Aug 31, 2024; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks edge Dylan Stewart (6) celebrates after a sack against the Old Dominion Monarchs in the second quarter at Williams-Brice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 31, 2024; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks edge Dylan Stewart (6) celebrates after a sack against the Old Dominion Monarchs in the second quarter at Williams-Brice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports
If it wasn’t for the performances of All-World pass rusher Abdul Carter, we’d be talking more about Dani Dennis-Sutton and his impact on the Penn State Nittany Lions defense. He tallied 13 tackles for loss with 8.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, and an interception last fall before announcing his return for the 2025 season.
His combination of first-step quickness, power, and pure fury make him a dangerous pass rusher off the edge, but he’s also adept at dropping into coverage (just ask Riley Leonard!).
If it wasn’t for the performances of All-World pass rusher Abdul Carter, we’d be talking more about Dani Dennis-Sutton and his impact on the Penn State Nittany Lions defense. He tallied 13 tackles for loss with 8.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, and an interception last fall before announcing his return for the 2025 season.
His combination of first-step quickness, power, and pure fury make him a dangerous pass rusher off the edge, but he’s also adept at dropping into coverage (just ask Riley Leonard!).
After earning CSN Freshman All-American recognition with the Pittsburgh Panthers, Sincere Edwards entered the transfer portal and will suit up for the UCF Knights as one of the top 100 returning players in college football this fall.
Edwards’ relentless, missile-esque pursuit of quarterbacks resulted in 17 tackles, six tackles for loss, and three sacks while he also broke up two passes. The 6’1”, 245-pound defensive end should terrorize offenses in the Big 12 this fall.
The honors started piling up for Gabe Jacas in 2022 as the first-ever true freshman from the Illinois Fighting Illini to receive FWAA Freshman All-American recognition, and he’s only been on an upward trajectory ever since.
He returns in 2025 as the second-most productive pass rusher in the Big Ten behind Matayo Uiagalelei after logging eight sacks and 13 tackles for loss. No other player in the Big Ten forced more fumbles last fall than the Illinois outside linebacker.
A CSN First Team All-American after registering 19 tackles for loss and 13 sacks for the James Madison Dukes in 2024, Eric O’Neill is set to prove himself at the Big Ten level as part of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights’ transfer portal class.
The 6’3”, 250-pound pass rusher is a furious ball of energy who has impressive power for his size to go with decent speed off the edge. He’s a relentless competitor who should thrive on the big stage.
Matayo Uiagalelei exploded onto the scene in his second college football campaign as a cornerstone of an Oregon Ducks defensive front that oftentimes looked dominant. He led the team with 13 tackles for loss and 10.5 sacks, establishing himself as one of the most dangerous pass rushers in the country.
A technically refined pass rusher with eye-popping athletic traits, he should be a frontrunner for multiple defensive awards.
No returning edge players tallied more tackles for loss (19.5) than Clemson Tigers defensive end T.J. Parker in 2024, who also tallied the ninth-most sacks in the nation as a dominant force on a historically elite unit.
He was the only player in college football to rank in the top 10 for tackles for loss, sacks, and forced fumbles. He’s fast, agile, and physical, and downright frightening to face if you’re an offensive lineman.
The best Group of Five entry among the top 100 returning college football players in 2025, Trey White is a different beast in more ways than one. He’s sticking with the San Diego State Aztecs when most leading Group of Five players have hopped into the transfer portal which is to be commended, but his production off the edge makes him a dangerous force for any opponent this fall.
No returning player had more sacks per game (1.04) than White last fall, who has a nose for the ball and violence in his blood.
Following his transfer from the James Madison Dukes to the Indiana Hoosiers, Mikail Kamara established himself as one of the top pass rushers in the country.
The first-year Hoosier earned CSN First Team All-American honors after tallying 15 tackles for loss and 10 sacks with two forced fumbles, using his pass rush toolbox to lead Indiana to one of the greatest seasons in program history. He’s set to dominate again in 2025.
There were times in 2024 when Colin Simmons looked like a seasoned veteran pass rusher, showcasing incredible power you’d expect to see from a junior with multiple years in a college football weight room.
Furthermore, he demonstrated the maturity of an older player by playing his best football when the lights were brightest, fueling the Texas Longhorns’ progress to the College Football Playoff semifinal.
Simmons finished the year with the fifth-most sacks in the SEC (9) and tied for third in the conference with 14 tackles for loss. Texas has been a high-level producer of defensive line talent in recent years, and the former five-star high school prospect might end up being the very best they’ve ever had.
The CSN Defensive Freshman of the Year, Dylan Stewart, put together one of the most dominant performances off the edge by a freshman that we’ve seen in recent history. While some consider Texas’ Simmons as the standout pass rusher heading into the 2025 campaign, the South Carolina Gamecocks standout had six more quarterback pressures than the illustrious Longhorn last season.
Stewart finished top 20 in the SEC with 10.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks as South Carolina wheeled out a phenomenal one-two punch off the edge. With teammate Kyle Kennard headed to the NFL, it’s the talented young Gamecocks' time to lead the defense of a team that could be one of the best in the country in the upcoming season.
