For defensive ends, one-on-one drills are the pinnacle of physicality. You and another man on an island. Whoever exerts the most will wins. It’s always more complicated than that, of course. It takes talent. It takes precision. But at the Senior Bowl, where talent meets talent, it takes an extra edge to come out on top. Do the 2022 Senior Bowl defensive ends have that extra edge? Here’s an early look at the top NFL Draft prospects competing.
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2022 Senior Bowl Defensive Ends
Here are the National Team and American Team rosters at defensive end for the 2022 Senior Bowl. Each roster is seven-deep at defensive end, with both Power Five and Group of Five talents making appearances.
Note: Kentucky’s Josh Paschal withdrew from the Senior Bowl
National Team
- Myjai Sanders | Cincinnati
- Dominique Robinson | Miami (Ohio)
- Boye Mafe | Minnesota
- Tyreke Smith | Ohio State
- Isaiah Thomas | Oklahoma
- Arnold Ebiketie | Penn State
- Esezi Otomewo | Minnesota
American Team
- Jermaine Johnson II | Florida State
- Josh Paschal | Kentucky
- Kingsley Enagbare | South Carolina
- Micheal Clemons | Texas A&M
- Amaré Barno | Virginia Tech
- DeAngelo Malone | Western Kentucky
- Cameron Thomas | San Diego State
Top Senior Bowl defensive ends | National Team
Fittingly, the 2022 Senior Bowl National Team is stocked with impact defensive ends from all over the nation. Many of these players can use the Senior Bowl as a crucial opportunity to rise. Tyreke Smith and Dominique Robinson are both high-level athletes yet to reach their ceiling. Isaiah Thomas is a violent edge rusher with dominating length and closing speed. And Esezi Otomewo is a versatile lineman who carries his 6’6″, 285-pound frame incredibly well.
All of those prospects are worth knowing, but the following defensive ends are the three top talents on the National Team.
Arnold Ebiketie, Penn State
Penn State’s Arnold Ebiketie received a top-35 ranking on my latest individual Top 300 Big Board. You could argue that Ebiketie doesn’t have a quantifiably elite trait. You could also argue there’s nothing he doesn’t have. Ebiketie has great straight-line explosiveness, excellent proportional length, and power capacity to go along with bend, lateral agility, and a hot motor. And he ties it all together with a strong pass-rushing arsenal.
Myjai Sanders, Cincinnati
His statistical production doesn’t leap off the screen, but we’ve learned by now not to go off of raw stats for edge rushers. Myjai Sanders consistently generates pressure with his high-end explosiveness, bend, and snap anticipation. He’s also flashed the ability to multitask while accelerating around the edge — a crucial trait in today’s game. Sanders’ weight will be a topic of discussion in Mobile, but he has great potential.
Boye Mafe, Minnesota
Athletic traits always shine through at the Senior Bowl. That’s why Minnesota’s Boye Mafe might be one of the biggest risers to come out of the event. Mafe reportedly has a 4.57 40-yard dash and a 40.5-inch vertical at 6’4″ and over 260 pounds. That athleticism shows up on tape. He’s supremely explosive and twitchy, with solid bend capacity. But he’s also strong, powerful, and trending up with his hand usage.
Top Senior Bowl defensive ends | American Team
The American Team appears just as deep as the National Team, with plenty of different player types to talk about. Amaré Barno and DeAngelo Malone are both leaner athletes with potential as stand-up rushers. Micheal Clemons, meanwhile, is an explosive and powerful defender with inside/outside versatility. There’s a lot to like in this group, but these top three stand above the rest.
Kingsley Enagbare, South Carolina
In a one-on-one setting, a player’s motor takes on advanced scrutiny. In a game setting, sometimes you can get away with being a step behind if the offense makes a mistake. But in one-on-ones, everyone is watching to see how much heat you come with. That won’t be a problem for Kingsley Enagbare. He’s a hot-motor rusher with great ankle flexion and flashes of precise hand usage. He doesn’t have elite burst, but he’s a well-rounded player.
Jermaine Johnson II, Florida State
Players often use the Senior Bowl to boost their stock, but Jermaine Johnson II has already done most of the boosting this season. The 6’5″, 260-pound Georgia transfer amassed 70 tackles, 17.5 tackles for loss, 11.5 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles in 2021. He’s long and lean but also strong and powerful. Johnson might be one of the most advanced rushers in Mobile with his hand usage.
Cameron Thomas, San Diego State
If it weren’t for Cameron Thomas, Johnson might’ve been the most productive edge rusher in the 2022 Senior Bowl defensive end group. Thomas put up a whopping 20.5 tackles for loss in 2021 to go along with 10.5 sacks. Known as the “Aidan Hutchinson of the Mountain West” by some, Thomas has earned plenty of fans with his powerful, relentless style. One of those fans is PFN Draft analyst Oliver Hodgkinson, who had Thomas ranked 29th overall in his latest Top 300 Big Board.