Dawgs By Nature
Positional NFL power rankings put Myles Garrett on top according to ESPN’s survey
The story of the Cleveland Browns 2025 offseason was almost DE Myles Garrett until the team and player agreed to a huge new contract. Rumors swirled, reports of reasons Garrett requested a trade lingered and many wondered how things would come back together for the former first overall pick and Defensive Player of the Year.
Garrett’s contract is causing some issues within the AFC North as T.J. Watt and Trey Hendrickson continue to seek new contracts.
While Garrett was dethroned for Defensive Player of the Year this year, the Texas A&M star had his seventh year in a row with double-digit sacks (14) and, according to ESPN’s survey of league coaches, executives and scouts, is still the best defensive end in the league:
Garrett’s hold on the No. 1 ranking is firm; he earned at least 70% of the first-place votes in back-to-back years. Nobody is quicker off the ball. Garrett reached an average “get-off” of 0.70 seconds, per Next Gen Stats, tied for the quickest among edge rushers with at least 200 pass rushes. That resulted in 40 quick pressures (under 2.5 seconds), which ranked second in the NFL.
“He has significantly refined his overall game over the years,” an NFC personnel evaluator said. “A good tackle used to be able to give him problems, but that’s less and less the case now. He’s more consistent with his pass rush.”
Watt (3rd) and Hendrickson (6) represented the AFC North in the top 10 with Garrett.
Earning 70% of the first-place votes is a huge sign of how respected Cleveland’s star defender is around the NFL.
Are you surprised how highly ranked Garrett is overall and how far above the rest of the defensive ends he is around the league?
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