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Three former Wisconsin Badgers rank among NFL's top edge rushers entering 2025 season

PFF ranked the Top 32 NFL edge rushers entering the 2025 season, and three former Wisconsin Badgers cracked the list for their pass-rushing prowess.
Lorin Cox|
Sep 8, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Alex Highsmith (56) and linebacker Nick Herbig (51) and linebacker T.J. Watt (90) celebrate after a victory against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Sep 8, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Alex Highsmith (56) and linebacker Nick Herbig (51) and linebacker T.J. Watt (90) celebrate after a victory against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

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Wisconsin Badgers

The Wisconsin Badgers have long been known as an offensive line factory, but their more recent success stories have been on the other side of the trenches.

UW has churned out some quality edge rushers in recent years, and they're making a name for themselves in the NFL.

PFF ranked the Top 32 edge defenders heading into the 2025 season, and three former Wisconsin Badgers made the list.

It should be no surprise that Pittsburgh Steelers star T.J. Watt ranks third behind only Myles Garrett and Micah Parsons

3. T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh Steelers

Watt is best known for his pass-rushing prowess, which was on full display once again in 2024. His 90.1 PFF pass-rush grade marked the fifth time in six seasons he earned a grade of 90.0 or higher.

He also took home PFF Run Defender of the Year honors last season, backed by a 1.63-yard average depth of tackle and a 3.2% negatively graded play rate, the lowest among all box defenders in the NFL.
Ryan Smith, PFF

One of his Steelers teammates and fellow former Badgers Nick Herbig also joined him on the list, sneaking in at No. 32.

He got a lot of credit for his excellence as a pass rush specialist for Pittsburgh, but PFF noted his lack of consistency against the run, which kept him from ranking higher on the list.

In between them on the list is former Wisconsin outside linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel of the Minnesota Vikings at No. 17.

He broke out with 11.5 sacks this season and earned a big contract extension as a result.

PFF pointed out that his pass rushing numbers could have been even higher if the Vikings hadn't asked him to drop back into coverage so much.

It's a strong pass rushing pedigree from the Badgers, who will need more of it on their current defense to get back into Big Ten contention.

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Lorin Cox
LORIN COX

Lorin Cox is the managing editor of Wisconsin Badgers on SI. He has been covering Badgers sports since 2014, when he was an undergraduate at the University of Wisconsin. He previously wrote for the Wisconsin State Journal, NBC Sports Chicago and USA Today Sports Media Group, and he is a former analyst for Pro Football Focus.

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