Myles Garrett is a defensive end for the Cleveland Browns and widely regarded as the best pass rusher in the NFL today. Selected first overall in the 2017 NFL Draft out of Texas A&M, Garrett has recorded over 100 career sacks and earned six Pro Bowl selections by 2025, cementing a legacy that places him among the greatest defensive players of his generation.
Who Is Myles Garrett? Early Life and College Career
Born on December 29, 1995, in Arlington, Texas, Myles Lorenzo Garrett grew up in a family that nurtured both athletic and academic excellence. His father, Lawrence Garrett, was a college running back, and his brother, Sean Williams, played in the NBA. At Martin High School in Arlington, Garrett was a consensus five-star recruit ranked as the top overall prospect in the country. He chose Texas A&M over offers from virtually every major program. In three college seasons (2014–2016), Garrett recorded 31 sacks — a program record — and won the Hendricks Award as the nation's top defensive end twice. His combination of elite athleticism (4.64-second 40-yard dash at 272 pounds), rare strength, and an 84-inch wingspan made him a once-in-a-generation prospect.
How Did Myles Garrett Rise to NFL Dominance?
The Cleveland Browns selected Garrett with the first pick of the 2017 NFL Draft, ending a lengthy franchise rebuild by landing a true defensive anchor. His early seasons were interrupted by injuries, but by 2019 Garrett had announced himself as the league's most disruptive edge rusher, recording 10 sacks before a suspension cut his season short following the infamous November 14, 2019 incident in which he struck Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph with Rudolph's own helmet during a brawl, earning the longest suspension for an on-field incident in NFL history — six games. Garrett returned in 2020 contrite and motivated, and from 2021 onward he has been virtually unstoppable. He won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award for the 2023 season, recording 14 sacks, 30 quarterback hits, and forcing four fumbles. His signature moves — a devastating long-arm push and a lightning-quick spin — give offensive tackles almost no answer.
| Season | Sacks | Pro Bowl | Award |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 7.0 | No | — |
| 2018 | 13.5 | Yes | — |
| 2019 | 10.0 (suspended) | Yes | — |
| 2021 | 16.0 | Yes | — |
| 2023 | 14.0 | Yes | Defensive Player of the Year |
| 2024 | 12.0 | Yes | — |
What Makes Garrett One of the Greatest Defensive Players Ever?
Beyond raw sack numbers, Garrett's impact is measured in disruption: quarterbacks consistently rank him among the players they fear most, and opposing offensive coordinators routinely devote a tight end chip block or full double-team to his side. He surpassed Clay Matthews' Browns franchise sack record and crossed 100 career sacks in 2024 faster than nearly any player in league history. Off the field, Garrett is known for intellectual curiosity — he is an avid reader and chess player — and for community work in Cleveland. He has become the face of a Browns defense that perennially ranks among the NFL's best, and comparisons to Lawrence Taylor and Reggie White are now commonplace in serious football analysis.
