Where are the top edge-rushing recruits in the 2025 class heading?
Cody Nagel
The edge rusher position has seen a significant rise in prominence in recent seasons. It is a necessity to have elite talent to get after the quarterback in college football.While it may not be the most stacked position group in the 2025 recruiting class, there is still a list of notable prospects featured in the latest Top247 rankings update.
All but one of the top 10 edge rushers in the cycle arealready committed with Alabaster (Ala.) Thompson five-star Jared Smith set to make his decision in early August. LSU certainly has a case for the best haul of edge rushers in the 2025 class with commitments from two of the top-10 prospects at that position.Of the25edge rushers featured in the latest Top247,Smith is the only one uncommitted at this point.
The Top247 for the 2025 recruiting class will not be finalized until after the postseason all-star games in January. Two more updates are planned before then.
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Below is a closer look at the top 10edge-rushing prospects in the recent 2025 Top247 update and where they are currently committed:
10. Zion Grady — Committed to Ohio State
247Sports ranking:4-star | 93 rating | No.75 overall
Ohio State won the recruiting battle for Enterprise (Ala.) Top247 edge rusher Zion Grady just three days after a convincing official visit in June. The Buckeyes beat out Auburn, Florida State, Miami, Tennessee and others for his pledge. The versatile pass rusher has the ability to play a number of roles in an odd front and win one-on-one battles consistently with his initial quickness off the line. Grady recorded 87 total tackles, including 24 for loss with 11 sacks and 22 quarterback hurries as a junior at Troy (Ala.) Charles Henderson.
9. CJ Nickson — Committed to Oklahoma
247Sports ranking:4-star | 93 rating | No.74 overall
Oklahoma beat out Bedlam rival Oklahoma State in a battle for Weatherford (Okla.) Top247 edge rusher CJ Nickson. The Sooners look to secure the No. 1 ranked in-state prospect for the first time since2020. The 6-foot-5, 220-pound soon-to-be senior provides an excellent two-way, multi-sport profile as a standout in basketball as well with prior offers from Oral Roberts, Tulsa and UT Arlington. Nickson registered 54 total tackles with five tackles for loss, a sack and five pass breakups on defense last season, adding 34 receptions for 577 yards and five touchdowns. Oklahoma was among the first to extend an offer to Nickson back in January 2023.
8. LaJesse Harrold — Committed to LSU
247Sports ranking:4-star | 93 rating | No.73 overall
LSU has two elite-level edge rushers committed in the 2025 recruiting class with one of those being Tampa (Fla.) Robinson standout LaJesse Harrold. The 6-foot-5, 215-pound Top247 recruit helped theKnights win their first district title since 2012 while recording 42 total tackles, including 18 for loss with 8.5 sacks, two fumble recoveries and a forced fumble in just nine games. Harrold has explosiveness and good athleticism to be a disruptive playmaker up front in the near future at LSU, which continues to upgrade its defensive personnel.
7. Justin Hill — Committed to Alabama
247Sports ranking:4-star | 94 rating | No. 61 overall
Ohio State dippedwithin the borders ofAlabama to steal one of its top edge rushers, but the Crimson Tide did the same to the Buckeyes, landing Cincinnati (Ohio) Winton Woods Top247 prospect Justin Hill in early July. Others in the mix included Oregon and USC. Hill played in 11 games as a junior last season, recording 36 total tackles with 16 for loss, 13 sacks and a pair of forced fumbles. His verified 6-foot-3, 220-pound frame with long arms and strong inside hand give him the ability to fend off heavier defensive linemen.
6. Ari Watford — Committed to Clemson
247Sports ranking:4-star | 94 rating | No.55 overall
Clemson landed a commitment fromthe top-ranked prospect in Virginia for the 2025 class in January as Ari Watfordmade his move on the Tigers. The two-time MaxPreps All-American Second Team selection helpedNorfolk (Va.) Maury to a perfect 15-0 record and Class 5 State Championship in 2023. As a sophom*ore, Watford played for Salem (Va.). He registered 12 sacks prior to earning Virginia 5A All-State honors. Watford has the potential to be a high-major impact player in college football with long-term NFL Draft potential as an early-round selection.
5. Damien Shanklin — Committed to LSU
247Sports ranking:4-star | 94 rating | No. 49 overall
Indianapolis (Ind.) Warren Central standout Damien Shanklin is the other half of the elite edge-rusher pairing for LSU in the 2025 recruiting class. The 6-foot-4, 230-pound prospect picked the Tigers over Alabama, Notre Dame, Ohio State and Tennessee among others in early July. Shanklin had a highly-productive junior campaign, registering 66 total tackles, including 17 for loss with three sacks and an interception. That is on top of what he accomplished as a sophom*ore when he tallied eight tackles for loss and three sacks.
4. Jakaleb Faulk — Committed to Auburn
247Sports ranking:4-star | 94 rating | No. 47 overall
Highland Home (Ala.)four-star edge rusher Jakaleb Faulk jumped into thetop 50 of the national rankings with a rating jump in March. The 6-foot-3, 225-pound longtime Auburn commit made his move back in August 2023 and is on track to join his brother Keldric Faulk on The Plains. The younger Faulk has 137.5 total tackles in the past two seasons, adding 26 for loss and four sacks to go along with three pass breakups, an interception, as well as a pair of forced fumbles and fumble recoveries.
3. Javion Hilson — Committed to Florida State
247Sports ranking:4-star | 94 rating | No.44 overall
Florida Stateheld off Florida, Georgia, Miami, Ohio State, Penn State and Tennessee for the Cocoa (Fla.) standout edge rusher Javion Hilson back in January.The 6-foot-3, 225-pound recruit in the Sunshine Staterecorded 94 total tackles, including 27 for loss, 14 sacks, 44 quarterback hurries and three forced fumbles last season. Hilson also has a notable track and field résumé as a two-time regional qualifier in the high jump. He owns a personal-best 5-10 in the eventand has also gone 7.51 in the 60-meter dash and 11.29 in the 100-meter dash.
2. Jared Smith — Uncommitted
247Sports ranking:5-star | 98 rating | No.19 overall
Alabaster (Ala.) Thompson five-star edge rusher Jared Smith is nearing his commitment decision date, which is set for Aug. 3. The 6-foot-6, 235-pound recruithas Auburn, Florida State, Georgia, Ole Miss, South Carolina, Tennessee and USC fighting for his pledge. Auburn does hold an advantage in the 247Sports Crystal Ball Predictions. Smith started his junior year atSpain Park (Ala.) before transferring into Alabaster (Ala.) Thompson in the middle of the season. His frame makes him a prototypical edge rusher with good feet and body quickness for his size.
1. Isaiah Gibson — Committed to Georgia
247Sports ranking:5-star | 98 rating | No.17 overall
Georgia kept Warner Robins (Ga.) five-star edge rusher Isaiah Gibson in state after securing his commitment in June over Auburn, Ohio State, South Carolina and Tennessee. The top-ranked edge rusher — who decommitted from USC prior to picking the Bulldogs — earned his five-star status this spring. As a junior, Gibson helped the Demons reach the quarterfinals of the Georgia5A State Playoffs, leading the team with 17 sacks and 55 pressures. Warner Robins reached the state championship game during his sophom*ore season when he contributed 33 total tackles, six sacks and 24 quarterback hurries.
