Max Llewellyn
Miami DolphinsOur College Grade
How good he was in college at what his position is supposed to do, out of 100. Scored against everyone else at his position, adjusted for the level he played at. This is not his NFL grade.
College Production
Iowa · Big Ten
| Season | Tkl | TFL | Sacks | Hur | PD | Pos Rk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 13 | 3 | 3.0 | 1 | 1 | 251 |
| 2024 | 22 | 8 | 5.5 | 7 | 3 | 52 |
| 2025 | 25 | 9 | 6.0 | 8 | 5 | 65 |
The seasons in our college data. It does not always reach back to a player's first year.
Scouting Report
Iowa · 2026 draft class
Max Llewellyn is a late-blooming edge rusher from Iowa who did not become a full-time starter until his fifth year but has flashed legitimate pass-rush ability with one of the best inside spin moves in the 2026 draft class. The 6-5, 263-pound former 3-star recruit possesses an explosive first step that immediately tests offensive tackles vertically, forcing them to overextend and lunge. Llewellyn is a smooth mover who transitions easily into B-gap attacks and uses an impressive arsenal of rush tools including hand swipes, club-swim combos, long-arm moves, and his trademark spin. He sets up his rushes well with head fakes, lower-body fakes, and stemming inside-outside to manipulate tackles before deploying his winning move. His relentless pursuit of the quarterback with impressive closing burst makes him effective against mobile passers who try to escape the pocket. In 2025 as a full-time starter, Llewellyn posted 26 tackles, 9.5 TFLs, 6.5 sacks, 6 passes defended, and 2 forced fumbles -- building on his 2024 breakout of 5.5 sacks. He also gets hands up to bat passes at the line when he cannot win the rush. However, Llewellyn is a subpar run defender who lacks the strength to set the edge consistently and gets washed inside on down blocks. He plays with elevated pad level that depletes his already questionable play strength, and his overreliance on the spin move makes him predictable. His hip and ankle stiffness limits his ability to turn tight corners consistently, and he cannot effectively convert speed to power. Despite the late development timeline, Llewellyn profiles as a designated pass-rush specialist who could contribute in sub-packages early in his NFL career.
Strengths
- Explosive first step that tests OTs vertically and forces overextension
- One of the best inside spin moves in the 2026 class
- Smooth mover who transitions easily into B-gap attacks
- Active hands with multiple rush tools (swim
- club-swim
- long-arm
- rip
- swipe-rip)
- Sets up rushes well with head fakes and stemming to manipulate OTs
- Relentless QB pursuit with impressive closing burst
Concerns
- Subpar run defender who lacks strength to set the edge consistently
- Gets washed inside on down blocks and scooped by combo blocks
- Elevated pad level depletes play strength
- Overreliance on spin move makes him predictable
- Hip and ankle stiffness limits corner-turning ability
- Cannot effectively convert speed to power
- Struggles to remove OL hands once attached
- Gets driven out of gaps -- struggles even against blocking TEs in wide zone
- Fifth-year player still relatively inexperienced as starter
Honors
3-star recruit; 2025 All-Big Ten Honorable Mention; Bleacher Report grade 6.3, ranked 172nd overall, EDGE16