2024 Pre-Season Rank #57, 2023 Pre-Season Rank #87, 2022 Pre-Season Rank #102 2021 Pre-Season Rank #102, 2020 Pre-Season Rank #90.  Peak Period: 2018-19/2022-24

We said a couple of years ago that “Hunter is a pick for a lot of people to have a breakout defensive campaign, and he is coming off of back-to-back Pro Bowl and 14.5 Sack years”.  That didn’t happen, as he missed the entire 2020 season with a neck injury and was not great in 2021.  Healthy in 2022, Hunter responded with two straight Pro Bowl years and is coming off his highest Sack number (16) and a league-leading 23 Tackles for Loss.

After eight years in Minnesota, Hunter is now in his second year as a Houston Texan, and if he can build off of his last two years, Hunter could quietly make a Hall of Fame run.

2024 Pe-Season Rank #17, 2023 Pre-Season Rank #34, 2022 Pre-Season Rank #53, 2021 Pre-Season Rank #99, 2020 Pre-Season Rank #144.  Peak Period: 2020-24

What would the Cleveland Browns be without Myles Garrett over the last seven years?

In the off-season, Garrett asked for a trade, frustrated by the constant turmoil and failure of the organization to build around him, but he signed a contract extension with a fat contract to stay, and you can’t blame Cleveland for breaking the bank to keep him.

Garrett has been a First Team All-Pro four of the last five seasons, and the Defensive End won the 2023 Defensive Player of the Year, while finishing third last season.  Breaking 100 Sacks last year, Garrett always seems to have a nose for wherever the ball is.  He is also on a seven-year streak of at least 10 Sacks and 18 Tackles for Loss.

Garrett’s elite period rivals many Hall of Fame Defensive Ends, and he is only 30.

2024 Pre-Season Rank #87, 2023 Pre-Season Rank #111, 2022 Pre-Season Rank #132, 2021 Pre-Season Rank #131, 2020 Pre-Season Rank #133.  Peak Period: 2017-19/2022-23

DeMarcus Lawrence has had two two-year Pro Bowl runs in his career with the Dallas Cowboys, and the versatile Defensive End stays under the national radar despite playing for America’s Team.  Lawrence would have to elevate his play to make a Hall of Fame run, or in a lesser field, the Cowboys Ring of Honor.   He will have to have a "second life" in Seattle for any serious Hall of Fame run.

2024 Pre-Season Rank #58, 2023 Pre-Season Rank #74, 2022 Pre-Season Rank #76, 2021 Pre-Season Rank #93, 2020 Pre-Season Rank #128.  Peak Period: 2018-22

DeForest Buckner played his first four seasons with San Francisco. In his first year in Indianapolis (2020), he set a personal best of 16 in Approximate Value and earned his inaugural First Team All-Pro. Throw in a 2021 and 2023 Pro Bowl, and you have a player who is trending well, but still has a lot to do to gain serious Hall of Fame traction.