Some of the NFL's best pass-rushers right now are names you might not know

The Browns' Myles Garrett, Steelers' T.J. Watt and Chiefs' Chris Jones are among the greatest pass-rushers in the NFL. But every season, lesser-known talent explodes on the season as Nnamdi Madubuike (13 sacks) did for the Baltimore Ravens in 2023. 

In 2024, lesser-known names have quickly ascended the list of pass-rushing savants, including Broncos DE Zach Allen, Saints DE Carl Granderson, Patriots DE Keion White and Jets DE Will McDonald IV.

Here's a deeper look at each.

Zach Allen | Denver Broncos

Let's start with Allen, who's in his sixth professional season. He recently spent two years playing with three-time Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt in Arizona. That's not a bad mentor to have as a young (27) emerging player. 

Allen has a high motor and flashes explosiveness off the line of scrimmage. He uses his plus play strength to translate speed to power and has shown versatility, registering back-to-back five-sack seasons as a DT and DE. 

This season, he's well on his way to setting career highs in sacks and TFL. Allen is third in the NFL in QB pressures and fifth in quick QB pressures (pressures that take less than three seconds to generate), per NFL Next Gen Stats (NGS). He's second in QB hits with 13 and tied for first with nine TFL. 

Allen's efforts have helped the Broncos defense become a top unit this season, ranking fourth in scoring and ninth in total yards.

Carl Granderson | New Orleans Saints

Granderson has proved to be a consistent force (8.5 sacks, 14 TFL and 20 QB hits in 2023). The former undrafted free agent is putting himself into the "names you should remember" category this season. 

Granderson uses his superb length to disrupt offensive linemen. His 34-inch arms and 81 7/8-inch wingspan were among edge-rushers' longest measurements at the 2019 NFL Combine.

New Orleans trusts him on passing downs, as evidenced by his team-high 186 pass-rush snaps. Granderson is ninth in the NFL in QB pressures with 24 and tied for eighth in quick QB pressures with 10.

He's also tied for second in turnovers caused by pressures (the number of pressures that a defender creates that result in an interception or fumble), per NFL NGS. Granderson has arguably been the best on a defensive line that features established talents such as Cam Jordan and Chase Young. 

Will McDonald IV | New York Jets

McDonald IV is a hyper-athletic edge-rusher with a killer spin move from the wide nine alignment. He's been a game-wrecker through six contests this season, notching a tied for second-best seven sacks in the NFL. 

The Iowa State product has racked up an absurd 5.7 percent sack rate, ranking among the highest for qualified defenders, per NFL NGS. Even more impressive, he owns the third-highest QB pressure rate in the NFL at 18.3 percent. 

Keion White | New England Patriots

White is a powerful force whose versatility allows him to play from various alignments. He's tied for seventh in the league with four sacks and tied for third in QB hits with 11. 

White is also tied for eighth in QB pressures and fourth in quick QB pressures, per NFL NGS, all while spending 90.6 percent of his pass plays as a pass-rusher, which is on the lower side for qualified defensive linemen. 

He's been a bright spot on a spiraling Patriots team that leans heavily on its defense to keep it in games.

Be sure to watch for these emerging stars in Week 7.