Indianapolis Colts defensive tackle Grover Stewart was listed as the best pass rusher from the one-technique in an article listing the best pass rushers of each gap by Doug Farrar over at Touchdown Wire.
Stewart isn’t a big name either, but he made a big difference when aligned at 1-technique — to either shoulder of the center. You’re going to have to handle a lot of center/guard double-teams in that role, and against the Jaguars in Week 17, Stewart had no problem knifing his way through center Tyler Shatwell and left guard Andrew Norwell to come down with quarterback Mike Glennon as the prize. Stewart was a force in this role in 2020, racking up 17 total pressures, six more than anybody else in the league (Harrison Phillips of the Bills ranked second with 11 pressures).
Stewart earned himself a three-year contract extension during the 2020 season thanks mostly to his elite run defense. But his power and athleticism also helps him impact the passer from time to time.
One-techniques aren’t typically known for their ability to rush the passer. However, Stewart is able to make an impact thanks to his power, athleticism and Matt Eberflus’ scheme, which simply stresses defensive linemen to get upfield through their gap as quickly as possible.
The Colts have a stout interior defensive line with Stewart and All-Pro DeForest Buckner leading the charge, and the hope is that this duo will be wreaking havoc on opposing offenses for years to come.
