Fabulous Five Top Defensive Linemen

The Fabulous Five series rolls on by counting out the best defensive linemen. For the record, edge rushers will appear in both this list and the top linebackers countdown in a few weeks. The scheme of each team will determine which list a player may appear in, so the likes of TJ Watt and Micah Parsons will have to wait a little while longer. If you missed the earlier parts of this series, you can get caught up below:

It’s said that the game of football is won and lost in the trenches, which is why I wanted to begin this series with the linemen on both sides of the ball. It’s often an unglorified position, getting little credit to winning and much of the blame for losing. But I’m putting all the big guys up front….up front! Last week I went through the offensive linemen, so let’s take a look at the other side of the trenches with the best defensive linemen in the game right now. First, a few honorable mentions…

Honorable Mentions

Dexter Lawrence picked a good time for a major breakout season. While fellow 2019 draft pick Daniel Jones had his 5th year option declined (he cashed in anyway with a 4yr/$160M deal), Lawrence will be fishing for a big contract this upcoming season. He’s quite literally the centerpiece of Big Blue’s big front, getting it done in the run game and rushing the passer, racking up 7.5 sacks as a true nose tackle. His career appears to just be getting into its’ prime, so expect Lawrence to definitely get his bag and possibly get his name on this list next year.

Let’s stay in the New York/New Jersey area and mention Quinnen Williams. The first thing I will always think about when I hear Quinnen Williams is his pre-draft interview where he sneezed, blessed himself, then thanked himself. Talk about doing it all, because the Jets joined the Giants in adding a premier defensive tackle in the 2019 Draft. Williams had 12 sacks himself in 2022, stating his case for being the one to reset the defensive tackle market. He’s a major cog of the turnaround for the Jets, who now field an elite, young defense.

#1 Nick Bosa, DE, San Francisco 49ers

San Francisco has the best offensive linemen in my eyes, and they also employ the best defensive lineman. Nick Bosa is coming off an award winning year where he decisively took home Defensive Player of the Year by leading the league in sacks with 18.5 sacks and a coulple forced fumbles for good measure. San Fran took Bosa 2nd overall in 2019, getting to the Super Bowl in his rookie year. I was a big proponent for Arizona actually taking Bosa over Kyler Murray with the first pick, and four years later I still stand by that take. If NFL GM’s could lock down any two positions for a decade+, it would no doubt be a passer and a pass rusher. Bosa’s the best pure pass rusher in the game right now.

#2 Myles Garrett, DE, Cleveland Browns

Cleveland’s force of nature has made good on being selected first overall in 2017. Myles Garrett made the returns on that investment apparent by getting a sack on his first career snap back in that rookie 2017 season. He’s only gotten better since then, wreaking havoc and wrecking opposing offensive lines. Garrett was right behind Bosa with 16 sacks, the second straight year he posted that impressive number. Speaking of impressive posting, how about this dunk from Garrett? It feels illegal for a guy as big as he is to be as athletic as he is, but you won’t hear the Cleveland Browns complaining about it.

#3 Aaron Donald, DT, Los Angeles Rams

It was a disappointing title defense season for the Rams. After going all in for and winning the Super Bowl in 2021, they fell to a paltry 5-12 record. A big part of that was losing key guys to injuries for chunks of the year, or indefinitely. The great Aaron Donald was not immune, playing only 11 games in 2022. He racked up 5 sacks, which feels minimal even for a guy like Donald in a condensed season.

Aaron Donald has built himself such a great reputation, and a resume equally impressive, that it’s hard to drop him out of the Top 5 all together. In fact, he likely would have been number one had he had the dominant type of season we’re used to seeing from AD99. Retirement rumors have swirled now at the end of these past two seasons, but until those rumors become official news, continue to expect great things from one of the best defenders of all time.

#4 Chris Jones, DT, Kansas City Chiefs

You know I couldn’t have a Top 5 without having a Kansas City Chief, right? Only the Chiefs and the 49ers have had someone on every countdown so far. That may not be so impressive only three lists in, but we’ll have plenty of players from those teams to discuss in the future. In the present right now, let’s talk about Chris Jones. Jones had a phenomenal 2022 season, leading the charge for the KC defense on their way to another Super Bowl title. I believe that Jones ascended to a level previously occupied by only Aaron Donald. Fifteen and a half sacks will do that, especially when you get your first postseason sacks in the biggest moments on that championship run. So long as the Chiefs have Jones on their defensive front, they’ll field a great defense to counterpart their elite offense.

#5 Maxx Crosby, DE, Las Vegas Raiders

I’m not a very big fan of the Raiders and the direction they’re going, but I’m a huge fan of Maxx Crosby. Yet another member of the 2019 Draft class finds his way on this list, but the difference for Crosby is that he was a steal in the fourth round. He’s the face of the franchise for Vegas in my eyes, especially with Derek Carr ousted and in New Orleans now. Crosby has only gotten better with each year, posting 12.5 sacks, his best mark thus far in that ever important category. While I doubt the Raiders will make much noise in the coming seasons, it won’t be for a lack of effort or results from Maxx Crosby. He may turn into this generation’s JJ Watt: a great player on a downtrodden team that can’t get over the hump.