NFL Draft 2024 summer scouting report: Jared Verse, Dallas Turner top edge class

Dane Brugler has released his 2024 NFL Draft Big Board. 

The 2024 class of edge rushers won’t have a top-three draft pick like the 2023 class did with Will Anderson Jr. or the class before that with Travon Walker and Aidan Hutchinson. In fact, it probably will be more like 2021, when the edge group didn’t have a top-10 pick but still produced several promising pass rushers in the first round.

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Read Dane’s previous summer scouting reports here: Quarterbacks | Running backs | Wide receivers | Tight ends | Offensive tackles | Interior offensive linemen

However, with the way NFL teams are desperate to upgrade the pass rush, it wouldn’t be a surprise if any of the below names sneak into the top 10. Regardless, the 2024 class is shaping up to be another deep group that will extend into days 2 and 3 on draft weekend.

(Note: An asterisk signifies a draft-eligible underclassman. Heights and weights are what NFL teams have on file — a “v” represents a verified measurement; all others are estimates.)

1. Jared Verse, Florida State (6-3 5/8 [v], 252 pounds [v], 4.60 40-yard dash)

What he does best: Fierce, coordinated hands

With his fast and powerful hands, Verse consistently punches above his weight class. He has the necessary athletic traits to work the corner and shoot gaps, but the power through his frame and violence through his hands are what help unlock him when rushing the passer or stopping the run.

I wanted to showcase this clip because Verse goes up against Syracuse left tackle Matthew Bergeron, who was drafted No. 38 by the Atlanta Falcons in April. Verse threatens with power before unleashing a cross-chop off his Euro step, disposing of Bergeron’s reach and greasing the corner for the sack.

Must improve: Missed tackles

Verse is a strong run defender and physical tackler, but his finishing skills must improve in Year 2 in Tallahassee. Regardless of the tape you watch from last season, he left a lot of production on the field — mostly in the backfield, where his revving motor often careened him out of control.

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2023 season/2024 NFL Draft outlook

In Jermaine Johnson and now Verse, Florida State has been productive finding first-round pass rushers in the transfer portal. Unlike Johnson, though, Verse was a zero-star recruit and needed time at the FCS level to develop his body and game. At Albany, Verse had a breakout 2021 season (10.5 sacks) that included a standout performance against Syracuse, which put him on the radar of several FBS programs. He entered the transfer portal and signed with Florida State, becoming a starter for the Seminoles in 2022.

Despite battling a nagging knee injury throughout last season, Verse finished second in the ACC in tackles for loss (17.0) and sacks (9.0) and turned himself into a projected first-round pick. However, he enjoyed his time in Tallahassee so much that he decided to stick around one more season. Now a fifth-year senior, Verse is looking to cement his status as one of the top defensive prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft.

What he does best: Speed burst

Whether he is chasing in the run game or rushing the quarterback, Turner plays with freaky speed. He explodes off the snap with natural body bend, length and ankle flexion to set up various rush moves. Even though his technical skill is a work in progress, his bursts of speed give him an advantage over most blockers that he will face in the SEC.

Here, lined up against Texas A&M’s left tackle, Turner threatens the outside lane with his first two steps before sharply crossing the blocker’s face, avoiding the hold and closing on the quarterback. The high-speed timing and burst off his plant foot give the left tackle no chance of answering.

Must improve: Adding weight

One of the main criticisms of the 253-pound Anderson during the last draft cycle was his lack of ideal body weight and bulk. On tape, Turner appears noticeably leaner than Anderson, and he’s listed 11 pounds lighter. Comfortably reaching the 250- to 260-pound range without sacrificing his dynamic traits will be the mission for Turner before he becomes a pro.

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2023 season/2024 NFL Draft outlook

A five-star recruit, Turner was the consensus No. 1 edge in the 2021 high school class. After back-to-back high school state titles at St. Thomas Aquinas, the Florida native joined Alabama, where he made an immediate impact with 8.5 sacks in 2021 and earned Freshman All-America honors. Turner was electric again throughout the 2022 season as he shared playing time opposite Anderson.

Since Nick Saban took over as head coach in 2007, Alabama has produced 44 first-round picks. But not until Anderson in April did the program have a first-round edge rusher over that span. Turner should soon join him. When studying Alabama’s 2022 defense, it was clear Anderson (who is also Turner’s best friend) was the best player on the field, but Turner’s flashes showed an exciting up-and-coming prospect with the freaky tools and potential to be a top-15 draft pick.

3. J.T. Tuimoloau, Ohio State (6-4, 270, 4.75)

What he does best: Pass-rush arsenal

Although he might not be elite in any one category, Tuimoloau (TOOEY-mo-lo-ow) is above average across the board with a diverse pass-rush repertoire. He is big, strong and athletic with natural twitch in his movements and the length to overpower blockers. Aside from his physical makeup, Tuimoloau is a seasoned, punctual pass rusher capable of collapsing the edge using a variety of techniques.

Tuimoloau always rushes with a plan and does a nice job disguising all the different ways he can win as a pass rusher. He had a career performance against Penn State last season, including a pair of interceptions and a pick six. On this play, Tuimoloau creates a turnover with a strip sack using well-timed, heavy hands to convert his speed to power and ragdoll the right tackle en route to the quarterback. Just for good measure, he also recovers the fumble.

Must improve: Anchoring versus the run

Though he has the play strength to stack and shed on the edge, Tuimoloau needs to better position his frame to leverage his run fits. When he is unable to set his anchor, physical blockers can cover him up and create movement, opening run lanes. Tuimoloau also had a high number of “almost” tackles in the backfield, something he must clean up in 2023.

2023 season/2024 NFL Draft outlook

Ranked as a consensus top-five recruit in the country three years ago, Tuimoloau was a wanted man out of high school in Sammamish, Wash., just east of Seattle. Naturally, he focused his college choice on Pac-12 schools like Oregon, Washington and USC. But the opportunity to be coached by Larry Johnson as part of Ohio State’s established pass-rusher pipeline led him to Columbus.

With just 3.5 sacks last season, Tuimoloau won’t be loved by box-score scouts, but the tape shows a disruptive player who consistently affected the backfield — even as part of a rotation last season. Is he in the same conversation as an NFL prospect as past Buckeyes rushers like Chase Young or the Bosa brothers? No, he isn’t that caliber. But Tuimoloau has the skill set of an NFL starter and will have a chance to cement himself as a first-round pick this season.

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4. *Chop Robinson, Penn State (6-3, 255, 4.60)

What he does best: Twitchy athleticism

Some pass rushers require a runway to get going, but Robinson accelerates 0-to-60 in a blink. With his athletic twitch, he has the initial burst to threaten the corner or attack the chest of blockers for speed-to-power opportunities. Robinson’s athletic traits and understanding of leverage make him a tough player to corral.

The Auburn blockers found that out last season. On this strip sack, Robinson is shot out of a cannon and uses violent hands (with no gloves) and balance to whip around the right tackle’s outside shoulder. He is able to get his hand near the quarterback for the forced fumble.

Must improve: Containing the run

Robinson plays with terrific range and motor in the run game, but he too often finds himself hung up on the edge, giving up outside runs to his side of the field. He was more of a pass-rush specialist last season as a sophomore, and his progress in the run game will be important for him to become an every-down starter in 2023.

2023 season/2024 NFL Draft outlook

As an oversized baby, Demeioun Robinson received the nickname “Pork Chop.” It was eventually shortened to “Chop,” an appropriate name for a quarterback hunter. A five-star recruit, Robinson surprised many when he decided to stay close to home and play at Maryland, but that stop was short-lived. After his freshman season, Robinson entered the transfer portal and enrolled at Penn State. Coming off the bench last season, he posted 10.0 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks as a sophomore. Seven pass rushers were drafted in the first round in April, and he posted a better pass-rush win percentage than all seven.

Over the last four NFL Drafts, Penn State has produced four top-40 pass rushers (Arnold Ebiketie, Micah Parsons, Jayson Oweh and Yetur Gross-Matos). Robinson has the talent to make it five in five years. NFL teams will happily bet on his twitchy burst and explosive hand speed.

5. Laiatu Latu, UCLA (6-4 3/4 [v], 261 [v], 4.85)

What he does best: Technically focused approach

For a pass rusher who hasn’t played a ton of college football, Latu is a determined technician. He is quick off the snap and plays with energy in his lower body. But the foundation of his rush attack is the trust in his plan, as he relies on his body/hand fundamentals for quick sheds and sequencing.

Latu sets up his pass rush in a variety of ways. On this sack of Caleb Williams, he begins with a Euro step, followed by a two-handed side scissors to swipe away the punch of the left tackle.

Must improve: Another healthy season

Highly recruited out of the Sacramento, Calif., area, Latu signed with Washington and impressed the coaching staff as a true freshman in 2019. However, he suffered a severe neck injury, which led multiple doctors to tell him that his football career was over. Unable to be cleared by the Huskies’ medical staff, Latu medically retired in the spring of 2021, but his football passion later led him to the transfer portal. After signing with UCLA, he played in all 13 games last season and led the Bruins in tackles for loss (12.5) and sacks (10.5).

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2023 season/2024 NFL Draft outlook

Latu’s journey from medical retirement to legitimate NFL prospect has been similar in ways to that of Jaelan Phillips. (They both even wear No. 15.) Latu is a talented yet complicated prospect. After it appeared that his football career was over because of his 2020 neck injury at Washington, he transferred to UCLA and was cleared for action in June 2022. Latu came off the bench last season for the Bruins and emerged as one of college football’s top pass rushers — he was one of only two Pac-12 players to reach double-digit sacks in 2022.

The determination that Latu exhibited off the field to return from medical retirement is the same high-effort attitude he brings on it. He has only average length (32 1/4-inch arms) and speed, and his consistency must improve in the run game, but his knack for creating pressure is why he has earned preliminary Day 2 grades from NFL scouts. With 65 pressures last season, Latu tied with Anderson for fifth best in the FBS — despite seeing fewer pass-rush snaps than Anderson and the four others ahead of him.

Preseason top 25 senior edge rushers

(Note: Heights and weights are verified for senior prospects listed below and estimates for underclassmen, unless otherwise noted.)

1. Verse
2. Latu
3. Bralen Trice, Washington (6-3 3/8, 270)
4. Nelson Ceaser, Houston (6-2 5/8, 248)
5. Brandon Dorlus, Oregon (6-3, 277)
6. Princely Umanmielen, Florida (6-3 3/4, 249)
7. Jordan Burch, Oregon (6-6, 275)
8. Steve Linton, Texas Tech (6-3 3/4, 231)
9. Adisa Isaac, Penn State (6-4 5/8, 240)
10. Cedric Johnson, Ole Miss (6-2 5/8, 264)
11. Eyabi Okie, Charlotte (6-4 1/2, 242)
12. Darius Robinson, Missouri (6-5, 293)
13. J.J. Weaver, Kentucky (6-4 5/8, 225)
14. Jared Ivey, Ole Miss (6-5 5/8, 281)
15. Zion Tupuola-Fetui, Washington (6-3 1/2, 270)
16. Garmon Randolph, Baylor (6-6, 240)
17. Brennan Jackson, Washington State (6-4, 265)
18. Gabriel Murphy, UCLA (6-2 3/4, 255)
19. Logan Lee, Iowa (6-5 1/4, 285)
20. Javontae Jean-Baptiste, Notre Dame (6-4 7/8, 250)
21. Rondell Bothroyd, Oklahoma (6-2 7/8, 270)
22. Myles Cole, Texas Tech (6-5 3/4, 279)
23. Trajan Jeffcoat, Arkansas (6-4 3/8, 274)
24. Marshawn Kneeland, Western Michigan (6-3, 277)
25. Davin Vann, NC State (6-1 1/2, 270)

Preseason top 10 draft-eligible underclassmen

1. Turner
2. Tuimoloau
3. Robinson
4. Jack Sawyer, Ohio State (6-4, 265)
5. Jasheen Davis, Wake Forest (6-3, 260)
6. Jaylen Harrell, Michigan (6-3 1/2 [v], 242 [v])
7. Chris Braswell, Alabama (6-3 1/4 [v], 252 [v])
8. Josaiah Stewart, Michigan (6-1, 235)
9. Patrick Payton, Florida State (6-5, 240)
10. Darian Varner, Wisconsin (6-2, 260)

(Illustration: Ray Orr / The Athletic; photos: Randy Litzinger, Joe Robbins, David Rosenblum / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The Football 100, the definitive ranking of the NFL’s best 100 players of all time, goes on sale this fall. Pre-order it here.

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