- Joshua Uche stood out in his first action as an Eagle: The veteran was deployed as a pass-rushing specialist against the Cowboys, and his 92.7 PFF pass-rush grade and 43.8% pass-rush win rate were NFL-leading marks.
- Rookies Abdul Carter and Shemar Stewart crack the top 15: The third overall pick in this year’s draft led all rookies in PFF pass-rush grade in Week 1 (78.3), and Stewart ranked second among the rookie class in pass-rush win rate (26.1%).
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Estimated Reading Time: 5 minutes
The quarterback is the most important player on a football field, but a great pass rush is the ultimate equalizer. Pressure disrupts timing, rhythm and accuracy, something only the elite signal-callers can consistently overcome.
Last season, 13 of the top 15 teams in PFF pass-rushing grade finished with a winning record. In 2023, 15 of the top 16 teams in PFF pass-rushing grade found their way to a winning record. A dominant pass rush is undeniably crucial to a team’s success.
Each week, after every NFL game is graded and reviewed, PFF will check in on the top pass rushers of the 2025 season. These rankings will drastically change over the first few weeks, as one sack, hit or pressure can dramatically alter a player's grade when the sample size is small. But as snap counts rise, the grades will stabilize, and we'll get a clearer picture of the league's best pass rushers.
Here are the top 32 pass rushers for the 2025 season after Week 1. For more grades and statistics, check out PFF Premium Stats.
| Rank | Player | Team | PFF Pass-Rush Grade | Pass Rush Win % | Total Pressures | Batted Passes |
| 1 | Joshua Uche | Eagles | 92.7 | 43.8 | 4 | 0 |
| 2 | Nik Bonitto | Broncos | 91.6 | 42.9 | 6 | 0 |
| 3 | Trey Hendrickson | Bengals | 90.2 | 41.7 | 8 | 0 |
| 4 | Josh Hines-Allen | Jaguars | 89.6 | 32.1 | 7 | 0 |
| 5 | Will Anderson Jr. | Texans | 89.5 | 41.7 | 4 | 0 |
| 6 | Alex Highsmith | Steelers | 89.3 | 35.0 | 8 | 0 |
| 7 | Will McDonald IV | Jets | 85.9 | 21.1 | 3 | 0 |
| 8 | Jared Verse | Rams | 83.2 | 28.1 | 4 | 0 |
| 9 | Jeffery Simmons | Titans | 83.1 | 18.4 | 7 | 0 |
| 10 | Byron Young | Rams | 83.0 | 22.7 | 3 | 0 |
| 11 | Myles Garrett | Browns | 78.9 | 28.0 | 5 | 0 |
| 12 | Danielle Hunter | Texans | 78.7 | 30.8 | 3 | 0 |
| 13 | Abdul Carter | Giants | 78.3 | 13.6 | 3 | 0 |
| 13 | Isaiah McGuire | Browns | 78.3 | 27.8 | 5 | 0 |
| 15 | Shemar Stewart | Bengals | 78.2 | 26.1 | 3 | 0 |
| 16 | Jacob Martin | Commanders | 78.0 | 27.8 | 2 | 0 |
| 17 | Nolan Smith | Eagles | 77.4 | 32.0 | 4 | 0 |
| 18 | Nnamdi Madubuike | Ravens | 77.3 | 28.6 | 5 | 0 |
| 19 | Teair Tart | Chargers | 76.2 | 0.0 | 0 | 2 |
| 20 | Milton Williams | Patriots | 75.9 | 22.6 | 4 | 0 |
| 21 | Harold Landry III | Patriots | 75.8 | 19.0 | 8 | 0 |
| 22 | Nick Bosa | 49ers | 75.6 | 13.6 | 3 | 0 |
| 23 | Sheldon Rankins | Texans | 74.3 | 17.4 | 5 | 0 |
| 24 | Maxx Crosby | Raiders | 74.0 | 23.1 | 7 | 0 |
| 25 | Micah Parsons | Packers | 73.9 | 27.3 | 2 | 0 |
| 26 | Daron Payne | Commanders | 73.3 | 3.6 | 2 | 2 |
| 27 | Haason Reddick | Buccaneers | 73.2 | 25.0 | 8 | 0 |
| 28 | Dayo Odeyingbo | Bears | 72.8 | 15.8 | 3 | 0 |
| 29 | Devonte Wyatt | Packers | 72.7 | 17.6 | 4 | 0 |
| 30 | Derick Hall | Seahawks | 72.2 | 16.7 | 4 | 0 |
| 31 | Dorance Armstrong | Commanders | 71.5 | 13.0 | 6 | 0 |
| 32 | Javon Kinlaw | Commanders | 71.4 | 16.7 | 3 | 0 |
Best Pass Rusher: Joshua Uche, Philadelphia Eagles
Uche's 92.7 PFF pass-rushing grade in Week 1 paced the NFL, and he did it in his first game with the Eagles. He was deployed as a pass-rushing specialist against the Cowboys, with all 19 of his snaps coming on passing plays. The 2020 second-round pick out of Michigan has been a consistently strong pass rusher over the course of his career and will help fill the void left by Josh Sweat, who signed with the Arizona Cardinals as a free agent in March.
Highest Win Rate: Joshua Uche, Philadelphia Eagles
Four players logged a pass-rush win rate of 40.0% or higher in Week 1: Trey Hendrickson, Will Anderson Jr., Nik Bonitto and Uche, who led the way with a 43.8% mark. Uche’s teammate Nolan Smith (32.0%) also ranked among the top 10 for the defending champion Eagles.
Most Total Pressures: Trey Hendrickson, Cincinnati Bengals; Alex Highsmith, Pittsburgh Steelers; Harold Landry III, New England Patriots; Haason Reddick, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Four players led the way with eight pressures in Week 1, all of whom recorded at least one sack, as well. Hendrickson, who tied Myles Garrett for the league lead with 83 pressures last season, showed no signs of rust after missing most of camp over contract negotiations. Landry did the most damage with his pressures, recording 2.5 sacks in his first game as a Patriot after reuniting with head coach Mike Vrabel.
Highsmith ranked among the top 10 pass rushers last season, with an 89.7 PFF pass-rushing grade, on arguably the league’s best defensive line. Reddick hopes to regain his form after a 2024 season to forget with the New York Jets. He averaged 77 pressures per season across 2022 and 2023.
#Steelers EDGE Alex Highsmith continues to show why he’s one of the most underrated players in the NFL
— Ryan Smith (@PFF_RyanSmith) September 9, 2025
– 8 pressures (tied for the most in Wk 1)
– 89.3 pass-rush grade (6th best)
– 35.0% win rate (5th best)#HereWeGo pic.twitter.com/VdLJRATG98
Best Rookie Pass Rusher: Abdul Carter, New York Giants
Carter was one of the top pass-rushing draft prospects in recent memory, and he wasted no time making an impact in his first career game. The third overall pick in this year’s draft led all rookies in PFF pass-rush grade in Week 1 (78.3). His versatility was on full display, as he recorded dominant wins versus three Commanders offensive linemen, including his first career sack against Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil.
#Giants EDGE Abdul Carter had an impressive debut in Week 1. The number 3 overall pick earned a pass-rush grade of 78.3, 13th highest in the NFL for the week
— Ryan Smith (@PFF_RyanSmith) September 9, 2025
His first sack (1/2 officially) came against Pro Bowl LT Laremy Tunsil
📈📈📈#NYGiants pic.twitter.com/A1KSQKYjwN
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