A closer look at the Edge Rushers

This group might be lacking in some overall star power, but it’s got some depth. And edge rushers come in all shapes and sizes, dependent on what a team is looking for. These are guys who also can be key cogs on special teams, as well, something that team might take note of considering the new changes to the kickoff rule.

Worth noting: My sleeper on the first take in this series was Mohamed Kamara of Colorado State. He’s the perfect fit for a team looking for a high-energy developmental player who had 30.5 sacks in college, second behind only Clark Haggans in Colorado State history. … Jaylx Hunt of Houston Christian is a small-school prospect who is an intriguing mix of size (6-4, 252) and speed (4.63-second 40). He began his career at Cornell before transferring for his final two college seasons. He had 13.5 sacks the past two seasons in Houston Christian’s 3-4 defensive scheme. … UCLA’s other edge rusher opposite Latu, Gabriel Murphy, is a North Texas transfer who showed off a 39.5-inch vertical jump at the NFL Scouting Combine to go along with a 4.68 40. His vertical jump tied for the best at the position. Murphy had 16 tackles for a loss and 8 sacks in 2023. … Utah’s Jonah Ellis is the son of former NFL defensive tackle Luther Ellis. In fact, he’s one of 12 children in the Ellis family (5 biological and seven adopted). Jonah Ellis just turned 21 and is coming off a season in which he had 12 sacks and 16 tackles for a loss at Utah, which has been sneaky good at producing NFL defenders in recent years. … Clemson’s Xavier Thomas was the No. 1 recruit in the state of Florida coming out of high school in 2017 and No. 3 nationally. He’s slightly overaged at nearly 25, but there’s athletic upside, particularly as a special teams ace thanks to his strong finish as a tackler. He forced six fumbles in his career. … Troy’s Javon Solomon (6-1, 246) is slightly undersized, but was highly productive in 2023, posting 18…