2021 NFL Draft DE rankings: Ronnie Perkins is being overlooked

The 2021 NFL Draft defensive end class is an interesting group as it includes a little bit of everything. A team looking for a pure pass rusher will likely focus on a player such as Gregory Rousseau of Miami. However, a team that is more impressed with outstanding athletic ability will love a player like Jayson Oweh of Penn State. That being said, the most complete defensive end in the draft is Ronnie Perkins which is why he is the highest-rated player in this class.

Most underrated defensive end in 2021 NFL Draft: Ronnie Perkins

The most complete defensive end in the 2021 NFL Draft is Ronnie Perkins of Oklahoma. Last season, Perkins was the only defensive lineman with 90+ grades in run-defense and pass-rush in 2020 according to Pro Football Focus. He finished his career with the Sooners with 99 tackles, 32 tackles for loss and 16.5 sacks backing up the point he can contribute against the run and the pass.

Most overrated defensive end in 2021 NFL Draft: Dayo Odeyingbo

There are three reasons why Dayo Odeyingbo is overrated going into the 2021 NFL Draft. The first one is that he is coming off a ruptured Achilles injury. The second one is that he lacks great power and is only average against the run. The third and final reason is that while he does show flashes of being a dominant player in college, he was not the most consistent player.

Day three gem in 2021 NFL Draft: Payton Turner

A player who is just starting to figure things out is Payton Turner of Houston. This is backed up by his strong 2020 season where he set career highs in tackles for loss and sacks while only playing in five games. The traits that make Turner a promising NFL prospect are his length, non-stop motor, and overall athletic ability.

Defensive end that is the biggest risk in the 2021 NFL Draft: Jaelan Phillips

The biggest questions with Miami defensive Jaelan Phillips deal with his history of concussions. He suffered three concussions while at UCLA and briefly retired from football because of this issue. He also has battled other injuries while in college including ankle and wrist injuries. Yet another reason why he is a risky prospect is that he only had one outstanding year in college.

Top small school defensive end  in 2021 NFL Draft: Elerson Smith

Elerson Smith out of Northern Iowa is another highly thought of prospect who comes from the best conference in the FCS, which is the Missouri Valley. In 2019, Smith was named to the All-American team after picking up 21.5 tackles for loss and 14 sacks. He also had a strong Senior Bowl where he solidified himself as an early day three pick.

2021 NFL Draft Defensive End Rankings

1. Ronnie Perkins, Oklahoma (first round)
2. Jayson Oweh, Penn State (first round)
3. Jaelan Phillips, Miami (first round)
4. Kwity Paye, Michigan (first round)
5. Gregory Rousseau, Miami (first round)
6. Joe Tryon, Washington (second round)
7. Carlos Basham, Wake Forest (second round)
8. Patrick Jones, Pittsburgh (second round)
9. Payton Turner, Houston (fourth round)
10. Elerson Smith, Northern Iowa (fourth round)
11. Chauncey Golston, Iowa (fourth round)
12. Shaka Toney, Penn State (fifth round)
13. Quincy Roche, Miami-FL (fifth round)
14. Daelin Hayes, Notre Dame (fifth round)
15. Tarron Jackson, Coastal Carolina (fifth round)
16. Rashad Weaver, Pittsburgh (fifth round)
17. Dayo Odeyingbo, Vanderbilt (fifth round)
18. Adetokunbo Ogundeji, Notre Dame (fifth round)
19. Cameron Sample, Tulane (sixth round)
20. Victor Dimukeje, Duke (sixth round)
21. Janarius Robinson, Florida State (sixth round)
22. Jonathon Cooper, Ohio State (sixth round)
23. Joshua Kaindoh, Florida State (seventh round)
24. JaQuan Bailey, Iowa State (free agent)
25. Malik Herring, Georgia (free agent)
26. Justus Reed, Virginia Tech (free agent)
27. William Bradley-King, Baylor (free agent)

28. Raymond Johnson III, Georgia Southern (free agent)
29. Wyatt Hubert, Kansas State (free agent)
30. Earnest Brown, Northwestern (free agent)
31. Isaiahh Loudermilk, Wisconsin (free agent)
32. Manny Jones, Colorado State (free agent)