When the Denver Broncos used a second-round pick on Nik Bonitto in the 2022 NFL draft, the team landed one of the more intriguing players in that class. But after notching just 1.5 sacks as a rookie, concern quickly fell over Broncos Country about his long-term prospects in the league.
Bonitto bounced back with eight sacks in Year 2, and the buds on a potential beautiful rose began to form. In 2024, that rose began to take full shape when he surged toward the top of the league's leaderboard after posting 13.5 sacks.
He proved that was no fluke by registering 14 sacks last season. Bonitto has been selected to back-to-back Pro Bowls and has established himself as one of the best edge rushers in the league. But when the top pass rushers are discussed, his name is often left off the list.
While there are many elite pass rushers in the league, Bonitto doesn't seem to be getting the respect and recognition he has earned. That continued with the recent rankings handed out by Gordon McGuinness of Pro Football Focus. While PFF lauded Quinn Meinerz in its rankings of the league's best guards, it didn't offer that same recognition to Bonitto, who comes in at No. 14.
The top four consists of Myles Garrett, Will Anderson, Micah Parsons and Aidan Hutchinson. It's difficult to put Bonitto ahead of those names, but he's right in the conversation starting at No. 5. His 27.5 sacks over the last two seasons are proof of that.
No. 14 seems far too low. McGuinness suggested that himself.
"Drafted at the end of the second round in 2022, Bonitto has improved every season he has been in the NFL," McGuinness wrote for PFF. "His pressure production has gone from 19 to 47 to 61 and finally to 81 in 2025, while his PFF pass-rush grade has jumped from 65.1 as a rookie to 86.0 in 2025. If he can continue to improve, then any spot outside the top 10 will prove too low for him."
Bonitto will likely be happier to talk about his No. 32 ranking among the Top 100 players in the entire NFL last season, anyway.
No. 32 on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2026…@Broncos LB Nik Bonitto! @NFLFilmspic.twitter.com/oK4OPMv4Is
— NFL (@NFL) August 7, 2026
Broncos fans certainly wouldn't want too many names ahead of the man who wears No. 15. Still only 26 years old, Bonitto can put himself on a list with the best sack artists in Broncos history if he keeps up the level of production he has shown.
This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: See where PFF ranked Nik Bonitto among NFL’s best pass rushers