Defensive end is a position that may not put the numbers up, and it may not be their fault. Clemson is an example of just that, and we’ll look more into that as we grade the group.

The first stat people look at is sacks with the trio of Xavier Thomas, Justin Mascoll and TJ Parker who finished with 12. We need to dig far deeper though, because this group did a lot more than it was given credit for.

Thomas is the prime example of this. The one thing I want to get out of the way is the abysmal officiating he dealt with in 2023. Regardless of if he beat his man and was dragged down from behind, a blind eye was turned on a plethora of holding calls that could’ve increased his production.

Still, he led the team with 43 pressures according to Pro Football Focus. That stacks up to a 17% win rate on his reps as a pass rusher. Thomas might not be the guy with a ton of sacks, but his impact on the game was evident. On top of that, his absence in Miami was felt.

Mascoll was the other vet of the group and he was productive, just not as much as the Tigers may have hoped for. He had 14 pressures and two sacks, but only a 4.4% win rate on his reps.

Depth was the main issue coming into the season on the edge, and the show-stopping debut of Parker relieved the major concern. He was arguably the most productive with 35 pressures and a team-leading six sacks. A lot of his success came early in the year, but his 18 run stops added to his value even when the pass rush wasn’t as efficient.

Relying on only three edge rushers limited this group, but it still found a way to make an impact. With Thomas and Mascoll graduating, it’ll be interesting to see how Parker leads the group and the rest develop.

Final DE Grade: B