4. Detroit Lions: Aidan Hutchinson, defensive end
Aidan Hutchinson is a special talent off the edge in today's NFL.
The fact that he had 17 QB hits and 7.5 sacks in just five games during the 2024 season before going down with a devastating injury tells you all you need to know about him. Every single game, this guy is making a ridiculous impact.
But the way he played after coming back from that scary injury is even more impressive. He had 14.5 sacks and 4 forced fumbles last year, 35 QB hits, and 49 total pressures. He reminded everyone that he's one of the most dominant pass rushers in the entire NFL, and if that was just his first year coming off of injury?
Watch out. This guy played over 1,000 snaps coming off of his gruesome 2024 injury and daunting recovery. He's a machine.
3. San Francisco 49ers: Nick Bosa, edge rusher
Even though he's coming off of a season-ending injury (an unfortunate theme near the top of this list), everybody knows that Nick Bosa is an annual contender for NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
He's had a couple of injury-impacted seasons in a row, but when Bosa is on the field, he's the player offenses have to focus on week in and week out. There is a reason why the 49ers ranked dead last in the NFL in sacks last season without him.
He's the straw that stirs the drink for that defense, but it does feel like his time atop lists like this is ticking. Entering his age-29 season, the 49ers need him to not only stay on the field, but get back to form consistently and put them back in the top of that Super Bowl conversation. He has that type of ability to impact games, especially late.
Add us as a preferred source on Google