Steelers land 3 edge rushers in the NFL’s top 32 according to PFF
As the 2025 NFL offseason progresses into the summer months, there will constantly be a barrage of lists and rankings from various outlets. While some fans will have preferred places where they look for particular rankings, others will just avoid the information altogether.
Over the next two weeks, I will be reporting on the members of the Pittsburgh Steelers who landed in the top 32 players at various positions according to Pro Football Focus (PFF). I know there are many who like to criticize PFF rankings, with me being one of them, it doesn’t mean that their information is always incorrect. While they used rankings for some of their reasoning in placing the players on these list, it was not their ultimate deciding factor and instead was the opinion of the various authors depending on which position group was being covered.
Whenever I cover various things from PFF, I often give the disclaimer reminding people that their grades are merely an opinion. One thing PFF should be commended on is that they collect an immense amount of data, particularly looking at each player on every snap, in order to form their opinion. But more data doesn’t automatically deliver a correct opinion. Regardless, it is still a great point of discussion to see where the Pittsburgh Steelers rank and the various positional groups.
Next up, let’s look at PFF’s rankings at the edge rusher position where the Steelers have 3 players in the top 32 while some NFL teams have none.
3. T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh Steelers
Watt is best known for his pass-rushing prowess, which was on full display once again in 2024. His 90.1 PFF pass-rush grade marked the fifth time in six seasons he earned a grade of 90.0 or higher.
He also took home PFF Run Defender of the Year honors last season, backed by a 1.63-yard average depth of tackle and a 3.2% negatively graded play rate, the lowest among all box defenders in the NFL.
Taking into account PFF’s infatuation with Myles Garrett, he obviously ended up on the top of their list followed by Micah Parsons of the Dallas Cowboys. But as noted above, T.J. Watt was the best run defender of any of the edge rushers in 2024. Additionally, it is believed by many covering the Steelers in 2024 that T.J. Watt’s health was very much in question in the later portion of the 2024 season. But that is in the past. The biggest question is if T.J. Watt will once again be the premier defensive player the NFL in 2025.
13. Alex Highsmith, Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers fielded the NFL’s best defensive line in 2024, and Alex Highsmith was a major factor. The fifth-year pro continued his ascent as one of the league’s top edge defenders, earning an 89.0 PFF grade — eighth among 119 qualifying players — despite missing time with an ankle injury. It marked the second consecutive season Highsmith ranked among the top 10 at his position.
Highsmith was the first player on the list who had a teammate listed ahead of him. Despite being a ranked eighth among edge rushers in 2024, Highsmith was dinged for playing so few snaps as he dealt with injury last year. Still, projected as 13th in the NFL going into 2025, this puts the combination of Watt and Highsmith as the top edge rushing duo in the league.
32. Nick Herbig, Pittsburgh Steelers
No player embodied the “pass-rushing specialist” role better than Herbig in 2024. The second-year pro was elite in limited snaps, earning a 91.5 PFF pass-rush grade — fourth among 109 qualifying edge defenders. However, he struggled against the run, grading out at 48.2 (101st), and will need to improve in that area to move up this list next season.
Despite only starting five games in a reserve role, PFF simply could not ignore the production and scores of Nick Herbig when compiling their list of top 32 edge rushers. Although he landed in the final spot, the fact that one team placed three players on this list is quite impressive. Herbig actually had the fourth highest pass rushing score given by PFF among edge rushers in 2024, coming in ahead of T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith. But it was other aspects of Herbig’s game that brings him down, particularly against the run. As long as the Steelers can put Herbig in advantageous situations, he should continue to produce at a high-level in 2025.
Other position groups covered:
