The 2013 NFL Draft’s defensive end class is full of uncertainty. Is Ezekial Ansah worth the risk with only one season of real production under his belt? Will Cornelius Carradine maintain his athleticism coming of a devastating knee injury? And what do we make of Bjoern Werner and Damontre Moore struggling throughout the pre-draft process and showing flaws on tape?
This is certainly an interesting class with no shortage on intrigue, but the talent is there as well. In our final positional rankings of the season, Ansah checks in as our No. 1 defensive end. He’s a force on the edge due to his brute strength and incredible explosion. If he can refine his skill set, he could become the draft’s best pass rusher.
As is always the case, teams’ preferences on prospects will depend largely on scheme. With the amount of different looks teams employ on defense, finding the right fit at pass rusher is important, but so is versatility at the position. That’s what Corey Lemonier of Auburn brings to the table, which is why he’s found his way into the top eight spots of our rankings.
Overall, the position is deep and talented. We’ve ranked 26 defensive ends in total, and here they are.
2013 NFL Draft defensive end rankings
Our final update to our defensive end rankings.
USA TODAY Sports
1. Ezekiel Ansah | 6'5 1/4, 271 pounds | Defensive end | BYU
2. Cornelius Carradine | 6'4 1/8, 276 pounds | Defensive end | Florida State
3. Bjoern Werner | 6'3 1/4, 266 pounds | Defensive end | Florida State *
4. Datone Jones | 6'3 7/8, 283 pounds | Defensive end | UCLA
5. Damontre Moore | 6'4 1/2, 250 pounds | Defensive end | Texas A&M *
6. Alex Okafor | 6'4 1/2, 264 pounds | Defensive end | Texas
7. Sam Montgomery | 6'3 1/4, 262 pounds | Defensive end | LSU *
8. Corey Lemonier | 6'3 3/8, 255 pounds | Defensive end | Auburn *
9. Margus Hunt | 6'8 1/8, 277 pounds | Defensive end | SMU
10. William Gholston | 6'6 1/4, 281 pounds | Defensive end | Michigan State *
11. Joe Kruger | 6'6 1/4, 269 pounds | Defensive end | Utah *
12. Malliciah Goodman | 6'4, 276 pounds | Defensive end | Clemson
13. Quanterus Smith | 6'5, 250 pounds | Defensive end | Western Kentucky
14. John Simon | 6'1, 257 pounds | Defensive end | Ohio State
15. Michael Buchanan | 6'5 3/8, 255 pounds | Defensive end | Illinois
16. Lavar Edwards | 6'4, 277 pounds | Defensive end | LSU
17. Devin Taylor | 6'7, 266 pounds | Defensive end | South Carolina
18. Stansly Maponga | 6'2, 256 pounds | Defensive end | TCU *
19. Damion Square | 6'2, 293 pounds Defensive end | Alabama
20. Mike Catapano | 6'4, 270 pounds | Defensive end | Princeton
21. Tourek Williams | 6'3, 260 pounds | Defensive end | Florida International
22. David Bass | 6'3 7/8, 262 pounds | Defensive end | Missouri Western
23. Brad Madison | 6'4, 265 pounds | Defensive end | Missouri
24. Craig Roh | 6'4, 269 pounds | Defensive end | Michigan
25. Cameron Meredith | 6'4, 260 pounds | Defensive end | Nebraska
26. Travis Long | 6'4, 245 pounds | Defensive end | Washington State
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