Complete 2026 NFL Draft Edge Rankings:

You are currently viewing our edge rusher rankings for the 2026 NFL Draft. The 2026 edge rusher class has a chance to make it back to back years with really deep classes.

Our top edge prospects are selected after thousands of hours carefully scouting the most talented defensive ends and outside linebackers in college football. Even though only about 30 will get selected in the draft, a lot more are signed as free agents, and many more receive a training camp invite.

We’ll provide you with inside information to help you know who will be a star, who will be a bust, and which sleepers will shock the world.

BNB Football is the best place for in-depth analysis of 2026 NFL draft edge rusher prospects at all levels of college football. To view other positions, follow the links below.

(Last Updated: April 22, 2026)

1. Rueben Bain, Miami (FL)

DE | 6’2″ | 263 lbs | 3rd Year

Rueben Bain Scouting Report

Rueben Bain entered his true junior season at Miami looking to recapture the dominance he displayed as a freshman. In 2023, Bain burst onto the scene with 44 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, and 3 forced fumbles, earning him ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. He was the only freshman in the conference to record more than seven sacks that season.

His sophomore campaign in 2024 was less impactful, partly due to nagging injuries which caused him to miss 4 games. Standing at 6-foot-3 and weighing 265 pounds, Bain possesses elite strength for an edge rusher. He combines that with good quickness, hand usage, and solid pass rush moves for his age.

Bain’s 2025 season was started a bit up-and-down, but steadily improved as the year went on. Teams will also knock his thick frame that’s more like an interior lineman, and will be especially critical of his short arms. Despite that, his exceptionally powerful hands and explosive first step should make him a favorite among defensive coaches in the NFL.

Rueben Bain 2025 Stats

16 games: 54 tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks, 2 passes defended, 1 interception, 1 fumble forced

2. David Bailey, Texas Tech

OLB | 6’4″ | 251 lbs | 4th Year

David Bailey Scouting Report

At this time last year, I was one of the only people saying David Bailey was worthy of a 1st round pick. After transferring from Stanford to Texas Tech this past season, he showed everyone what I was seeing.

Bailey was one of the most productive edge rushers in the nation, leading the Big 12 in both tackles for loss and sacks. Bailey brings good length, twitch, power, and a bit of flexibility off the edge, allowing him to threaten tackles with speed and finesse around the corner. He plays with an aggressive motor and does a good job staying active throughout the rep, often working back inside when his first move is stalled. He is also adept at forcing fumbles, striking at the football with great timing and power.

There are still refinements needed with hand usage, and he isn’t as bendy as you’d expect from a potential top-5 pick. Still, the athletic profile and production make him a legitimate difference maker.

David Bailey 2025 Stats

14 games: 52 tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss, 14.5 sacks, 3 passes defended, 3 fumbles forced

3. Akheem Mesidor, Miami (FL)

DE | 6’3″ | 259 lbs | 6th Year

Akheem Mesidor Scouting Report

Akheem Mesidor was one of the most productive edge rushers in college football this past season thanks to an impressive mix of power, athleticism, and pass rushing moves. The 6th year player played 65 collegiate games, and was an immediate high level contributor to open his college career at West Virginia.

Mesidor has really good quickness around the edge with the ability to convert speed to power or win with a finesse move. He does a great job of maintaining vision on the quarterback as well as countering offensive linemen to win leverage. He’s effective against the run and has a strong build that allows him to effectively set the edge and stay in his gap. The overall athletic profile is good, and he’ll show solid bend around the edge.

The biggest issue for Mesidor is going to be his age. He’ll be a 25 year old rookie, and by the time his second contract comes around he’ll be at the age where most players are on a downward trajectory. He also has a bit of a tweener frame, with somewhat short arms and a shorter height than normal.

 

Akheem Mesidor 2025 Stats

15 games: 63 tackles, 17.5 tackles for loss, 12.5 sacks, 4 fumbles forced

4. Malachi Lawrence, UCF

DE | 6’4″ | 253 lbs | 5th Year

Malachi Lawrence Scouting Report

Malachi Lawrence was probably the most underrated pass rusher in the nation this past year. His impact went far beyond what you see on the stat sheet, and he has all the tools to continue that success at the next level. 

Lawrence has an abundance of pass rushing moves. He’s a tactician with his hands and is always ready with a counter move if he doesn’t win outright. He has a prototypical frame for an NFL defensive end with a good combination of size and length, plus a fast first step that showed up in his athletic testing.

He’ll need to improve multiple aspects of his game against the run if he’s going to see the field consistently in the NFL. He doesn’t set the edge as cleanly as you’d expect, and he is rarely making stops in the run game. 

Malachi Lawrence 2025 Stats

12 games: 28 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 7 sacks, 3 passes defended, 2 fumbles forced

5. Zion Young, Missouri

DE | 6’6″ | 262 lbs | 4th Year

Zion Young Scouting Report

Zion Young has steadily put himself on the radar as one of the more complete edge defenders in the 2026 class after breakout season for Missouri this year.

Young brings a well built frame, good length, and a solid overall athletic profile, winning more with strength, leverage, and effort than pure explosiveness. He does not have an especially quick first step, but he does a good job converting speed to power and working through contact once engaged. Young sets a firm edge in the run game, plays with discipline, and rarely takes snaps off, which shows up in his down to down consistency.

His pass rush production comes from persistence and hand usage rather than suddenness, wearing tackles down over the course of a game. He has continued to refine his technique and feel as a rusher each season. While his ceiling may be capped without elite burst, he projects as a dependable, high floor edge who can contribute early.

Zion Young 2025 Stats

13 games: 42 tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss, 16.5 sacks, 2 passes defended, 2 fumbles forced

6. TJ Parker, Clemson

DE | 6’3″ | 265 lbs | 3rd Year

TJ Parker Scouting Report

TJ Parker entered this season as one of the top prospects in the entire class, coming off an All-American sophomore season in 2024. Like a lot of other players in the class, the production fell off quite a bit this year.

Parker looks the part of an NFL edge rusher, with prototypical size and length and above average athletic traits. He plays with active hands and gets into the offensive lineman’s chest first, while displaying good physicality at the point of attack and showing the leg drive to disrupt the pocket or blow up run plays. He changes directions well and has quick feet for his size.

This past season Parker didn’t look quite as explosive off the line of scrimmage, and rarely would win early. His 2024 success relied so much on speed to power, and without the speed he doesn’t look nearly as impressive. NFL teams will have to decide which version of TJ Parker they think they’re getting.

TJ Parker 2025 Stats

12 games: 37 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, 5 sacks, 1 pass defended

7. Keldric Faulk, Auburn

DE | 6’6″ | 276 lbs | 3rd Year

Keldric Faulk Scouting Report

Keldric Faulk had a breakout season as a true sophomore in 2024, showcasing an impressive combination of length, strength, and athletic traits. His production was down this past season, but he played his best football in Auburn’s biggest games. 

Faulk brings a long, athletic frame with a bit of burst off the line and plenty of physicality at the point of attack. When his timing is right, he shows the ability to win quickly and disrupt plays in the backfield, and plays with a strong motor. His size and quickness gives him the versatility to line up across the defensive line and hunt mismatches as a pass rusher. 

While he’s a good athlete for his size, he doesn’t have quite as much twitch as you’d expect out of a 1st round edge rusher. The minimal production (2 sacks) will draw question from scouts, and his pass rush technique will still need to be refined quite a bit.

Keldric Faulk 2025 Stats

12 games: 29 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 4 passes defended

8. Cashius Howell, Texas A&M

DE/OLB | 6’2″ | 250 lbs | 5th Year

Cashius Howell Scouting Report​

After starting his college career at Bowling Green, Cashius Howell transferred to Texas A&M where he impressed in 2024. A year later he took his game to the next level, becoming the X-factor of one of the best defenses in college football.

Howell has the short area quickness you expect from a top pass rusher, with great flexibility to bend around the edge and accelerate around the corner. He has a refined pass rushing repertoire, showing the ability to win in a variety of ways. In a 3-4 scheme Howell can also provide value dropping back into coverage where he looks about as good as an off-ball linebacker. When he isn’t dropping back he’s also very active getting his hands up and batting down passes.

While he offers a ton to work with as a pass rusher, his slight frame and a lack of gap discipline causes him problems as a run defender. He has a lean build and minimal length which too often results in him being pulled out of the lane and allowing a big gap for the running back.

Cashius Howell 2025 Stats

13 games: 31 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, 11.5 sacks, 6 passes defended, 1 fumble forced

9. R Mason Thomas, Oklahoma

DE | 6’2″ | 250 lbs | 4th Year

R Mason Thomas Scouting Report

R Mason Thomas is an extremely twitchy athlete who plays with a high motor and consistently wins on the edge. The 1st team All-SEC edge rusher is undersized, but requires a ton of attention from the defense due to his athleticism.

It’s easy to find R Mason Thomas on film. He moves like an NFL edge rusher, with an extremely quick acceleration, constantly high speed, and solid bend around the edge. He has a wide range of pass rush moves he can cycle, through, with the suddenness to turn speed into power and the body control to win with spin moves. He took a step forward as a run defender this past season, showing improved pad level and physicality to set the edge. 

While the twitch will get everyone’s attention, Thomas will need to be more active finishing plays as a run defender and avoiding missed tackles. His lack of size and length is a part of that which won’t improve. His injury history will also cause some worry in NFL scouts. Despite nothing too major, he’s missed multiple games in 3 of his 4 college seasons. This includes multiple ankle injuries and a quad injury this past year.

R Mason Thomas 2025 Stats

10 games: 26 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, 1 pass defended, 2 fumbles forced

10. Dani Dennis-Sutton, Penn State

DE | 6’5″ | 256 lbs | 4th Year

Dani Dennis-Sutton Scouting Report

Dani Dennis-Sutton is a high floor defensive end with prototypical traits and a consistent all around playstyle. Having earned early playing time as a true freshman, Dennis-Sutton is one of the most experienced edge rushers in the class, with 55 games of experience. He’s produced at a very high level over the past two seasons, becoming known as one of the best pass rushers in the Big Ten while forcing a ton of fumbles.

Dani Dennis-Sutton plays with power, toughness, and grit. He does a good job of setting the edge, and uses his length well to separate and make a play in the run game. He has heavy hands and gets off his blocks very effectively, while having good eye discipline for hustle sacks or finding the ball carrier.

While his athleticism is decent, he isn’t super bendy around the edge and doesn’t usually when with speed. Most of his wins require him to use his length, and he won’t have the length advantage nearly as often in the NFL. His all-around game should still be good enough to earn snaps early, and if he can develop some counter moves he could become a very solid long term player.

Dani Dennis-Sutton 2025 Stats

12 games: 42 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks, 3 passes defended, 3 fumbles forced

Complete 2026 NFL Draft Edge Rusher Rankings

RANK NAME SCHOOL AGE HT WT 40YD
1 Rueben Bain Jr. Miami (FL) 3rd 6'2" 263
2 David Bailey Texas Tech 4th 6'4" 251 4.50
3 Akheem Mesidor Miami (FL) 6th 6'3" 259
4 Malachi Lawrence UCF 5th 6'4" 253 4.52
5 Zion Young Missouri 4th 6'6" 262 4.75
6 TJ Parker Clemson 3rd 6'4" 263 4.68
7 Keldric Faulk Auburn 3rd 6'6" 276 4.67
8 Cashius Howell Texas A&M 5th 6'3" 253 4.59
9 R Mason Thomas Oklahoma 4th 6'2" 241 4.67
10 Dani Dennis-Sutton Penn State 4th 6'5" 256 4.63
11 Gabe Jacas Illinois 4th 6'4" 260 4.65
12 Derrick Moore Michigan 4th 6'4" 255
13 Jaishawn Barham Michigan 4th 6'4" 240 4.64
14 Keyron Crawford Auburn 4th 6'4" 253
15 Romello Height Texas Tech 6th 6'3" 239 4.64
16 Caden Curry Ohio State 4th 6'3" 257
17 Joshua Josephs Tennessee 4th 6'3" 242 4.73
18 Mason Reiger Wisconsin 6th 6'5" 251 4.78
19 Keyshawn James-Newby New Mexico 6th 6'2" 238 4.53
20 Michael Heldman Central Michigan 5th 6'4" 265 4.70
21 Trey Moore Texas 5th 6'2" 243 4.54
22 Vincent Anthony Jr. Duke 4th 6'6" 258 4.84
23 Nadame Tucker Western Michigan 6th 6'2" 247 4.73
24 Logan Fano Utah 4th 6'5" 257 4.59
25 Mikail Kamara Indiana 6th 6'1" 250 4.90
26 Patrick Payton LSU 5th 6'5" 260
27 LT Overton Alabama 4th 6'3" 274 4.87
28 Max Llewellyn Iowa 5th 6'6" 258 4.81
29 Isaiah Smith SMU 4th 6'4" 246 4.92
30 George Gumbs Jr. Florida 5th 6'4" 245 4.66
31 Cian Slone NC State 5th 6'3" 241 4.66
32 Tyreak Sapp Florida 5th 6'2" 273
33 Wesley Williams Duke 4th 6'4" 256 4.89
34 Eddie Walls III Houston 5th 6'4" 250
35 Ethan Burke Texas 4th 6'6" 267 4.94
36 Quintayvious Hutchins Boston College 5th 6'3" 233 4.74
37 Aidan Hubbard Northwestern 5th 6'4" 260 4.80
38 Bryan Thomas Jr. South Carolina 4th 6'1" 245 4.81
39 Nyjalik Kelly UCF 4th 6'5" 256 4.88
40 Mitchell Melton Virginia 6th 6'3" 253 4.62
41 Zach Durfee Washington 5th 6'5" 247 4.58
42 Anthony Lucas USC 4th 6'6" 256
43 Stephen Daley Indiana 4th 6'1" 276
44 Jack Pyburn LSU 4th 6'4" 258
45 Devean Deal TCU 5th 6'2" 251
46 Dasan McCullough Nebraska 4th 6'5" 240 4.59
47 Khordae Sydnor Vanderbilt 5th 6'5" 264 4.68
48 Nathan Voorhis Ball State 4th 6'3" 251 4.76
49 Cam Robertson SMU 4th 6'4" 253 4.84
50 AJ Pena Rhode Island 4th 6'1" 234
51 Marvin Jones Jr. Oklahoma 4th 6'5" 245 4.69
52 Sabastian Harsh NC State 6th 6'2" 255 4.66
53 Cam'Ron Stewart Temple 5th 6'4" 244 4.56
54 Eric O'Neill Rutgers 5th 6'2" 247 4.81
55 Tyce Westland Wyoming 5th 6'4" 244 4.62
56 CJ Nunnally IV Purdue 5th 6'3" 253 4.87
57 William Whitlow Jr. Memphis 5th 6'2" 251 4.88
58 Ben Bell Virginia Tech 6th 6'1" 243 4.69
59 Jordan Lawson Louisiana 6th 6'4" 251 4.75
60 Wesley Bailey Louisville 6th 6'5" 260 4.69
61 Joshua Weru Kenya - 6'4" 244 4.45
62 Niles King San Diego State 4th 6'6" 265 4.70
63 Malick Sylla Mississippi State 4th 6'6" 258 4.89
64 Arden Walker Colorado 5th 6'2" 242 4.76
65 Jimari Butler LSU 6th 6'4" 258 4.75
66 CKelby Givens Southern 4th 6'1" 240 4.81
67 Ethan Hurkett Iowa 6th 6'3" 244 4.87
68 Dayon Hayes Texas A&M 6th 6'3" 290 4.91
69 TJ Guy Michigan 5th 6'3" 240 4.94
70 Prince Dorbah Arizona State 6th 6'2" 251 4.82
71 Michael Lunz II South Carolina State 5th 6'2" 233 4.87
72 Keaten Wade Colorado 4th 6'3" 233 4.64
73 Nikko Taylor Oregon State 5th 6'5" 262 4.73
74 Demarcus Hendricks Arkansas State 6th 6'2" 238 4.87
75 David Hoage West Georgia 7th 6'2" 244 4.89
76 Daniel Rickert Virginia 6th 6'1" 236 4.65
77 Quincy Ivory Jackson State 5th 6'3" 274 4.90
78 Bradley Weaver Rutgers 5th 6'3" 267 4.82
79 Malin White Buffalo 6th 6'2" 251 4.69
80 Garret Steffen Illinois State 6th 6'4" 285
81 Xavier Holmes James Madison 5th 6'2" 252 4.76
82 Rodney McGraw Western Michigan 5th 6'5" 264 4.72
83 Tamatoa McDonough Iowa State 5th 6'5" 272
84 Ricky Freymond Western Colorado 5th 6'5" 262 4.99
85 James Stewart Tennessee State 5th 6'1" 240 4.75
86 Kris Trinidad Old Dominion 5th 6'5" 266 4.95
87 Bryce Cage Grambling State 5th 6'3" 271
88 Justin Wodtly Arizona State 6th 6'1" 276 5.15
89 Jacob Psyk UC-Davis 5th 6'3" 260
90 Elijah O'Neal Arizona State 5th 6'3" 261
91 Cade Denhoff Clemson 5th 6'4" 261 4.68
92 Matt Spatny Lehigh 4th 6'2" 247 4.65
93 Noah Arinze Coastal Carolina 6th 6'5" 260 4.91
94 Tymere Jackson Texas State 5th 6'3" 251 4.75
95 Jah-Mal Williams Troy 5th 6'3" 243 4.78
96 Nuer Gatkuoth Wake Forest 4th 6'3" 239 4.92
97 Korey Foreman Fresno State 6th 6'4" 270 4.82
98 David Reese Syracuse 8th 6'2" 240 4.65
99 Kenneth Eiden IV Montana State 5th 6'1" 250
100 Phillip Lee Arkansas 5th 6'3" 237 4.80
101 Ty'Metrius Patterson Benedict 6th 6'0" 270 4.79
102 Christopher Eaton Jr. Sam Houston State 6th 6'2" 246 4.70
103 Jordan Botelho Notre Dame 6th 6'2" 247 4.85
104 Roy Williams Northern Illinois 4th 6'6" 255
105 Finn Claypool Fresno State 5th 6'0" 250 4.64
106 Malachi Cooper San Diego 5th 6'5" 289 5.08
107 Buddha Peleti Washington State 4th 6'1" 235 4.67
108 Angelo Anderson Tarleton State 6th 6'2" 268
109 Mo Westmoreland Tulane 6th 6'2" 250
110 Michael Shimek Ashland 4th 6'1" 244 4.84
111 Kellan Wyatt Indiana 4th 6'2" 257
112 Chief Borders UNLV 5th 6'3" 243 4.75
113 Robert Holtz Gardner-Webb 6th 6'2" 250 5.06
114 Chris Wright Abilene Christian 5th 6'4" 250
115 Devin Grant West Virginia 6th 6'1" 288 4.83
116 Tony Anyanwu Rice 6th 6'2" 250
117 Malik McKinzie Charleston Southern 4th 6'1" 233 4.85
118 Malachi Bailey Arizona 6th 6'1" 283 4.83
119 Kaghen Roach Abilene Christian 7th 6'4" 250
120 Leon Lowery Illinois 6th 6'4" 247 4.97
121 Kevin Abrams-Verwayne Appalachian State 6th 6'2" 238 4.86
122 Cody Stufflebean Kansas State 6th 6'4" 260
123 Quindarius Dunnigan Michigan State 7th 6'3" 251 4.97
124 Warren Robinson Grambling State 6th 6'2" 255
125 Jamall Thompson Jr. New Mexico State 5th 6'2" 242
126 Kam Olds Kentucky 4th 6'3" 256
127 Owen Ostroski Northern Iowa 5th 6'2" 265
128 Cazeem Moore Virginia 4th 6'4" 254 4.94
129 Ethan Hassler Arkansas State 5th 6'2" 245
130 Corey Walker Wisconsin 5th 6'5" 273 4.91
131 Anthony Dunn Jr. Toledo 4th 6'5" 246 4.84
132 Smith Vilbert North Carolina 7th 6'6" 290 5.10
133 Tra Thomas NC State 5th 6'2" 224 4.54
134 Brett Karhu New Mexico 4th 6'1" 229 4.79
135 Aaron Austin Stephen F. Austin 4th 6'3" 245
136 Ashaad Hall UTEP 4th 6'2" 248 4.77
137 Malakai Williams Boise State 5th 6'5" 248 4.64
138 Thomas Ibrahim Southeastern (FL) 5th 6'3" 245 4.81
139 Junior Tuihalamaka Notre Dame 4th 6'2" 252
140 Logan Lutui BYU 6th 6'2" 260
141 Chisom Ifeanyi Wyoming 7th 6'4" 260 4.62
142 Elijah Davis Troy 5th 6'3" 249 4.83
143 Israel Nwokocha Benedict 5th 6'2" 250
144 Chris Murray Auburn 5th 6'3" 255
145 Jimmori Robinson West Virginia 7th 6'4" 261 5.00
146 Yasir Holmes Tarleton State 5th 6'4" 240
147 Kenard Snyder Texas State 5th 6'0" 260
148 Luke Pirris Navy 4th 6'3" 217 5.10
149 Bryan Whitehead Arkansas State 5th 6'1" 265
150 Noah Miles Howard 4th 6'3" 242 4.96
151 Jacob Ferguson Georgia Southern 6th 6'2" 246 5.03
152 Keegan Davis Florida International 5th 6'2" 248 5.14
153 Hunter Parsons Montana State 5th 6'4" 245
154 CJ Bazile Jr. Liberty 4th 6'1" 250
155 Kalil Alexander Texas State 6th 6'1" 204 4.87
156 Hunter Peck Montana 5th 6'1" 243 4.75
157 Nevaeh Sanders Mississippi State 5th 6'2" 220 4.52
158 Shawn Robinson Fayetteville State 5th 6'3" 245
159 Kershawn Fisher Western Michigan 6th 6'2" 247 5.06
160 Dominick Williams East Texas Baptist 4th 6'7" 235
161 Dennard Flowers South Florida 5th 6'2" 260
162 Conroy Cunningham Samford 7th 6'3" 260
163 Joey Zelinsky Pittsburgh 4th 6'3" 245 4.76
164 Justice Finkley Kansas 4th 6'1" 242 5.07
165 Deonte Anderson Mississippi State 5th 6'4" 260 4.84
166 Jeremy Walton SE Missouri State 5th 6'1" 250
167 Braden Mullen Charlotte 5th 6'4" 240
168 Quincy Robinson Delaware State 6th 6'3" 235
169 Ese Dubre Stanford 5th 6'2" 259 4.83
170 Rico Watson III South Florida 7th 5'11" 232 4.93
171 Chris Victor California 5th 6'3" 247 4.90
172 Red Hibbler Mississippi State 6th 6'2" 275
173 Thomas Davis Appalachian State 5th 6'2" 235
174 Kevontay Wells UL-Monroe 4th 6'1" 245 4.91
175 Chris Davis Jr. ETSU 5th 6'3" 235
176 Samuel Dankah East Carolina 4th 6'6" 218 4.98
177 Blaine Spires Pittsburgh 7th 6'2" 258 4.81
178 James Djonkam Virginia Tech 5th 6'2" 260
179 Max Van Landingham Northern State 6th 6'3" 266 4.93
180 Tajay Passmore Lindenwood 6th 6'3" 255
181 JaQues Evans Colorado State 6th 6'2" 250
182 Briceon Hayes North Texas 5th 6'3" 230
183 Malik Gucake Prairie View A&M 4th 6'3" 250
184 Ty Cooper Tulsa 5th 6'3" 248 4.94
185 Jorel Liverpool Charlotte 4th 6'6" 253 4.92
186 Braden Siders West Virginia 6th 6'2" 240
187 Charles Esters III Texas Tech 5th 6'2" 256 4.82
188 Jon Jones UTSA 5th 6'3" 274 5.00
189 Jason Compoh Merrimack 5th 6'2" 255 4.82
190 Eric Ford Army 4th 6'3" 235
191 Billy Pullen UL-Monroe 5th 6'2" 245 4.85
192 Franco Milano Stony Brook 5th 6'3" 270
193 Mikah Coleman Cincinnati 5th 6'4" 270
194 Tariq Jones Hawaii 5th 6'2" 236 4.93
195 Jacob Busic UCLA 6th 6'4" 265 5.03
196 Davion Hood Austin Peay 5th 6'2" 239 4.92
197 Jackson Filer Grand View 5th 6'3" 245
198 Ryheem Craig East Carolina 5th 6'3" 231 4.86
199 Daniel Grobe Air Force 4th 6'7" 270
200 Keanu Koht Vanderbilt 5th 6'4" 256
201 Joe Moore Florida Atlantic 6th 6'3" 235 4.76
202 Antoineo Harris Jr. Connecticut 6th 6'2" 259 4.90
203 Ose Egbase UNLV 6th 6'4" 247 4.69
204 Stanley Lambert Ferris State 8th 6'4" 251 4.79
205 Dominic Oliver Western Kentucky 5th 6'3" 244 4.92
206 Michael Akins Texas Southern 5th 6'2" 255
207 Cameron Whitfield Louisiana 5th 6'3" 245
208 Terrell Tilmon Texas Tech 5th 6'4" 242 4.72
209 Alec Bryant Illinois 6th 6'2" 251 5.25
210 Tim Alderman North Carolina A&T 6th 6'3" 230
211 Brayden Wilson Wyoming 6th 6'5" 255
212 CJ McCray Cincinnati 6th 6'3" 244 4.65
213 Ronald Triplette Georgia Tech 5th 6'2" 260
214 Talib Salahuddin Incarnate Word 5th 6'3" 241 4.75
215 Devin Aupiu UCLA 5th 6'5" 271 5.06
216 Olanrewaju Adeyemi Wagner 4th 6'4" 245
217 Kobe Stewart Buffalo 5th 6'2" 240 5.12
218 Gary Lewis Central Arkansas 5th 6'2" 235
219 Joshua Powell Columbia 4th 6'3" 250
220 Wyatt Draeger Towson 7th 6'4" 245
221 Jamal Jones Bowie State 5th 5'11" 237
222 Charlie Parks Saskatchewan 4th 6'4" 222
223 Brandon Buckner Mid Tenn State 5th 6'0" 245 4.78
224 Kobe McClendon Lindenwood 5th 6'2" 265
225 Davon Townley Jr. Missouri State 5th 6'5" 279
226 Deven Wright Sacramento State 6th 6'5" 215
227 Nick Hunter ETSU 5th 6'5" 220
228 Khalil Poteat Temple 4th 6'5" 280
229 Demon Clowney South Carolina 6th 6'3" 248 4.91
230 Jamichael Rogers UAB 4th 6'1" 247 4.71
231 Jalyn Durgan North Texas 4th 6'3" 239 4.70
232 Denis Jaquez Jr. Syracuse 4th 6'3" 256
233 Antoine Campbell Jr. Kent State 5th 6'4" 240
234 Richie Hagarty Northwestern 7th 6'3" 245
235 Mattheus Carroll Kent State 5th 6'4" 246 5.03
236 Na'Shawn Biggs Delaware State 5th 6'3" 220
237 Isaac Walker Jacksonville State 5th 6'2" 235
238 Donovan Parham Idaho 6th 6'2" 236
239 Raam Stevenson Washington State 5th 6'4" 249 4.91
240 Kechaun Bennett UCLA 5th 6'4" 254 5.08
241 Jorden McDonald William & Mary 5th 6'4" 255
242 Jameer Lewis Southern Miss 4th 6'1" 221 4.97
243 Okiki Olorunfunmi New Mexico 6th 6'5" 265
244 Nate Temple Pittsburgh 7th 6'4" 245
245 Rodney Faulk Stony Brook 5th 6'3" 260
246 DQ Watkins LIU 5th 6'3" 270
247 JJ Hawkins Southern Miss 5th 6'1" 259 4.88
248 Makai McCall NC Central 6th 6'3" 230 4.77
249 Gharin Stansbury Jacksonville State 5th 6'6" 270
250 Nathan Carabatsakis Robert Morris 5th 6'4" 260
251 Ravonte Blowe Houston Christian 4th 6'2" 241 4.82
252 Ejike Adele Rice 5th 6'2" 270
253 James Yelbert Jr. Delaware 5th 6'5" 248 4.87
254 Donovan Branch Connecticut 4th 6'3" 258 4.94
255 Clinton Anokwuru Northwestern State 6th 6'3" 250
256 Michael Pleas Jr. Incarnate Word 6th 6'3" 240
257 Peter Johanik Wheaton (IL) 4th 6'1" 230
258 Trevor Thurman Eastern Washington 6th 6'3" 245
259 Reggie Grimes II Memphis 6th 6'4" 265 4.76
260 Jackie Johnson III Hawaii 5th 5'11" 231 5.03
261 Kellen Detrick Montana 5th 6'3" 240
262 Dan Hicks Mercer 5th 6'3" 253 4.83
263 Lando Brown Southern Utah 5th 5'8" 229 5.21
264 Jabaree Dawkins UT-Martin 5th 6'4" 265
265 John Mathis Incarnate Word 5th 6'2" 265
266 AJ Knox Siena Heights 5th 6'3" 240
267 Zach Garron New Hampshire 5th 6'4" 228 4.75
268 Carter Szydlowski Presbyterian 4th 6'2" 261 5.16
269 Isaiah Pedack Mississippi Valley 5th 6'2" 267 5.10
270 Tindell Frick Assumption 4th 6'3" 260
271 Carter Hooper South Dakota 6th 6'5" 265
272 Micaiah Shaber Yale 4th 6'6" 280
273 Chibuike Madu Nigeria - 6'6" 250 4.84
274 Wilfredo Aybar Stanford 5th 6'2" 270
275 Emmanuel Olaitan Reinhardt 4th 5'11" 259 4.88
276 Maurice LaPierre Tennessee Tech 4th 6'1" 230
277 Kyjuan Vengrowsky North Dakota 5th 6'0" 245 4.84
278 Lakeem Rudolph Campbell 6th 6'4" 245
279 Luke Jakubauskas Wagner 5th 6'2" 250
280 Luke Kelley New Haven 5th 6'3" 240
281 Ethan Saunders Delaware 6th 6'0" 250
282 Myles Mendeszoon Iowa State 5th 6'2" 240 4.87
283 Cedric Carter Mercyhurst 6th 6'3" 270
284 Anthonie Cooper Arizona State 7th 6'2" 265
285 John Brown Jr. Jackson State 5th 6'0" 250 5.01
286 Maximus Villar Bryant 6th 6'3" 260
287 Joshua Randall SE Louisiana 5th 6'2" 205
288 DJ Harris South Florida 5th 6'2" 247 4.90
289 Colby Taylor West Florida 6th 6'2" 251 4.56
290 Pius Njenge Tarleton State 5th 6'4" 265
291 Jatius Geer South Carolina 5th 6'4" 256 5.14
292 Rowan Briggs SE Louisiana 4th 6'3" 255
293 Mikah Kent Davidson 4th 6'3" 245
294 IBK Mafe South Alabama 5th 6'1" 236 4.93
295 Kobe Roberts Murray State 6th 6'2" 255
296 Keion Mitchell Howard 4th 6'3" 265 5.03
297 Sam Brown Idaho 5th 6'3" 260
298 Louce Julien Toledo 6th 6'2" 260
299 Jerome Wallace Southern 4th 6'5" 254 4.93
300 Khris Walton Tiffin 5th 6'1" 244 5.05
301 Zukudo Igwenagu Massachusetts 7th 6'4" 250
302 Gabriel Lopez New Mexico 6th 6'2" 245
303 Amorie Morrison UAB 5th 6'3" 262 5.19
304 Jayden Gray Western Kentucky 5th 6'2" 263 5.08
305 Cam'ron Willis Idaho State 4th 6'0" 220
306 Thomas Bouda Cal Poly 5th 6'2" 270
307 Ian Mathews Georgia State 5th 6'3" 258
308 Jackson Adams Air Force 4th 6'4" 240
309 Paul Tangelo Colorado State 5th 6'3" 245
310 Deuce Caldwell II Samford 5th 6'0" 276 5.00
311 Jabril McNeill Troy 5th 6'3" 222 4.69
312 Amari Pouncy Texas-Rio Grande 6th 6'3" 240
313 Hunter Hewitt Southern Arkansas 5th 6'4" 230
314 Miles Mitchell Purdue 4th 6'4" 250
315 Tristan Marois Colorado 5th 6'5" 244
316 Corey Floyd Jr. Ottawa (AZ) 4th 6'4" 235
317 Justin Gilbert Mercer 5th 6'3" 245
318 Vontrell Chairse Southern Illinois 5th 6'3" 245
319 Devante Keys East Texas A&M 6th 6'4" 265 5.25
320 Jeremiah Peters Toledo 5th 6'4" 213 4.82
321 Shayne Masonto Grambling State 5th 6'1" 265
322 Jordan Crawford Texas Wesleyan 6th 5'11" 264 5.05
323 Joe Cadette Incarnate Word 5th 6'0" 244 4.92
324 Byron Turner Jr. Tulsa 5th 6'4" 255
325 Caleb Fisher Western Carolina 5th 6'3" 240
326 Charlie Boucher St. Thomas 4th 6'2" 245
327 Oluwaseyi Omotosho West Virginia 5th 6'2" 243 4.83
328 Caleb Dietlin Missouri State 5th 6'3" 245
329 Alan White New Haven 5th 6'1" 240
330 Cannon Butler Iowa State 6th 6'6" 259 4.93
331 Rod Daniels Kennesaw State 6th 6'0" 251 5.28
332 Damon Early North Greenville 4th 6'2" 245 5.25
333 Zach Myers Evangel 5th 6'2" 225
334 Parker Jacobs Youngstown State 7th 6'4" 265
335 Trystan Anderson Drake 4th 6'4" 240
336 Marcus Hansen Minnesota State 5th 6'0" 250
337 Peter Schanne Sacred Heart 4th 6'3" 255
338 Nick Kessler Illinois State 5th 6'6" 265
339 Ben Smiley III Connecticut 7th 6'4" 249 5.00
340 Maurice Heims Idaho 5th 6'5" 241 4.84
341 Myles Terry North Dakota 4th 6'1" 242 4.77
342 Drake Van Hyfte Eastern Illinois 6th 6'4" 255
343 Trey Alsbrooks Butler 6th 6'1" 240
344 Jon Horton Grambling State 6th 6'4" 235
345 Jahseim Henry Shorter 5th 6'0" 241 5.02
346 Xavier Morrow Nebraska-Kearney 6th 6'2" 261 5.26
347 Zavier Carter Georgia State 5th 6'3" 222 4.95
348 Breon Askins LIU 5th 6'2" 225
349 Eli Saintjuste MidAmerica Nazarene 4th 6'0" 239 5.16
350 Charles Calhoun Temple 5th 6'1" 236 4.97
351 Keshawn Lynch Norfolk State 5th 6'3" 250
352 Dominic Harris Defiance 4th 6'1" 220
353 Eric Thomas Jr. Southern Miss 6th 6'2" 260 5.08
354 Dallas Brown Davidson 5th 6'2" 215
355 Garfield Lawrence Texas Southern 5th 6'5" 240
356 Josh Davies-Balogun Nebraska-Kearney 8th 6'3" 245 5.21
357 Keith Conley Jr. UNLV 7th 6'2" 255
358 Breylon Charles Purdue 5th 6'3" 261 5.07
359 Jared Kirksey Elon 5th 6'2" 245
360 Quardale Patt Sam Houston State 4th 6'4" 266 4.98
361 Macray Madruga UC-Davis 4th 6'3" 235
362 Kyler Laing Mercyhurst 7th 6'2" 245
363 Moon Ashby Utah Tech 6th 6'4" 220
364 De'Andre Wilborn Valparaiso 5th 6'1" 225
365 Osasare Odemwingie Calgary 4th 6'0" 220
366 Mike White Olivet Nazarene 4th 6'3" 228 4.99
367 Caleb Sims Louisiana Tech 6th 6'3" 273 5.18
368 Davonte Murray Northern Illinois 6th 6'2" 250 5.09
369 Jayden Brannan Portland State 5th 6'3" 225
370 Tyson Lee Western Michigan 5th 6'1" 262 5.08
371 Michael Grant Bryant 4th 6'3" 230
372 Zaire Patterson Clemson 5th 6'5" 272 5.08
373 Marcus Bradley Arkansas State 5th 6'3" 264 5.06
374 Keelan Cox Sam Houston State 6th 6'4" 240
375 Evan Niemi San Diego 5th 6'3" 240
376 Jack Courtney St. Francis (PA) 5th 6'2" 250
377 Ethan McLaurin Tennessee Tech 4th 6'1" 245
378 Jamar Rucks Kennesaw State 6th 6'2" 222 5.04
379 Jack Low Fordham 5th 6'3" 260
380 Slade Shufelt Portland State 4th 6'2" 250 4.72
381 Matthew Obiagu Albany 6th 6'4" 250
382 Jelani King-Leverett North Carolina A&T 4th 6'4" 225
383 Corbet Mims Jacksonville State 6th 6'4" 231 5.11
384 Peter Chalhoub Fordham 4th 6'2" 250
385 Brayden Pohlman Kutztown 6th 6'3" 250
386 Donovan Spellman UNLV 4th 6'2" 226 5.04
387 Elijah Jenkins Arkansas-Pine Bluff 5th 6'1" 245
388 Randy Keumogne Michigan 6th 6'2" 252
389 Dillon Sheehan Lehigh 5th 6'4" 245
390 EJ Colbert North Alabama 5th 6'0" 261 5.10
391 Marquise Freeman Chattanooga 6th 6'3" 215
392 Ebenezer Bedada Campbell 5th 6'5" 255
393 Justin Isler Gardner-Webb 5th 6'2" 240
394 Ike Okoye St. Francis (PA) 6th 6'3" 255
395 CJ Wilson Jr. Butler 5th 6'2" 250
396 Jadyn Bost Alcorn State 6th 6'3" 265
397 Matai Mata'afa Montana 5th 6'1" 235
398 Michael Sullivan UCLA 5th 6'4" 245 5.07
399 Mitchell Etheridge III North Carolina A&T 5th 6'2" 245
400 Christopher Walley Alcorn State 5th 6'2" 245
401 Aden Wiser Cortland State 4th 6'2" 240
402 Shon Brown South Carolina State 6th 6'2" 230
403 Marvin Gant Missouri Western 6th 6'2" 242 4.88
404 Cam George Northwestern State 5th 6'0" 259 5.00
405 Ja'Nyus Morgan LIU 5th 6'2" 245
406 Donovan Everette Mercyhurst 5th 6'3" 275
407 Tangata Tuitupou San Jose State 5th 6'4" 240 5.08
408 Kanye Varner Jackson State 4th 6'3" 240
409 Jabari Johnson Dartmouth 4th 6'3" 260
410 DJ Bennett Central Michigan 5th 6'5" 250
411 Noa Masui Duquesne 6th 6'6" 228 5.27
412 Joachim Parham SW Minnesota State 5th 6'1" 256 5.43
413 Dewey Greene Incarnate Word 5th 6'1" 251 5.46
414 Andrew Thompson Stetson 5th 6'1" 210
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Traits That Make an Edge Rusher Prospect Great

Edge rusher is likely the most important position in the game outside of quarterback. Being an elite edge rusher prospect requires a rare blend of elite physical traits. Quickness, bend, arm length, and strength are just a few of these traits.

Some of the factors we consider when scouting are included below.

Flexibility

No edge rusher is going to be highly touted if they aren’t good at bending around the edge, quickly flipping their hips, staying on their toes, and redirecting to chase down ball carriers. Edge rushers need to react quickly and remain coordinated, while having the uncoachable traits to beat tackles 1-on-1.

Burst

Having a quick yet powerful burst off the line of scrimmage is vital for pass rushers. If you’re able to beat the offensive lineman to his spot, you’ll get in the backfield consistently and disrupt a lot of plays. Having a burst is a lot more than just playing with a high motor, you need innate athletic talent.

Power

Being an edge rusher isn’t all about the pass rush, it’s also about setting the edge in the run game. For that, you need a lot of power. Holding up against double teams blocks from offensive linemen who are bigger than you, or even pushing them into the backfield to disrupt running lanes is a top trait for defensive ends and outside linebackers.

Length

A big part of being an edge rusher is disrupting plays even if you aren’t making a tackle for loss. Length is the best way to do that. It will help setting the edge, knocking down passes at the line of scrimmage, and slowing down or tackling running backs through a tight lane.

2026 Edge Draft Prospects FAQs

Who is the best edge rusher in the 2026 NFL Draft?

Rueben Bain Jr. is the best true edge rusher in the 2026 NFL Draft. NFL scouts will make sure you know he has short arms, but everything else is phenomenal. He plays with strength, speed, intensity, and refined technique. He’s dominated throughout his career and should be ready to contribute on day 1.

How good is the edge rusher draft class in 2026?

The 2026 edge rusher draft class is good at the top, and still really soid in the middle rounds. Following a strong class in 2025, this group is led by a large number of rising juniors who dominated as sophomores when they weren’t yet draft eligible. The addition of breakout stars like Cashius Howell and Zion Young help take the class to the next level.