For the seventh year, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler surveyed league executives, coaches and scouts to help rank the top 10 players at 11 different positions.
On Tuesday, he unveiled the edge rushers, and Brian Burns came in at No. 9 in the NFL. The Giants' outside linebacker, who picked up his third Pro Bowl nod after a career year in 2025, was one spot behind San Francisco's Nick Bosa and one ahead of Denver's Nik Bonitto.
Myles Garrett, now with the Los Angeles Rams, topped the list.
"He was different than in years past," an NFL coordinator said of Burns, according to ESPN's survey. "He was more of a force consistently, more of a pain in the ass to play against."
Burns had one of the greatest defensive seasons in recent Giants history.
In his seventh NFL season, Burns set career highs in sacks (16.5), quarterback hits (31), tackles for loss (22), and forced fumbles (tied with three) while starting all 17 games for his second consecutive season with the Giants.
Burns' 16.5 sacks are tied with Jason Pierre-Paul (2011) for fourth-most in a single season by a Giants defender. His 31 quarterback hits, meanwhile, are the most by any Giant since the statistic started being tracked in 2006.
See who led the Giants in sacks each season since it became an official statistic in 1982.
1982 Lawrence Taylor - 7.5 sacks
1983 (tied) Lawrence Taylor/George Martin - 9 sacks
1983 (tied) Lawrence Taylor/George Martin - 9 sacks
1984 Lawrence Taylor - 11.5 sacks
1985 Leonard Marshall - 15.5 sacks
1986 Lawrence Taylor - 20.5 sacks
1987 Lawrence Taylor - 12 sacks
1988 Lawrence Taylor - 15.5 sacks
1989 Lawrence Taylor - 15 sacks
1990 Lawrence Taylor - 10.5 sacks
1991 Leonard Marshall - 11 sacks
1992 Lawrence Taylor - 5 sacks
1993 Keith Hamilton - 11.5 sacks
1994 (tied) Erik Howard/Keith Hamilton - 6.5 sacks
1995 Michael Strahan - 7.5 sacks
1996 (tied) Chad Bratzke/Michael Strahan - 5 sacks
1996 (tied) Chad Bratzke/Michael Strahan - 5 sacks
1997 Michael Strahan - 14 sacks
1998 Michael Strahan - 15 sacks
1999 Jessie Armstead - 9 sacks
2000 Keith Hamilton - 10 sacks
2001 Michael Strahan - 22.5 sacks
2002 Michael Strahan - 11 sacks
2003 Michael Strahan - 18.5 sacks
2004 Osi Umenyiora - 7 sacks
2005 Osi Umenyiora - 14.5 sacks
2006 Osi Umenyiora - 6 sacks
2007 Osi Umenyiora - 13 sacks
2008 Justin Tuck - 12 sacks
2009 Osi Umenyiora - 7 sacks
2010 (tied) Justin Tuck/Osi Umenyiora - 11.5 sacks
2011 Jason Pierre-Paul - 16.5 sacks
2012 Jason Pierre-Paul - 6.5 sacks
2013 Justin Tuck - 11 sacks
2014 Jason Pierre-Paul - 12.5 sacks
2015 Robert Ayers Jr. - 9.5 sacks
2016 Olivier Vernon - 8.5 sacks
2017 Jason Pierre-Paul - 8.5 sacks
2018 Olivier Vernon - 7 sacks
2019 Markus Golden - 10 sacks
2020 Leonard Williams- 11.5 sacks
2021 Azeez Ojulari - 8 sacks
2022 Dexter Lawrence - 7.5 sacks
2023 Kayvon Thibodeaux - 11.5 sacks
2024 Dexter Lawrence - 9 sacks
2025 Brian Burns - 16.5 sacks
Most sacks by a Giants player, single season:
| Player | Sacks | Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Michael Strahan | 22.5 | 2001 |
| 2. Lawrence Taylor | 20.5 | 1986 |
| 3. Michael Strahan | 18.5 | 2003 |
| 4t. Jason Pierre-Paul | 16.5 | 2011 |
| 4t. Brian Burns | 16.5 | 2025 |
| 6t. Leonard Marshall | 15.5 | 1985 |
| 6t. Lawrence Taylor | 15.5 | 1988 |
| 8t. Michael Strahan | 15 | 1998 |
| 8t. Lawrence Taylor | 15 | 1989 |
| 10. Osi Umenyiora | 14.5 | 2005 |
Burns, voted a team captain last season, led the NFC in sacks and was second in the NFL to only Cleveland's Myles Garrett, who set the all-time sack record (23.0) in the final game of the regular season. The previous NFL mark of 22.5 was held jointly by Giants legend Michael Strahan (2001) and Pittsburgh's T.J. Watt (22.5).
Burns is one of eight players ever to record at least 7.5 sacks in each of his first seven seasons. The others are Reggie White, Derrick Thomas, DeMarcus Ware, Jared Allen, Aaron Donald, Ryan Kerrigan, and Yannick Ngakoue.
Burns spent his first five seasons in Carolina, where he was drafted 16th overall in 2019. Since then, he is fifth in the NFL with 71 sacks.
Most sacks in the NFL since 2019:
| Player | Sacks | Team(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Myles Garrett | 105 | CLE |
| 2. T.J. Watt | 95 | PIT |
| 3. Trey Hendrickson | 79 | NO, CIN |
| 4. Danielle Hunter | 74.5 | MIN, HOU |
| 5. Brian Burns | 71 | CAR, NYG |
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OLB Brian Burns has been selected to his third career Pro Bowl.
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Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) is sacked by New York Giants linebacker Brian Burns (0) during the first half of an NFL football game in Denver, Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
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New York Giants linebacker Brian Burns (0) reacts after striping the ball from Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy, laying on the ground, during an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
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New York Giants linebacker Brian Burns (0) sacks Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) during an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024 in East Rutherford, N.J. (Kevin Sabitus via AP)
New York Giants outside linebacker Brian Burns (0) sacks Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) during an NFL football game, Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025 in East Rutherford, N.J. (Kathryn Riley via AP)
New York Giants outside linebacker Brian Burns (0) celebrates after a sack during an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025 in East Rutherford, N.J. (Kevin Sabitus via AP)
Philadelphia Eagles' Jalen Hurts (1) is sacked by New York Giants' Brian Burns (0) during the second half of an NFL football game Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
New York Giants linebacker Brian Burns (0) sacks Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) during an NFL football game, Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025, in East Rutherford, N.J. (Margaret Bowles via AP)
New York Giants linebacker Brian Burns (0) is congratulated by teammates after sacking Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix during the first half of an NFL football game in Denver, Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
New York Giants linebacker Brian Burns (0) warms up before an NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers, Sunday, Nov.. 2, 2025, in East Rutherford, NJ. (AP Photo/Peter Joneleit)
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, left, scrambles away from New York Giants cornerback Dru Phillips, bottom left, and linebacker Brian Burns (0) during the first half of an NFL football game Monday, Dec. 1, 2025, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) makes a pass while under pressure by New York Giants linebacker Brian Burns (0) during the second half of an NFL football game, Monday, Dec. 1, 2025, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Greg M. Cooper)
New York Giants outside linebacker Brian Burns warms up before playing against the Washington Commanders in an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
New York Giants outside linebacker Brian Burns during the second half of an NFL football game against the Washington Commanders, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) is sacked by New York Giants linebacker Brian Burns (0) during the NFL game, Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025 in East Rutherford, N.J. (Kathryn Riley via AP)
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