NFL pass rusher rankings before week 7

• Aidan Hutchinson regains his No. 1 ranking: After a slow start to the season by his standards (two pressures), Hutchinson has been the league’s most productive pass rusher, with 34 pressures and six sacks over the past five games.

• Warren Brinson impressed in his NFL debut: The Packers rookie earned a PFF pass-rushing grade of 80.6, the highest mark among rookies, after generating two pressures and a 23.5% winning percentage in Green Bay’s win over the Bengals.

Estimated reading time: 5 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 6. For more numbers and stats on the best pass rushers in the league, visit PFF Premium Stats.

Highlights from week 6

Best Pass Rusher: Nick Herbig, Pittsburgh Steelers

Herbig was part of a ruthless Steelers pass rush that generated 32 pressures and six sacks against the Browns. His PFF pass-rush grade of 92.6 led the NFL in Week 6, marking his fifth game with a PFF pass-rush grade of 90.0-plus since the start of last season.

#Steelers EDGE Nick Herbig in Week 6

– 92.6 PFF passed emergency class
– 6 presses
– 2 pockets
– 30.6% win rate

His fifth game with a pass rush grade of 90.0 or higher since the start of last season

📈📈📈 pic.twitter.com/Gl3fDgibvS

— Ryan Smith (@PFF_RyanSmith) October 14, 2025

Most pressure: Jared Verse, Los Angeles Rams; K’Lavon Chaisson, New England Patriots; Leonard Williams, Seattle Seahawks

Verse, Chaisson and Williams tied for the league lead in pressures generated (eight) in Week 6. The eight pressures were a career high for Chaisson, while equaling Verse’s best performance from his rookie season last year. While not a career high for Williams (two nine pressures), he last reached that mark almost a decade ago (2016) as a member of the New York Jets.

Highest win rate: Jared Verse, Los Angeles Rams

Verse was one of three players to register a 30.0% plus pass-rush win rate in Week 6, leading the way at a 33.5% clip. The former Florida State Seminole was outstanding in his rookie season last year and has taken his game to another level in his second season as one of the league’s best edge defenders at just 24 years old.

#Rams EDGE Jared Verse led the league with a 35.5% win rate and tied for most pressures (8) in Week 6

The 2024 Defensive Rookie of the Year is among the season’s top 10 pass rushers in pass rush grade, total pressure and winning percentage💪🏻#Ramhouse pic.twitter.com/VUseuArl6e

— Ryan Smith (@PFF_RyanSmith) October 14, 2025

Best Rookie Pass Rusher: Warren Brinson, Green Bay Packers

Brinson made his NFL debut and was used primarily in passing, as 19 of his 21 snaps came as a pass rusher. The sixth round pick Georgia posted a PFF pass-rushing grade of 80.6, the highest mark among rookies, after generating two pressures and a 23.5% winning percentage in the Packers’ win over the Bengals.

Highlights of the season

Best Pass Rusher: Aidan Hutchinson, Detroit Lions

Hutchinson had record pace last season. His 72 pass-rush wins were the most of any defensive player in the PFF era through the first six weeks of a season (and Detroit also had a bye) before he suffered a broken tibia and fibula and missed the rest of the campaign.

Hutchinson is back at the top of the rankings, with a PFF pass-rush grade of 93.1, after another strong game in Kansas City. The former No. 2 overall pick Michigan also ranks fourth in the NFL in pass-rush winning percentage (25.4%) and is on the short list of favorites for Defensive Player of the Year through Week 6.

Most total pressure: Aidan Hutchinson, Detroit Lions

After a slow start to the season by his standards (two pressures), Hutchinson has been the league’s most productive pass rusher, with 34 pressures and six sacks over the past five games.

Highest winning percentage: Will Anderson Jr., Houston Texans

Anderson has gone from a very good pass rusher to an elite force in his third season with the Houston Texans. He leads the NFL in pass-rush winning percentage (32.0%), the only player in the league with a clip higher than 30.0%.

Best Rookie Pass Rusher: Abdul Carter, New York Giants

Carter is in a league of his own when it comes to rookie passing production through the first six weeks of the season. The No. 3 overall pick in this year’s draft leads all rookies with at least 50 pass-rushing snaps in PFF pass-rush grade (79.3), total pressures (24) and winning percentage (14.2%).