RUSHING TO JUDGMENT

The Jets’ edge rush did flash at times in 2020, led by players such as Tarell Basham and Bryce Huff, but clearly the Jets are still looking for a dominating pass rusher for whom other teams need to game plan.

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Here is an early look at some of the top pass rushers who could go in the first four rounds of the 2021 draft.

Gregory Rousseau, Miami (6-7, 265 lbs.)

His true freshman year ended after two games due to an ankle injury, so he was red-shirted. He returned in 2019 with a vengeance with 15.5 sacks and 19.5 tackles for loss. However, Rousseau opted out this season, so there isn’t a ton of film on him with the Hurricanes. It would have been helpful to see what he would do for an encore in 2020. Nonetheless, with his rare combination of size, speed and athleticism, he should be the first edge rusher off the board. In addition to his pass-rush skills, he’s very disruptive to the QB’s passing lanes with his length.

Carlos Basham Jr, Wake Forest (6-5, 285)

As a junior in 2019, he had 11 sacks and 18 tackles for loss. According to Wake Forest, he had 112 quarterback pressures over his sophomore and junior campaigns, which is obviously an impressive number. This year, he had just 5 sacks, but he played only six games. He’s not necessarily an elite edge rusher who can consistently bend the corner under offensive tackles, but “Boogie,” as he is known, can beat opponents with a terrific bull rush, a great motor and really good technique.

Kwity Paye, Michigan (6-4, 272)