2024 NFL Draft: Chop Robinson tops Jared Verse and Darius Robinson as the best defensive end

2024 NFL Draft defensive end class ranking No. 9-12

9. Braiden McGregor, Michigan

Michigan’s Braiden McGregor saved his best game for one of his final games as a Wolverine recording two sacks against Alabama in the College Football Playoffs. These two sacks were almost half of the total he had all season only having registered 4.5 sacks on the year. Despite this lack of impressive production, he has the raw tools to make scouts think he can develop into a quality defender in the NFL. His most impressive trait might be the agility he shows for a 6-foot-5 263-pound defensive end. He shows the flexibility to get around the edge as a pass rusher and also the fluid hips to hold up surprisingly well in coverage for a defensive end his size. Another positive with him is how well he holds up against the run, and he should be a three-down defender in the NFL. Two areas he can improve on are his pass rush moves and using his hands better in general. Draft Grade: Fourth Round

"Going into the playoffs I was 50/50. I wasn’t really sure. I wanted to go — but I didn’t think my film was good enough to get drafted where I wanted to get drafted."

- Braiden McGregor via MLive

10. Mohamed Kamara, Colorado State

A player who impressed me at the East-West Shrine Bowl was Colorado State’s Mohamed Kamara. What stood out to me the most about his game was his terrific first step that allowed him to continually beat offensive tackles off the ball. This speed helped him finish third in the nation with 13 sacks, and second in the Mountain West with 17 tackles for loss. While he is a feared pass rusher, he has not been a big factor against the run. In this area his lack of size (6-1 250) and strength allows offensive tackles to push him off the ball, and overall he has a hard time setting the edge. This limitation could make him a better fit in a 3-4 defense as an outside linebacker, and one team that runs that scheme who has shown an interest in him is the Pittsburgh Steelers. Draft Grade: Fifth Round

11. Austin Booker, Kansas

Austin Booker spent his first two seasons at Minnesota where he made little impact finishing his career with the Golden Gophers with just two tackles. However, he transferred to Kansas this year and quickly established himself as one of the better defensive ends in school history. This season he led the Big 12 with 38 pressures and also finished the season with eight sacks. As a pro prospect, the first thing that stands out is his impressive length coming in at 6-foot-6 with 34-inch arms. He also shows good flexibility which helps him as both a pass rusher and in coverage. An area he needs to prove he can play at an NFL level is defending the run, since he tended to get pushed around against the run in the Big 12. Draft Grade: Fifth Round

12. Nelson Ceaser, Houston

Nelson Ceaser has had an interesting career at Houston starting off as a nose tackle, and finishing his career by leading the Big 12 in sacks as a defensive end. This past season Ceaser recorded 13.5 tackles for loss to go along with his 9.5 sacks. As a pro prospect he is a disciplined player who rarely finds himself out of position and is someone who is capable of setting the edge as a run defender. He also is a proven pass rusher who could even see some snaps as a 3-technique defensive tackle. In addition to those roles he was also the top graded edge defender from the American conference when it came to pass coverage in 2022 according to Pro Football Focus. Draft Grade: Fifth round