Ranking the Big Ten’s top-five edge rushers for 2024 (2024)

In a conference that’s synonymous with great defensive play, it’s no surprise there’s a great crop of edge rushers taking the field in the Big Ten in 2024. In recent years we’ve seen greats like Aidan Hutchinson, Chase Young, and the Bosa brothers wreaking havoc for opposing offenses, and we’ll see much more of that this year.

With conference realignment and some roster turnover from the transfer portal, there are likely some names that aren’t on the radar of every college football fan yet. Today, we’ll be going through the top-five edge rushers in the Big Ten ahead of the 2024 season:

5 - Dani Dennis-Sutton - Penn State

Chop Robinson, Adisa Isaac, Arnold Ebiketie. Those are some of the names that have been part of a special run of edge rusher talent for Penn State. It would appear Dennis-Sutton could be the next man on the list after two solid seasons to start his career.

A third-team All-Big Ten selection last year, Dennis-Sutton had six tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks. He’ll take on a bigger role this year alongside Abdul Carter, as Penn State looks to get over the playoff hump. Another big year could also have him in consideration to be a high pick in next year’s NFL Draft.

4 Jah Joyner - Minnesota

Since Minnesota struggled last year, you might not have noticed Joyner was one of the more productive edge rushers in the conference. He registered 7.5 sacks and finished the year with a pass-rush win rate of 23.1 percent, per PFF, which was the third-highest among Power Five defenders, ahead of guys like James Pearce Jr. and Jared Verse.

Joyner is back for his senior season and is one of the best (if not the best) players on Minnesota’s roster. Even if you’re going to sleep on Minnesota this season, keep an eye on Joyner.

3 Jack Sawyer - Ohio State

A Columbus kid and former five-star recruit, Sawyer has improved each year at Ohio State. He made the surprising decision to return to college for his senior year and is looking to play a role in Ohio State snapping its losing skid against Michigan while also pursuing conference and national titles.

Sawyer registered 6.5 sacks last season and, according to PFF, was the nation’s only edge rusher to earn a grade of at least 85 in both pass rush and run defense. His efforts earned him second-team All-Big Ten honors from the media and third-team honors from the coaches. This year, Sawyer should assert himself as one of the top guys off the edge in the nation.

2 J.T. Tuimoloau - Ohio State

The legend of Tuimoloau was born when he single-handedly took over Ohio State’s win over Penn State in 2022. He was one of the best edge rushers in the conference last year, securing first-team All-Big Ten honors from both the coaches and media.

Tuimoloau was productive last year with five sacks, but didn’t quite turn into the major game-breaker fans were expecting him to. The talent and physical ability are still there for him to do that this fall as a part of what should be a top-five defense in the country.

1 Abdul Carter - Penn State

They don’t just give the No. 11 out to any defender at Penn State, and Carter got it for a reason last year. After playing primarily as an off-ball linebacker for much of his career, Carter is making the transition to the edge for the 2024 season and will look to play an even more pivotal role.

Carter has logged 105 total tackles and 11 sacks through his first two seasons, showcasing some serious athleticism and a nose for the football. Standing at 6-foot-3, he’s bulked up to about 250 pounds and should become a force chasing after opposing quarterbacks this year. He should be one of the best athletes in the 2025 NFL Draft as well and will likely be in consideration to be a first-rounder.

Honorable Mentions: Josaiah Stewart (Michigan), Derrick Moore (Michigan), Donnell Brown (Maryland), Mikail Kamara (Indiana), Aaron Lewis (Rutgers), Darryl Peterson (Wisconsin), John Pius (Wisconsin)