five Pro Bowl teams.
4. Deacon Jones
Deacon Jones falls into the category of Jim Brown. Based upon the fact he wasn’t playing in what people consider to be the ‘modern-day’ NFL, there are those who place asterisks on how good these two gentlemen would’ve been versus athletes today. Well, we’re comfortable with going out on a limb to say that Jones would’ve been just fine.
In his day, he was the meanest, toughest, most athletic defensive lineman of his generation. Over 14 years (unofficially), it was said he racked up 173.5 sacks — which would rank him third all-time. He wouldn’t just look to sack the opposing quarterback…he’d look to inflict major physical pain on the player.
3. Bruce Smith
Smith holds the distinction as the NFL’s all-time leader in career sacks. Throughout his 19-year career, Smith was simply destined to smash the prior record. He was the No. 1 Overall pick coming out of Virginia Tech, and immediately took to life in the NFL. Smith accrued 6.5 sacks as a rookie — and that number jumped to 15.0 as a second-year player.
Smith went on a run that included 13 years with at least 10.0 sacks (the most coming in 1990 with 19.0 sacks). While he wasn’t the biggest defensive end, Smith was a freak athlete. He was also immensely strong, which led to him shucking offensive tackles as if they were practice dummies. By the end of his career, Smith had made 11 Pro Bowls, 10 All-NFL teams, and won Defensive Player of the Year on two separate occasions.
2. Reggie White
Second all-time with 198.0 sacks, White was a dream if you were to construct the ideal defensive lineman. The Tennessee native was a fantastic athlete at 6-foot-5 — possessing the ability to play both inside and outside in a pinch. Primarily operating as a defensive end, he was the type of talent that opposing teams would have to scheme their offense around. White was that dominant a player up front.
He had unheard-of lateral quickness for a man north of 300 pounds. His immense wingspan enabled him to get a great initial punch on offensive tackles. From there, his pedigree as a technician simply made him unblockable.
1. Lawrence Taylor
The most feared player in the history of the NFL. The best defensive player in the history of the NFL. Arguably the most dominant player in the history of professional football. L.T. was a transcendent athlete when starring for over 10 years with the New York ‘football’ Giants. At outside linebacker, he single-handedly changed the way the position was played.
Normally, the outside linebacker would be stationed as a stay-at-home player — looking to help in both coverage and run support. Taylor wrecked opposing offenses with his pass-rushing ability off the edge. He was far took quick for linemen, and his natural power made the proposition of chipping him at the line of scrimmage with a tight end utterly foolish. As of 2023, he ranks No. 14 all-time in sacks (132.5).
