Latest news with #edgeRusher
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Tennessee Gets Clear Message From Five-Star Edge Rusher
Tennessee Gets Clear Message From Five-Star Edge Rusher originally appeared on Athlon Sports. If the Tennessee Volunteers want to land one of the top edge rushers in the 2027 college football recruiting class, the program may want to sign outside linebackers coach Levorn Harbin to another contract extension. Advertisement One of the top edge rushers of the 2027 class and five-star prospect Chris Whitehead visited Knoxville, Tennessee again last weekend. Whitehead is leaving the visit feeling great about his chemistry with Harbin, who is nicknamed "Coach Chop." 'I have a very good relationship with Coach Chop,' Whitehead told On3's Matt Ray on Wednesday . 'He is very straightforward with me, and he is going to push me to be the best. "Him pushing me shows that he loves me, so just knowing that him and Coach Banks will be there at Tennessee, if I do want to commit there one day, is definitely great to see.' Tennessee Volunteers football head coach Josh Heupel© Saul Young/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images Ray reported Wednesday that during the visit, Whitehead also learned more about how he fits in the Volunteers defense. Advertisement 'So, they would use me as a LEO because I am a more versatile guy and can drop back and play in coverage or I can rush the passer or I can defend against the run,' Whitehead told On3. 'Just doing all of that stuff in their scheme could build me up even more.' The fact that former Tennessee edge rusher James Pearce Jr. just became a first-round pick in the NFL Draft won't hurt the Volunteers' chances of landing Whitehead either. 'Knowing they recruited him out of high school tells me they kept that relationship piece, and in my mind, I feel like that could be me in the future," said Whitehead. According to the 247Sports Composite rankings, Whitehead is the top Virginia prospect and No. 4 edge rusher in the 2027 class. Advertisement The same rankings also have him rated as the No. 11 overall recruit for 2027. Related: Tennessee Football Gets Good News on Coveted Player This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 21, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Tennessee Pushing to Poach Coveted Star From SEC Foe
Tennessee Pushing to Poach Coveted Star From SEC Foe originally appeared on Athlon Sports. One of the top 2026 edge rushers in Alabama is already committed to the Auburn Tigers. But the Tennessee Volunteers haven't given up on flipping that prospect. Advertisement On3's Chad Simmons reported Friday the Volunteers were set to host that edge rusher, four-star Hezekiah Harris, this weekend. "Can Tennessee get Hezekiah Harris away from Auburn? It won't be easy, but there is no doubt, the Vols are in this," Simmons wrote. "Harris lives in Alabama, Auburn signed his brother in the off-season out of the Transfer Portal and there is a lot he likes about the Tigers, but some feel he likes the Vols even more. "Can Heupel and company flip the four-star from the in-state school? They will give it their best shot this weekend." Tennessee Volunteers head coach Josh Heupel© Saul Young/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images Harris is the No. 3-ranked edge rusher in Alabama and seventh overall prospect in the state based on the 247Sports Composite rankings. Advertisement In the entire 2026 class, Harris is ranked 12th among edge rushers and No. 93 overall according to the same rankings. With his high ratings and given the fact he's from Alabama, it's likely a tall task for Tennessee to flip Harris. The Volunteers, though, aren't new to Harris. The edge rusher has visited Knoxville, Tennessee four times since January. So, the Volunteers have taken a lot of time to develop a relationship with Harris. Simmons listed Harris on a list of five top targets "to keep a close eye on" who will be visiting Tennessee this weekend. Of those five targets, Harris was the only edge rusher. Advertisement Related: Tennessee Gets Clear Message From Five-Star Edge Rusher This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 21, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
NFC East Edge Rusher Rankings: Giants Investments Pay Off
NFC East Edge Rusher Rankings: Giants Investments Pay Off originally appeared on Athlon Sports. In 2024, the New York Giants hoped that adding edge rusher Brian Burns to a defensive line that already included edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux and defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence would create a pass rush capable of stealing games. Although the unit played well until Lawrence's season ended on Thanksgiving, the defense wasn't able to overcome offensive struggles and inconsistencies in the back seven. Advertisement General manager Joe Schoen could have added more to the secondary than corner Paulson Adebo and safety Jevon Holland. He could have reshaped the offensive line or paired receiver Malik Nabers with another high-profile receiver. Instead, he doubled down, drafting Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter with the No. 3 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. In doing so, he ensured New York's pass rush would take a step forward, brute forcing his way toward the top of the sack leaderboard. The Giants' investments have paid off, at least on paper, where they top our NFC East edge rusher rankings. 1, New York Giants (Brian Burns, Abdul Carter, Kayvon Thibodeaux) New York will enter the year with three first-round edge rushers. Carter, the least-proven of the bunch, might be the most talented. The Giants will have the ability to keep each of them fresh while also getting them on the field together through subpackages on passing downs. They don't have the best edge rusher in the division, but they might take up the next two spots. Advertisement 2. Dallas Cowboys (Micah Parsons, Dante Fowler Jr., Donovan Ezeiruaku) Parsons is, at worst, a top-five edge rusher in the sport. He carries the load here as a perennial Defensive Player of the Year contender and the most important player on this defense. Fowler is a fringe-average starter, and Ezeiruaku has the potential to take his spot by the end of Year 1. 3. Philadelphia Eagles (Nolan Smith, Jalyx Hunt, Azeez Ojulari) Philadelphia's depth stands out, as Joshu Uche and occasional snaps from Zack Baun and Jihaad Campbell make this unit even more potent. However, lacking a true Robin for Smith could become a significant factor in this defense's regression. Advertisement 4. Washington Commanders (Dorance Armstrong, Deatrich Wise, Jacob Martin) Armstrong might be the most underrated edge rusher in the sport. With that said, Washington lacks star power off the edge. Armstrong is formidable and Wise is okay, but this unit clearly has the least upside in the NFC East. The possibility of this pass rush stalling out is legitimate and should temper expectations before the Commanders take the field in 2025. Related: Giants Ready To Get Creative With Abdul Carter Related: Giants' Thibodeaux Advises Fellow First-Round Edge Rusher This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 18, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Bills Projected to Draft Edge Rusher With 'Mean Streak'
Bills Projected to Draft Edge Rusher With 'Mean Streak' originally appeared on Athlon Sports. It's been an obvious priority for the Buffalo Bills to load their defense up with talent and depth this offseason. Buffalo used six of their nine draft picks in the 2025 NFL Draft on defensive players, and signed veterans Joey Bosa and Larry Ogunjobi, among a handful of rotational pieces in the secondary. Advertisement Bosa joins a line headlined by Gregory Rousseau and Ed Oliver. The Bills also drafted TJ Sanders, Landon Jackson, and Deone Walker in the first few rounds. Looking ahead to 2026, Pro Football Network's Brentley Weissman believes Buffalo's collection of talented linemen and edge rusher will only continue to grow. In Weissman's latest 2026 NFL mock draft, he has Buffalo selecting Alabama edge rusher LT Overton in the first round. "LT Overton is a rugged and raw pass rusher who plays with a mean streak." Weissman wrote. "He has violent hands and can shock and displace blockers at the point of attack with ease. Overton would fit very nicely in this Buffalo defense and would give them another edge defender to pair alongside Gregory Rousseau. His physicality would be a welcome addition to the Bills' front." Overton is coming off of a monster season at Alabama. His 13.4 percent pressure rate was the second best among FBS defensive tackles. Standing at 6-foot-5 and 283 pounds, he's got the size necessary to be a force on the defensive front. Overton was already getting second-round buzz in 2025, but opted to go for another year of college to boost his stock. Advertisement Weissman doesn't stop there, as he has the Bills taking Clemson defensive tackle DeMonte Capehart in the second round, and Illinois defensive end Gabe Jacas in the third round. Capehart is entering his sixth season of collegiate football at Clemson. In 2024, Capehart tallied 21 tackles, two for loss, and two pass breakups. Jacas is coming off a junior season where he tallied 74 tackles, 13 of which were for loss - a top five mark in the Big 10 - with eight sacks and a Big 10 leading three forced fumbles. Taking three defensive linemen may seem a bit excessive, but it does fit right in with the Bills' plan this offseason. Advertisement Related: Bills' Reason For Super Bowl Optimism Has Defensive Flavor Related: Hailee Steinfeld 'Stunned' Bills Josh Allen With Wedding Gown This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 17, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Bills Suspended Edge Rusher Still Thrilled To Join Team
Bills Suspended Edge Rusher Still Thrilled To Join Team originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Former Los Angeles Rams edge rusher Michael Hoecht knows he let his new team in the Buffalo Bills down. Shortly before coming to terms on a three-year deal in free agency, the defensive line tweener was notified that he was in violation of the league's PED policy - worthy of a six-game suspension. Advertisement Buffalo didn't care, though. They still signed him knowing that they will need a versatile player of his caliber to match-up against the top teams in the conference. That message of loyalty was important for Hoecht and a big reason why he wanted to come to Western New York. Playing for a Super Bowl contender certainly helps as well. "We've got loaded talent, top to bottom. So more than anything, more than money on [a] contract, I'm a football junkie," Hoecht said on the Ross Tucker Podcast. "I think, more than anything in the world, I think it's so cool going to a team that's going to be good. A team, hopefully, if all goes well according to plan, deep in the playoffs, and a chance to bring a Lombardi [Trophy] to Western New York. It couldn't be a more exciting team to be a part of." Advertisement It will be a little bit before Hoecht can suit up for the Bills. His six-game suspension, though, is perfectly placed in the team's schedule. Buffalo is on a bye week the following week Hoecht is reinstated - it will allow him to acclimate himself quickly to his new team. And prove to his new team why they were right to stand by him after all. Related: Bills Ex Stefon Diggs Caught In Patriots Controversy Via Boat Video Related: Bills' Sean McDermott Speaks Out On Tush Push This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on May 30, 2025, where it first appeared.
