top of page
.png)
2026 EDGE Rankings
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. Converts speed to power at a high level. Arguably the best run defender in the class. Lower body quickness allows him a formidable speed rush package; euro-step is good. Surprising bend for such a rocked up player.
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. Poor tackler with limited range who doesn't have the length to arm tackle.
2.
Keldric Faulk
Archetype: Early-Down Game Wrecker
Pro Comp:
Grade: 1st 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.
3.
Cashius Howell
Archetype: Designated Pass Rusher
Pro Comp: Melvin Ingram III
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. Elite 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. 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.
4.
David Bailey
Archetype: Designated Pass Rusher
Pro Comp: Cliff Avril
Grade: 2nd round
School:
Texas Tech
Height:
6'3
Weight:
250lbs
Strengths:
Elite combination of bend, quickness, and burst off the LOS. Multiple instances where he's bent so low that the lineman can't reach him. Absurd ankle flexion to explode around the arc while 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. 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.
5.
Anthony Lucas
Archetype: Athletic 3-Down Power Rusher
Pro Comp:
Grade: 2nd round
School:
USC
Height:
6'6
Weight:
275lbs
Strengths:
Strengths
Weaknesses:
Weaknesses
6.
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.
7.
Malachi Lawrence
Archetype: Designated Pass Rusher
Pro Comp:
Grade: 3rd round
School:
UCF
Height:
6'4
Weight:
251lbs
Strengths:
35" arms constitute hyper-elite 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.
8.
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.
9.
TJ Parker
Archetype: 3-Down Power Rusher
Pro Comp:
Grade: 3rd 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.
10.
Zion Young
Archetype: 3-Down Power Rusher
Pro Comp:
Grade: 3rd round
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.
11.
Matayo Uiagalelei
Archetype: Finesse Rusher
Pro Comp: Laiatu Latu-lite
Grade: 3rd round
School:
Oregon
Height:
6'5
Weight:
272lbs
Strengths:
Refined hand usage; inside counters built off his tantalizing cross-chop make blockers dizzy. Remarkable technical refinement for a true 3rd-year player. Keen on getting his hands up to bat down quick throws. Surprising bend for a player his size. Very enticing combination of prototypical frame and technical refinement.
Weaknesses:
Run defense is wildly inconsistent; sometimes looks lost, outmatched, or downright disinterested. Athletic profile is underwhelming in every regard. Pop in his hands is absent on a lot of his reps; struggles to convert speed to power. Power profile will be tested against NFL tackles. Poor tackler; 30.8% missed tackle rate in 2025.
12.
Yhonzae Pierre
Archetype: Relentless Power Rusher
Pro Comp:
Grade: early day 3
School:
Alabama
Height:
6'3
Weight:
248lbs
Strengths:
Versatile player who lines up in the box, on the edge, drops into coverage, and rushes the passer.
Weaknesses:
Poor tackler; misses 28.6% of his tackles. Lackluster 13.9% pass rush win rate.
13.
Teitum Tuioti
Archetype: Edge Setter
Pro Comp:
Grade: early day 3
School:
Oregon
Height:
6'3
Weight:
263lbs
Strengths:
Elite 12.7% run stop rate.
Weaknesses:
Raw pass rusher
bottom of page