After quarterbacks, pass rushers arguably play the most important position in today’s NFL. Every year in the draft, that point is reflected as pass rushers fly off the board, often higher than they should. Teams are constantly looking to bolster their defensive line in order to get to the quarterback. But much like the quarterback position, selecting a pass rusher in the first few rounds is often a “50-50” proposition, at best.
For years, NFL teams and draft analysts have been trying to create formulas and thresholds to find pass rushers coming out of college. Often, these formulas use athletic testing numbers to predict who will succeed and which players might have higher and lower ceilings.