- Myles Garrett reigned supreme on outside moves: After dominating his competition with outside moves in 2023, Garrett retained his form into 2024 and was the league's highest-graded pass rusher on such plays.
- Milton Williams is bringing inside-move prowess to New England: The Patriots signed Williams to a four-year deal this offseason on the heels of a career year.
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Estimated Reading Time: 10 minutes
Big contracts are handed out to the best pass rushers, and the best pass rushers win in multiple ways. At PFF, we chart how a pass rusher wins their reps against offensive linemen, with the main buckets for pass-rush moves being outside moves, inside moves and bull rushes.
We also bucket plays where a pass rusher defeats a center to the right or left (since there isn’t an inside or an outside against a center), when rushers have to fill their gap on a play-action pass and “no move attempted” plays, when rushers string together multiple moves or are double-teamed.
These were the NFL’s highest-graded pass rushers by pass-rush move from the 2024 season, with screen plays excluded.
Outside: Myles Garrett, Cleveland Browns
| Player | Pass-Rush Grade | Pass-Rush Snaps | Win % | Pressure % |
| Myles Garrett | 95.7 | 137 | 42.34% | 26.28% |
| Chris Jones | 94.3 | 147 | 36.73% | 27.21% |
| Aidan Hutchinson | 94.2 | 76 | 43.42% | 23.68% |
| T.J. Watt | 94.1 | 176 | 23.86% | 21.02% |
| Nick Herbig | 93.2 | 91 | 20.88% | 18.68% |
| Jonathan Greenard | 92.5 | 122 | 25.41% | 24.59% |
| Milton Williams | 92.3 | 71 | 23.94% | 12.68% |
| Jeffery Simmons | 92.0 | 55 | 27.27% | 20.00% |
| John Franklin-Myers | 91.9 | 67 | 34.33% | 28.36% |
| Alex Highsmith | 91.8 | 111 | 22.52% | 21.62% |
*Minimum 50 pass-rush snaps
Myles Garrett is arguably the best player in the NFL. And he is undoubtedly the best pass rusher. Garrett led the league in 2023 in PFF pass-rush grade on outside moves, and he remained on top of the podium in 2024. A physical specimen with a devastating repertoire of moves, Garrett uses his speed, power and length to dominate his foes, whether it's his cross-chop, a Euro step, a long-arm or a combination of moves.
Chris Jones, the best interior defender in the game, wreaks havoc on offensive linemen. The Chiefs move him all over the line, as his versatility makes him difficult to game-plan for. Jones was excellent on outside moves in 2023, earning a 90.9 PFF pass-rush grade, but he was significantly better in 2024, improving his pass-rush win rate from 26.86% to 36.73%.
Inside: Milton Williams, Philadelphia Eagles
| Player | Pass-Rush Grade | Pass-Rush Snaps | Win % | Pressure % |
| Milton Williams | 96.8 | 44 | 45.45% | 36.36% |
| Aidan Hutchinson | 96.6 | 43 | 67.44% | 39.53% |
| Khalil Mack | 94.9 | 47 | 38.30% | 27.66% |
| Chris Jones | 94.2 | 97 | 31.96% | 24.74% |
| Jarran Reed | 93.3 | 40 | 40.00% | 35.00% |
| Brian Burns | 93.2 | 81 | 35.80% | 27.16% |
| Bryce Huff | 92.9 | 30 | 36.67% | 30.00% |
| Will Anderson Jr. | 92.6 | 64 | 37.50% | 21.88% |
| Trey Hendrickson | 92.5 | 62 | 46.77% | 41.94% |
| Baron Browning | 92.5 | 35 | 40.00% | 28.57% |
*Minimum 25 pass-rush snaps
Williams' offseason is an example of how NFL teams view run defense versus pass-rushing abilities, as the New England Patriots signed him to a massive four-year, $104 million contract. He ranked in the top 10 in outside, inside and bull-rush moves, but his prowess on inside moves was his calling card. Williams' incredible 96.8 PFF pass-rush grade on inside moves in 2024 was the best mark of the past two years, and his 45.45% win rate placed second to Aidan Hutchinson.
Khalil Mack, one of the best pass rushers of the past decade, might not have the same juice as he did in his 20s, but he’s still getting to the quarterback with regularity, especially on the inside moves. While pass rushers don’t utilize inside moves as often as outside moves, a deadly inside move is the quickest path to the quarterback. Mack’s 94.9 PFF pass-rush grade on such plays ranks fifth over the past two years.
Bull Rush: Alim McNeill, Detroit Lions
| Player | Pass-Rush Grade | Pass-Rush Snaps | Win % | Pressure % |
| Alim McNeill | 93.9 | 40 | 62.50% | 40.00% |
| Myles Garrett | 92.4 | 54 | 44.44% | 31.48% |
| Milton Williams | 92.2 | 52 | 42.31% | 34.62% |
| Cameron Heyward | 92.0 | 89 | 33.71% | 25.84% |
| Dexter Lawrence | 92.0 | 38 | 42.11% | 21.05% |
| Jared Verse | 91.9 | 111 | 37.84% | 28.83% |
| Micah Parsons | 91.0 | 28 | 42.86% | 25.00% |
| John Franklin-Myers | 90.6 | 48 | 37.50% | 27.08% |
| Moro Ojomo | 90.5 | 42 | 40.48% | 26.19% |
| Leonard Williams | 90.4 | 25 | 44.00% | 24.00% |
*Minimum 25 pass-rush snaps
Channeling his inner He-Man, Alim McNeill outpowered his competition on bull rushes in 2024. He logged a ridiculous 62.5% pass-rush win rate — easily the best of the past two years — as his power was too much to handle for offensive linemen. Unfortunately, his season was cut short due to injury, as was seemingly everyone's on the Lions' defense in 2024.
Jared Verse took the NFL by storm as a rookie, and a big reason for his success was his ability to overpower offensive linemen with his bull-rush package. Verse’s 111 bull-rush snaps were the second most in the NFL, and he logged a 37.84% win rate on those plays. If Verse can develop his inside and outside game, he will become virtually unblockable.
Center Right/Left: Micah Parsons, Dallas Cowboys
| Player | Pass-Rush Grade | Pass-Rush Snaps | Win % | Pressure % |
| Micah Parsons | 93.7 | 13 | 30.77% | 23.08% |
| Montravius Adams | 91.8 | 19 | 36.84% | 15.79% |
| Bobby Wagner | 91.7 | 11 | 54.55% | 36.36% |
| Eddie Goldman | 91.2 | 18 | 27.78% | 22.22% |
| Keeanu Benton | 89.7 | 61 | 16.39% | 9.84% |
| Frankie Luvu | 88.0 | 15 | 20.00% | 33.33% |
| Logan Hall | 88.0 | 17 | 29.41% | 35.29% |
| Roy Lopez | 87.8 | 63 | 19.05% | 12.70% |
| David Onyemata | 87.0 | 21 | 23.81% | 23.81% |
| Jalen Carter | 86.8 | 90 | 22.22% | 16.67% |
*Minimum 10 pass-rush snaps
We now get to the buckets where rushes become less frequent, but no less important. The quicker a rusher can get to the quarterback, the better, obviously. And there is no quicker path than through the center. There is arguably no one in the NFL who does this better than Micah Parsons. Sure, he logged only 13 pass-rush snaps going right or left against the center in 2024, but his 93.7 PFF pass-rush grade shows his ability to wreak havoc and the Cowboys' deployment of Parsons, as he can win from any spot on the defensive line.
The Philadelphia Eagles' pass rushers were on full display in the Super Bowl, and Carter was a big part of the team's success in 2024. His 15 quarterback pressures when going through the center were the second most in the NFL, and his 90 pass-rush snaps were the most.
Spin Move: Aidan Hutchinson, Detroit Lions
| Player | Pass-Rush Grade | Pass-Rush Snaps | Win % | Pressure % |
| Aidan Hutchinson | 95.5 | 25 | 76.00% | 40.00% |
| Brian Burns | 94.4 | 17 | 82.35% | 41.18% |
| Baron Browning | 93.1 | 29 | 55.17% | 20.69% |
| Myles Garrett | 92.8 | 23 | 65.22% | 26.09% |
| Danielle Hunter | 92.6 | 61 | 50.82% | 19.67% |
| Jihad Ward | 92.1 | 23 | 52.17% | 30.43% |
| Von Miller | 91.5 | 19 | 73.68% | 36.84% |
| Kyle Van Noy | 91.5 | 31 | 38.71% | 19.35% |
| Darrell Taylor | 90.9 | 16 | 18.75% | 25.00% |
| Jonathan Greenard | 90.9 | 53 | 41.51% | 26.42% |
*Minimum 10 pass-rush snaps
Whether inside or outside, a devastating spin move is nearly impossible to stop. Case in point, nine players won on spin moves more than 50% of the time in 2024, with four players doing so more than 60% of the time. Hutchinson won a ridiculous 76% of his pass-rush snaps when utilizing a spin move, leading to his NFL-leading 95.5 PFF pass-rush grade on such plays.
Brian Burns won an otherworldly 82.35% of his pass rushes with a spin move. The Giants‘ defensive line looks like it’ll be feasting on opposing quarterbacks in 2025.
Play-Action Fit: Ogbo Okoronkwo, Cleveland Browns
| Player | Pass-Rush Grade | Pass-Rush Snaps | Win % | Pressure % |
| Ogbo Okoronkwo | 92.1 | 25 | 20.00% | 12.00% |
| Josh Hines-Allen | 84.7 | 64 | 18.75% | 14.06% |
| Will McDonald IV | 82.4 | 34 | 20.59% | 17.65% |
| Tyler Davis | 80.4 | 46 | 6.52% | 8.70% |
| Ed Oliver | 79.1 | 64 | 20.31% | 10.94% |
| Jonah Elliss | 77.9 | 20 | 10.00% | 5.00% |
| Michael Pierce | 76.9 | 28 | 7.14% | 17.86% |
| Josh Sweat | 76.1 | 46 | 19.57% | 8.70% |
| Myles Garrett | 75.6 | 55 | 12.73% | 5.45% |
| Cameron Heyward | 75.6 | 49 | 10.20% | 8.16% |
*Minimum 20 pass-rush snaps
Discipline as a pass rusher is vital in the modern game. Those who respect their role in fitting the run first when presented with run action before pursuing the passer will be tagged with the “play-action fit” category. When dealing with play action, most rushers’ pass-rush win rates drop significantly.
One player who bucked that trend was Ogbo Okoronkwo, who led the NFL with a 92.1 PFF pass-rush grade and a 20% win rate when fitting a gap before rushing. Released this summer by the Browns, Okoronkwo is now competing for a spot on the Eagles' 53-man roster.
Not known for his run defending abilities, Josh Hines-Allen does an excellent job in all aspects as an edge defender. He’s graded above 70.0 in run defense in each of the past three seasons. He pairs that with being able to quickly diagnose play action and pressure opposing quarterbacks.
No Move Attempted: Micah Parsons, Dallas Cowboys
| Player | Pass-Rush Grade | Pass-Rush Snaps | Win % | Pressure % |
| Micah Parsons | 75.6 | 213 | 18.78% | 15.96% |
| Myles Garrett | 73.9 | 250 | 22.00% | 18.40% |
| Jeffery Simmons | 69.7 | 294 | 12.59% | 9.86% |
| Brian Burns | 68.0 | 186 | 15.59% | 12.37% |
| Trey Hendrickson | 66.2 | 212 | 13.21% | 12.26% |
| Dorance Armstrong | 66.1 | 199 | 13.57% | 10.55% |
| Jared Verse | 65.3 | 248 | 13.71% | 12.10% |
| Jadeveon Clowney | 63.4 | 149 | 12.75% | 13.42% |
| Nick Bosa | 62.8 | 188 | 17.02% | 13.30% |
| Jarran Reed | 62.7 | 275 | 11.64% | 10.91% |
*Minimum 75 pass-rush snaps
This is the catch-all category for pass rushes, including situations that range from a blocker locking up a pass rusher so no move can be thrown, to a pass rusher working through a chip block, clean-up, switch or some other form of help blocking that may muddy the waters due to things like miscommunication and split leverage, as well as looks in which they are set and released.
As you can see, this bucket of pass rushes lends itself to lower PFF pass-rush grades, as rushers generally earn worse grades when they have to hit a second or a third move to win the rep. If a player wins on his first move, he’s doing so quickly and therefore earns a higher grade.
The Titans fielded an underrated defensive line in 2024, led by stud interior defender Jeffery Simmons. He earned a 90.9 PFF pass-rush grade on all other pass-rush moves — good for 18th best in the NFL — but his 69.7 mark on “no move attempted” plays stands out as third best.
Trey Hendrickson is still holding out of training camp for a contract extension after continuing to prove that he’s one of the best pass rushers in the NFL. His 92.1 PFF pass-rush grade on all other moves ranked ninth in the NFL, and he placed fourth best in this “no move” category.
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