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2026 EDGE Rankings
Last Updated: 1/27/26
1.
Rueben Bain Jr.
Archetype: 3-Down Power Rusher
Pro Comp: Tamba Hali
Grade: 1st round
School:
Miami
Height:
6'3
Weight:
275lbs
Strengths:
Has a powerful, low-to-the-ground build that affords him natural leverage. Hand usage is powerful and refined; nice double swipe and long-arm. Converts speed to power at a high level. Arguably the best run defender in the class. Alignment-versatile; likely to play some 3-tech. Lower body quickness allows him a formidable speed rush package; euro-step is good. Flashes adequate bend and some dip around the edge.
Weaknesses:
Lacks the length to reach the chest of longer blockers; will impact his ability to shed against longer linemen in the run game. Lacks elite quickness to consistently win with speed. Bend is good, but not an elite trait. Inconsistent tackler with limited range who doesn't have the length to arm tackle. Some teams may prefer him to bulk up and play 3-tech due to length concerns.
2.
David Bailey
Archetype: Designated Pass Rusher
Pro Comp: Cliff Avril
Grade: 1st round
School:
Texas Tech
Height:
6'3
Weight:
250lbs
Strengths:
Elite combination of quickness and burst off the LOS. Multiple instances where he's dipped so low that the lineman can't reach him. Solid ankle flexion to explode around the arc while usually maintaining his pad level. Developed pass rush arsenal; ghost, double swipe, inside counters, rip. Athletic profile offers utility in stunt/loop game. Useful in space.
Weaknesses:
Bad run defender; tries to work around blocks and abandons his gap, struggles to reach the chest of linemen, lacks any anchor, and is weak at the POA. Poor tackler. Bend and flexibility are above average, but not great for a player his size. Lacks power profile to consistently bull rush NFL tackles. Character concerns are glaring; stomped on an NC State player's facemask in 2024, accosted a cameraman in 2025.
3.
TJ Parker
Archetype: 3-Down Power Rusher
Pro Comp:
Grade: 2nd round
School:
Clemson
Height:
6'3
Weight:
265lbs
Strengths:
Great edge setter with violent hands to shed. Near-unstoppable long-arm when he gets a chance to pin his ears back; 27% true pass rush win rate. Hard hitter who attacks the ball; 5 career forced fumbles. Developing some nasty inside counters. Generally high-floor player; reliable run defender with underrated pass rush chops. Will be 21 on draft night.
Weaknesses:
Production in both phases of the game tapered off massively from '24 to '25. Very average all-around athlete; not explosive off the ball and has mediocre bend. Size and length are both bang average. Good tackler but doesn't always take good angles.
4.
Keldric Faulk
Archetype: Early-Down Game Wrecker
Pro Comp:
Grade: 2nd round
School:
Auburn
Height:
6'6
Weight:
280lbs
Strengths:
Absolutely massive player with 34+ inch arms. Does an excellent job using his length and anchor to his advantage; stack-and-shed ability is awesome. High IQ run defender who takes good angles and puts himself in position to make a play. Length and strength afford him solid tackling ability in the run game. Athleticism at his size/age (20) offers optimism about his pass rush upside.
Weaknesses:
Non-existent pass rush ability; pressures come late in the play and conference play sack production is lacking. Very raw technique with little in the way of refined hand usage and consistent pad level. Strike power is disappointing in both phases of the game. Offers very little as a real edge rusher, probably best off rushing from the interior on passing downs.
5.
Malachi Lawrence
Archetype: 3-Down Finesse Rusher
Pro Comp:
Grade: 2nd round
School:
UCF
Height:
6'4
Weight:
251lbs
Strengths:
34" arms constitute great length. Hand usage is powerful and refined; among the best we've seen in recent years. Deep pass rush bag that includes an elite double swipe, chop variations, inside swim, and rip. Has a plan of attack before every true pass rush rep; combos and counter moves galore. Physical player who flashes a solid anchor when setting the edge.
Weaknesses:
Lacks elite bend and speed. Raging bull in run support; powerful and willing but has poor lane discipline, awareness, and eyes for the ball carrier. Lower body strength betrays his bull rush against stronger tackles. Hot motor in pursuit but takes poor angles. Overall consistency as a pass rusher should continue to see development; has counters but doesn't always use them.
6.
Akheem Mesidor
Archetype: Designated Pass Rusher
Pro Comp:
Grade: 2nd round
School:
Miami
Height:
6'3
Weight:
280lbs
Strengths:
Great functional athletic ability that translates into pass rush success. Very developed, coordinated pass rush repertoire that includes a two-hand swipe, cross-chop, rip, and plenty of inside counters. Effective looping on stunts thanks to his athleticism. Fairly alignment-versatile player. Motor runs off the charts through the whistle.
Weaknesses:
Very old prospect who will be 25 on draft night. Has an extensive injury history that has sidelined him often. Power profile is very average; inconsistent speed-to-power and below average anchor in the run game. Ability to stack and shed when teams run at him is subpar; too often goes around blocks rather than holding his position. Bend is very average for a player his height.
7.
Cashius Howell
Archetype: Designated Pass Rusher
Pro Comp:
Grade: 2nd round
School:
Texas A&M
Height:
6'2
Weight:
249lbs
Strengths:
Elite bend, arguably the best in the entire class. Burst and explosiveness off the ball are electric. Inside counter package gives linemen headaches. Great production profile; sacks, pressures, win rate are all in the green. Relentless motor and demeanor. Good tackler for a smaller edge player. Surprisingly viable in space; has his fair share of batted balls and pass breakups.
Weaknesses:
Arms are allegedly under 31", unprecedented for a top edge rusher; outlier wingspan will knock him off some teams' boards entirely. Struggled mightily vs NFL-caliber talent (Miami, Texas games). Regularly moved off his spot when teams run toward his side. Would only be viable as a run defender in a hybrid front that allows him to use his speed due to his lack of length and average power.
8.
Joshua Josephs
Archetype: 3-Down Speed Rusher
Pro Comp: Dallas Turner
Grade: 3rd round
School:
Tennessee
Height:
6'3
Weight:
240lbs
Strengths:
Verified 34.75" arms and it shows up; 6 forced fumbles in the last two seasons. Twitchy mover who is developing an inside counter move package. Unique frame works to his advantage in the run game; natural leverage and long arms to stack and shed blockers. Awesome burst is apparent in both phases of the game. Bend jumps off the screen. Archetypal production; 20.8% pass rush win rate.
Weaknesses:
A bit of an undersized tweener; will be better off in a hybrid front that emphasizes his quickness. Play strength is an issue in both phases of the game; doesn't always do well translating speed to power. Will likely have a learning curve to adjust to the speed and power of the NFL.
9.
Derrick Moore
Archetype: Designated Pass Rusher
Pro Comp: Derick Hall
Grade: 3rd round
School:
Michigan
Height:
6'3
Weight:
265lbs
Strengths:
High-level power profile allows him to dominantly convert speed to power. Has a nasty bull rush and a dangerous long-arm in his repertoire. One of the best pass rush win rates in the class. Burst off the line is above average. Requisite quickness to win with inside counters. High-effort player who is very physical vs the run. Good overall athlete who can play in space. Consistently improved from '23 to '25.
Weaknesses:
Stiff lower half limits his upside; lacks above-average bend. Anchor in the run game is average; needs to sure up his technique. Hands are powerful as a pass rusher, but this doesn't always translate to his run defense. Upside as a run defender, but currently unrefined compared to his pass defense. Older player who will turn 24 during his rookie season.
10.
R Mason Thomas
Archetype: Designated Pass Rusher
Pro Comp:
Grade: 3rd round
School:
Oklahoma
Height:
6'2
Weight:
249lbs
Strengths:
Awesome burst off the LOS. Great athlete; change-of-direction, speed, acceleration ability. Dangerous speed rusher with good bend and flexibility to run the arc. Natural leverage affords him above average speed-to-power. One of the best pass rush win rates in the class. Physical, willing edge setter. High-effort player with great motor and leg drive. Movement skills to play in space.
Weaknesses:
Very undersized player with sub-32" arms and a smaller frame. Poor length will limit his ability to reach an OT's frame and extend. Unrefined technique occasionally leads to lost initial contact exchanges in both phases of the game. Suboptimal mass/anchor to not get moved in the run game. Poor tackler due to reach/range issues. Some injury concerns.
11.
Anthony Lucas
Archetype: Athletic 3-Down Power Rusher
Pro Comp:
Grade: 3rd round
School:
USC
Height:
6'6
Weight:
275lbs
Strengths:
Coming soon
Weaknesses:
Coming soon
12.
Romello Height
Archetype: Designated Pass Rusher
Pro Comp:
Grade: 3rd round
School:
Texas Tech
Height:
6'2
Weight:
240lbs
Strengths:
Extremely twitchy and athletic player . Elite acceleration and solid bend to attack the outside shoulder. Inside counters are devastating thanks to his quickness; inside swim, euro-chop are nasty. Has the speed and eyes to make plays against the run as a backside defender. Motor and speed make him a constant problem for QBs. Offers utility in space.
Weaknesses:
Very light with a poor size/power profile; speed-to-power will be stifled by NFL offensive tackles. Play is over if a lineman gets his hands on him; can't extend to shed blockers easily. Easily displaced in the run game. 32" arms and bottom quartile wingspan will raise questions. Will be 25 during his rookie season.
13.
Gabe Jacas
Archetype:
Pro Comp:
Grade: 3rd round
School:
Illinois
Height:
6'3
Weight:
274lbs
Strengths:
Coming soon
Weaknesses:
Coming soon
14.
Zion Young
Archetype: 3-Down Power Rusher
Pro Comp:
Grade: early day 3
School:
MIssouri
Height:
6'5
Weight:
262lbs
Strengths:
Dominant setting the edge in the run game; high-effort player with range and length. Resets the LOS consistently; uses his frame to win at the point of attack. Flashes a powerful bull rush that I'd like to see him continue developing. Decent pass rush bag he's developed so far; inside spin is a winner. Large NFL frame with good power and range. Upside as a pass rusher is still untapped.
Weaknesses:
Lacks bend to win the edge. Flashes great burst but often looks hesitant as a pass rusher; clear lack of a plan and conviction on too many reps. Pass rush repertoire is unrefined; hand usage and timing need work. Has some bad habits as a run defender; needs to maintain lane discipline more diligently by not making himself diagonal to the LOS.
15.
Max Llewellyn
Archetype:
Pro Comp:
Grade: early day 3
School:
Iowa
Height:
6'5
Weight:
260lbs
Strengths:
Coming soon
Weaknesses:
Coming soon
16.
Dani Dennis-Sutton
Archetype:
Pro Comp:
Grade: early day 3
School:
Penn State
Height:
6'5
Weight:
265lbs
Strengths:
Coming soon
Weaknesses:
Coming soon
17.
Jack Pyburn
Archetype: Early-Down Edge Setter
Pro Comp:
Grade: early day 3
School:
LSU
Height:
6'4
Weight:
264lbs
Strengths:
Coming soon
Weaknesses:
Coming soon
18.
Cameron Robertson
Archetype: Early-Down Edge Setter
Pro Comp:
Grade: early day 3
School:
SMU
Height:
6'4
Weight:
260lbs
Strengths:
Monster edge setter; technically sound stack-and-shedder. Has great eye discipline and rarely loses track of the ball carrier. Maintains his lane responsibility and works through blocks rather than around them. Developing his hand usage as a pass rusher. Has flashed solid bend on some pass rush reps. Elite tackler; only missed 4% of his attempts in 2025. Prototype DE frame.
Weaknesses:
Bend is just okay and he lacks elite burst off the LOS. Speed-to-power is fairly uninspiring. Pedestrian 12.3% pass rush win rate. Hands aren't all that powerful; more of a technical run stuffer than someone who physically dominates opposing linemen. Struggled to finish plays prior to 2025; lots of missed tackles.
19.
Keyron Crawford
Archetype:
Pro Comp:
Grade: early day 3
School:
Auburn
Height:
6'4
Weight:
255lbs
Strengths:
Coming soon
Weaknesses:
Coming soon
20.
Caden Curry
Archetype:
Pro Comp:
Grade: mid day 3
School:
Ohio State
Height:
6'3
Weight:
260lbs
Strengths:
Coming soon
Weaknesses:
Coming soon
21.
Nadame Tucker
Archetype:
Pro Comp:
Grade: mid day 3
School:
W. Michigan
Height:
6'3
Weight:
250lbs
Strengths:
Coming soon
Weaknesses:
Will turn 26 years old before his rookie season. Only one productive season under his belt that came after transferring out of the P4.
22.
LT Overton
Archetype:
Pro Comp:
Grade: mid day 3
School:
Alabama
Height:
6'4
Weight:
280lbs
Strengths:
Coming soon
Weaknesses:
Coming soon
25.
Jaishawn Barham
Archetype:
Pro Comp:
Grade: late day 3
School:
Michigan
Height:
6'3
Weight:
241lbs
Strengths:
Coming soon
Weaknesses:
Coming soon
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