Originally Published: September 22, 2005

Dumervil leads list of pass-rushing monsters

Louisville's Elvis Dumervil's nine sacks may be getting the headlines, but there are plenty of great pass rushers out there this season.

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McShay By Todd McShay
Scouts, Inc.
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Louisville DE Elvis Dumervil's nine-sack, two-game start to the 2005 season has gobbled up the headlines -- and rightfully so. But Dumervil is not the only one causing sleepless nights for offensive coaches across the country. The following is a breakdown of the 10 most feared pass rushers that college football has to offer right now:

1. Elvis Dumervil, DE, Louisville Just one month ago, Dumervil would not have made this list. Now the Louisville senior defensive end headlines it. Eight sacks as a junior is nothing to snub your nose at, but Dumervil already has one more sack this year in two game than he had in all of 2004. Dumervil lacks height (6-0) but he is a quick, with long arms, good power and impressive burst. He also shows a solid variety of speed and power moves to rush the quarterback. Dumervil's six-sack opener against Kentucky is legendary, but his three-sack performance versus Oregon State might be more impressive. After all, the Beavers had a full week to gameplan for Dumervil and he still wreaked havoc with three sacks, six tackles and two forced fumbles. Regardless, his nine sacks in the first two games of the season established a new NCAA record for the most sacks in consecutive games, breaking the old mark held by Georgia Tech's Pat Swilling (8). Up next: the pursuit of former Arizona State star Terrell Suggs' NCAA record of 24 sacks in a season (2002).

2. Daryl Tapp, DE, Virginia Tech Tapp is coming off a breakout season as a junior in 2004, when he terrorized opponents to the tune of 60 total tackles and 16 tackles for loss, including 8.5 sacks. The senior defensive end lacks ideal height and has just decent top-end speed, but he is a quick, powerful, instinctive playmaker who seemingly is always involved in the big play. Already recording three sacks in as many games, Tapp has picked up in 2005 right where he left off last year. His lack of ideal NFL measurables will cause him to slip on draft day but as far as impact collegiate defenders are concerned, Tapp measures up with the elite.

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