Ranking all 18 Big Ten pass-rushing groups from worst to first

Few positions have gained more prominence over the last decade, specifically in line with the evolution of passing offenses, than the dedicated pass-rusher. Former Penn State Nittany Lions Micah Parsons and Abdul Carter define the position's modern prototype.

A havoc-wreaking hybrid linebacker or defensive end can be a defense's best match for a high-powered passing offense. It's no surprise that former Wisconsin Badger and current Pittsburgh Steeler T.J. Watt just became the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history. His year-in, year-out double-digit sack production is a driving force behind Pittsburgh's defensive success.

While we already ranked every defensive line in the Big Ten entering the 2025 season, that preview work is not complete without a dedicated look at each line's pass-rushing group.

Position Previews: Defense -- Offense -- Quarterbacks -- Running Backs-- Wide Receivers -- Tight Ends -- Offensive Line -- Defensive Line

One note: due to defensive schemes varying from school to school, where some utilize a four-man front with traditional defensive ends and others a three-man front with stand-up linebackers, this ranking is a projection of which defensive fronts will generate the most pressure on opposing quarterbacks. The 'starters' listed are those who project to lead the room's sack production.

With that, here is our ranking of every Big Ten pass-rushing group entering the 2025 football season.

18. Purdue Boilermakers

Starters: DE Trey Smith, DE C.J. Madden

Purdue's sack production is hard to project. The team totaled just 22 sacks a season ago -- seven of which came from Kydran Jenkins, who exhausted his eligibility that season. Smith tallied just two tackles in nine games in a limited role in 2024. Madden, a former Georgia transfer, is the room's wild card. The former blue-chip recruit played in just three games last season before suffering a season-ending injury. This group should benefit from Purdue's general improvement in 2025. However, it's hard to predict exactly how much improvement.

17. Michigan State Spartans

Starters: DE Jalen Thompson, DE David Santiago (transfer)

Michigan State was one of the Big Ten's worst at pressuring opposing quarterbacks in 2024, totaling just 19 total sacks. LB Khris Bogle (four sacks), LB Jordan Turner (three sacks) and DL Anthony Jones (two sacks), who generated most of that production, are all gone from the unit. Thompson tallied 17 tackles and two for loss in a reserve role last year, while Santiago transfers in from Air Force, where he recorded 37 tackles and 3 1/2 sacks in 2024.

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16. UCLA Bruins

Starters: DE Grant Buckey, DE Devin Aupiu

Buckey is a major unknown after appearing primarily on special teams in 2024. Aupiu, who is entering his fifth collegiate season in 2025, broke out in 2025 with five tackles for loss and 1 1/2 sacks. The team lost sack leaders Femi Oladejo (4 1/2 sacks) and Carson Schwesinger (four sacks) from the 2024 unit. Buckey and Aupiu will need big seasons, or transfers Kechaun Bennett (Michigan) and Nico Davillier (Arkansas) will threaten to claim the starting roles.

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15. Maryland Terrapins

Starters: OLB Trey Reddick, OLB D.J. Samuels

Reddick tallied 16 tackles, three for loss and one sack in 2024, while Samuels registered 14 tackles and six for loss. While the two form an unproven duo, they have solid potential. Maryland as a team recorded only 14 sacks last season (worst in the Big Ten). These two will be key to the Maryland defense taking step forward.

14. Wisconsin Badgers

Starters: DE/OLB Darryl Peterson, DE/OLB Mason Reiger (transfer)

Wisconsin returns Peterson and Aaron Witt from a pass-rushing group that ranked close to the bottom of the Big Ten in quarterback pressure in 2024. The program landed Louisville transfer Reiger to change that reality. Wild cards to watch for are Sebastian Cheeks (12 tackles, two sacks in 2024) and Kentucky transfer Tyreese Fearbry.

13. USC Trojans

Starters: DE Anthony Lucas, DE Kameryn Fountain, DE Braylan Shelby

USC is still trying to find the right recipe on the defensive side of the football. A common refrain for this tier of the rankings: the team struggled to pressure the quarterback in 2024, totaling just 21 team sacks. Shelby paced the room in 2024 with five tackles for loss and three sacks. Fountain grew into a larger role as the season continued, finishing with five TFL and two sacks. Lucas, finally, tallied just 16 tackles in limited action. The Trojans will need a big step forward from the entire trio if it is to threaten for the conference crown.

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12. Nebraska Cornhuskers

Starters: OLB Dasan McCullough (transfer), OLB Willis McGahee IV

Nebraska has two major wild cards at outside linebacker entering 2025. McCullough transfers in from Oklahoma after a quiet, 17-tackle, three-TFL 2024 season at Oklahoma. Notably, he excelled with 49 tackles, seven for loss and four sacks at Indiana in 2022. McGahee IV, who tallied 13 tackles, two flor loss and one sack as a freshman in 2024, is a popular breakout candidate entering the year. This is a classic low-floor, high-ceiling pass-rushing group.

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11. Minnesota Golden Gophers

Starters: DE/OLB Lucas Finnessy, DE Anthony Smith

Finnessy is set to claim a larger role after registering 17 tackles as a primary backup in 2024. Smith should again headline the room. He tallied 27 tackles and an impressive 12 TFL and six sacks a season ago. Unlike Nebraska, Minnesota's edge rushers have an extremely high floor, with proven returning production. However, it's hard to see this group challenging the conference's best.

10. Northwestern Wildcats

Starters: DE Aidan Hubbard, DE Anto Saka

Hubbard may be one of the more underrated players in the Big Ten entering 2025. He tallied 33 tackles, seven for loss and six sacks as Northwestern's leading rusher in 2024. Saka provides a strong complement after a 15-tackle, five-TFL, 3 1/2-sack 2024 campaign. This is a sneaky-good group.

9. Washington Huskies

Starters: DE Ta'ita'i Uiagalelei (transfer), DE Isaiah Ward

Uiagalelei is a major transfer addition after totaling 35 tackles, eight for loss and 2 1/2 sacks at Arizona in 2024. He will likely lead the Huskies in quarterback pressure in 2025. Ward, meanwhile, delivered a respectable 28-tackle, 6-TFL, three-sack campaign in 2024. This top duo will need to help the team improve its poor sack total (20) from a season ago.

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8. Illinois Fighting Illini

Starters: OLB Gabe Jacas, OLB Leon Lowery (transfer)

Illinois' pass-rushing room is an interesting combination of one of the Big Ten's best in Jacas (74 tackles, 13 TFL, eight sacks in 2024) and an unproven player in Lowery (29 tackles, one TFL, one sack at Wisconsin in 2024). Jacas' production should be enough to keep the team's sack production in the top half of the conference.

7. Ohio State Buckeyes

Starters: DE Kenyatta Jackson Jr., OLB Beau Atkinson (transfer)

Ohio State replaces its entire defensive line after its national title run in 2024. Jackson tallied 16 tackles, three for loss and 1 1/2 sacks in a reserve role last season, while Atkinson transfers in from North Carolina after a 35-tackle, 12-TFL, 7 1/2-sack 2024 campaign. It's Ohio State, so expect another terrific year in the pass-rushing department.

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6. Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Starters: DE Eric O'Neill (transfer), DE Bradley Weaver (transfer)

Rutgers' defensive end duo is flying under the radar as one of the conference's best. O'Neill transfers in from James Madison after registering 19 tackles for loss and 13 sacks in 2024. Weaver nearly matched that production at Ohio, finishing the year with 15 tackles for loss and 8 1/2 sacks. Rutgers may be lacking at some positions -- defensive end is not one of them.

5. Indiana Hoosiers

Starters: DE Stephen Daley (transfer), OLB Mikail Kamara

Daley's play will define where this room ranks at the season's end. He transfers in from Kent State after a nine-TFL, four-sack 2024 campaign. He'll play across from All-Conference linebacker Mikail Kamara, who tallied a whopping 15 tackles for loss and 10 sacks in 2024.

4. Iowa Hawkeyes

Starters: DE Max Llewellyn, DE Ethan Hurkett, OLB Jaxon Rexroth

Iowa returns a terrific defensive end duo of Llewellyn (22 tackles, eight for loss, 5 1/2 sacks in 2024) and Hurkett (56 tackles, 12 for loss, 6 1/2 sacks in 2024). Rexroth, a redshirt senior, is stepping into a prominent role after primarily playing on special teams over the last few seasons. Even with Rexroth's inexperience, Iowa ranks well with one of the nation's best defensive end duos.

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3. Penn State Nittany Lions

Starters: DE Dani Dennis-Sutton, DE Zuriah Fisher

Penn State is loaded all over the field. Dennis-Sutton is set to lead the team's sack production after a 13-TFL, 8 1/2-sack 2024 season. Of course, he played second fiddle to All-American linebacker Abdul Carter (24 tackles for loss and 12 sacks). Fisher is an interesting player to watch after he missed the 2024 season due to injury. He notched four tackles for loss and 3 1/2 sacks back in 2023.

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2. Oregon Ducks

Starters: DE Matayo Uiagalelei, OLB Teitum Tuioti

Uiagalelei will again be one of the Big Ten's best after he totaled 13 tackles for loss and 10 1/2 sacks a season ago. Tuioti gives the group a strong counter-punch after an eight-TFL, 5 1/2 sack 2024 season. Oregon experienced significant offseason turnover on both sides of the football. While standout linebacker Jordan Burch (11 tackles for loss, 8 1/2 sacks in 2024) is off to the NFL, the Ducks' pass-rushing group returns major talent and production.

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1. Michigan Wolverines

Starters: OLB Derrick Moore, OLB T.J. Guy

This is a bit of projection. But Michigan's pass-rushing duo is set for a major breakthrough. Moore tallied six tackles for loss and four sacks in 2024, playing in a rotation with standout Josiah Stewart (13 tackles for loss, 8 1/2 sacks). Guy was a bit more productive, with seven tackles for loss and 5 1/2 sacks. Both Moore and Guy are top-10 prospects at the position for the 2026 draft. While neither are as good as Uiagalelei (Oregon), Jacas (Illinois) or Dennis-Sutton (Penn State), their quality as a duo leads to this No. 1 ranking.

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This article originally appeared on Badgers Wire: Power ranking all 18 Big Ten pass-rushing groups from worst to first