Kiper & McShay pick the 2020 NFL draft's best edge rushers: Can anyone challenge Chase Young?

Ohio State blew out another team on Saturday, and the biggest story of the game was pass-rusher Chase Young, who dominated the Wisconsin offensive line. Young is ranked No. 2 overall for the 2020 NFL draft by our experts Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay, and he could challenge to be the first pick in April.

We asked Kiper and McShay to react to Young's big day, tell us what makes him special, and tell us about the other edge rushers for the 2020 class who could go in Round 1.

Jump below for their picks for biggest risers and under-the-radar prospects to watch.

Chase Young, and the best edge rushers in the 2020 class

Kiper: Four sacks, two forced fumbles, another tackle for loss -- Young was unbelievable on Saturday. He even amazed his teammates and coaches. The thing is, though ... Young has been on another level all season. Is he still No. 2 in your overall rankings, Todd?

McShay: I might put him No. 1 in my next update, coming Wednesday. The 6-foot-5, 265-pounder has 13.5 sacks in just eight games this season, and he has forced five fumbles and blocked a kick. Even a year ago, he showed that he was special as he stepped in for the injured Nick Bosa and recorded 9.5 sacks. The talent matches the production across the board.

Kiper: What impresses me most is how advanced Young is technically. He has a variety of pass-rush moves, using his hands well to set up offensive tackles. He has an elite get-off at the line of scrimmage, along with great bend on speed moves. He even lined up over the center on a few snaps against the Badgers.

McShay: He can convert speed to power with the best of them, and he flashes an effective change-of-pace inside pass-rush move, too. For me, Young is head and shoulders above the rest of this edge-rushing class. He could be dominant coming off the edge at the next level.

Kiper: I agree -- Young is far and away the best pass-rusher in this class. It's not even close. He's on the level of Von Miller (2011), Jadeveon Clowney (2014), Joey Bosa (2016), Myles Garrett (2017) and Nick Bosa (2019) as the clear No. 1 edge rusher in his class. He could be the top pick in April, over all of the quarterbacks. He's that good. This pass-rushing class isn't as strong as 2019's, right?

McShay: Yes, last spring's class was deep with elite-level edge talent, including Bosa, Josh Allen, Brian Burns and Clelin Ferrell. This year's group isn't at that level, but there is still plenty of time for these prospects to rise. And there are still going to be edge rushers who go on Day 1 in 2020 behind Young.

Here are the top six edge rushers in the 2020 draft class after Young:

Curtis Weaver, DE, Boise State

Height: 6-foot-3 | Weight: 265 pounds

All Weaver does is produce. Through seven games this season, he has 9.5 sacks (third in the nation). He had 9.5 more in 2018, and as a redshirt freshman back in 2017, he tallied 11.0. The Mountain West Conference's all-time sack leader, Weaver uses elite power off the edge and active hands to be effective. He shows average bend for his size, and he'll extend his arms against tackles and then fall inside in pursuit of the quarterback. Weaver is my No. 2 edge rusher at this point in the process, and if he continues to get home off the edge, his stock will only keep climbing. -- McShay

Yetur Gross-Matos, DE, Penn State

Height: 6-5 | Weight: 262

Two things about Gross-Matos stick out for me: The first is his length -- he has a huge wingspan (and wears size 17 shoes). The second? It's his motor; Gross-Matos is a relentless hustler who never stops moving. His production has been a little inconsistent this season -- he has 5.5 sacks but none in his past three games -- but this is a complete edge defender with a high ceiling as a pass-rusher. Gross-Matos really came on in 2018, piling up eight sacks and 20 total tackles for loss. And he's only a true junior, so he has room to improve. I wouldn't be shocked if he were a top-10 pick in April. -- Kiper

Julian Okwara, DE, Notre Dame

Height: 6-5 | Weight: 248

Okwara plays with good range and converts speed to power as a pass-rusher. He has plenty of length and agility, and through seven games for the Irish he has five sacks (he had eight last season) and two forced fumbles. But four of those five sacks came against Virginia and Bowling Green, and he had none against thoroughbreds Georgia and Michigan. I'd really like to see Okwara add some bulk and strength, and continue working on his inside move. He might be a better fit as a 3-4 OLB at the next level. -- McShay

Terrell Lewis, OLB, Alabama

Height: 6-5 | Weight: 250

This is all about upside, as Lewis missed nearly two full seasons with injuries. After hurting his elbow in 2017 and playing in only four games, he tore his ACL before the 2018 season and missed the entire year. So it has been exciting to see him come on over the past month, picking up five sacks in his past four games. Lewis could play outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense or put on a few more pounds and play end in a 4-3. As a pure pass-rusher, Lewis is right behind Young in this class. He needs to show he can do everything else -- and stay on the field -- if he wants to keep rising. -- Kiper

Zack Baun, OLB, Wisconsin

Height: 6-3 | Weight: 235

Baun is one of the most underrated players in the country. I really love his versatility and motor. He plays with great effort and has some shock in his hands coming off the edge. In eight games, Baun has 7.5 sacks, 12.5 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles. Injuries have limited him over his college career, but he's been Wisconsin's best defensive player for two straight years now. NFL evaluators are starting to see his upside, and he certainly won't get out of Day 2 come April. Right now, he's my top-ranked outside linebacker, but we still need to see how he performs versus elite competition -- he was solid but not a standout this weekend against Ohio State. -- McShay

A.J. Epenesa, DE, Iowa

Height: 6-6 | Weight: 280

Epenesa hasn't quite taken the leap that I thought he might after he led the Hawkeyes with 10.5 sacks and 16.5 tackles for loss last season. That was as a part-time player, and he has taken on a much bigger role in 2019. He's disruptive and stellar against the run, but that hasn't shown in the numbers as he has just 3.5 sacks. Still, Epenesa has enormous potential, and I think the true junior will have a good combine workout if he decides to enter the draft. He could be an end in a 3-4 defense at the next level. -- Kiper

Prospects on the rise

These are the 2020 NFL draft prospects moving up boards:

Chase Young, DE, Ohio State

If we're talking about prospects who helped their stock most this weekend, it has to be Young. -- Kiper

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Verdell runs for over 250 yards, 3 TDs

Oregon's CJ Verdell has himself a career night, running for 257 total yards and three touchdowns as the Ducks beat Washington State 37-35 on a game-winning field goal.

CJ Verdell, RB, Oregon

NFL scouts went to Eugene this past weekend to evaluate Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert but wound up attending the Verdell show. Before Saturday's 37-35 win over Washington State, Verdell had been somewhat quiet in the Ducks' offense, save for a big 171-yard day against Colorado earlier this month. But the 5-foot-9, 210-pound running back was key in the victory, gaining 313 yards from scrimmage and scoring three times -- including an 89-yard touchdown run in the first quarter.

Verdell is known for short-area quickness, but what stands out to me is his contact balance. He runs with great leverage and has explosive lower-body power, rarely going down on first contact. Verdell is only a redshirt sophomore, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him selected in the middle rounds of the 2020 draft. -- McShay

Under-the-radar prospects to know

Keep an eye on these potential Day 2 or Day 3 picks:

Joshua Kelley, RB, UCLA

Kelley, a 6-foot, 210-pound senior, popped off the score sheet in UCLA's 42-32 win on Saturday, rushing for 164 yards and four touchdowns on 34 carries. A former Cal Davis transfer, Kelley is not much of a breakaway threat, but he runs with a good forward lean and accelerates through the hole. In nearly two seasons with the Bruins, he has 20 rushing touchdowns. He has the potential to develop into an effective pass protector and checkdown option in the passing game too. Kelley currently projects as a Day 3 pick and rotational back in the NFL. -- McShay

Harrison Bryant, TE, Florida Atlantic

Bryant torched Old Dominion on Saturday, catching eight passes for 92 yards and a touchdown. He also had key blocks on two scores, a run in which he lined up next to the tackle and a pass in which he was downfield. The versatility is what sticks out. The 6-foot-5, 240-pound Bryant is a high-effort blocker with really good hands who can drag tacklers and get yards after the catch. A true senior, he has improved every year, and he's on pace to shatter last year's total of 45 catches and 662 yards. Bryant has some upside. I see him as a fourth-round pick at this point. -- Kiper