This list is pretty typical for weakside DEs - WDE lists are usually populated with several busts.
A 2x first-team All-American and the #1 player selected in the 2017 NFL Draft
1.) Myles Garrett, Texas A&M; 5-stars, 6.1 RR, #2 on the Rivals 100, #1-overall prospect in Texas; Three-year starter who finished his 3-year career with 31 sacks for the Aggies; A 2x first-team All-American, he was the #1-overall player selected in the 2017 NFL Draft.
Three-year starter for the Hurricanes
2.) Chad Thomas, UMiami; 5-stars, 6.1 RR, #22 on the Rivals 100, 4th-best prospect in Florida; Three-year starter for the Canes who had 41 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks in 2017; Had 10 sacks in his career.
Lorenzo Carter was an absolute beast in pass-rush situations
3.) Lorenzo Carter, Georgia; 4-stars, 6.0 RR, #36 on the Rivals 100, 4th-best prospect in Georgia; Started 31 games in his career and was 2nd-team All-SEC as an outside LB in 2017; Had 61 tackles and 4.5 sacks for the BCS runner-up Bulldogs.
Holmes finished his career with 5 1/2 sacks
4.) Jalyn Holmes, Ohio State; 4-stars, 6.0 RR, #55 on the Rivals 100, 4th-best prospect in Virginia; Was honorable-mention All-Big Ten in both 2016 and 2017; Finished career with 84 tackles, 14 TFL, and 5.5 sacks; Spent much of his career backing up the Bosa brothers and Tyquan Lewis.
5.) Keyon Brown, Georgia; 4-stars, 5.9 RR, #91 on the Rivals 100, 11th-best prospect in Florida; Appeared in 14 games as a reserve OLB in 2017 and had 4 tackles on the season; Has never been on UGa's 2-deep depth chart; Appeared in one (1) game in 2016 and did not see the field in 2014 or 2015.
6.) Derick Roberson, Texas; 4-stars, 5.9 RR, #93 on the Rivals 100, 12th-best prospect in Texas; Now at FCS Sam Houston State, where he had 40 tackles and 5 sacks in 2017; Lasted two seasons in Austin, one of which was a redshirt year.
7.) Qualen Cunningham, Texas A&M; 4-stars, 5.9 RR, #97 on the Rivals 100, 4th-best prospect in Arizona; Appeared in 48 games in his career, but only had one start; Finished with 48 career tackles and 4.5 sacks.
8.) Deondre Clark, Louisiana State; 4-stars, 5.9 RR, #127 on the Rivals 250, 3rd-best prospect in Oklahoma; Career reserve at LSU who finished his career in Baton Rouge with 22 games played and 10 tackles.
9.) Justin Thornton, Auburn; 4-stars, 5.9 RR, #131 on the Rivals 250, 8th-best prospect in Alabama; Now at FCS Jacksonville State, where he had 15 tackles in 2017; Spent two years at Auburn, where he appeared in one (1) game.
Broke his ankle in the 2017 season opener
10.) Jesse Aniebonam, Maryland; 4-stars, 5.8 RR, #155 on the Rivals 250, 2nd-best prospect in Maryland; Two-year starter at outside LB for the Terps, he broke his ankle in the 2017 season opener at Texas and missed the remainder of the season; Led Maryland with 14 TFL and 9 sacks in 2016; Had 3.5 sacks in 2015; Had 14 tackles as a true freshman in 2014.
11.) Olajuwon Tucker, Southern Cal; 4-stars, 5.8 RR, #228 on the Rivals 250, 28th-best prospect in California; Now a reserve inside LB, Tucker did not record any stats in 2017; Appeared in 12 games in 2016, recording 9 tackles; His biggest season was 2015, where he finished the year with 40 tackles and 3.5 TFL - he started 3 games that season.
12.) Andrew Williams, Auburn; 4-stars, 5.8 RR, 23rd-best prospect in Georgia; Now a DT, Williams had 38 tackles in 2017; Had 12 tackles in 2016, and 3 tackles in 2015; Redshirted in 2014.
Three-year starter at Purdue
13.) Gelen Robinson, Purdue; 4-stars, 5.8 RR, 5th-best prospect in Indiana; Three-year starter for Purdue who moved inside to DT in 2017; Had 51 tackles and 12.5 TFL in 2017, and was 2nd-team All-Big Ten; The son of former Purdue All-American basketball player Glenn Robinson, he went to the same HS (Lake Central) as former Husker Jared Tomich.
14.) Joe Henderson, Tennessee; 4-stars, 5.8 RR, 15th-best prospect in Ohio; Current whereabouts unknown; Spent 2014 at Tennessee where he couldn't get qualified, and then transferred to Hutchinson CC (Kansas JUCO) to get his academics in order; Spent one year at Hutchinson and then disappeared.
Two-year starter for the Bruins
15.) Jacob Tuioti-Mariner, UCLA; 4-stars, 5.8 RR, 32nd-best prospect in California; A two-year starter on UCLA's defensive line, Tuioti-Mariner finished his career with 137 tackles and 18 TFL; He was honorable-mention All-Pac 12 in 2017.
16.) Malik Dorton, Southern Cal; 3-stars, 5.7 RR, 43rd-best prospect in California; Now a defensive tackle, Dorton had 24 tackles and 2.5 sacks in 2017; Appeared in 11 games in 2016, 2 games in 2015, and redshirted in 2014.
17.) Andrew Trumbetti, Notre Dame; 3-stars, 5.7 RR, 12th-best prospect in New Jersey; Had 28 tackles and 4 TFL in 2017; Started 7 games in 2016 and had 26 tackles; Started three games in 2015 and had 16 tackles and 2.5 TFL; Had 21 tackles and 5.5 TFL as a true freshman in 2014.
18.) Jarrell Owens, Oklahoma State; 3-stars, 5.7 RR, 34th-best prospect in Texas; Had six tackles and 3 TFL in 2017; Started 12 games in 2016 for the Cowboys; Redshirted in 2014.
19.) Jarrett Johnson, Texas A&M; 3-stars, 5.7 RR, 47th-best prospect in Texas; Appeared in 11 games in 2017 with 16 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, a forced fumble and a pass breakup; Spent 2014 - 2016 as the backup to the #1 guy on this list (Myles Garrett).
Lorenzo Featherston's promising career was cut short due to knee injuries
20.) Lorenzo Featherston, Florida State; 3-stars, 5.7 RR, 14th-best prospect in North Carolina; Now on a medical due to recurring knee problems; His future looked pretty bright as a true freshman in 2014, when he had 19 tackles and 5 TFL.
*****snip*****
NR Sedrick King, Nebraska; 3-stars, 5.5 RR, not ranked among the top 100 prospects in Florida; Now a reserve outside linebacker, King has 18 tackles over four seasons in Lincoln.
Rivals' list of weakside DEs in the 2014 recruiting class
A 2x first-team All-American and the #1 player selected in the 2017 NFL Draft
1.) Myles Garrett, Texas A&M; 5-stars, 6.1 RR, #2 on the Rivals 100, #1-overall prospect in Texas; Three-year starter who finished his 3-year career with 31 sacks for the Aggies; A 2x first-team All-American, he was the #1-overall player selected in the 2017 NFL Draft.
Three-year starter for the Hurricanes
2.) Chad Thomas, UMiami; 5-stars, 6.1 RR, #22 on the Rivals 100, 4th-best prospect in Florida; Three-year starter for the Canes who had 41 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks in 2017; Had 10 sacks in his career.
Lorenzo Carter was an absolute beast in pass-rush situations
3.) Lorenzo Carter, Georgia; 4-stars, 6.0 RR, #36 on the Rivals 100, 4th-best prospect in Georgia; Started 31 games in his career and was 2nd-team All-SEC as an outside LB in 2017; Had 61 tackles and 4.5 sacks for the BCS runner-up Bulldogs.
Holmes finished his career with 5 1/2 sacks
4.) Jalyn Holmes, Ohio State; 4-stars, 6.0 RR, #55 on the Rivals 100, 4th-best prospect in Virginia; Was honorable-mention All-Big Ten in both 2016 and 2017; Finished career with 84 tackles, 14 TFL, and 5.5 sacks; Spent much of his career backing up the Bosa brothers and Tyquan Lewis.
5.) Keyon Brown, Georgia; 4-stars, 5.9 RR, #91 on the Rivals 100, 11th-best prospect in Florida; Appeared in 14 games as a reserve OLB in 2017 and had 4 tackles on the season; Has never been on UGa's 2-deep depth chart; Appeared in one (1) game in 2016 and did not see the field in 2014 or 2015.
6.) Derick Roberson, Texas; 4-stars, 5.9 RR, #93 on the Rivals 100, 12th-best prospect in Texas; Now at FCS Sam Houston State, where he had 40 tackles and 5 sacks in 2017; Lasted two seasons in Austin, one of which was a redshirt year.
7.) Qualen Cunningham, Texas A&M; 4-stars, 5.9 RR, #97 on the Rivals 100, 4th-best prospect in Arizona; Appeared in 48 games in his career, but only had one start; Finished with 48 career tackles and 4.5 sacks.
8.) Deondre Clark, Louisiana State; 4-stars, 5.9 RR, #127 on the Rivals 250, 3rd-best prospect in Oklahoma; Career reserve at LSU who finished his career in Baton Rouge with 22 games played and 10 tackles.
9.) Justin Thornton, Auburn; 4-stars, 5.9 RR, #131 on the Rivals 250, 8th-best prospect in Alabama; Now at FCS Jacksonville State, where he had 15 tackles in 2017; Spent two years at Auburn, where he appeared in one (1) game.
Broke his ankle in the 2017 season opener
10.) Jesse Aniebonam, Maryland; 4-stars, 5.8 RR, #155 on the Rivals 250, 2nd-best prospect in Maryland; Two-year starter at outside LB for the Terps, he broke his ankle in the 2017 season opener at Texas and missed the remainder of the season; Led Maryland with 14 TFL and 9 sacks in 2016; Had 3.5 sacks in 2015; Had 14 tackles as a true freshman in 2014.
11.) Olajuwon Tucker, Southern Cal; 4-stars, 5.8 RR, #228 on the Rivals 250, 28th-best prospect in California; Now a reserve inside LB, Tucker did not record any stats in 2017; Appeared in 12 games in 2016, recording 9 tackles; His biggest season was 2015, where he finished the year with 40 tackles and 3.5 TFL - he started 3 games that season.
12.) Andrew Williams, Auburn; 4-stars, 5.8 RR, 23rd-best prospect in Georgia; Now a DT, Williams had 38 tackles in 2017; Had 12 tackles in 2016, and 3 tackles in 2015; Redshirted in 2014.
Three-year starter at Purdue
13.) Gelen Robinson, Purdue; 4-stars, 5.8 RR, 5th-best prospect in Indiana; Three-year starter for Purdue who moved inside to DT in 2017; Had 51 tackles and 12.5 TFL in 2017, and was 2nd-team All-Big Ten; The son of former Purdue All-American basketball player Glenn Robinson, he went to the same HS (Lake Central) as former Husker Jared Tomich.
14.) Joe Henderson, Tennessee; 4-stars, 5.8 RR, 15th-best prospect in Ohio; Current whereabouts unknown; Spent 2014 at Tennessee where he couldn't get qualified, and then transferred to Hutchinson CC (Kansas JUCO) to get his academics in order; Spent one year at Hutchinson and then disappeared.
Two-year starter for the Bruins
15.) Jacob Tuioti-Mariner, UCLA; 4-stars, 5.8 RR, 32nd-best prospect in California; A two-year starter on UCLA's defensive line, Tuioti-Mariner finished his career with 137 tackles and 18 TFL; He was honorable-mention All-Pac 12 in 2017.
16.) Malik Dorton, Southern Cal; 3-stars, 5.7 RR, 43rd-best prospect in California; Now a defensive tackle, Dorton had 24 tackles and 2.5 sacks in 2017; Appeared in 11 games in 2016, 2 games in 2015, and redshirted in 2014.
17.) Andrew Trumbetti, Notre Dame; 3-stars, 5.7 RR, 12th-best prospect in New Jersey; Had 28 tackles and 4 TFL in 2017; Started 7 games in 2016 and had 26 tackles; Started three games in 2015 and had 16 tackles and 2.5 TFL; Had 21 tackles and 5.5 TFL as a true freshman in 2014.
18.) Jarrell Owens, Oklahoma State; 3-stars, 5.7 RR, 34th-best prospect in Texas; Had six tackles and 3 TFL in 2017; Started 12 games in 2016 for the Cowboys; Redshirted in 2014.
19.) Jarrett Johnson, Texas A&M; 3-stars, 5.7 RR, 47th-best prospect in Texas; Appeared in 11 games in 2017 with 16 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, a forced fumble and a pass breakup; Spent 2014 - 2016 as the backup to the #1 guy on this list (Myles Garrett).
Lorenzo Featherston's promising career was cut short due to knee injuries
20.) Lorenzo Featherston, Florida State; 3-stars, 5.7 RR, 14th-best prospect in North Carolina; Now on a medical due to recurring knee problems; His future looked pretty bright as a true freshman in 2014, when he had 19 tackles and 5 TFL.
*****snip*****
NR Sedrick King, Nebraska; 3-stars, 5.5 RR, not ranked among the top 100 prospects in Florida; Now a reserve outside linebacker, King has 18 tackles over four seasons in Lincoln.
Rivals' list of weakside DEs in the 2014 recruiting class
