Rookies Defensive End Rankings5 Ryan Kerrigan, Washington Redskins
4 Robert Quinn, St. Louis Rams
3 Adrian Clayborn, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2 Aldon Smith, San Francisco 49ers
1 J.J. Watt, Houston Texans
This defensive end class looks to be pretty good. I think that none of these guys are going to be like Ndamukong Suh was last year, but I wouldn't be surprised if someone like J.J. Watt recorded 7 or 8 sacks.
Top 25
The Aging Veterans
25 Aaron Kampman, Jacksonville Jaguars
Aaron Kampman used to be a stand out defensive end while he was in Green Bay. He is no longer that player, but when healthy, Kampman can still get after the quarterback. However, his days are numbered.
24 Kyle Vanden Bosch, Detroit Lions
Vanden Bosch was wrecking havoc on opposing quarterbacks before he got injured last year. Don't let his sack total fool you, Vanden Bosch is still a nightmare for quarterbacks and running backs alike.
The Young Up and Comers
23 Calais Campbell, Arizona Cardinals
I always thought this guy would be a good player in the pros and he has been so far. He still has room to improve, but so far so good. 22 Cliff Avril, Detroit Lions
Avril may be a beneficiary of Ndamukong Suh and even to a lesser extent Kyle Vanden Bosch, but Avril still can produce nonetheless.
21 Chris Long, St. Louis Rams
Chris Long was the number 2 overall pick in the draft and he has been steady and improving in his first two seasons. As the Rams improve, so will Long.
20 Matt Shaughnessy, Oakland Raiders
Shaughnessy could be one of the years breakout players. He's a hard worker and he is versatile.
The Consistent and The Dependable19 Aaron Smith, Pittsburgh Steelers
18 Chris Clemons, Seattle Seahawks
17 Brett Keisel, Pittsburgh Steelers
16 Carlos Dunlap, Cincinnati Bengals
15 Will Smith, New Orleans Saints
14 Ray Edwards, Atlanta Falcons
All of these guys, except for Carlos Dunlap who looks to be a young stud, are consistent and stout defensive ends. They have all had their great seasons and their down seasons, but they're usually there when it counts. You would take anyone one of these guys on your team.
The Little Bit More than Consistent, yet Not Outstanding
13 Cullen Jenkins, Philadelphia Eagles 12 James Hall, St. Louis Rams
11 Robert Mathias, Indianapolis Colts
These guys are very good players, but they're not great. You can make the argument that Mathias, given his double digit sack totals most every year that he is a great player, but I think he is more the beneficiary of Dwight Freeney. James Hall really had a productive season last year with the Rams and so did Keisel, who was a force in the Steelers run to the Super Bowl.
Top 10
The Difference Makers
10 Trent Cole, Philadelphia Eagles9 Charles Johnson, Carolina Panthers
8 Jason Babin, Philadelphia Eagles
All of these guys get after the quarterback, force fumbles, wreck havoc. These guys aren't quite as consistent as some of the guys at the top of the list, which keeps them just inside the top 10.
The Border-Line Top 5
7 Jared Allen, Minnesota Vikings
6 John Abraham, Atlanta Falcons
These guys are two consistent, dominant, destructive forces. They always seem to be doing something on the field and they make plays, its as simple as that.
Top 5
5 Osi Umenyiora, New York Giants
4 Mario Williams, Houston Texans
3 Justin Tuck, New York Giants
2 Julius Peppers, Chicago Bears
1 Dwight Freeney, Indianapolis Colts
All five of these guys are outstanding at what they do. All five of these guys need to be noticed when they are on the field. All five of these guys are capable of taking over any game. What puts Dwight Freeney over the top is his ability to stop the run and rush the passer better than anyone in the league. His ability to open things up for his fellow defensive lineman mean that with Freeney alone, the Colts entire defensive line is a force to be reckoned with.
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