Rankings Roundtable: Who is the top pass rusher in 2024 class?

Pass rushers are some of the most valuable players on any roster, so today the national recruiting analysts – Clint Cosgrove, Adam Friedman, Adam Gorney, Nick Harris and Ryan Wright – identify their top pass rusher in the 2024 class.

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Colin Simmons is the obvious choice here because he is talented beyond his years as a pass rusher, but I am going with a contrarian pick that is all about upside and my choice is Marquise Lightfoot. The Chicago Kenwood defensive end is long, twitched up, athletic as can be and has a motor to boot. Whether it be at the Rivals Underclassmen Challenge or on the field this season, Lightfoot has proven to be virtually impossible to block.

His first step is as good as you will find from a junior in high school and he has skill-position speed. The best part about him is that he isn't even close to reaching his ceiling in terms of growth and playmaking ability. Once Lightfoot maxes out his growth and potential, he has a chance to be the type of player who is wreaking havoc for NFL quarterbacks on Sundays.

I want to say Dylan Stewart here because he does have the potential to be the best pass rusher in this class, but Colin Simmons is so technically advanced that it's hard to pick against him. Simmons isn't the biggest defensive end but he is very powerful and has quick twitch. He can slip by offensive linemen using his speed and balance around the edge but he also has the strength to take them on, shed the block and flow to the ball carrier.

Simmons and his lofty ranking will be challenged by players like Stewart throughout the rest of the rankings process, but he is currently the most advanced prospect with a skill set that should translate to the next level.

Eddrick Houston is close but I'm still going to side with Simmons. The Duncanville, Texas, five-star had a phenomenal sophomore season and he's come back this year and dominated again. What separates Simmons is his athleticism as an edge rusher and his ability to track people down with his speed.

There might be bigger and stronger defensive ends in this class but none have the playmaking speed of Simmons, and that's why I still think he's one of the best players in the entire 2024 group.

Simmons plays with a mean streak off the edge that has been tough to contain for major 6A programs around the state of Texas. He can use a combination of crafty moves, he can bull rush with his strength and he can simply fly around the edge with his athleticism to get to the quarterback.

In looking at his recruitment, it makes sense as to why nearly every major program is involved as he approaches his final high school offseason.

The top pass-rusher in the 2024 class this season is Justin Greene. The Mountain View (Ga.) High School four-star has terrorized 7A offenses with his first step, burst and closing speed. Greene has great size and strength with developing pass-rushing skills that make every dropback an opportunity for him to influence the play with pressure, an errant throw or a sack.

Even if Greene can’t get to the quarterback he’s been doing a great job getting his hands up to break up passes or force a bad throw.