10 Candidates in 2024 Draft to Give Broncos a Star Edge Rusher

The Denver Broncos are in search of a star pass rusher in the 2024 NFL draft.

While the Denver Broncos have some quality pass rushers, they lack a true star. Baron Browning is the closest to it, but he's had issues staying on the field. Nik Bonitto is a capable pass rusher, but he led the NFL for unblocked sacks among edge rushers, boosting his numbers. 

Jonathon Cooper has been solid, but he is more of a third or fourth option than the first or second. The Broncos need a player who can be that top pass rusher off the edge. 

Denver needs an edge rusher who can help dictate blocking alignments and open the door for other pass rushers, giving the team a reliable pass rusher without having to blitz and play zone as much. The Broncos have several 'Robins,' as it were, but they're missing a bonafide 'Batman' edge rusher. 

Finding that capable pass rusher would help out the Broncos' secondary and allow them to play more to their strengths, especially Patrick Surtain II, who is elite in man coverage but was stuck in zone coverage for most of the season because of the issues upfront. 

The Broncos must find more pass-rush ability upfront to cut back on the blitzes and help the coverage unit. Today, we examine 10 edge rusher prospects in the 2024 NFL draft class.

Could one of them be that guy for Denver?

Laiatu Latu | UCLA

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Throughout the draft process, the biggest concern you will hear about Latu is his injury history. He suffered a neck injury at Washington, but after transferring to UCLA, there were no issues. 

Latu is a highly skilled pass rusher with some of the best hand technique at the position in the draft. He knows how to break down blocks and work past them to disrupt the backfield. There is also a good short area burst and quickness, seen in his work in short and shallow coverages. 

While Latu does bring good power to his play as a pass rusher, it doesn't show up as consistently as you would like as a run defender. He can work his way up as a pass rusher, getting his pad level too high and allowing blockers into his body. Those are areas that will need to be coached up in the NFL. 

Chris Braswell | Alabama

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There is good versatility with Braswell to work in all phases. He has shown good movement and mirror to handle running backs in coverage, can hold his own as a run defender, and has enough to get after the quarterbacks. Capable defensive coordinators can weaponize those tools to use him in various ways to keep opposing quarterbacks guessing. 

One of the best things about Braswell is his first step explosiveness, which can strain tackles around the arch immediately. He also understands how to turn that explosive first step into power and work through blockers. His short-area agility and quickness also make him a threat with stunts. 

However, Braswell isn't the most flexible defender, and that can create issues when he gets too far upfield, which happens frequently enough to be a concern. His arm length will be a concern, and he has problems keeping blockers' hands off his frame. He's more of a power rusher than a speed/athleticism rusher, and that power might not be as much of a consistent win in the NFL as it was in college. 

Bralen Trice | Washington

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Trice is a big edge rusher who might have some people call him a bit of a tweener. He can work inside and out depending on the down, and he gives it everything he has every single rep and won't stop until the whistle blows.

There is good strength and power to set and hold an edge, but his length isn't ideal, and it creates issues for fork-lifting blockers to make a play on the ball carrier. So he can hold up blockers from getting to the second level but will need development when it comes to getting off blocks. 

Trice might be one of the cleanest prospects as a pass rusher with his pass-rush repertoire and chaining moves together. He quickly goes from one to two to three with his moves, making it a relentless onslaught against blockers. 

There is good bend and dip to get under the outside shoulder of tackles, and Trice's punch brings plenty of power to jolt blockers on engagement, helping him have a variety in winning off the snap. 

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Jonah Elliss | Utah

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There might not be a pass rusher in college football for the 2023 season who had a hotter streak than Elliss. Over a four-game period, he picked up nine of 13 sacks, 25 of 39 total pressures, and 17 of 25 total stops. 

It led to a brief period of him getting talked about as a first-round prospect, but he couldn't sustain it, as he picked up two sacks and 10 total pressures over the final three games. 

Elliss is extremely quick off the snap, and he uses that explosive to strain the outside shoulder of blockers or set up an inside counter. Coaching in the NFL will need to clean up the technique for his counters to be even more effective. 

Elliss also has good strength and an effective bull rush to his game, making him a versatile pass rusher who can throw more moves at blockers than some other pass rushers. His run defense shows good power and solid technique, but he doesn't have great lower body strength and isn't capable of using torque to fork-lift blockers. There is also an injury history that can be concerning to NFL teams.  

Adisa Isaac | Penn State

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Issac is a raw pass rusher who needs a lot of development and molding for the NFL, but he has all the traits that coaches love to work with. With that comes the technical issues that get him into trouble, and he needs to give him multiple years to put it all together. 

Not everything in his game needs to be entirely built up. He has a capable bull rush with solid technique to get under the pads of blockers and drive through them. 

There is stance versatility, and Isaac does well getting off the snap with timing and explosion. There is also some good hand technique with his swipes to work in and out of a blocker. 

While the power does show itself with Isaac's ability to get after the quarterback, the technical deficiencies as a run defender hold his power back. He struggles to obtain good placement to set the edge and doesn't have great awareness of the ball carrier, seeing him open a lane instead of closing it. He also hasn't developed the technique or power to drop an anchor to set an edge, and the few times it does happen, he can't forklift blockers off of his frame. 

Javon Solomon | Troy

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Soloman has a great build on his frame and brings versatility to the NFL. The athleticism is there, and his explosion is a fantastic tool for NFL coaches to work with when setting up blockers. He can bait blockers to over-set and work inside or get them to set inside and explode by them to the outside.

Solomon's ability to bend and get under blockers is outstanding, and he has good hand technique to keep blockers' hands off his frame. He also makes his chest a hard-to-hit target for blockers. A good amount of pass rush moves are well-developed, and he does well to string moves together. 

Now, playing at Troy, Solomon didn't face the toughest competition. He will be at the Senior Bowl and get a chance to show it against some good tackle prospects, which will significantly affect his overall grade. 

Also, Solomon brings an added concern with how the NFL is getting with roughing the passer. He might have issues anchoring against the run as he doesn't have the best length and may be undersized for many NFL teams. 

Gabriel Murphy | UCLA

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Murphy has some sound technique, but he is a tweener in the class, and his versatility is a question. He plays with a good center of gravity when working against blockers, making it hard to get off balance and control. However, he's a stiff athlete, which will hinder him in multiple ways for the NFL. 

While Murphy has the size and length to be a versatile edge defender, he's extremely stiff and might be limited to more of a three-point stance end than a two-point stand-up rusher. Playing with his hand in the dirt also helps him get leverage easier and use it than in a standing stance. 

Murphy plays with good snap anticipation, which helps him get off, often getting into blockers' frames before they are ready. His hands are violent, and he brings a lot of power with his punches and hand techniques, which are well-developed. 

Marshawn Kneeland | Western Kentucky

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Kneeland is the right guy if you want a great run defender from the edge position who can also work inside on passing downs. He's one of the better-run defenders of the group in the class, and his technique and power are ready for the NFL. It can see him make an impact on day one, and he has the versatility to work in any scheme.  

Kneeland's power and agility are outstanding, and they show as a pass rusher and run defender. He isn't going to test out super well athletically, so he doesn't fit the more modern notion of athletic pass rushers. However, his relentless ness as a pass rusher breaks down blockers and can require double teams as a run defender. 

There isn't a single role that fits Kneeland, so he has to be paired with a defensive coordinator who will move him around and use him differently from first down to second down to third down. He's a chess piece on the defensive front and has to be appropriately weaponized to be effective as an NFL defender, but he can stay on the field in every down and distance and not be a liability. 

Darius Robinson | Missouri

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When talking about versatility, Robinson is up there. He has outstanding size, standing 6-foot-5 and 290 pounds, which makes some view him as an interior defensive lineman, but his best plays came off the edge. For someone his size, his explosiveness off the snap is jaw-dropping, though the inconsistency of it is a concern. 

There is no doubt about his length, as Robinson's arm length will be over 35 inches, and he uses that length exceptionally well, working inside or out. His power is constant, and he can break or work through blockers. Despite his size, he plays with a good pad level and uses leverage quite well to drive through blockers and get after whoever has the ball. 

However, many technical issues will need to be cleaned up to make Robinson more efficient as a player. There are a lot of wasted steps with his movement, which is part of why he works better as an edge, where he has more room for out-of-control lower body movements. He will rise throughout the draft process and could hear his name called on day one or early Day 2. 

Grayson Murphy | UCLA

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Gabriel Murphy's twin brother is another tweener in the class. With Grayson Murphy's traits, he's probably better off adding mass and being more of a 5-technique in a three-down man front. He also can provide a bit more versatility with more mass on his frame.

While Gabriel has some flexibility and fluidity, Grayson does not. Grayson is a linear rusher who struggles to work around blockers; his best work is working through them. He has good power and can set a good edge and fork-lift blockers off his frame to make a play.

There are some developed pass rush moves, including an NFL-ready spin move. Grayson also has a good closing burst, which makes life difficult for blockers and ball carriers. His motor is relentless on blockers, and his power can break blockers down as a pass rusher and run defender. 

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