Broncos' Nik Bonitto Squeaks Into NFL Personnel's Top 10 Edge Rushers

The Denver Broncos' pass rush last season was nothing that opposing offenses wanted to mess with.

Denver finished as the league's most productive unit in terms of sacks, logging 68 total takedowns throughout the season. They ranked number one in total pressures, had four players on the roster logging seven sacks or more on the year, and are on track to have a similarly dominant season in 2026.

And a big part of that success was due to the one guy off the edge who was leading the charge in those efforts to get pressure on the quarterback: two-time Pro Bowler Nik Bonitto, who's now gone from the 64th pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, to now being considered a top-10 edge rusher in the eyes of NFL personnel.

Nik Bonitto Earns His Respect as a Top 10 Edge Rusher

In a recent poll hosted by ESPN surveying several NFL personnel members from coaches, execs, and scouts, Bonitto would find himself rounding out the top 10 just narrowly; becoming the only name on the list who's making his first appearance in their rankings.

"Bonitto, the only pass rusher to make his top 10 debut this year, won a close race with Cleveland's Jared Verse for the 10th spot," ESPN's Jeremy Fowler wrote. "Starting in 2023, Bonitto's sack totals climbed from 8.0 to 13.5 to 14.0."

Bonitto has gradually climbed up the edge rusher hierarchy to now be deemed one of the premier names at the position, pairing his individual success and rising numbers season after season with the overwhelming success that the Broncos' pass-rush had as a whole in 2025.

One NFL personnel member highlighted Bonitto's skillset with what he deems the best "get-off" in the entire NFL, pairing his outstanding speed and reaction time to get to the quarterback quicker than even some of the top elite talents at his position.

"He's got maybe the best get-off in the league," said a high-ranking personnel evaluator with an NFL team. "Serious closing speed. He's on the quarterback as soon as the ball's snapped. Good spin move and excellent lower-body flexibility."

Could Bonitto Have a Case to Be Even Higher Than No. 10?

Perhaps there's a debate to be had for Bonitto to stretch even higher up the rankings from where he ultimately found himself at the number 10 spot.

After all, he was the lead force behind the league's best pass rush throughout last season, that totaled nearly 70 sacks, and almost put them on route to a Super Bowl appearance. So that impact, paired with proven results on the stat sheet, has to be worth something.

Nov 6, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos linebacker Nik Bonitto (15) and linebacker Jonathon Cooper (0) react during the first half at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

But Bonitto just squeaking into these rankings, it might just be a credit to how strong edge rushers are across the league right now. Truly, it could be one of the most stacked position groups in terms of top talent in the NFL, outside of maybe wide receiver.

Just looking from the No. 6-9 range, you've got some elite names that are right ahead of Bonitto: Danielle Hunter, T.J. Watt, Nick Bosa, and Brian Burns; four top-end names with tenured success and All-Pro nods for each; and in some cases, Defensive Player of the Year history, that slots them right ahead of the Broncos star.

That's not even including the top-five names, which includes some serious heavy hitters. However, at the very least, the Broncos' own was able to get some due credit his way.

If Bonitto can continue to build up the momentum he's had from the past three seasons into 2026, the Broncos should have no trouble putting together one of the league's best defenses in the NFL once again, which could be enough to shoot them to the top of the AFC West for back-to-back seasons, which would be their first time doing so since 2014-15.

And maybe then, he can find himself even higher on the top 10 pass rushers list from where he's at entering this year.

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