The 2026 NFL Draft has wrapped up, and preparations for the 2027 NFL Draft are underway. Specific to the edge rusher position, five were selected in the first round of this year’s class, including the No. 2 overall pick in David Bailey.
While this year’s draft might have a higher quantity of first-round talent, the 2027 NFL Draft has two blue-chip edge rusher prospects at the top of the class. With a handful of prospects showing potential in last year’s college football season, it’s entirely possible more players work their way up the rankings.
I’ve ranked the quarterbacks, running backs, and wide receivers between the 2026 and 2027 draft classes, as of this writing. Now, it’s time to move to the defense. These are my top 10 edge rushers combined from this year and next year.
Note: I evaluated Arvell Reese as an off-ball linebacker, so while he was projected as an edge rusher by some platforms, he will not appear on this list.
10) Matayo Uiagalelei, Oregon, 2027
Matayo Uiagalelei has been a productive contributor for Oregon, notching 10.5 sacks in 2024 and following up with 6.0 sacks in 2025. Now going into his third year as a major contributor, he figures to be an impact player yet again.
Uiagalelei an advanced technician for his age, with versatility along the entire defensive line and a deep arsenal of moves he can string together to shed blocks and create backfield penetration. He isn’t as athletic as some of the edge rushers higher on this list, but he has good enough short-area quickness, along with a powerful anchor and heavy hands.
9) Taylor Wein, Oklahoma, 2027
Oklahoma had a really good defensive line in 2025. R Mason Thomas and Gracen Halton both got drafted into the NFL, while Damonic Williams landed in the league as an undrafted free agent. Their two stud defensive tackles return in David Stone and Jayden Jackson, but don’t sleep on their best returning edge rusher: Taylor Wein.
Wein is a physical edge defender at 6’4″ and 266 pounds who can set the tone in the run game with a strong anchor, good hand placement, and ideal gap awareness. He plays with a high motor and has a deep arsenal of moves like swims, ghosts, cross-chops, and inside moves to win as a pass rusher. His athletic upside is lower than that of some other defensive ends in this class, but Wein’s floor seems to be quite high.
8) T.J. Parker, Clemson, 2026
The Buffalo Bills needed some reinforcements off the edge, especially after the decisions to not bring back A.J. Epenesa or Joey Bosa this offseason. They went younger at the position by selecting T.J. Parker in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft, and that’s a move that could pay off well for them.
Clemson as a whole didn’t live up to expectations in 2025, but that doesn’t fall on Parker. He’s a tremendous, high-floor player with plenty of potential as he heads to the NFL. He had 11 sacks as a sophomore and demonstrates nice short-area quickness, a strong lower body, and refined hands on tape. Though his sack production fell last year, he remained incredibly efficient at putting pressure on the quarterback.
7) Cashius Howell, Texas A&M, 2026
Having undergone a strong overhaul on defense through free agency and their trade for Dexter Lawrence, the Cincinnati Bengals continued their aggressive approach by taking Cashius Howell in Round 2 of the 2026 NFL Draft. With their defense having been a laughing stock in recent years, there’s hope he can help bring that unit to a respectable level.
With a starting opportunity finally in his reach at Texas A&M, Howell lived up to the hype in 2025. He finished the regular season with an SEC-leading 11.5 sacks, and he displayed tremendous acceleration, flexibility off the edge, and finesse in his hands. Howell’s arms aren’t incredibly long, but there’s a lot there to be excited about with him on tape. There’s a chance he cracks the starting lineup early in Cincinnati.
6) Damon Wilson II, Miami (FL), 2027
Through his first two years at Georgia, Damon Wilson II didn’t have much of a chance to show his five-star potential in a loaded Bulldogs defensive line. He transferred to Missouri in 2025 and excelled to the tune of 9.0 sacks, and he now projects as the top edge rusher on a Miami defense that will look to replace two players who still have yet to appear on this list.
Wilson is a tremendous athlete with a quick first step off the edge and impressive flexibility, turning the corner as a pass rusher. His toolbox shedding blocks looked much deeper in 2025, and though he doesn’t yet have an elite power aspect to his game, he showed improvement as a run defender at Mizzou through his spatial awareness setting the edge.
5) Akheem Mesidor, Miami (FL), 2026
Going into 2026, the Los Angeles Chargers have a top-notch tandem off the edge in Tuli Tuipulotu and Khalil Mack. That said, Mack is only under contract for one more year, and he’s nearing the end of his NFL career. To provide a succession plan on their defensive line, the Chargers wisely drafted Akheem Mesidor in the first round.
If Mesidor were two years younger, he would’ve been an undisputed top-10 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. He always had impressive tools, and he put it all together for the Hurricanes in 2025. He’s an older prospect entering the NFL, but he’s one with impressive power setting the edge and a deep arsenal to disengage from blocks as a pass rusher. He’s a high-floor edge rusher and should contribute right away for the Chargers.
4) David Bailey, Texas Tech, 2026
The big debate leading up to the No. 2 pick of the 2026 NFL Draft was whether the New York Jets should take Arvell Reese or David Bailey. Though Reese is a freak athlete with a very high ceiling, he’s unproven as a full-time edge rusher. Considering how much instant help the Jets needed on defense, taking Bailey was the right move.
He’s a little undersized, but Bailey brings impressive first-step acceleration, flexibility turning the corner, and an advanced understanding of how to use his hands to exploit the weaknesses of whichever offensive tackle he’s going up against. The depth of his pass-rushing arsenal and elite raw athleticism gives him high pass-rushing potential from Day 1.
3) Rueben Bain Jr., Miami (FL), 2026
With his shorter arms and reports of his involvement in a fatal car crash in 2024, there came a point where Rueben Bain Jr. became unlikely to be the first edge rusher off the board in the 2026 NFL Draft, and he wasn’t. Instead, he fell to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with the No. 15 overall pick. I believe that has the potential to be the biggest steal in the entire first round.
Bain is a powerful edge rusher who accelerates quickly off the line of scrimmage. He maintains a low center of gravity at the point of attack, converts speed to power well, and has a deep arsenal of moves he can string together to shed blocks. In my eyes, Bain was arguably the best pure edge rusher in college football in 2025 with how physically dominant and relentless he was getting to the passer.
2) Dylan Stewart, South Carolina, 2027
Once upon a time, South Carolina had a freakishly athletic edge rusher named Jadeveon Clowney selected No. 1 overall in the 2014 NFL Draft. Maybe you’ve heard of him. Now, Dylan Stewart feels destined to chase those same heights. As an All-SEC performer in his true sophomore year in 2025, he’s heading down the right path.
Stewart is a lengthy edge rusher with elite athleticism off the edge and a well-built frame that carries his 245 pounds very well at 6’5″. His bend at the top of his arc is great, and he does a good job of sifting through blocks in the run game. He’s also a capable turnover creator, having forced six fumbles in his first two years at South Carolina. He has the potential to be a Pro Bowl-caliber player in the NFL.
1) Colin Simmons, Texas, 2027
One of the big debates in the 2027 NFL Draft is going to come down to Dylan Stewart vs. Colin Simmons as the top edge rusher in the class. While Stewart is taller with longer arms, I think Simmons wins with superior pad level and anchor strength setting the edge. He also has that elite athleticism and diverse pass-rushing toolbox that teams are sure to fall in love with.
In his first two seasons at Texas, Simmons tallied 21.0 sacks and 29.5 tackles for a loss. He’s an elite athlete off the edge with ideal acceleration and flexibility to turn the corner and threaten on the outside speed rush. His pass-rushing arsenal runs deep, his motor is red hot, and he has good awareness against the run to free up his hands and make the stop. Simmons has perennial double-digit sack potential in the NFL.
Honorable Mentions
- Zion Young, Missouri, 2026
- Will Heldt, Clemson, 2027
- Yhonzae Pierre, Alabama, 2027
- Keldric Faulk, Auburn, 2026
- Gabe Jacas, Illinois, 2026
- R Mason Thomas, Oklahoma, 2026
