Ranking the NFL's Top 10 defensive lines

In a three-part series, theScore's Dan Wilkins breaks down the NFL's top 10 position groups at each of the main areas on the defensive side of the ball.

• Defensive Lines
• Linebackers
• Secondaries

Despite the recognition skill-position players will always be able to generate, football games are won in the trenches more often than not. A dominant defensive line is the most effective way of slowing down the high-powered offenses in today's NFL, with the 2007 New York Giants still providing one of the best examples.

As a number of units stand far above the rest, here's a look at the league's top 10 defensive lines heading into the 2015 season.

10. New York Giants

Projected Starters (4-3): Jason Pierre-Paul, Johnathan Hankins, Cullen Jenkins, Robert Ayers

Depth: Owamagbe Odighizuwa, Damontre Moore, Kenrick Ellis, Markus Kuhn

The Giants have long enjoyed considerable success in building their defense around a talented front four, and they should be able to continue that model with their current personnel. Led by one of the game's most explosive edge-rush talents in Pierre-Paul, as well as a rising star at defensive tackle in Hankins, the defensive line is one of the roster's strongest groups. It will play a key role in determining whether the Giants get back to the playoffs after three disappointing seasons.

9. Carolina Panthers

Projected Starters (4-3): Charles Johnson, Star Lotulelei, Kawann Short, Wes Horton

Depth: Colin Cole, Dwan Edwards, Kony Ealy, Mario Addison, Frank Alexander

Though the free-agent departure of Greg Hardy hurts the Panthers' defensive line, playing almost the entire 2014 season without him demonstrated just how strong the group can still be. Johnson presents opposing offensive lines with a difficult matchup on the edge, while Lotulelei and Short give Carolina a strong tandem to build around inside. If Ealy can finally live up to his first-round potential and challenge Horton for starting snaps opposite Johnson, the Panthers' four-man front could quickly earn a much higher spot on this list.

8. Baltimore Ravens

Projected Starters (3-4): Chris Canty, Brandon Williams, Timmy Jernigan

Depth: Carl Davis, Lawrence Guy, Christo Bilukidi

The offseason departures of Haloti Ngata and Pernell McPhee leave the Ravens' front seven significantly weaker on paper, but this defense has proven itself capable of overcoming such losses. With emerging talents Williams and Jernigan joining Canty in the starting lineup - as well as some promising rotational depth that should see plenty of snaps - this should remain one of the NFL's most productive three-man fronts against the run. Could we really expect anything less from the Ravens?

7. Houston Texans

Projected Starters (3-4): J.J. Watt, Vince Wilfork, Jared Crick

Depth: Louis Nix III, Jeoffrey Pagan, Christian Covington

The Texans haven't boasted the most talent, but Watt's near-unstoppable presence in all areas of the defensive game has made - and will continue to make - this group incredibly difficult to handle. After adding another strong interior presence in Wilfork, upgrading the Texans' run-stopping ability early downs, the 2015 defensive line should solidify its spot among the NFL's best.

6. Cincinnati Bengals

Projected Starters (4-3): Carlos Dunlap, Geno Atkins, Domata Peko, Michael Johnson

Depth: Wallace Gilberry, Margus Hunt, Pat Sims, Brandon Thompson

Struggling to apply pressure en route to a league-low 20 sacks in 2014, the Bengals' always-strong defensive line appeared to have taken a significant step in the wrong direction. However, with the once-dominant Atkins well over a year removed from his knee injury and Johnson returning to the team following a one-year stint in Tampa Bay, Cincinnati has reunited the starting four-man front that recorded a third-ranked 51 quarterback takedowns in 2012. As a result, this group likely won't take long to re-establish itself, complementing an ever-improving offensive attack to give the Bengals an opportunity to finally take the next step.

5. Seattle Seahawks

Projected Starters (4-3): Michael Bennett, Tony McDaniel, Brandon Mebane, Cliff Avril

Depth: Frank Clark, Ahtyba Rubin, Jordan Hill

The Seahawks' secondary gets most of the credit for the defense's historic dominance over the past few seasons, but this defensive line deserves its share of praise as well. Led by one of the game's most versatile - yet still underrated - linemen in Bennett, the unit is consistently strong against both the run and pass. In fact, the Legion of Boom has reached its level of stardom largely due to the defensive line's ability to shut down the running game on early downs and apply the necessary pressure in passing situations.

4. Buffalo Bills

Projected Starters (3-4): Kyle Williams, Marcell Dareus, Corbin Bryant

Depth: Jarius Wynn, Andre Fluellen, Alex Carrington

Though the Bills' defensive line has a bit of a different look, with Mario Williams and Jerry Hughes expected to stand up as outside linebackers in Rex Ryan's base 3-4 scheme, an interior tandem of Kyle Williams and Dareus will still pose an issue for NFL offenses. The third starting spot is up for grabs in training camp, and a potential veteran addition at final roster cut-downs should be in the mix. Either way, the Bills are returning a supremely talented defensive front, which should put the team in position to build upon last year's standout season.

3. Miami Dolphins

Projected Starters (4-3): Cameron Wake, Ndamukong Suh, Earl Mitchell, Olivier Vernon

Depth: C.J. Mosley, Jordan Phillips, Derrick Shelby

The focus will be on the addition of Suh and everything he brings from a pure production standpoint - and for good reason, considering the All-Pro career he's put together. However, the attention Suh draws will have an equally significant impact on the defensive line's ability to control the line of scrimmage, with top talents Wake and Vernon set to see more favorable looks in their pass-rush opportunities on the edge. Landing this year's top free-agent prize has pushed this Dolphins position group from good to great in a hurry.

2. New York Jets

Projected Starters (3-4): Muhammad Wilkerson, Sheldon Richardson, Damon Harrison

Depth: Leonard Williams, Kevin Vickerson, T.J. Barnes

This one just isn't fair. Selecting at No. 6 overall, the Jets somehow managed to add arguably the top player available in the draft to a defensive line that was already the NFL's best three-man unit. With Williams joining Wilkerson, Richardson, and Harrison, the line will remain strong as it rotates players throughout games. The Jets still may not have much of a pass rush from their outside linebackers, but this group's ability to get to the quarterback from the inside - where pressure is often more effective anyway - should once again set New York up to have one of the league's best overall defenses.

1. St. Louis Rams

Projected Starters (4-3): Chris Long, Aaron Donald, Michael Brockers, Robert Quinn

Depth: Nick Fairley, William Hayes, Ethan Westbrooks

Speaking of unfair, the Rams' defensive line is borderline unbelievable. Regardless of the problems St. Louis' roster may have elsewhere, this group is so dominant it could keep the club competitive by itself. In a league largely filled with subpar offensive line play, a defensive front featuring supreme talents like Long, Donald, Brockers, Quinn, and Fairley has the ability to take over games from start to finish. As good as some of the other units are, the Rams earning the top spot really isn't debatable.