Since the time of its discovery, "Dryptosaurus" has been classified in a number of theropod families. Cope (1866), Leidy (1868) and Lydekker (1888) noted obvious similarities with the genus "Megalosaurus" which was known at the time from remains discovered in southeastern England. Based on this line of reasoning, Cope classified it as a megalosaurid. Marsh, however, examined the remains and later assigned to its own monotypic family, Dryptosauridae. The fossil material assigned to "Dryptosaurus" was reviewed by Ken Carpenter in 1997 in light of the many different theropods discovered since Cope's day. He felt that due to some unusual features it couldn't be placed in any existing family, and like Marsh, felt that it warranted placement in Dryptosauridae. This phylogenetic assignment was also supported by the work of Russell (1970) and Molnar (1990). Other phylogenetic studies during the 1990s suggested that "Dryptosaurus" was a coelurosaur, though its exact placement within that group remained uncertain.