- Jason Taylor
Jason Paul Taylor (born September 1, 1974 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) is an American football player who currently plays defensive end for the Miami Dolphins of the NFL. He attended the University of Akron. Taylor has a total of 106 sacks (as of December 19, 2006), placing him third amongst currently active players, and is credited with 36 forced fumbles for his career. He has been selected to five Pro Bowls.
- Michael Strahan
Michael Anthony Strahan (born November 21, 1971, in Houston, Texas) is an American Football player who currently plays Defensive End for the New York Giants of the National Football League. He attended Texas Southern University and was drafted in the second round of the 1993 NFL Draft by the New York Giants. Strahan was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year by the Associated Press in 2001, because of his record 22.5 sacks.
- Phillip Daniels
Phillip Bernard Daniels (born March 4, 1973 in Donalsonville, Georgia) is an American football defensive end for the Washington Redskins of the NFL. He is also a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity. He lives in Vernon Hills, Illinois.
- Chris Long
Christopher Howard Long (born March 28, 1985 in Santa Monica, California) is an American football defensive end for the Virginia Cavaliers. Chris is the son of Hall of Fame defensive end Howie Long.
- Dwight Freeney
Dwight Jason Freeney (born February 19, 1980 in Hartford, Connecticut) is an American football player who currently plays defensive end for the Indianapolis Colts.
- Osi Umenyiora
Osi Umenyiora (born November 16, 1981 in London, England) is an American Football player (defensive end) for the New York Giants. He was drafted in the 2nd round of the 2003 NFL Draft out of Troy State University, where he finished second in the nation with 16 sacks. Umenyiora was born in London to Nigerian parents. His family moved back to Nigeria and later to Auburn, Alabama where he started playing football in high school.
- Mario Williams
Mario Williams (born January 31, 1985) is an American football defensive end for the Houston Texans franchise of the National Football League. He attended North Carolina State from 2003 to 2005. He was selected first overall by the Texans in the 2006 NFL Draft, being the first Atlantic Coast Conference player chosen as the first overall pick.
- Julius Peppers
Julius Frazier Peppers (born January 18, 1980 in Wilson, North Carolina) is a professional American football player. He currently plays defensive end for the Carolina Panthers. He and Donovan McNabb are the only people to ever play in both the NCAA men's basketball Final Four and the NFL's Super Bowl. He is named after legendary NBA players Julius Erving and Walt Frazier.
- Jevon Kearse
Jevon Kearse is an American football player who currently plays Defensive End for the Philadelphia Eagles of the NFL. Due to his rare athleticism and threatening style of play, he is known throughout the league as “The Freak”. His cousin, Phillip Buchanon, currently plays cornerback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
- Erasmus James
Erasmus James (born November 4, 1982 in Basseterre, Saint Kitts in the West Indies) is an American football defensive end for the Minnesota Vikings of the NFL. He was selected with the 18th overall pick of the 2005 NFL Draft out of the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
- Patrick Kerney
Patrick Manning Kerney (born December 30, 1976 in Trenton, New Jersey), and grew up in Newtown, Pennsylvania, is an American football defensive end with the Seattle Seahawks of the NFL. He played college football at the University of Virginia, although he was initially recruited to play lacrosse.
- Justin Tuck
Justin Tuck (born March 29 1983 in Kellyton, Alabama) is an American football player who currently plays defensive end for the New York Giants.
- Simeon Rice
Simeon Rice (born February 24, 1974 in Chicago, Illinois) is an American football defensive end who currently plays for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He went to University of Illinois and was drafted in 1996 by Arizona. He attended Mount Carmel High School on Chicago's south side, the same school as current Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb.
- Will Smith
Will Smith (born July 4, 1981 in Queens, New York) is an American football defensive end who currently plays for the New Orleans Saints of the NFL. He played college football at The Ohio State University.
- Luis Castillo
Luis Alberto Castillo (born August 4, 1983 in Garfield, New Jersey), is an American football defensive end for the San Diego Chargers of the NFL. Currently he wears jersey #93 for the Chargers.
- Howie Long
Howard Michael "Howie" Long (born January 6, 1960 in Somerville, Massachusetts) is a former American football player who played as a defensive end, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2000. Long has been married since June 27, 1982, to the former Diane Addonizio and they have three sons, one of whom, Christopher, plays football at the University of Virginia. The family resides in Charlottesville, Virginia.
- Gaines Adams
Gaines Adams, (born on June 8, 1983), is a defensive end drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He played collegiately for Clemson University.
- John Abraham
John Abraham (born May 6 1978 in Timmonsville, South Carolina) is an NFL defensive end currently playing for the Atlanta Falcons.
- Andre Carter
Rubin Andre Carter (born May 12, 1979 in Denver, Colorado) is a National Football League player who currently plays defensive end for the Washington Redskins. He went to University of California, Berkeley. He was drafted by the 49ers in the 1st round (7th overall) in the 2001 NFL Draft. Carter was originally drafted as a defensive lineman, but was converted into a linebacker due to a new 3-4 defensive scheme of the 49ers under Mike Nolan.
- Justin Smith
Justin Smith is an American football player who plays defensive end for the Cincinnati Bengals. He played high school football for Jefferson City High School and college football at the University of Missouri and was selected fourth overall in the 2001 NFL Draft by the Bengals. In his first five seasons, he has totalled 312 tackles and 37 sacks. He started his 2006 season on a big note, by sacking Kansas City Chiefs' quarterback Trent Green three times in the season opener.
- Leonard Little
Leonard Antonio Little (born October 19, 1974 in Asheville, North Carolina) is an American football Defensive End who currently plays for the St. Louis Rams of the NFL. He attended the University of Tennessee. After a drunken birthday in 1998, NFL star Leonard Little crashed into and killed another motorist, Susan Gutweiler. When tested, his blood alcohol level measured 0.19 percent. Little received 90 days, four years probation and 1000 hours of community service.
- Terrell Suggs
Terrell Raynonn Suggs (Born: July 18, 1982 in Minneapolis, Minnesota) is an NFL defensive end/linebacker with the Baltimore Ravens. He grew up in Chandler, Arizona, and attended Hamilton high school there.
- Mathias Kiwanuka
Mathias Kagimu Kiwanuka (born March 8, 1983 in Indianapolis, Indiana) currently is a player in the NFL, and a Boston College alum. He currently plays in the for the New York Giants who selected him 32nd overall in the first round of the 2006 NFL draft following a trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played his high school football at Cathedral High School in Indianapolis, Indiana and also went to Middle School/Grade School and St. Simon in Indianapolis, Indiana.
- Quentin Groves
Quentin Groves (born July 5, 1984 in Greenville, Mississippi) is an American football defensive end playing collegiately for the Auburn Tigers in the Southeastern Conference. Groves has been named to the Chuck Bednarik Award, Bronko Nagurski Trophy, and Ted Hendricks Award watchlists for the 2007 college football season. Groves is a sack specialist and, with 23 already recorded, is approaching the Auburn career record of 26.
- Charles Grant
Charles Gabriel Grant (born September 3, 1978) is an American Football player who currently plays Defensive End for the New Orleans Saints of the NFL. He got a six-year extension with the Saints on July 27, 2002. He was selected by the Saints in the first round (25th overall) of the 2002 NFL Draft.
- Mike Rucker
Michael Dean Rucker (born February 28, 1975 in Saint Joseph, Missouri) is an American football defensive end who plays for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League.
- Derrick Burgess
Derrick Lee Burgess (born August 12, 1978 in Lake City, South Carolina) is a defensive end who plays for the Oakland Raiders. Burgess was originally a third round pick of the Philadelphia Eagles in 2001 after going to college at Ole Miss. He appeared in all 16 games as a rookie and had 6 quarterback sacks. In 2002, however, he broke his foot in the first game of the season and missed the rest of the year. He then missed all of 2003 due to a torn achilles tendon.
- Alex Brown
Alex Brown (born June 4, 1979 in Jasper, Florida) is a National Football League defensive end for the Chicago Bears. The 2006 season will be his fifth year in the National Football League.
- Jarvis Moss
Jarvis Moss (born August 3, 1984) is an American football player for the Denver Broncos. Moss was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the first round (17th pick) of the 2007 NFL Draft. Moss had a "character flag" on his record stemming from a team suspension during his collegiate career. He was a defensive end on the Florida Gators football team before declaring for the 2007 NFL Draft following the Gators' victory in the 2007 BCS National Championship Game.
- Al Harris
Alfred Carl Harris (December 31, 1956 in Bangor, Maine) is a former professional American football defensive end and linebacker for the Chicago Bears during the early 1980s. He played with the team from 1979 to 1984. Harris sat out the entire 1985 season due to a contract dispute with the team - and missed being part of one of the most dominating Super Bowl teams of all time.
- Kenechi Udeze
Kenechi Udeze (born March 5, 1983 in Los Angeles, California) is an American football defensive end for the Minnesota Vikings.
- Bryant Young
Bryant Colby Young (born January 27, 1972 in Chicago Heights, Illinois) is an NFL player for the San Francisco 49ers. He plays the defensive end position. He was drafted by the 49ers in the 1st round (7th overall) in the 1994 NFL Draft. As of 2007, Young is the last remaining player on the 49ers' active roster who was a part of their 49ers' Super Bowl XXIX victory over the San Diego Chargers. He has 83 career sacks.
- Courtney Brown
Courtney Lanair Brown (born February 14, 1978) in Charleston, South Carolina was a NFL defensive end who played for the Cleveland Browns and the Denver Broncos. He recently signed a veterans minimum contract with the San Diego Chargers. He was the number one pick overall by the Cleveland Browns in the 2000 draft.
- Aaron Smith
Aaron Douglas Smith (born April 9, 1976 in Colorado Springs, Colorado) is a professional football player with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League. He plays left Defensive End in a 3-4 defensive alignment. Smith played college football at the University of Northern Colorado. While there he was the team captain for two straight years and set a university career record with 44 sacks.
- Trevor Pryce
Trevor Pryce (born August 3, 1975 in Brooklyn, New York) is an American professional football player currently with the Baltimore Ravens. A 6'5", 295 -lb. defensive end from Clemson University, Pryce was selected by the Denver Broncos in the 1st round (28th overall) of the 1997 NFL Draft. While with the Broncos, Pryce won two Super Bowls and was selected to the Pro Bowl four times from 1999-2002. He was released by Denver after the 2005 season because of salary cap reasons.
- Grant Wistrom
Grant Alden Wistrom, (born July 3, 1976 in Joplin, Missouri), is a former American Football defensive end who played for the St. Louis Rams and Seattle Seahawks during his 8 year career. In addition to his athletic pursuits, Grant has established the Grant Wistrom Foundation, a charitable organization for pediatric cancer patients and their families.
- Robert Mathis
Robert Nathan Mathis (born February 26, 1981 in Atlanta, Georgia) is an American football defensive end for the Indianapolis Colts of the NFL. He attended Alabama A&M University, where became a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. His rookie season he played in all 16 regular season games and recorded 20 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, a fumble recovered and a pass deflected. His second NFL season he improved his numbers to 36 tackles, 10.5 sacks, …
- Trent Cole
Trent Cole (born October 5, 1982) is an American football player who plays defensive end for the Philadelphia Eagles. He played college football at the University of Cincinnati and was selected in the fifth round of the 2005 NFL Draft. After Trent Cole was drafted, he signed a 4 year contract in 2005, originally as a linebacker. Cole worked hard during training camp and his general athletic ability impressed many fans and people within the organization.
- Elvis Dumervil
Elvis Dumervil (born January 19, 1984, Miami, Florida) is a National Football League defensive end for the Denver Broncos.
- Jamaal Anderson
Jamaal Anderson (born February 6, 1986 in Little Rock, Arkansas) is an American football defensive end that formerly attended the University of Arkansas. He is expected to be drafted within the first 10 picks of the 2007 NFL Draft.