Ezekiel Ansah

If Ansah weren't so brittle he might have a 20-sack season to his name by now. The former BYU product is an uncommon athlete with even less common per-snap production, but the Lions understandably limit his play count in order to minimize the threat of injury. That Ansah totaled 12 sacks on just 516 snaps last year is an absurd and overlooked anecdote – the limit is endless if he could just stay on the field. Unfortunately, he has only played 16 games twice in five years, and even in those seasons he tended to get nicked up.

Ansah's persistent durability issues make him one of the riskiest IDP defensive linemen, but if healthy he should easily rank among the top five at the position. He met that description in 2015, when he totaled 47 tackles and 14.5 sacks despite playing just 659 defensive snaps. If he had played 1,000 snaps that season, it would have projected to more than 20 sacks. Last year wasn't so fortunate, as he hobbled through ankle and shoulder injuries to total just two sacks on 495 snaps. He could dominate again, but last year illustrated his dud potential.

Ansah's play counts have been limited to this point in his career, but if he should see an increase in his workload, there's no reason he can't push for third in the DL rankings. It's rather remarkable that he had 14.5 sacks last year on just 659 snaps – a rate that projects to 22 on 1,000 snaps. Ansah's been nicked up by various injuries, so it's understandable Detroit would want to limit his workload, but it'd be more understandable if they pursued the record-setting production he appears capable of. Without knowing Detroit's intentions, it's hard to rank him higher than this.

Ansah might be a boom-or-bust option this season. Even though he played 16 games last year, toe, knee and shoulder injuries nagged him, likely limiting both his play count and his effectiveness. He still posted respectable numbers on just 664 snaps, though, and his athleticism for his size (6-6, 278) might be unmatched. He entered the league in 2013 with little experience after just one year of college football, yet he has 81 tackles and 15.5 sacks in two years. He could be on the verge of a breakout season, as long as he stays healthy.

If Quinn and Jones were the big breakout IDP linemen of 2013, then Ansah is among the best bets to play the breakout role in 2014. The fifth overall pick of the 2013 draft, Ansah arrived in the NFL high on talent but low on experience after playing extensively for just one year at BYU. Even in his relatively raw state, Ansah made an immediate impact, posting 32 tackles, eight sacks and two forced fumbles on just 502 snaps. He ought to play at least 900 snaps in 2014, meaning he'd project to roughly 58 tackles and 14.5 sacks if he produces at the same level of efficiency. There is some durability concern with Ansah as he heads into his second season after suffering a shoulder injury in December. He underwent surgery in February and the exact nature of his prognosis is unknown as of press time. All that's known is that coach Jim Caldwell said he thinks Ansah will "be ready to go when it's time to kick it off in the fall.” A pessimist would find it very concerning, with good reason, that the coach neglected to address training camp participation and merely 'thinks' Ansah will be ready for Week 1. Ansah's prospective owners must follow up on his health.

It certainly takes a leap of faith to put Ansah this high as a rookie, ahead of several players who have already accomplished the tall task of reaching double-digit sacks in the NFL. But between his raw talent and the likely full-time role that awaits him on a Detroit depth chart with almost no defensive end talent, Ansah should pile up cheap stats at the very least in 2013. The fifth overall pick has 4.63 speed on a 6-5, 271-pound frame and possesses an enormous wingspan with 35 1/8-inch arms. Players like Willie Young and Ronnell Lewis are not exactly intimidating competition for playing time, so Ansah should get all the work he can handle. With Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley drawing double-teams on the inside, moreover, Ansah should see single blocking most of the time. Like Aldon Smith coming out of Missouri, Ansah should be advanced in his hand-placement, thanks to spending much of his time at BYU playing in heavy traffic at defensive tackle.