It’s a consistent theme you hear around the 2026 NFL Draft: this EDGE pass rusher class is deep. There’s blue-chip talent at the top with David Bailey and Rueben Bain Jr., but the depth and variety of speed vs. power prospects is also important. Let’s dive in.
Note: Arvell Reese will be ranked with the linebacker class
*Advanced stats per PFF
MORE RANKINGS: Quarterback | Wide Receiver
1. David Bailey, Texas Tech
Bailey is a well-built (6’3 ⅝”, 251 pounds, 33 ¾ inch-arms and 10 ¼ inch-hands) creator of chaos. He uses his explosiveness to win early against blockers, throwing a variety of moves ranging from a shoulder dip to spins. His quick steps can cause tackles to lose their balance, and his burst to turn pressures into sacks is tremendous.
He’s forced eight fumbles over the last two seasons and consistently helps his defense get off the field, killing drives. Bailey is not a plus run defender, but he got better in that area down the stretch of the season. Overall, his play speed and ability to instantly put blockers in recovery mode sets a high floor for him to impact quarterbacks at the pro level.
2. Rueben Bain Jr., Miami
Bain is a compact powerhouse that detonates blocks with force. He lacks length, but is a leverage monster to get under blockers and move them backwards. Despite the mass he carries, he can win around the corner and close on quarterbacks with decent speed.
Bain simply wears out offensive linemen across four quarters, and the 83 pressures he generated across 16 games this year speaks to his consistency. He should thrive in a front looking for a 4-3 defensive end.
3. Zion Young, Missouri
Young has the build (6’6, 262 pounds with 33-inch arms) and play strength of an NFL edge defender. He has always been a hardnosed run defender at the point of attack, but the pass rush greenlight went on for him in 2025 (he increased his win rate from 11.1% in 2024 to 17.5%).
Missouri used Young both as a stand-up pass rusher and with his hand in the dirt. He easily absorbs contact and will destroy pullers coming his way. Young wins often by converting speed to power, but developed an inside move that expanded his arsenal. He’s not the fastest player and needs to keep his wide frame off of blockers, but he’s a three-down player with ideal strength.
4. Malachi Lawrence, UCF
Lawrence is a unique athlete who plays with a jetpack on. He’s explosive off the snap and has incredible burst to the ball. With nearly 34-inch arms, he swipes and chops at blockers’ hands but doesn’t lose much momentum in his rush. He always seems to outangle blockers by swiftly slipping around them, even when he is initially stalled.
For all of the pass rush gifts Lawrence has, his consistency as a run defender is a work in progress. He has the measurables to be a three-down player, but he is too often engulfed and moved at the point of attack. When he does show power, he’ll occasionally lose sight of the ball carrier with his head down.
Overall, Lawrence has too much physical ability to make it out of the top 40 picks. In the right landing spot, he can be a star.
5. Akheem Mesidor, Miami
Mesidor is a sixth-year college player who successfully transitioned from defensive tackle to disruptive edge rusher of that span. His lower half is always working in sync with his upper body, throwing disruptive hands with a purpose.
He brings that same tenacity as a run defender, but is also smart and polished. He tracks the ball carrier with his head up and can stack and shed off of blockers. Mesidor doesn’t possess ideal length and will be a 25-year-old rookie, but his pro-ready nature on all three downs should see him come off the board in the first round.
6. Cashius Howell, Texas A&M
Howell is a flexible, twitchy pass rusher who plays fast. It is extremely difficult for offensive tackles to match his movements when on an island. He shows off a wide array of moves from an arm over with stutter steps, a spin move and outside speed to dip around the outside shoulder in one fluid motion.
Howell’s lack of length and inconsistent run defense will prevent him from being an every-down player early in his career. It’s concerning that he was kept in check vs. Notre Dame, Texas and Miami in 2025, but he knows how to get after the quarterback. He projects as a top-50 pick that should see the field on passing downs right away.
7. T.J. Parker, Clemson
Parker had an absurd 2024 season with 11 sacks and six forced fumbles, but he cooled off in 2025 as Clemson failed to meet expectations. He has a thick build and generates power when rushing the passer. His go-to long arm move can rock tackles backwards.
Parker isn’t very explosive or flexible, but he’s crafty with his hand usage. There are displays on tape of swipes and a cross chop, doing a good job mixing up his methods of attack. While his pass rush production dropped off last season, his rugged run defense on the edge did not.
Parker might not have the high-end ceiling once thought of throughout 2024, but he has pro power and reliability that is still worthy of a top-50 selection.
8. Gabe Jacas, Illinois
Jacas checks a ton of boxes for the next level. He has a pro’s build due to his nonstop work ethic (30 reps of 225 at the NFL Combine), has been a team captain and was a state champion wrestler in high school. He played both standing up and with his hand in the dirt across four seasons of over 2,200 snaps at Illinois.
Jacas won’t beat blockers with speed or short-area athleticism, but can simply run right through them. He takes on pullers in the run game with pure violence and has the grip strength to toss aside offensive linemen when engaged.
A team that has a number one pass rusher and is looking to add more power and run defense across from them should look to add Jacas with a top-50 selection. He’s one of the safer bets in this group to have a steady NFL career.
9. Keldric Faulk, Auburn
Faulk is a big, strong edge setter that is only 20 years old. His length helps him keep blockers at a distance, and his size gives him alignment versatility. He plays with his head up against the run and often controls when he wants to dislodge from a block to disrupt the ball carrier.
As a pass rusher, Faulk has yet to show he can consistently affect quarterbacks. His pass rush win rate of 11.5% from 2024-2025 is in the 39th percentile for edge rushers. There are flashes of powerful hands, but his lack of overall speed and agility might limit his ceiling in piling up sacks.
A defense looking for a jumbo-sized defensive end that could further tap into a power arsenal with the right coaching will value Faulk in the top-50.
10. Jaishawn Barham, Michigan
Barham is a former middle linebacker who is on a promising trajectory as a full-time standup edge defender. He’s a great athlete with long arms, and his play speed jumps out on tape. There is burst in his initial jump off the snap, and he constantly keeps tackles off balance with his rush angles.
He doesn’t consistently convert speed to power, but his frame should be able to add mass beyond his listed 240 as he gets away from playing off-ball linebacker. While he has length, he has not learned how to utilize it consistently to keep blockers off of his chest. When that happens, he finds himself on the ground or in a stalemate.
His explosiveness led to him blowing up run plays behind the line of scrimmage, but that also works against him when he runs himself out of plays. Overall, Barham’s traits are incredibly intriguing and could blossom from a good front seven player to great in the right situation. I would be willing to bet on him Day Two for a 3-4 front.
11. R Mason Thomas, Oklahoma
Thomas is a wide alignment pass rusher who wins with quickness off the ball and flexibility to angle into the pocket.
He has a unique ability to stay extremely low to the ground without losing momentum as he attacks the outside shoulder of offensive tackles. Despite his lack of mass, Thomas attempts to convert speed to power to keep blockers honest and has flashes of pocket-pushing strength.
As an every-down player, Thomas has some limitations. He can end up on the ground when in a phone booth against the run. At his size playing in the trenches, he’s had some injuries throughout his college career that will have to be weighed on a draft board.
With that being said, there is no denying what he can do as a disruptor. A defense that deploys a wide nine rusher in specific situations could find a place for Thomas to thrive.
12. Keyron Crawford, Auburn
Crawford is a standup rush ‘backer with athletic tools and an evolving overall game. His twitch and lateral agility is evident as soon as you turn on the tape. His quick first step forces offensive tackles to overset, where he shows a strong inside counter to cross their face.
His lack of length can get him caught or engulfed by blockers. Crawford is extremely raw in the run game, setting the edge and making stops.
Considering he didn’t start playing football until his senior year of high school, he’s on a promising upward trajectory. A 3-4 defense looking for a stand-up outside linebacker to rotate in on third downs and develop over time will covet his skill set.
13. Joshua Josephs, Tennessee
Josephs is an ascending stand-up rusher with a great first step and length. He stresses the outside shoulder of tackles, forcing them wide. It will be pivotal for him to develop counter moves at the next level, but he has the traits to do so. He also makes the most of his wins, forcing six fumbles over the last two seasons.
His lack of power as a pass rusher also carries over to run defense. There’s promising effort, but he’s controlled at the point of attack in close quarters. Josephs is still in the developmental phase, but a year in an NFL strength program and coached up hands make him one of the most intriguing ‘projects’ in this group.
14. Derrick Moore, Michigan
Moore is a highly productive effort rusher. He prefers to have a long runway from a wide standup alignment to convert speed to power. He’s not very explosive, but throws his hands low and inside against blockers to generate push.
In 2025, he converted pressures to sacks at a significantly higher rate with good closing speed and control. He can get skinny when shooting inside gaps with quick enough feet.
Against the run, Moore doesn’t play with the same discipline and awareness he has as a pass rusher. He’ll go headfirst into blockers and allow the ball carrier to work past him. He’s a tough player with mass and enough length, but this will have to improve at the pro level for him to see the field in a meaningful role.
15. Romello Height, Texas Tech
Height is a well-traveled, late breakout prospect. He was at Auburn from 2020-2021, USC from 2022-2023, Georgia Tech in 2024 and finally Texas Tech in 2025.
He’s quick and furious off the ball into his rush. He has a wide array of moves from a two-handed swipe, spin move and a go-to dip to turn the corner. Texas Tech had a loaded front seven in 2025, and he feasted in one-on-one matchups.
On one hand, there are fair concerns with Height as a prospect: he will be 25 years old on draft night, didn’t turn the corner until year five and weighed slightly under 230 during last Spring. On the other hand, he was consistently disruptive in 2025, wins in a variety of ways as a pure pass rusher and has bulked up to 239 pounds during this process. There will be a team that takes him strictly as a designated pass rusher for very specific packages.
