Pass rushers have become increasingly vital to a team’s success due to the league shifting to half of all plays being passing downs. Although teams rely on defensive backs to cover and break up pass plays, a pass rusher’s job is to make sure the quarterback either never has a chance to attempt the pass or to make him rush his decision that can create turnovers in the secondary.
Defensive ends and tackles have the primary responsibility of pass rushing. Defensive ends tend to be more athletic while the defensive tackles have the added job of being dedicated run stoppers and are usually the biggest, strongest players on defense. Select this corps group with balance in mind when playing Madden 24.
Below, you will read:
- Madden 24’s best defensive linemen by overall rating as of August 28, 2023
- Why each pass rusher poses a threat to opposing offenses
- 2023 stats for each of Madden 24’s best defensive linemen
1. Aaron Donald – 99 OVR (Los Angeles Rams)
Position: Right End
Age: 32
Best Ratings in Madden 24: 99 Strength, 99 Power Moves, 99 Play Recognition
Aaron Donald has secured the title “King of the 99 Club” in Madden by achieving 99 OVR in his career for the seventh time. Donald holds ratings of 99 for Strength, Power Moves, and Play Recognition. No offensive line has a chance against Donald. His 97 Block Shedding, 93 Impact Blocking, and 96 Finesse Moves render double teams useless. Donald is also very effective at sniffing out plays and delivering hard blows to ball carriers with his 93 Tackle, 98 Pursuit, and 99 Play Recognition attributes.
Last year, Aaron Donald was injured in Week 13 and never returned for the season. He recorded 41 tackles, five sacks, and forced a fumble in 11 games. Donald was also named to his ninth Pro Bowl and was ranked the 11th best player by NFL.com
2. Myles Garrett – 98 OVR (Cleveland Browns)
Position: Right End
Age: 27
Best Ratings in Madden 24: 98 Power Moves, 97 Pursuit, 96 Strength
Myles Garrett does it all on defense. Garrett’s athletic attributes are exceptional. He has ratings of 91 in Acceleration, 87 for Speed, and 92 for Jumping. On top of his athletic skill set, he is also bullish when lining up as a tackle when needed. Garrett’s Strength rating is 96 with 98 Power Moves and 91 Finesse Move ratings, which exponentially adds to his versatility.
During the 2022 season, Garrett finished second in total sacks with 16, recorded 52 tackles, and forced two fumbles. He was selected Second-Team All-Pro and was named to the Pro Bowl team for the fourth time. Garrett also finished fifth in Defensive Player of the Year voting.
3. Nick Bosa – 98 OVR (San Francisco 49ers)
Position: Right End
Age: 25
Best Ratings in Madden 24: 98 Finesse Moves, 97 Play Recognition, 96 Tackle
Nick Bosa is a speedy pass rusher with a tendency to know where to be after the snap. Bosa’s Acceleration rating is 92, his Play Recognition is 97, and his Tackle rating is 96. This will lead to Bosa crashing in the backfield and reaching to the quarterback at a high rate. Bosa is also built like a tank; his Strength attribute is 91 and his Power Moves and FinesseMoves attributes are 94 and 98, respectively. He is the perfect combination of speed and strength for a defensive end.
Bosa had a league-leading 18.5 sacks last season to go along with 41 tackles and two forced fumbles. He was named Defensive Player of the Year, First-Team All-Pro for the first time, and selected to the Pro Bowl for the third time in his career. NFL.com named him the fourth best player in the league for 2023.
4. Micah Parsons – 97 OVR (Dallas Cowboys)
Position: Right End
Age: 24
Best Ratings in Madden 24: 98 Finesse Moves, 97 Play Recognition, 96 Tackle
Micah Parsons has a very unique skill set as a defensive player. He can play as a defensive end or linebacker for your team. Parsons has at least a 90 attribute rating in nine categories. His 95 Acceleration and 92 Speed ratings make him arguably the fastest defensive player in the game. Parson’s 95 Finesse Moves, 91 Agility, and 94 Pursuit attribute ratings are proof of his skill level in all areas.
The 2022 NFL season was Parson’s second and he showed zero signs of a sophomore slump. Parsons recorded 42 tackles, 13.5 sacks, and forced three fumbles. He was named First-Team All-Pro and was ranked as the ninth best player by NFL.com.
5. Chris Jones – 96 OVR (Kansas City Chiefs)
Position: Defensive Tackle
Age: 29
Best Ratings in Madden 24: 97 Power Moves, 97 Play Recognition, 96 Tackle
Chris Jones is a bull in the trenches. His attributes dealing with brute force are all in the 90s. Jones has a 95 Strength rating, 97 for Power Moves, 96 in Pursuit, and 93 for Toughness. The offensive line moves in the direction he allows or forces them into. Once Jones reaches the backfield, he delivers crushing tackles with a 93 Tackle rating.
Jones had an amazing season last year playing in all 17 games while recording 30 tackles, 15.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles. He was named to his fourth Pro Bowl and was ranked the tenth best player in 2023 by NFL.com. While he may be holding out in real life, you can still use him to your heart’s content in Madden 24.
6. Dexter Lawrence II – 94 OVR (New York Giants)
Position: Defensive Tackle
Age: 25
Best Ratings in Madden 24: 98 Play Recognition, 96 Strength, 95 Power Moves
Dexter Lawrence II is a disruptive run defender. Lawrence’s 96 Strength and 95 Power Moves attributes make it very difficult for offensive linemen to move him. Lawrence’s 98 Play Recognition and 91 Tackle attributes show that he has a great nose for sniffing out plays and punishes ball carriers shooting through the gaps.
Lawrence recorded 68 tackles, 7.5 Sacks, and forced two fumbles during the 2022 season. He was selected Second-Team All-Pro and also made the Pro Bowl for the first time in his career.
7. Von Miller – 94 OVR (Buffalo Bills)
Position: Right End
Age: 34
Best Ratings in Madden 24: 98 Play Recognition, 96 Strength, 95 Power Moves
Von Miller has consistently been one of the best pass rushers in Madden for years and Madden 24 is no different. Miller’s specialty is getting into the backfield, evidenced by his 90+ attribute ratings in Block Shedding, Power, and Finesse Moves. Once he disengages a blocker, he uses his 96 Pursuit, 92 Tackle, and 89 Hit Power to demoralize ball carriers.
Miller only played 11 games last year after tearing his ACL on Thanksgiving. Before being placed on injured reserve he recorded 21 tackles, eight sacks, and forced a fumble. He was placed on the physically unable to perform list in July of 2023.
8. Cameron Heyward – 93 OVR ( Pittsburgh Steelers)
Position: Right End
Age: 34
Best Ratings in Madden 24: 99 Play Recognition, 95 Block Shedding, 95 Toughness
Cameron Heyward is a defensive end with the skill attributes of a nose tackle. Rather than relying on athleticism, Heyward uses his strength to force his will against offensive linemen. He has nine attributes rated above 90+ including 94 Tackle, 95 Block Shedding, 94 Strength, and 92 Hit Power. Heyward can do it all; his 99 Play Recognition is proof that he doesn’t miss his assignments and he has every tool in the toolshed to obliterate ball carriers after the snap.
During the 2022 season, Heyward had 74 tackles, 10.5 sacks, and forced a fumble. He was named to his sixth Pro Bowl and named the 45th best player by NFL.com.
9. Quinnen Williams – 93 OVR (New York Jets)
Position: Defensive Tackle
Age: 25
Best Ratings in Madden 24: 96 Play Recognition, 92 Strength, 92 Tackle
Quinnen Williams plays the defensive tackle position like a bull in a china shop. Williams barrels through offensive linemen with his 90 Block Shedding and 92 Strength attribute ratings. He is also an elite-level run stopper with 96 Play recognition and 92 Tackle attributes that allow him to react quickly and take down the ball carrier.
In 2022, Williams recorded 35 tackles, 12 sacks, and forced two fumbles. He had two first-time career achievements in being selected First-Team All-Pro and making the Pro Bowl. NFL.com ranked Williams as the 40th-best player in the league.
10. Jonathan Allen – 92 OVR (Washington Commanders)
Position: Defensive Tackle
Age: 28
Best Ratings in Madden 24: 95 Play Recognition, 95 Tackle, 93 Strength
Jonathan Allen is a bonafide power pass rusher. Allen manhandles run blockers and ball carries with his 95 Tackle, 93 Strength, and 93 Power Moves attribute ratings. No one is safe against him once the ball is snapped. Allen is also very mentally sound and knows how to put himself in a position to make plays evidenced by his 95 Play Recognition attribute.
During the 2022 season, Allen recorded 44 Tackles, 7.5 Sacks, one interception, and two forced fumbles. He made the Pro Bowl for the second year in a row and was selected as the 52nd-best player by NFL.com
There you have Madden 24’s best defensive linemen and pass rushers. Some of the players on the list play multiple positions so keep that in mind when selecting what works best for your team. Generally, they have the same purpose, but you want to make sure you have a mix of speed and mostly power at these positions. You’ll be battling in the trenches with a humongous offensive lineman, but also chasing after running backs coming out of the backfield.