ESPN's seventh annual position survey of more than 70 league executives, coaches, and scouts produced a rare unanimous No. 1: Myles Garrett claimed every first-place vote after his record-setting 2025 season with the Los Angeles Rams. Garrett posted an NFL-record 23 sacks and 33 tackles for loss while winning over 20% of his 448 pass-rush snaps despite facing double-teams nearly 30% of the time. Coordinators praised his power, mental processing, and ability to navigate every protection scheme thrown his way.

Micah Parsons landed second despite a December ACL tear, buoyed by a 24.6% pass-rush win rate against a league-high 37.8% double-team frequency. The Green Bay Packers newcomer has 315 pressures since 2021 — 23 more than any peer — and joins Derrick Thomas, T.J. Watt, J.J. Watt, and Reggie White as the only players with 65-plus sacks in their first five seasons. Will Anderson Jr. edged Maxx Crosby for third after a 30-sack, three-year start and a $150 million extension from the Houston Texans; he led the NFL with 62 pass-rush wins off the edge in 2025.

Crosby remains the Raiders' ironman with 69.5 career sacks and an NFL-best 35 games of five-plus pressures since 2019, though a botched March trade to Baltimore raised durability questions. Aidan Hutchinson rounds out the top five, becoming the first player since 1982 with 40-plus sacks and five-plus interceptions in his first four seasons. His 14.5 sacks, 63 pressures, and 950 defensive snaps led all linemen in a full return from a serious leg injury.

The rankings confirm a golden era for pass rush: six players appeared on 90% of ballots, and the top five all switched teams or signed massive extensions since last summer. For contenders, the message is clear — elite edge play now demands both schematic versatility and the durability to stay on the field for 900-plus snaps.