- Abdul Carter remains on a tear: The rookie is now a top-15 pass rusher in terms of PFF pass-rush grade, and his 90.4 grade since Week 13 ranks second among all players.
- Will Anderson Jr. has equalized the pressure with Aidan Hutchinson: The Texans star has pressures of 87 this season, putting him tied with the Lions’ Hutchinson, who has led the way for most of the season.
- Receive PFF+ with a 30% discount: Use promotional code HOLIDAY 30 to unlock the PFF Player Prop Tool, Premium Stats, fantasy dashboards, the PFF Mock Draft Simulator, industry-leading fantasy rankings and much more – everything you need to win your season.
Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
We know the quarterback is the most important position on the field, but a great pass rush is the ultimate equalizer. Pressure disrupts timing, rhythm and accuracy, something only the elite quarterbacks can consistently overcome.
Last season, 13 of the top 15 teams in the PFF pass-rush class had a winning record. In 2023, 15 of the top 16 teams in the PFF pass-rush class had a winning record. A dominant pass rush is undeniably crucial to a team’s success over the course of the season.
Each week, after each NFL game has been reviewed and graded, PFF checks in on the top pass rushers of the 2025 season. These rankings will change dramatically early in the campaign, as one sack, hit or pressure can significantly change a player’s grade if the sample size is small. But as the numbers go up, the numbers will stabilize and we’ll get a clearer picture of the best pass rushers in the league.
Here are the 32 best pass rushers for the 2025 season after Week 16. For more numbers and stats on the best pass rushers in the league, visit PFF Premium Stats.
| Rank | Player | Team | PFF Pass-Rush Class | Pass-Rush Win% | Busy | Beaten passes |
| 1 | Myles Garrett | Tanning | 93.3 | 25.8 | 71 | 1 |
| 2 | Micah Parsons | Packers | 92.9 | 22.6 | 79 | 0 |
| 3 | Wil Anderson Jr. | Texans | 91.7 | 27.0 | 87 | 1 |
| 3 | Aidan Hutchinson | Lions | 91.7 | 22.1 | 87 | 1 |
| 5 | Jeffery Simmons | Titans | 90.9 | 19.3 | 58 | 3 |
| 6 | Chris Jones | Leaders | 90.5 | 15.8 | 53 | 2 |
| 7 | Danielle Hunter | Texans | 89.5 | 21.3 | 75 | 2 |
| 8 | Joey Bosa | Bills | 88.9 | 15.8 | 45 | 2 |
| 9 | Maliek Collins | Tanning | 87.2 | 14.0 | 28 | 0 |
| 10 | Nick Herbig | Steelers | 85.4 | 15.7 | 42 | 0 |
| 11 | Jowon Briggs | Jets | 85.2 | 15.3 | 35 | 0 |
| 12 | Dexter Laurens | Giants | 85.1 | 14.2 | 32 | 2 |
| 13 | Cameron Heyward | Steelers | 84.8 | 15.0 | 48 | 5 |
| 14 | Abdul Carter | Giants | 83.0 | 14.3 | 54 | 0 |
| 15 | Byron Young | Rams | 82.2 | 16.2 | 57 | 0 |
| 16 | Jared Vers | Rams | 81.6 | 16.8 | 72 | 0 |
| 17 | Kobie Turner | Rams | 81.2 | 13.7 | 50 | 3 |
| 18 | Alex Highsmith | Steelers | 81.0 | 17.1 | 37 | 0 |
| 19 | Josh Hines-Allen | Jaguars | 80.8 | 18.3 | 82 | 2 |
| 20 | Vita Vea | Buccaneers | 79.6 | 14.0 | 50 | 3 |
| 21 | Nik Bonitto | Broncos | 78.8 | 17.0 | 64 | 0 |
| 22 | Jaelan Philips | Eagles | 78.2 | 18.8 | 66 | 2 |
| 23 | Bryce Huff | 49ers | 77.7 | 16.0 | 41 | 1 |
| 24 | Byron Murphy II | Seahawks | 77.6 | 12.0 | 47 | 0 |
| 24 | Jonathan Groenard | Vikings | 77.6 | 16.6 | 47 | 0 |
| 26 | Odafe Oweh | Chargers | 77.5 | 16.3 | 39 | 0 |
| 27 | Greg Rousseau | Bills | 77.3 | 16.0 | 51 | 2 |
| 28 | Maxx Crosby | Robbers | 77.1 | 14.4 | 53 | 4 |
| 29 | Call Tuiplutu | Chargers | 76.5 | 12.8 | 69 | 2 |
| 29 | George Karlaftis | Leaders | 76.5 | 16.7 | 64 | 1 |
| 31 | Laiato Latu | Foals | 76.4 | 16.2 | 54 | 0 |
| 32 | Jalen Carter | Eagles | 76.3 | 11.5 | 36 | 5 |
Highlights from week 16
Best Pass Rusher: DJ Reader, Detroit Lions
Reader’s PFF pass-rush grade of 91.0 in Week 16 was the highest among all players with at least 15 pass-rushing snaps. The former Clemson Tiger generated three points of pressure from domestically and an impressive win rate of 23.8%. It was his highest PFF pass-rush grade in a game since 2023, when he was a member of the Cincinnati Bengals.
Most pressure: Yaya Diaby, Tampa Bay Buccaneers; Greg Rousseau, Buffalo Bills
Diaby and Rousseau each generated 10 pressures in their respective games, setting the highest mark in the NFL in Week 16. Rousseau padded the box score with 2.5 sacks and four quarterback hits, which were also league highs. For Diaby, his 10 pressures surpassed his previous career high of nine earlier this season against the Jets in Week 3.
Highest Win Rate: Andrew Van Ginkel, Minnesota Vikings
Van Ginkel’s 38.5% pass-rush winning percentage in Week 16 paced the league as the Vikings completely shut down standout rookie quarterback Jaxon Dart through the air, allowing just 33 passing yards while sacking him five times (once by Van Ginkel).
Best Rookie Pass Rusher: Abdul Carter, New York Giants
Carter is the league’s top-rated rookie pass rusher for the second week in a row. The third overall pick in this year’s draft returned a PFF pass-rush grade of 81.3 after generating six pressures (one sack) and a 20.7% winning percentage against the Vikings in Week 16.
#Giants EDGE Abdul Carter in week 16:
– 81.3 passed for emergency class
– 6 prints (1 bag)
– 20.7% win rate* 90.4 pass rush grade since Week 13 is second-highest in the NFL
📈📈📈 pic.twitter.com/lFu0pCN4vf
— Ryan Smith (@PFF_RyanSmith) December 23, 2025
Highlights of the season
Best Pass Rusher: Myles Garrett, Cleveland Browns
Garrett remains the NFL leader in PFF pass-rush grade (93.3). However, the Bills neutralized him in Week 16, limiting him to just two pressures and a PFF pass-rush grade of 59.4 across 22 pass-rushing snaps. Despite the down game, Garrett was credited with half a sack and has two games to record one sack to break the NFL’s single season record. Next up for the Browns is a Week 17 matchup at home against the division-leading Pittsburgh Steelers.
Most pressure: Aidan Hutchinson, Detroit Lions; Will Anderson Jr., Houston Texans
Hutchinson was the leader in total pressure for most of the season, but is now tied with Texans star Will Anderson Jr. through Week 16. (87). Anderson has been the more consistent pass rusher of the two, recording at least four pressures in all but one game this season.
Highest win rate: Will Anderson Jr., Houston Texans
Anderson (27.0%) and Myles Garrett (25.8%) are by far the NFL’s most dominant pass rushers in terms of winning percentage this season, trading at the top spot all year long.
Best Rookie Pass Rusher: Abdul Carter, New York Giants
Carter is in a tier of his own when it comes to rookie pass rushers this season, leading the way in PFF pass-rush grade (83.0), pressures (54) and winning percentage (14.3%). He was among the league’s top pass rushers over the past month and ranked second in the PFF pass-rush grade (90.4) as of Week 13. His recent play has moved him all the way into the top 15 of these pass-rusher rankings.
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