Houston Texans Pass Rush Duo Individually Ranked among League's Best

The Houston Texans have one of the best defenses in the NFL, partially because their elite pass-rushing duo. Both were recently named among the league's top rushers.

Dec 25, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans defensive end Will Anderson Jr. (51) runs onto the field before the game against the Baltimore Ravens at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The Houston Texans are one of the best teams in the NFL, and their defense could be the most aggressive in the league.

Why are they so good? Well, their cornerbacks are terrific, and they've drafted at a high level across all defensive position groups. Their defensive end duo of Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr. is another main reason for their success.

Pro Football Focus agrees with that assessment as they ranked both Hunter and Anderson Jr. among their top-32 defensive edge rushers. Ryan Smith broke down the 32 best with the Browns' Myles Garrett sitting atop the list with Micah Parson second and T.J. Watt third.

Anderson Jr. is the first Texans star on the list, coming in at No. 9. Here's what Smith had to say about the young defensive end.

"Anderson, the 2023 Defensive Rookie of the Year, elevated his game in Year 2, earning an 88.8 PFF overall grade — ninth among 119 qualifying edge defenders. He hit his stride late in the season, with four of his five highest-graded performances coming in Week 12 or later, including both playoff games," he wrote.

Just a few spots lower at No. 12 was Hunter, who signed a one-year extension earlier this offseason which has him locked up in Houston until the end of the 2026 season.

"After eight productive seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, Hunter signed with the Houston Texans as a free agent in March 2024. In his first year with the team, he ranked among the top 20 edge defenders in both pass-rush grade (81.1) and run-defense grade (73.2)," Smith noted.

Between Anderson Jr. and Hunter was Khalil Mack at No. 10 and Josh Allen at No. 11. That said, with Hunter now 30, still being a top-15 rusher is an impressive feat, and Anderson Jr. may only see his name continue to rise on the list over the next few seasons.

The Texans are set up well for success, and with C.J. Stroud hoping to bounce back from a disappointing sophomore campaign, the sky might be the ceiling for this Houston team.