Since being selected number one overall in 2017, there isn't any doubt that Browns edge rusher Myles Garrett is among the league's elite players. The former Aggie has made All-Pro First-Team in four of the last five seasons and All-Pro Second-Team once. He also has three straight top-five Defensive Player of the Year finishes, including winning the award in 2023.
Garrett has been the epitome of consistency in his career, as the only season he played less than 14 games since his rookie year was due to suspension. He has had double-digit sacks every year after his rookie year, including at least 14 sacks in each of the last four seasons (the first player to do so since individual sacks were tracked in 1982).
In an ESPN survey of NFL executives, coaches, and scouts, they voted on the top 10 players at edge rusher, with Garrett coming in as the best at a premium position.
Execs vote Myles Garrett No. 1 in edge rusher ranking
Beyond the surface-level statistics, Garrett's impact on the opposing offense is dominant and immeasureable. He is the sole focal point of every team's scouting report during the week before the game, yet he still manages to wreak havoc and accumulate stats despite the attention thrown his way. An anonymous NFL coordinator highlighted this to ESPN, explaining their devout attention to the All-Pro at every moment.
There's a short list of guys you have to shift your fronts to, and Garrett is the first person you think of when it comes to how much of your game plan he occupies. Every single second on the field you know what he's doing, or what he might do next.Anonymous NFL coordinator
An NFC personnel evaluator praised his continued improvement to ESPN. He believes high-end offensive tackles would be able to handle him earlier in his career, but now he's at a point where he can win routinely against anyone.
He has significantly refined his overall game over the years. A good tackle used to be able to give him problems, but that's less and less the case now. He's more consistent with his pass rush.Anonymous NFC personnel evaluator
PFF's grades definitely agree with this ranking, for what it's worth. Garrett graded as the number one edge from 2021 to 2023 and finished second in 2024, only trailing Aidan Hutchinson of the Lions, who played in only five games. Even with the countless chips and double-teams sent his way, Garrett is either making the play himself or taking on enough blockers to create an advantage for his teammates.
Although other edge rushers will sometimes rival his surface-level stats, there is no other edge rusher in the game who draws as much attention as Garrett. His impact on the defense goes so much further than the box score or even PFF advanced stats, and his ranking atop the NFL's edge rusher ranking is absolutely justified.
