Mel Kiper ranks Top 10 defensive ends ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft

NFL Draft season is around the corner, with only the bowl games remaining in the 2022 season. That means that it’s time for ESPN NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper to give insight into this year’s class of players.

One of the most important positions is defensive end, sometimes referred to as the edge rusher position. After all, as the passing attack has become more important, it’s the defensive ends that throw off the timing of the passing game. Because of this value, they often go high in the NFL Draft.

Mel Kiper, before the benefit of most of the NFL Draft season, broke down the defensive end position.

Mel Kiper’s Top 10 defensive ends

Here are Mel Kiper’s 10 best defensive ends in the 2023 NFL Draft:

1. Myles Murphy, Clemson
2. Tyree Wilson, Texas Tech
3. Lukas Van Ness, Iowa
4. Jared Verse, Florida State
5. Keion White, Georgia Tech
6. Colby Wooden, Auburn
7. Zach Harrison, Ohio State
8. Tavius Robinson, Ole Miss
9. Dylan Horton, TCU
10. Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Kansas State

Among those defensive ends who Mel Kiper left just on the outside looking in are  Isaiah McGuire of Missouri, Viliami Fehoko of San Jose State, Adetomiwa Adebawore of Northwestern, DJ Johnson of Oregon, K.J. Henry of Clemson, Byron Young of Alabama, Karl Brooks of Bowling Green, and YaYa Diaby of Louisville.

It seems like Mel Kiper thinks this is an incredibly deep year at the defensive end. That group starts with Myles Murphy, who has been dominant at Clemson during his career. Meanwhile, two of the defensive ends that Kiper lists in his Top 10 are going to be playing in the College Football Playoff, Zach Harrison and Dylan Horton.

Interestingly, there aren’t any Group of Five players in Mel Kiper’s Top 10 as of right now. However, it’s worth pointing out that Jared Verse did transfer to Florida State from FCS Albany.

There is, of course, still time for these rankings to change with events like the NFL Combine coming before the NFL Draft.