Top 10 Edge Rusher Prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft
Last Updated: October 12, 2026 | Source: Consensus rankings from 9 outletsThe 2026 edge rusher class is led by Colin Simmons, Dylan Stewart, Yhonzae Pierre. Here's a breakdown of the top 10 prospects at the position, with scouting reports, measurables, and projected draft range.
1. Colin Simmons — Texas
Consensus Rank: #4 overall | Projection: Top 15 pick | Measurables: 6'3", 240 lbsColin Simmons arrived in Austin as the consensus No. 1 edge rusher in his recruiting class out of Duncanville, Texas, and he wasted exactly zero time validating the hype. The 6'3", 240-pound sophomore became the first Longhorn ever to win the Shaun Alexander National Freshman of the Year Award after racking up 9.
Strengths: Elite first-step explosion that beats tackles before they're out of their stance ... Freakish ankle and hip flexibility allows him to dip and rip around the arc without losing speed ... Violent, well-placed hands that defeat grip and shed even when blockers latch Concerns: Frame is on the lighter side at 240 lbs and will need to add functional mass to hold up vs NFL power ... Can get washed by maulers who land first into his chest at the point of attack NFL Comparison: Von Miller (bend, hand usage, sack instincts at a similar frame) Full scouting report for Colin Simmons →2. Dylan Stewart — South Carolina
Consensus Rank: #8 overall | Projection: Top 15 pick | Measurables: 6-5, 245 lbsDylan Stewart enters his sophomore year as one of the most coveted edge prospects in the 2027 class, a Washington, DC native who has emerged at South Carolina as a true blue-chip pass rusher with a rare combination of length, bend and burst. Listed at 6-5, 245 pounds, Stewart plays with the height and frame of a prototypical NFL strong-side defender, yet flashes the corner-flattening agility teams covet on third down. He grades as a top-ten edge in the class, and the scouting consensus places him among the top 30 prospects overall, signaling clear agreement that he projects as a first-round talent.
Strengths: Prototypical 6-5, 245 EDGE frame with length to set a hard edge against SEC tackles ... First-step explosion off the snap that translated to 4.5 sacks as a true freshman ... Knack for the strip, 3 forced fumbles shows finishing instincts at the point of attack Concerns: Sophomore-eligible with only one year of college tape, so the projection still carries freshman-year variance ... Listed weight at 245 is light for SEC run downs and he'll need to add functional mass NFL Comparison: Trevon Walker-style length and first-step burst from a tweener LB/EDGE frame Full scouting report for Dylan Stewart →3. Yhonzae Pierre — Alabama
Consensus Rank: #32 overall | Projection: First round | Measurables: 6'3", 248 lbsYhonzae Pierre exploded onto the scene for Alabama in 2025 and now profiles as the next in the program's pipeline of NFL edge rushers behind Will Anderson Jr. and Dallas Turner. Listed at 6'3" and 248 pounds, the redshirt junior opened the year third on the depth chart but seized a starting job midway through the season after injuries and finished with 52 tackles, 14. 5 tackles for loss and eight sacks plus three forced fumbles.
Strengths: Breakout 2025 of 52 tackles, 14.5 TFL and eight sacks despite starting third on the depth chart ... Three forced fumbles in 2025, including a game-ending strip-sack against LSU ... Career-high three sacks and six tackles against Tennessee Concerns: High-hipped frame that limits his ability to consistently turn the corner ... Lacks top-shelf bend and is overly reliant on power rushes NFL Comparison: Dallas Turner (recent Alabama edge with speed-to-power and frame to fill out, same program lineage) Full scouting report for Yhonzae Pierre →4. Will Heldt — Clemson
Consensus Rank: #40 overall | Projection: Second round | Measurables: 6'6", 260 lbsWill Heldt is a long and lean edge defender out of Clemson who entered the 2027 draft cycle as one of the more intriguing developmental prospects in the class after a two-school career spanning Purdue and Death Valley. At listed 6'6" and 260 pounds, Heldt carries an alluring frame with developmental room to add functional mass, and scouts have noted early that his build looks more like a 3-4 defensive end than the stand-up OLB role he occupied at Purdue. The transfer to Clemson proved transformative.
Strengths: Rare length and frame for edge position at 6'6", 260 pounds with room to add functional weight ... plays with outstanding motor and effort as a run defender in pursuit and at the point of attack ... good first step with solid closing speed to threaten the outside track Concerns: High-cut frame limits ability to bend and flatten the corner consistently ... plays too upright at times, undermining leverage and edge-setting against the run NFL Comparison: Brady Smith (long, run-oriented EDGE with a developmental pass-rush ceiling) Full scouting report for Will Heldt →5. Matayo Uiagalelei — Oregon
Consensus Rank: #44 overall | Projection: Second round | Measurables: 6'5", 272 lbsMatayo Uiagalelei is a 6-foot-5, 272-pound edge with a rare blend of size, length, strength and explosiveness that has made him one of the headline prospects of the 2027 NFL Draft cycle. The younger brother of former Clemson and Oregon State quarterback DJ Uiagalelei, Matayo was a 4-star recruit who emerged as Oregon's most disruptive lineman in 2024 even with three eventual 2025 draft picks alongside him on the line. Scouts praise an excellent first step, speed-to-power and the flexible hips and ankles to corner and turn the edge, projecting him as a potential first-round talent.
Strengths: Rare size-length-strength blend at 6-foot-5, 272 with no bad weight and fluid movement ... explosive first step and excellent get-off to win penetration ... speed-to-power conversion that bull-rushes tackles backward Concerns: Lacks a single dominant, hang-your-hat trait, profiling as solid-to-good across the board rather than elite ... needs to play more physically at the point of attack NFL Comparison: Gregory Rousseau (long, versatile, multi-alignment edge who wins with length and bend over pure bend-speed) Full scouting report for Matayo Uiagalelei →6. Damon Wilson II — Miami (FL)
Consensus Rank: #51 overall | Projection: Second round | Measurables: 6'4", 250 lbsDamon Wilson II is a speed-and-finesse edge rusher who wins with one of the rarest get-offs in the 2027 class. He signed with Georgia as a five-star, consensus top-20 national prospect out of Venice High in Florida, where he set a school record with 14. 5 sacks as a junior and left with 31 career sacks.
Strengths: Rare, explosive get-off off the edge that forces tackles to vertical-set and opens counter lanes ... Elite bend and loose hips to corner tightly and flatten to the quarterback ... Proven SEC pass-rush production with 54 pressures, nine sacks, and 9.5 TFL in 2025 Concerns: Run-defense production is thin, with just twelve run stops on the season ... Gets washed when tackles get hands into his frame on early downs NFL Comparison: Nolan Smith (Georgia-bred bend-and-burst edge who wins with finesse over power) Full scouting report for Damon Wilson II →7. Kenyatta Jackson Jr — Ohio State
Consensus Rank: #52 overall | Projection: Round 2 Full scouting report for Kenyatta Jackson Jr →8. Clev Lubin — Louisville
Consensus Rank: #62 overall | Projection: Second round | Measurables: 6-3, 250 lbsA productive, high-motor edge rusher who arrived at Louisville from Coastal Carolina and immediately proved his breakout was no fluke. After pressuring quarterbacks on 22. 2% of his pass-rush snaps for Coastal in 2024, Lubin posted a 21.
Strengths: Elite, relentless motor with second-effort production ... 50 pressures in 2025 ranked fifth among FBS edge rushers ... sustained 21%+ pressure rate across a Sun Belt-to-ACC competition jump (22.2% in 2024, 21.3% in 2025) Concerns: Undersized at 6-3, 250 with short arm length ... average bend limits his ability to flatten and corner at the top of the rush NFL Comparison: Josaiah Stewart (Kiper's comp Full scouting report for Clev Lubin →9. Jordan Ross — LSU
Consensus Rank: #63 overall | Projection: Second round | Measurables: 6-5, 245 lbsJordan Ross arrived in college football as the consensus top edge rusher in the 2024 recruiting class, a consensus five-star prospect out of Vestavia Hills (AL), and he is now a 2027 NFL Draft eligible prospect after transferring from Tennessee to LSU in January 2026. At a long-levered 6-5, 245 pounds, Ross is a twitchy, bendy speed rusher whose first step and ankle flexion give him a true edge-corner-winning trait. He grades as a top-three edge in the 2027 class and a first-round-caliber prospect.
Strengths: Twitchy, sudden get-off that wins the corner before tackles can set hands ... Long-levered 6-5 frame keeps blockers off his chest and stacks the edge ... Elite bend and ankle flexion through the turn with loose, low hips Concerns: Thin lower half at 245 ... NFL tackles will walk him into the QB's lap until he adds anchor weight NFL Comparison: Will Anderson Jr. lite, similar bend/length but lighter anchor Full scouting report for Jordan Ross →10. John Henry Daley — Michigan
Consensus Rank: #66 overall | Projection: Day 2 | Measurables: 6'4", 247 lbsJohn Henry Daley exploded onto the 2027 radar as a first-year starter at Utah before a non-contact Achilles rupture ended his breakout season and he transferred to Michigan. Football runs in the family, his father Neal played linebacker at BYU and his uncle is former NFL standout Taysom Hill. A three-star recruit from Lone Peak High who served a two-year mission in Brazil, Daley waited behind Logan Fano and Van Fillinger before winning the edge job opposite Fano in 2025.
Strengths: Led FBS with 17.5 TFL and ranked second nationally with 11.5 sacks across just 11 starts ... Fourth-best FBS edge pressure rate at 19.6 percent ... First in pass-rush production among all FBS defensive ends Concerns: Non-contact Achilles rupture in November 2025 is a major medical red flag affecting burst ... Lighter 247-pound frame can get washed out against in-line tight ends NFL Comparison: Boye Mafe (speed-to-power edge with motor and developing bend) Full scouting report for John Henry Daley →