ESPN proves Seahawks edge rusher Boye Mafe is an absolute stud through two games

When Boye Mafe was drafted in 2022, he was a bit raw but there was little doubt as to his athletic potential. He was fast and strong and the hope was that eventually, he would wreak havoc on NFL offenses. As a rookie, he only got three sacks, but he wasn't expected to do much else.

Last year, he made a jump in production and got nine sacks including a streak of seven straight games with a takedown. The issue was that the streak ended shortly after fellow edge rusher Uchenna Nwosu was lost for the season and Mafe was nearly invisible the rest of the way.

To begin this season, Nwosu has been absent with a new injury, but Mafe has been a star anyway. Through the first two games, he has had two sacks, and nine total pressures, and has been excellent against the run even when some of his teammates have not been. Has he missed a tackle or two? Sure, but otherwise, he has played at a Pro Bowl level.

ESPN Analytics show that Seahawks edge rusher Boye Mafe is playing like one of the best players in the NFL

According to ESPN Analytics, Mafe has been even better than his raw statistics. He ranks second among edge rushers in pass rush win rate at 35 percent and he ranks second among the same players in run stop win rate at 42 percent. Technically, he is tied at first in stopping the run.

In Week 2 against the New England Patriots, Mafe got six pressures but just one sack. He also whiffed on a tackle for loss on a run. These are attempts to pick at Mafe who is not perfect but simply has been one of the best edge rushers in the NFL through two games. He has also proven his worth for the first time without having Nwosu playing opposite him.

This should mean that once Nwosu returns in possibly a week or two Mafe will have even more freedom to do what he does best. He should finish the season with more than 10 sacks after getting nine last year. His versatility makes Mike Macdonald's Seahawks defense better.

Seattle has not had an edge rusher make first- or second-team All-Pro in a while. If Mafe continues to keep his pass rush and run stop win rates high, he could easily reach that level of achievement this season.

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