The 2019 NFL draft class is loaded with pass-rushers. In all seven rounds of this month's draft, teams are going to be able to find edge and interior rushers who can create disruptions.
Of the top 10 prospects in the ESPN Scouts Inc. rankings, six are front-line rushers who can get to the quarterback. And there will be value picks all throughout Days 2 and 3.
Let's take it a step further and focus on how these top prospects hunt down opposing quarterbacks. What are the go-to moves for Nick Bosa, Quinnen Williams and 18 more pass-rushers in this class? Let me show you:
Nick Bosa, DE, Ohio State
Overall rank: No. 1 | Sacks in 2018: 4
Go-to move: Club/swipe
Bosa, who played in only three games last season because of a core muscle injury, has a deep toolbox of counter moves. He's a technician, a pro-ready pass-rusher who wins consistently with high-level fundamentals at the point of attack. His best move? Club the arm of the offensive tackle, and swipe through -- or down -- on the hands to slip the edge or cross the blocker's face. And that opens a door for him to quickly close to the quarterback. Here's the perfect example of the move.
Defensive tackle Quinnen Williams dominated in 2018, making the most of his one season as a starter at Alabama.
Quinnen Williams, DT, Alabama
Rank: No. 2 | Sacks in 2018: 8
Go-to move: Arm-over
With an electric first step off the ball -- Williams posted a 1.67 10-yard split at the combine -- the top defensive tackle in this class is simply a game-wrecker. He has the power to bull rush and rip through offensive guards, and the burst to dart pass-blockers when he creates leverage. Williams' best move? The quick arm-over. That shows up in one-on-one matchups and when battling double-teams. Slip that arm over and get vertical to attack the pocket. Watch this clip against LSU to see the arm-over in action. Nasty stuff. It reminds me of Aaron Donald's best move, and we know how he wrecks game plans. Just check out the clips below.
Kentucky linebacker Josh Allen took his game to another level this past season, leading the SEC with 17 sacks and proving he's worth a top-five pick in the NFL draft.
Josh Allen, DE/OLB, Kentucky
Rank: No. 3 | Sacks in 2018: 17
Go-to move: Speed rush/chop
The versatile Allen, who dropped into coverage at times for the Wildcats, posted a 4.63 40-yard dash at the combine, and that speed shows up on the tape: get off the ball, press up the field and then go to work on offensive tackles. Though Allen is developing a nice set of moves on contact, I see the speed rush with the quick chop down on the hands as his go-to technique. Here's an example. That lets Allen threaten with speed and use his hands to create a path to get home. Bend and finish. And it showed with five forced fumbles last season.
Check out some highlights from NFL draft prospect Clelin Ferrell's 2018 season with the Clemson Tigers.
Christian Wilkins, DT, Clemson
Rank: No. 5 | Sacks in 2018: 6
Go-to move: Stab and swipe
Wilkins has the short-area closing speed and lower-body balance to create havoc in the backfield. And he has a solid collection of moves to generate disruption as an interior pass-rusher. I look at the quick stab and swipe -- a punch with Wilkins swiping his hands -- as his top move. But don't discount his ability to slip blockers at the jump or bull rush, or the swim move/arm-over he can utilize to leave quarterbacks with limited room to step up in the pocket. Wilkins also uses these moves to penetrate into the backfield and take down running backs -- he had 41 career tackles for loss at Clemson.
UCF quarterback Justin Holman is sacked by Michigan's Chase Winovich, who forces a fumble recovered by teammate Maurice Hurst.
Rashan Gary, DE/DT, Michigan
Rank: No. 6 | Sacks in 2018: 3.5
Go-to move: Speed to power
Gary has an NFL-ready 6-foot-5 frame and a ton of upside. He led all defensive linemen at the combine with a 4.58 40, 38-inch vertical leap and 10-foot broad jump. These are elite traits for a prospect who could rush off the edge or bump inside in sub-package personnel. Though the inconsistent tape and limited college production -- only 10 career sacks -- don't mesh with his freaky measurables, Gary still flashes the ability to win by converting speed to power. He can accelerate off the ball, then explode into offensive tackles with a long-arm, quick arm-over or straight bull rush. I would have liked to have seen Gary make more plays on tape, but the raw talent is there.
Jeffery Simmons is a defensive tackle out of Mississippi State who is a projected first-round pick in the draft, but tore his ACL in February.
Ed Oliver, DT, Houston
Rank: No. 8 | Sacks in 2018: 3
Go-to move: Club/rip
Oliver didn't rack up monster sack numbers playing as a nose tackle in the Cougars' scheme. But his athleticism pops on tape. Oliver can generate speed off the ball in an instant, and his hands are violent on contact. I expect to see a jump in Oliver's production in the NFL. Drop him down as a 3-technique tackle in a 40 front and watch him use the club-and-rip technique to throttle through interior blockers.
Dexter Lawrence is a defensive tackle from Clemson who was named first-team All-ACC in his final season.
Montez Sweat, DE/OLB, Mississippi State
Rank: No. 13 | Sacks in 2018: 11.5
Go-to move: Speed rush/rip
Sweat's 4.41 40 at 260 pounds is absolutely ridiculous. And he also has the arm length (35 ⅜ inches) to separate from offensive tackles on contact. That allows him to burn up grass off the ball with his speed, then rip through the outside arm of blockers to turn the corner. With that long frame, Sweat has serious upside as a 3-4 outside linebacker or sub-package defensive end.
L.J. Collier is a defensive end prospect from TCU who recorded five sacks in his senior season.
Jeffery Simmons, DT, Mississippi State
Rank: No. 17 | Sacks in 2018: 2
Go-to move: Bull rush
Simmons tore his ACL in February, so he could drop out of the first round. But he has the size and interior chops to impact the pocket at the NFL level. Simmons, who had 17 tackles for loss last season, has shown the quick club/rip combo to beat lineman off the jump, but I look at the overall power the big man can generate on contact. He has the functional strength in his upper body to shock blockers at the point of attack, plus the athleticism to disengage and get home to the quarterback. There's tons of upside here.
Jachai Polite is a defensive end out of Florida who had a team-high 11 sacks last season while tying the school record with six forced fumbles.
Brian Burns, OLB, Florida State
Rank: No. 19 | Sacks in 2018: 10
Go-to move: Speed rush
Burns added weight on his lean frame leading up to the combine and still dropped a 4.53 40 time at 249 pounds. He has shown a quick spin move to win inside, but I'm focusing here on the straight speed rush off the edge. With the flexibility in his hips to change directions and bend, Burns can beat offensive tackles off the ball and then flatten out to accelerate to the quarterback. And, watching his 2018 tape closely, I found his hands on contact are better than I expected.
Clelin Ferrell, DE, Clemson
Rank: No. 29 | Sacks in 2018: 11.5
Go-to move: Speed to power
Ferrell is a highly productive edge rusher who has the length to use multiple techniques. In Clemson's pro-style scheme, Ferrell showed the ability to shoot gaps off twist stunts, and he can attack the inside pad of offensive tackles. He uses his length -- and 34 ⅛-inch arms -- to take control at the point of attack. The one move Ferrell can use immediately as a rookie? The long-arm technique. That allows him to win by creating separation and dictating the matchup on the edge. Watch this clip to see him get the best of potential top-10 pick Jonah Williams.
Oshane Ximines is a defensive end from Old Dominion who was first-team Conference USA in 2018.
Dexter Lawrence, DT, Clemson
Rank: No. 30 | Sacks in 2018: 1.5
Go-to move: Bull rush
Lawrence is a huge, 342-pound athlete. He can move laterally, and his footwork pops on film. Plus, the length is there (35 ⅛-inch arms) to bench-press blockers. Now, I don't see Lawrence putting up monster sack numbers in the league, and he needs to develop a better rush plan at this stage of his development. But his ability to use the bull-rush technique -- and walk back interior lineman in the pocket -- will allow him to create disruptions as a rookie.
Jerry Tillery, DT, Notre Dame
Rank: No. 35 | Sacks in 2018: 8
Go-to move: Two-hand punch/rip
With a monster 6-foot-6 frame, Tillery can win as an interior rusher because of his power on contact and 34 ¼-inch arms to defeat guards. The Stanford game, in which he had four sacks, really showcased his pass-rush ability. That's when Tillery used that quick and strong two-hand punch to shock blockers, before going to the rip move to attack with leverage. He dominated.
L.J. Collier, DE, TCU
Rank: No. 36 | Sacks in 2018: 6
Go-to move: Bull rush
Collier lacks the ideal frame (6-foot-2) and athletic traits (4.91 40) typical of elite edge rushers, but his length (34-inch arms) and veteran pass-rush moves allow him to take control of matchups. He has a plan for every offensive tackle he faces and consistently gets tackles back on their heels with head fakes. And then he can dictate the rep with a strong bull rush to topple those big boys on contact. Here's an example. He is a physical pass-rusher, though he doesn't have the ceiling of the top guys in this class.
Jaylon Ferguson, DE/OLB, Louisiana Tech
Rank: No. 47 | Sacks in 2018: 17.5
Go-to move: Speed to power/long-arm
Ferguson was super productive in college, racking up 47 career sacks, which ranks No. 1 in NCAA history. And I see a prospect with a deep set of moves to get to the quarterback. Ferguson's best move? I see him winning with speed to power off the jump, where he can transition to the long-arm technique. That puts offensive tackles on their heels, which means he can dip inside. Watch this clip for an example. Think of the technique we see from Khalil Mack, who is one of the NFL's best true pass-rushers.
Oshane Ximines, DE/OLB, Old Dominion
Rank: No. 53 | Sacks in 2018: 12
Go-to move: Push-pull/swipe
Ximines can win with straight power. Just watch the tape against East Carolina -- here's a great example from that game -- and several of his 33 career sacks. But he leans on his ability to swipe his hands down against offensive tackles. A quick setup, then swipe and go. Ximines doesn't have freaky traits, which is why he's likely to be drafted on Day 2. But I like the film here. And the technique sells.
Chase Winovich, DE/OLB, Michigan
Rank: No. 57 | Sacks in 2018: 5
Go-to move: Jab step/rip
Winovich might fit best in the NFL with a defense that uses his versatility as a linebacker to rush off the edge, twist inside or create interior one-on-ones off overload pressure schemes. That's why I look at his ability to use the jab step off the ball to set up blockers -- get those offensive tackles and guards to widen their drops, then swipe the hands and shoot inside. A smart defensive coordinator can put Winovich in a position to post sack numbers.
Brian Burns is a hybrid defensive end/linebacker prospect from Florida State.
Zach Allen, DE/DT, Boston College
Rank: No. 62 | Sacks in 2018: 6.5
Go-to move: Bull rush and rip
Allen's testing numbers won't wow you, but his film is solid, and I see a physical player in a 6-foot-4 frame who could make an impact at tackle or end and play in multiple schemes. Allen can hit blockers with the bull rush to drive them back, or he can take a power/rip approach to attack an edge. He is a strong pass-rusher who is advanced in his hand usage as a rusher.
Jachai Polite, OLB, Florida
Rank: No. 66 | Sacks in 2018: 11
Go-to move: Dip and bend
Polite's poor workout numbers -- 4.84 40 and 32-inch vertical -- raised some questions about his athletic traits. But watch his tape -- he is a good player. He has game speed, including the electric first step to threaten off the ball. He can dip under the pads of offensive tackles and bend hard to attack the pocket. I would put Polite in a 3-4 front and let him hunt quarterbacks. He could be a value pick on Day 2.
Joe Jackson, DE, Miami (FL)
Rank: No. 80 | Sacks in 2018: 9
Go-to move: Bull rush/rip
Jackson registered 23 sacks during his three seasons at Miami using brute strength and physical play off the edge. Looking at his film, the athleticism doesn't jump off the screen, but he has the pro-ready frame and power to make some noise as a pass-rusher who will likely be picked on Day 2. With the initial punch he delivers to rock back offensive tackles on the bull rush, Jackson can then go to the rip technique to create a path to the quarterback.
Anthony Nelson, DE, Iowa
Rank: No. 166 | Sacks in 2018: 9.5
Go-to move: Push-pull/arm-over
There is a big gap in the rankings here for Nelson, but I'm a former Hawkeye. C'mon. Let's go to the film on the 6-foot-7 end. He has sound technique. And with a solid jump off the ball, Nelson has a strong two-hand punch/arm-over combo. He can play. Watch this clip of him getting to likely Day 3 pick Trace McSorley. We can also look back at the workouts from the Senior Bowl to see the power and change-of-direction skills Nelson displayed in one-on-one drills.