2026 NFL Draft Thread
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2. KAYDEN McDONALD, Ohio State (6-2, 327, no 40, 1): Last season, he lined up alongside Tyleik Williams (6-3, 329), who was drafted No. 28 by Detroit last year and played 446 snaps as a rookie. “They’re similar,” said one scout. “Just a tough ***, rugged dude. He shows snatch and power. The run game, he just crushes it. He’s not your true (pass rusher). Not going to give you a lot of sacks but he’s good enough there. He can make a mess in there and push the pocket. He’s bottom of the first and will start.”
Third-year junior barely played in 2023, was in the rotation in 2024 and started in 2025. “He’s got girth, the anchorability,” a second scout said. “He gets off blocks. He makes plays. He can knock back rushing the passer. I don’t see him as a 3-technique guy that will play nickel. More of a run defender.” Finished with 85 tackles (11 for loss), three sacks, two forced fumbles and three batted balls. “Excellent against the run but kind of a non-factor as a pass rusher,” a third scout said. “What he does he does really well. He’s not a pass rusher. No, he’s just a guard-to-guard guy. Doesn’t have much range, either. I would never take a defensive tackle in the first round that can’t rush the passer.” Arms were 32 ¼, hands were 9 ¾. “Speed may not be the best,” a fourth scout said. “Probably 5.3 range. I didn’t see a guy that gets lateral very much. Just a big nose man. He’s not going to be real quick in and out of gaps. He’s not going to beat a lot of centers. But he can walk ‘em back, that’s for sure, and I think centers are getting smaller.” Accumulated multiple academic awards. “I like him better than Tyleik Williams,” said a fifth scout. “If you want the typical nose tackle, because running’s come back into the village, he’s gonna go real high. He can muddy the water up. The big man will hustle downfield, too.” Four-star recruit from Suwanee, Ga.
3. CHRISTEN MILLER, Georgia (6-3 ½, 325, no 40, 1-2): Redshirted in 2022, played off the bench in 2023 and then started in 2024-’25 for a program that regularly rotates eight or nine defensive linemen. “Christen Miller didn’t really play a whole lot last year,” one scout said. “Played 400 snaps. They have a huge rotation. Is he tested in terms of endurance? He’s a two-year starter but he played about 30 snaps a game. Sometimes as an underclassman at Georgia you get pushed into the draft because the guys behind him are (better). He’s probably the best athlete (of the group). Probably more of a two-down player but every down today is like third down. He has the ability to play nose. He’s a pad-level guy. He’s got the height and the length. Everybody at Georgia is cookie cutter. They’re all first-second round picks.” Finished with 64 tackles (11 ½ for loss), four sacks, no forced fumbles and one batted pass. “He’s an athletic nose tackle,” a second scout said. “Big, long, really good hand use, excellent block reaction, better against the run than the pass. Has some traits to work with as a rusher. Not great against double teams but one-on-one he’s pretty good. I like him as a second-round nose tackle.” Arms were 33, hands were 10. “All in all, you might take him over (Caleb) Banks and (Darrell) Jackson just because he’s more consistent and he’s coming out of Georgia, which is M.I.T. for football there pretty much,” said a third scout. Four-star recruit from Ellenwood, Ga. “Similar to Woods,” a fourth scout said. “Pretty much the same kind of guy. Georgia rotates guys in and out of there so if you’re not actually looking for him he doesn’t show up making plays. An effort guy, but inconsistent against the run and no pass rush.”
4. LEE HUNTER, Texas Tech (6-3 ½, 320, 5.18, 2): Spent 2021 at Auburn but didn’t play. Played extensively at Central Florida from 2022-’24, starting in his last two years, before moving to Texas Tech. “He’s nasty,” said one scout. “He’s got that jolt and anchor at the point of attack in the run game. Plays hard. There’s not tons of range just because he’s such a big guy. More of a bull rusher. Just kind of a bully-you kind of guy. Got enough movement to get into a gap quick and snatch people with some agility. He’s a good starter. He’ll be taken in the first. He’s neck-and-neck with McDonald but I’d take this guy. He’s got some knock knees and a bad body that was very noticeable. Those knock knees look a little worrisome. Knees in, sort of toes out.” Tackles declined from 69 to 45 to 41 in his three seasons of heavy participation. “Two years ago (2023) I really liked him,” said a second scout. “I called him an underachiever in 2024 and then he went to Texas Tech. I felt like, overall, he’s a frontrunner. There’s things where he stands up and gets caught looking around as opposed to keeping his pad level down and knocking people back. He’s not a finished version. He was productive this year, I’ll give him that. It’s not like he’s a lean, mean fighting machine. His endurance comes into play watching this kid. How can you sit here and jump on the table for Lee Hunter when you know he’s a two-down player? You have to be on the other side of the line of scrimmage.” First defensive lineman from Texas Tech named All-America since Gabe Rivera in 1982. “Some people sort of like the foot agility, and he is a wide body,” a third scout said. “Sort of an out-there personality. He was one of those mercenaries that Texas Tech signed this year. I think he’s more like a second-round pick.” Finished with 172 tackles (323 for loss), 7 ½ sacks, one forced fumble and one batted pass. “He can do twitchy, disruptive D-tackle jobs,” a fourth scout said. “He penetrates, and has a little pass rush to him. He can hunker down as a nose and create piles and control the gap. He showed it at the Senior Bowl. He helped himself. First round.” Arms were 33 ¼, hands were just 9 ¼. His vertical jump (21 ½) was awful. “People are all over the place with him,” a fifth scout said. “People have him in the first and I just cannot see that. At all. He’s knock-kneed, top-heavy, body’s bad. Makes one splash play and then disappears for a few quarters. Gets washed out.” Four-star recruit from Mobile, Ala.
5. DOMONIQUE ORANGE, Iowa State (6-2 ½, 322, no 40, 2): Played 50 games, making five starts in 2023, seven in ’24 and 12 in ’25. “He never transferred — just got consistently better,” said one scout. “He’s got tremendous versatility and tremendous length. Stays on his feet. This guy might be the strongest guy I’ve seen in a while. They don’t keep track of a human being picking up a 300-pound human being and displacing him. That stat is never talked about. That’s what you see on tape. Now, he’s not necessarily a quick-twitch guy, but with his overall strength at the point of attack and balance he’s a disruptor in the run game. He doesn’t have great numbers as a pass rusher but he can pass rush. He’s a presence, OK? There’s tremendous upside there.” Finished with 66 tackles (seven for loss), one sack, no forced fumbles and two batted passes. “He has talent,” a second scout said. “But there are questions about work ethic. He’s third round at best.” Arms were 33 3/8, hands were 10 ¼. “He’s a space-eater inside,” said a third scout. “Had a good year. He’s a two-down, Baltimore Raven type. Just a bull rush. Not a pass rusher. That’s not his deal. But he is one of those big guys that runs to the sideline. He’s not lazy. Second round may be a little bit too high.” Four-time All-Big 12 All-Academic selection. Three-star recruit from Kansas City.
6. CALEB BANKS, Florida (6-6, 327, 5.08, 2): Played briefly in 2021-’22 at Louisville before starting for three years in Gainesville, when healthy that is. Just 24 starts over those three years. “He’s a total roll of the dice,” one scout said. “He’s super talented but between his foot injury and being an underachiever on the field … but his combination of size and power and foot speed is pretty rare. He can throw people around and win with initial quickness. He’s not a pass rusher. He’s actually too big to pass rush. He can’t get into a gap because he’s bigger than the gap. Everyone talks about, ‘Well, he can bull rush the center and the guards back to the quarterback.’ Well, he can maybe do it once and then he tires. And if plays on first and second down he’s dead by third down. He’s got no endurance left to bull rush anybody.” Finished with 48 tackles (10 ½ for loss), 6 ½ sacks, three forced fumbles and one batted pass. “He is built like Tarzan: the length, the size, the strength,” said a second scout. “Problem with him is, I question his instincts. I expected we’d see him get off blocks, keep his pad level down, anchor the run, not standing up. Then he gets hurt and reverts back to what he was the year before (2024). I know he did a good job at the Senior Bowl but those (one-on-one) pass-rush drills are one-dimensional. It’s when you have to put it all together when you don’t know whether it’s run or pass. That’s where you worry about him. You want to work with the kid. He’s shown the flashes of a first-round pick. I just haven’t seen consistently the production that I want to see. He’s boom or bust.” Injured his foot last spring, reinjured it in August, missed the first two games, hurt it again Sept. 13 against LSU and didn’t return until the final two games. Then, at the combine, he suffered a fractured fourth metatarsal bone and underwent surgery March 9. “Classic Senior Bowl guy,” a third scout said. “Completely raw when he plays. If you need to go this way he goes the other way. No leverage at the point of attack. Decent enough initial movement as a pass rusher but doesn’t finish very well. Lacks explosiveness, grit, desire.” His arm length (35) was the longest of the top 30 defensive linemen. Massive hands (10 7/8). “He looks the part completely,” said a fourth scout. “Just rare all the way around traits-wise. He’s huge, and light on his feet. There’s some laziness to him, some ******** to him, some excuses to him. There’s nothing out there that says he will give us his best. He’s got a lot of your talented, underachiever qualities that a lot of D-linemen have.” Three-star recruit from Southfield, Mich.
7. DARRELL JACKSON, Florida State (6-5 ½, 315, no 40, 2-3): Was voted the Seminoles’ defensive MVP in 2025. “He’s more in line with (Kentucky’s) Deone Walker from last year,” one scout said. “He might go higher because of the success Walker (fourth round) had at Buffalo. Huge man, long wingspan (86 inches). Run defender, bull rusher. He was at the East-West and then showed up at the Senior Bowl. He was just bull-rushing people. That’s what he is, just a knock-back bull rusher.” Started one of 13 games at Maryland in 2021 and all 12 at Miami in 2022. Sat out 2023 in Tallahassee because of transfer rules before starting all 24 games in 2024-’25. “He should be in the top 20 of this draft,” a second scout said. “He’s one of the prettiest guys in this whole draft but he barely makes a play. The focus, the attention to detail, the work ethic, the commitment, it’s not there. He’s noninstinctive. You try to convince yourself that it’s gonna happen but it never has. He’ll be about a fourth-round try for somebody.” Arms were 34 ¾, hands of 11 tied for the position best. “When he is playing up to his ability, he can really create havoc,” a third scout said. “He was absolutely bullying guys in Mobile when he played right. He also would disappear when he wasn’t.” Finished with 129 tackles (12 for loss), 7 ½ sacks, one forced fumble and two batted passes. “Know what he is? He’s an underachiever,” a fourth scout said. “He’s huge. Just doesn’t play hard. I wouldn’t take a guy like that. He’s just soft.” From Havana, Fla.
8. GRACEN HALTON, Oklahoma (6-2 ½, 298, 4.82, 2-3): Started just 10 of 47 games over four years. “He’s a 3-technique, upfield guy,” one scout said. “I think he goes in the second. He’s really active, just really disruptive. Stronger than you think. People will discount him for (size, length) but the guy ran 4.8 and jumped 36 inches (36 ½ in the vertical, a position best). He’s got a lot of explosiveness and he plays really hard. There’s teams that try not to have guys like this and then there’s teams that say, ‘This guy’s too good a player. Let’s take him.’ I could see him going in the second and being a really good player.” Shortest arms (31 1/8) of the top 15 defensive linemen. Hands were 10. “He’s got quicks and he’s a terrific competitor,” a second scout said. “He is undersized. He does have a knack for slipping blocks and some penetration. The third round would be the high side for him. People would really value him more in the fourth and fifth. That’s where you take that kind of player.” Finished with 84 tackles (17 ½ for loss), 8 ½ sacks, three forced fumbles and two batted passes. “He can rush the passer but he really struggles against the run,” a third scout said. “I love his quickness and speed. Like him as a 3-technique that can rush. I thought fourth round because of the size.” Played tight end as a prep in San Diego. Four-star recruit.
9. NICK BARRETT, South Carolina (6-6, 313, 5.20, 3): Barely got on the field in his first four years with the Gamecocks. “South Carolina had four guys that got drafted last year,” one scout said. “This guy was a late bloomer. There’s a guy who was asleep for four years and woke up this year and played his *** off. He showed up and kicked ***.” Registered 42 tackles in 2025 and merely 23 tackles from 2021-’24. Also finished with two sacks, no forced fumbles and three batted passes. Voted MVP of the team last season. “The problem with him is durability,” the scout added. “Injuries were why he wasn’t playing. Had a Lenox Hill (brace) on. Elbow. He’s a durability risk but when he’s healthy … he looks the part getting off the bus and on tape.” Arms were 33 3/8, hands were 10. His 31 reps on the bench press led the top 15 defensive linemen. Earned many academic awards. From Goldsboro, N.C.
10. RAYSHAUN BENNY, Michigan (6-3, 302, no 40, 3-4): Played behind Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant, a pair of first-round picks last year, from 2022-’24 after redshirting in 2021. Started 13 games in ’25. “Benny consistently got better,” one scout said. “He’s a vertical player. He’s athletic. He can play in space. He’s just going to give you that athleticism that you want to run a twist game on third down. He’s a guy that can loop around from a 3-technique and contain the quarterback. He’s a football player. Instinctive, hand placement. Does a lot of good things. He’ll be third to fifth round.” His 3-cone time of 7.69 led the top 25 defensive linemen. Arms were 33 3/8, hands were small (9 ¼). “Bottom of the third,” a second scout said. “He’s got short-area quickness to disrupt. Long arms. Good playing strength. Needs to get off blocks better. He got his arms up in passing lanes and batted balls. That’s a good trait to have. He has an arm-over move. He’ll get washed down some but he’s a strong bull rusher. He’s more of a thrasher in all areas.” Finished with 107 tackles (12 for loss), four sacks, one forced fumble and six batted passes. Suffered a broken fibula early in the 2023 national semifinals at the Rose Bowl. Four-star recruit from Oak Park, Mich.
11. ZANE DURANT, Penn State (6-1, 290, 4.73, 3-4): Spent four years with the Nittany Lions and started the last three. “Undersized, but really strong,” one scout said. “I think you can get past the borderline size because he’s got some Ed Oliver traits. He doesn’t have Ed Oliver’s elite explosiveness but it’s close. Those guys wind up being hard to block, especially for bigger guards. He does play hard. Pursues hard. He can stack. He played better against lower comp (competition). Everybody on Penn State’s team was a disappointment. I thought third round.” Dominated the combine with the fastest 40, a vertical jump of 33 ½ and a broad jump of 9-4. Arms were 31 7/8, hands were a large 10 5/8. “Looks like a body builder,” a second scout said. “He played better in 2024 but still, he should be better for what he has. He’s got getoff and is athletic to be a sub rusher. Even though he’s undersized he doesn’t get pushed around. Kind of just like a raw athlete that you want to get more out of. Multi-year captain. He’s kind of a pro already.” Finished with 89 tackles (22 for loss), 10 sacks, no forced fumbles and three batted passes. “He went crazy at the combine,” a third scout said. “Ran 4.7. But he just gets pushed around and you don’t really see the athleticism.” His father and two sisters all played sports in college. Four-star recruit from Lake Nona, Fla.
12. CHRIS McCLELLAN, Missouri (6-3 ½, 313, 5.04, 4): Started one of 25 games at Florida in 2022-’23 and then 22 of 26 games at Mizzou in 2024-’25. “I wasn’t in love with this kid but he kind of came on this year,” said one scout. “He has his instinctual problems. He wasn’t getting off and making plays going into this season but he proved to me that he made that jump.” Arms were 34. Hands (11) tied Jackson’s for the largest at the position. Finished with 133 tackles (17 for loss), 10 ½ sacks, one forced fumble and four batted passes. “He’s now a functional starter, a rotating starter,” the scout said. “Is he an impact-type player? No, but he’s probably an impact player stopping the run. Because he has that length. He’s got that disruptive (element) in him. He gets his hands up. He could be a presence inside. Probably more of a pass rusher than a lot of the other guys. I think by the fourth he’s gone.” Four-star recruit from North Tulsa, Okla.
Zxavian Harris, Mississippi (6-7 ½, 330, no 40)
Said one scout: “Harris gets a lot of love because of his sheer size. When he gets a little momentum then he is hard to stop solely because of his size. It will be harder for him in the NFL where (blockers) won’t allow him to build full momentum. In many ways he reminds me of Red Bryant. He’ll need a team that allows him to develop similarly.”
Albert Regis, Texas A&M (6-1 ½, 295, 4.88)
Said one scout: “You’ll want him on the field in the National Football League. You can trust him. What you see is what you get. He’ll give you 25 plays every week and play with toughness and tenacity. Plays the run. Instinctive. Can generate a push inside. Texas A&M just has guys that aren’t big-time disruptors but they do the little things. There’s a reason why you win.”
Tyler Onyedim, Texas A&M (6-3 ½, 291, 5.11)
Said one scout: “Like him in the third or fourth round. Plays the run pretty well. As a rusher, he has tools to work with. He does it more with initial quickness and upper-body strength. He’s not a huge guy but he can beat a guard to the spot. Plays really hard.”
Deven Eastern, Minnesota (6-5, 317, no 40)
Said one scout: “He’s very big, very athletic, very quick. He just has to learn how to go hard all the time to make plays. In other words, he’s gotta learn how to work. He has a lot of talent. He has to understand everybody’s getting paid. He leaned out for the (offseason). He can go back to being a 0-technique or a 1-technique.”
David Blay, Miami (6-2 ½, 292, 5.08)
Said one scout: “This kid came from Louisiana Tech (in 2025). He has tremendous talent. He was stuck at nose tackle (at Miami) because they have two 3-techniques. He has tremendous length and strength. He can turn and run. He can hit it and go. This guy was really unknown. He has the athleticism and the hip flexibility to play 3-technique. He’s top 100.”
DEFENSIVE LINE
1. PETER WOODS, Clemson (6-2 ½, 300, no 40, 1): Third-year junior. Turned 21 in March. “He’s so damn quick for a guy that big,” one scout said. “He throws guys around. He can take an edge and, boom, get up the field. He takes on blocks at the point of attack. Quinnen Williams was like that. There’s just not too many of those guys.” Started two games as a freshman, then 22 games in 2024-’25. “He’s either an athletic nose tackle or a 3-technique,” said a second scout. “He can do either. The tape’s really good. The only issue is his size and length are not wonderful and his production this year actually wasn’t great. He’s got power and quickness, and some explosive movement.” Short arms (31 ¼ inches), small hands (9 1/8 inches). “I like Peter Woods,” said a third scout. “I just know he isn’t a Mason Graham or Walter Nolen, that type of player. Nothing in his numbers compare with them. You’re looking at a high-energy guy. He’s a fighter. He can play all three downs. He can play the edge. He can stack the point. He gets off blocks. He’s shone that he can run to the sideline. He has change of direction in space. But one of the reasons why Clemson didn’t have the big year was there were no impact plays. I don’t consider Woods a disruptor. His numbers are journeyman numbers. He’s more of a solid defensive tackle, a rotating-type guy. Is he a first-rounder for somebody? He could be but I wouldn’t pick him in the first. There’s nothing to support that.” Finished with 84 tackles (14 ½ for loss), five sacks, two forced fumbles and one batted ball. “He’s a better run defender right now than a pass rusher,” said a fourth scout. “He is steady and does a good job with his hands, but he isn’t a disruptive type. Doesn’t stand out in any specific area. He could start in the league for many years but never approach All-Pro.” Five-star recruit from Alabaster, Ala. Led his high school to four straight Class 7A state championships. “You wouldn’t even know he was on the field unless you were looking for him,” a fifth scout said. “Gets bounced around at the point of attack and gives you absolutely nothing in pass rush. He was a big-time recruit and some people still try to hold onto that. He just doesn’t do anything. He’s just out there. I didn’t think he played particularly hard. Some of these guys, at least they play their *** off.” His short shuttle time of 4.54 led the position.2. KAYDEN McDONALD, Ohio State (6-2, 327, no 40, 1): Last season, he lined up alongside Tyleik Williams (6-3, 329), who was drafted No. 28 by Detroit last year and played 446 snaps as a rookie. “They’re similar,” said one scout. “Just a tough ***, rugged dude. He shows snatch and power. The run game, he just crushes it. He’s not your true (pass rusher). Not going to give you a lot of sacks but he’s good enough there. He can make a mess in there and push the pocket. He’s bottom of the first and will start.”
Third-year junior barely played in 2023, was in the rotation in 2024 and started in 2025. “He’s got girth, the anchorability,” a second scout said. “He gets off blocks. He makes plays. He can knock back rushing the passer. I don’t see him as a 3-technique guy that will play nickel. More of a run defender.” Finished with 85 tackles (11 for loss), three sacks, two forced fumbles and three batted balls. “Excellent against the run but kind of a non-factor as a pass rusher,” a third scout said. “What he does he does really well. He’s not a pass rusher. No, he’s just a guard-to-guard guy. Doesn’t have much range, either. I would never take a defensive tackle in the first round that can’t rush the passer.” Arms were 32 ¼, hands were 9 ¾. “Speed may not be the best,” a fourth scout said. “Probably 5.3 range. I didn’t see a guy that gets lateral very much. Just a big nose man. He’s not going to be real quick in and out of gaps. He’s not going to beat a lot of centers. But he can walk ‘em back, that’s for sure, and I think centers are getting smaller.” Accumulated multiple academic awards. “I like him better than Tyleik Williams,” said a fifth scout. “If you want the typical nose tackle, because running’s come back into the village, he’s gonna go real high. He can muddy the water up. The big man will hustle downfield, too.” Four-star recruit from Suwanee, Ga.
3. CHRISTEN MILLER, Georgia (6-3 ½, 325, no 40, 1-2): Redshirted in 2022, played off the bench in 2023 and then started in 2024-’25 for a program that regularly rotates eight or nine defensive linemen. “Christen Miller didn’t really play a whole lot last year,” one scout said. “Played 400 snaps. They have a huge rotation. Is he tested in terms of endurance? He’s a two-year starter but he played about 30 snaps a game. Sometimes as an underclassman at Georgia you get pushed into the draft because the guys behind him are (better). He’s probably the best athlete (of the group). Probably more of a two-down player but every down today is like third down. He has the ability to play nose. He’s a pad-level guy. He’s got the height and the length. Everybody at Georgia is cookie cutter. They’re all first-second round picks.” Finished with 64 tackles (11 ½ for loss), four sacks, no forced fumbles and one batted pass. “He’s an athletic nose tackle,” a second scout said. “Big, long, really good hand use, excellent block reaction, better against the run than the pass. Has some traits to work with as a rusher. Not great against double teams but one-on-one he’s pretty good. I like him as a second-round nose tackle.” Arms were 33, hands were 10. “All in all, you might take him over (Caleb) Banks and (Darrell) Jackson just because he’s more consistent and he’s coming out of Georgia, which is M.I.T. for football there pretty much,” said a third scout. Four-star recruit from Ellenwood, Ga. “Similar to Woods,” a fourth scout said. “Pretty much the same kind of guy. Georgia rotates guys in and out of there so if you’re not actually looking for him he doesn’t show up making plays. An effort guy, but inconsistent against the run and no pass rush.”
4. LEE HUNTER, Texas Tech (6-3 ½, 320, 5.18, 2): Spent 2021 at Auburn but didn’t play. Played extensively at Central Florida from 2022-’24, starting in his last two years, before moving to Texas Tech. “He’s nasty,” said one scout. “He’s got that jolt and anchor at the point of attack in the run game. Plays hard. There’s not tons of range just because he’s such a big guy. More of a bull rusher. Just kind of a bully-you kind of guy. Got enough movement to get into a gap quick and snatch people with some agility. He’s a good starter. He’ll be taken in the first. He’s neck-and-neck with McDonald but I’d take this guy. He’s got some knock knees and a bad body that was very noticeable. Those knock knees look a little worrisome. Knees in, sort of toes out.” Tackles declined from 69 to 45 to 41 in his three seasons of heavy participation. “Two years ago (2023) I really liked him,” said a second scout. “I called him an underachiever in 2024 and then he went to Texas Tech. I felt like, overall, he’s a frontrunner. There’s things where he stands up and gets caught looking around as opposed to keeping his pad level down and knocking people back. He’s not a finished version. He was productive this year, I’ll give him that. It’s not like he’s a lean, mean fighting machine. His endurance comes into play watching this kid. How can you sit here and jump on the table for Lee Hunter when you know he’s a two-down player? You have to be on the other side of the line of scrimmage.” First defensive lineman from Texas Tech named All-America since Gabe Rivera in 1982. “Some people sort of like the foot agility, and he is a wide body,” a third scout said. “Sort of an out-there personality. He was one of those mercenaries that Texas Tech signed this year. I think he’s more like a second-round pick.” Finished with 172 tackles (323 for loss), 7 ½ sacks, one forced fumble and one batted pass. “He can do twitchy, disruptive D-tackle jobs,” a fourth scout said. “He penetrates, and has a little pass rush to him. He can hunker down as a nose and create piles and control the gap. He showed it at the Senior Bowl. He helped himself. First round.” Arms were 33 ¼, hands were just 9 ¼. His vertical jump (21 ½) was awful. “People are all over the place with him,” a fifth scout said. “People have him in the first and I just cannot see that. At all. He’s knock-kneed, top-heavy, body’s bad. Makes one splash play and then disappears for a few quarters. Gets washed out.” Four-star recruit from Mobile, Ala.
5. DOMONIQUE ORANGE, Iowa State (6-2 ½, 322, no 40, 2): Played 50 games, making five starts in 2023, seven in ’24 and 12 in ’25. “He never transferred — just got consistently better,” said one scout. “He’s got tremendous versatility and tremendous length. Stays on his feet. This guy might be the strongest guy I’ve seen in a while. They don’t keep track of a human being picking up a 300-pound human being and displacing him. That stat is never talked about. That’s what you see on tape. Now, he’s not necessarily a quick-twitch guy, but with his overall strength at the point of attack and balance he’s a disruptor in the run game. He doesn’t have great numbers as a pass rusher but he can pass rush. He’s a presence, OK? There’s tremendous upside there.” Finished with 66 tackles (seven for loss), one sack, no forced fumbles and two batted passes. “He has talent,” a second scout said. “But there are questions about work ethic. He’s third round at best.” Arms were 33 3/8, hands were 10 ¼. “He’s a space-eater inside,” said a third scout. “Had a good year. He’s a two-down, Baltimore Raven type. Just a bull rush. Not a pass rusher. That’s not his deal. But he is one of those big guys that runs to the sideline. He’s not lazy. Second round may be a little bit too high.” Four-time All-Big 12 All-Academic selection. Three-star recruit from Kansas City.
6. CALEB BANKS, Florida (6-6, 327, 5.08, 2): Played briefly in 2021-’22 at Louisville before starting for three years in Gainesville, when healthy that is. Just 24 starts over those three years. “He’s a total roll of the dice,” one scout said. “He’s super talented but between his foot injury and being an underachiever on the field … but his combination of size and power and foot speed is pretty rare. He can throw people around and win with initial quickness. He’s not a pass rusher. He’s actually too big to pass rush. He can’t get into a gap because he’s bigger than the gap. Everyone talks about, ‘Well, he can bull rush the center and the guards back to the quarterback.’ Well, he can maybe do it once and then he tires. And if plays on first and second down he’s dead by third down. He’s got no endurance left to bull rush anybody.” Finished with 48 tackles (10 ½ for loss), 6 ½ sacks, three forced fumbles and one batted pass. “He is built like Tarzan: the length, the size, the strength,” said a second scout. “Problem with him is, I question his instincts. I expected we’d see him get off blocks, keep his pad level down, anchor the run, not standing up. Then he gets hurt and reverts back to what he was the year before (2024). I know he did a good job at the Senior Bowl but those (one-on-one) pass-rush drills are one-dimensional. It’s when you have to put it all together when you don’t know whether it’s run or pass. That’s where you worry about him. You want to work with the kid. He’s shown the flashes of a first-round pick. I just haven’t seen consistently the production that I want to see. He’s boom or bust.” Injured his foot last spring, reinjured it in August, missed the first two games, hurt it again Sept. 13 against LSU and didn’t return until the final two games. Then, at the combine, he suffered a fractured fourth metatarsal bone and underwent surgery March 9. “Classic Senior Bowl guy,” a third scout said. “Completely raw when he plays. If you need to go this way he goes the other way. No leverage at the point of attack. Decent enough initial movement as a pass rusher but doesn’t finish very well. Lacks explosiveness, grit, desire.” His arm length (35) was the longest of the top 30 defensive linemen. Massive hands (10 7/8). “He looks the part completely,” said a fourth scout. “Just rare all the way around traits-wise. He’s huge, and light on his feet. There’s some laziness to him, some ******** to him, some excuses to him. There’s nothing out there that says he will give us his best. He’s got a lot of your talented, underachiever qualities that a lot of D-linemen have.” Three-star recruit from Southfield, Mich.
7. DARRELL JACKSON, Florida State (6-5 ½, 315, no 40, 2-3): Was voted the Seminoles’ defensive MVP in 2025. “He’s more in line with (Kentucky’s) Deone Walker from last year,” one scout said. “He might go higher because of the success Walker (fourth round) had at Buffalo. Huge man, long wingspan (86 inches). Run defender, bull rusher. He was at the East-West and then showed up at the Senior Bowl. He was just bull-rushing people. That’s what he is, just a knock-back bull rusher.” Started one of 13 games at Maryland in 2021 and all 12 at Miami in 2022. Sat out 2023 in Tallahassee because of transfer rules before starting all 24 games in 2024-’25. “He should be in the top 20 of this draft,” a second scout said. “He’s one of the prettiest guys in this whole draft but he barely makes a play. The focus, the attention to detail, the work ethic, the commitment, it’s not there. He’s noninstinctive. You try to convince yourself that it’s gonna happen but it never has. He’ll be about a fourth-round try for somebody.” Arms were 34 ¾, hands of 11 tied for the position best. “When he is playing up to his ability, he can really create havoc,” a third scout said. “He was absolutely bullying guys in Mobile when he played right. He also would disappear when he wasn’t.” Finished with 129 tackles (12 for loss), 7 ½ sacks, one forced fumble and two batted passes. “Know what he is? He’s an underachiever,” a fourth scout said. “He’s huge. Just doesn’t play hard. I wouldn’t take a guy like that. He’s just soft.” From Havana, Fla.
8. GRACEN HALTON, Oklahoma (6-2 ½, 298, 4.82, 2-3): Started just 10 of 47 games over four years. “He’s a 3-technique, upfield guy,” one scout said. “I think he goes in the second. He’s really active, just really disruptive. Stronger than you think. People will discount him for (size, length) but the guy ran 4.8 and jumped 36 inches (36 ½ in the vertical, a position best). He’s got a lot of explosiveness and he plays really hard. There’s teams that try not to have guys like this and then there’s teams that say, ‘This guy’s too good a player. Let’s take him.’ I could see him going in the second and being a really good player.” Shortest arms (31 1/8) of the top 15 defensive linemen. Hands were 10. “He’s got quicks and he’s a terrific competitor,” a second scout said. “He is undersized. He does have a knack for slipping blocks and some penetration. The third round would be the high side for him. People would really value him more in the fourth and fifth. That’s where you take that kind of player.” Finished with 84 tackles (17 ½ for loss), 8 ½ sacks, three forced fumbles and two batted passes. “He can rush the passer but he really struggles against the run,” a third scout said. “I love his quickness and speed. Like him as a 3-technique that can rush. I thought fourth round because of the size.” Played tight end as a prep in San Diego. Four-star recruit.
9. NICK BARRETT, South Carolina (6-6, 313, 5.20, 3): Barely got on the field in his first four years with the Gamecocks. “South Carolina had four guys that got drafted last year,” one scout said. “This guy was a late bloomer. There’s a guy who was asleep for four years and woke up this year and played his *** off. He showed up and kicked ***.” Registered 42 tackles in 2025 and merely 23 tackles from 2021-’24. Also finished with two sacks, no forced fumbles and three batted passes. Voted MVP of the team last season. “The problem with him is durability,” the scout added. “Injuries were why he wasn’t playing. Had a Lenox Hill (brace) on. Elbow. He’s a durability risk but when he’s healthy … he looks the part getting off the bus and on tape.” Arms were 33 3/8, hands were 10. His 31 reps on the bench press led the top 15 defensive linemen. Earned many academic awards. From Goldsboro, N.C.
10. RAYSHAUN BENNY, Michigan (6-3, 302, no 40, 3-4): Played behind Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant, a pair of first-round picks last year, from 2022-’24 after redshirting in 2021. Started 13 games in ’25. “Benny consistently got better,” one scout said. “He’s a vertical player. He’s athletic. He can play in space. He’s just going to give you that athleticism that you want to run a twist game on third down. He’s a guy that can loop around from a 3-technique and contain the quarterback. He’s a football player. Instinctive, hand placement. Does a lot of good things. He’ll be third to fifth round.” His 3-cone time of 7.69 led the top 25 defensive linemen. Arms were 33 3/8, hands were small (9 ¼). “Bottom of the third,” a second scout said. “He’s got short-area quickness to disrupt. Long arms. Good playing strength. Needs to get off blocks better. He got his arms up in passing lanes and batted balls. That’s a good trait to have. He has an arm-over move. He’ll get washed down some but he’s a strong bull rusher. He’s more of a thrasher in all areas.” Finished with 107 tackles (12 for loss), four sacks, one forced fumble and six batted passes. Suffered a broken fibula early in the 2023 national semifinals at the Rose Bowl. Four-star recruit from Oak Park, Mich.
11. ZANE DURANT, Penn State (6-1, 290, 4.73, 3-4): Spent four years with the Nittany Lions and started the last three. “Undersized, but really strong,” one scout said. “I think you can get past the borderline size because he’s got some Ed Oliver traits. He doesn’t have Ed Oliver’s elite explosiveness but it’s close. Those guys wind up being hard to block, especially for bigger guards. He does play hard. Pursues hard. He can stack. He played better against lower comp (competition). Everybody on Penn State’s team was a disappointment. I thought third round.” Dominated the combine with the fastest 40, a vertical jump of 33 ½ and a broad jump of 9-4. Arms were 31 7/8, hands were a large 10 5/8. “Looks like a body builder,” a second scout said. “He played better in 2024 but still, he should be better for what he has. He’s got getoff and is athletic to be a sub rusher. Even though he’s undersized he doesn’t get pushed around. Kind of just like a raw athlete that you want to get more out of. Multi-year captain. He’s kind of a pro already.” Finished with 89 tackles (22 for loss), 10 sacks, no forced fumbles and three batted passes. “He went crazy at the combine,” a third scout said. “Ran 4.7. But he just gets pushed around and you don’t really see the athleticism.” His father and two sisters all played sports in college. Four-star recruit from Lake Nona, Fla.
12. CHRIS McCLELLAN, Missouri (6-3 ½, 313, 5.04, 4): Started one of 25 games at Florida in 2022-’23 and then 22 of 26 games at Mizzou in 2024-’25. “I wasn’t in love with this kid but he kind of came on this year,” said one scout. “He has his instinctual problems. He wasn’t getting off and making plays going into this season but he proved to me that he made that jump.” Arms were 34. Hands (11) tied Jackson’s for the largest at the position. Finished with 133 tackles (17 for loss), 10 ½ sacks, one forced fumble and four batted passes. “He’s now a functional starter, a rotating starter,” the scout said. “Is he an impact-type player? No, but he’s probably an impact player stopping the run. Because he has that length. He’s got that disruptive (element) in him. He gets his hands up. He could be a presence inside. Probably more of a pass rusher than a lot of the other guys. I think by the fourth he’s gone.” Four-star recruit from North Tulsa, Okla.
THE NEXT FIVE
Zxavian Harris, Mississippi (6-7 ½, 330, no 40)
Said one scout: “Harris gets a lot of love because of his sheer size. When he gets a little momentum then he is hard to stop solely because of his size. It will be harder for him in the NFL where (blockers) won’t allow him to build full momentum. In many ways he reminds me of Red Bryant. He’ll need a team that allows him to develop similarly.”
Albert Regis, Texas A&M (6-1 ½, 295, 4.88)
Said one scout: “You’ll want him on the field in the National Football League. You can trust him. What you see is what you get. He’ll give you 25 plays every week and play with toughness and tenacity. Plays the run. Instinctive. Can generate a push inside. Texas A&M just has guys that aren’t big-time disruptors but they do the little things. There’s a reason why you win.”
Tyler Onyedim, Texas A&M (6-3 ½, 291, 5.11)
Said one scout: “Like him in the third or fourth round. Plays the run pretty well. As a rusher, he has tools to work with. He does it more with initial quickness and upper-body strength. He’s not a huge guy but he can beat a guard to the spot. Plays really hard.”
Deven Eastern, Minnesota (6-5, 317, no 40)
Said one scout: “He’s very big, very athletic, very quick. He just has to learn how to go hard all the time to make plays. In other words, he’s gotta learn how to work. He has a lot of talent. He has to understand everybody’s getting paid. He leaned out for the (offseason). He can go back to being a 0-technique or a 1-technique.”
David Blay, Miami (6-2 ½, 292, 5.08)
Said one scout: “This kid came from Louisiana Tech (in 2025). He has tremendous talent. He was stuck at nose tackle (at Miami) because they have two 3-techniques. He has tremendous length and strength. He can turn and run. He can hit it and go. This guy was really unknown. He has the athleticism and the hip flexibility to play 3-technique. He’s top 100.”
icup
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DAL needs more firepower at TE 1000000%
dbair1967
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Eli Stowers was on the 30 list I believe.
dbair1967
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Lot of good stuff here.
For years we have struggled with somewhat stupid players, especially on defense (and I'm not talking about dumb penalties) Imagine the football IQ improvement of that starting group if they landed Caleb Downs and Jacob Rodriguez.
This is an excellent mock draft scenario for us, especially if they could trade down from 20 and get Rodriguez a little later, while still picking up another day two pick (or picks)
For years we have struggled with somewhat stupid players, especially on defense (and I'm not talking about dumb penalties) Imagine the football IQ improvement of that starting group if they landed Caleb Downs and Jacob Rodriguez.
This is an excellent mock draft scenario for us, especially if they could trade down from 20 and get Rodriguez a little later, while still picking up another day two pick (or picks)
dbair1967
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McGinn Draft Series- Edge Rushers
2. RUEBEN BAIN, Miami (6-2, 264, no 40, 1): Third-year junior started all three years. “Good football player,” one scout said.
“He’s a power player. He runs through people. Uses his hands pretty well. Can collapse the pocket. Has short arms. Not the rangiest body type. Doesn’t have a ton of speed. He’s not your historical top-5, top-10 D-lineman.” Arms were merely 30 7/8. Hands were small, too (9 1/8). “I think he’ll be the first defensive lineman or edge guy taken since ’99 or something with under 31-inch arms,” a second scout said. “He’ll be a major outlier. He’s super physical and aggressive but Bain is a tweener. He’s got no position. He’s not tall or lanky enough to be a defensive end. He’s not really athletic or fast enough to be an outside backer. And he’s too small to be a defensive tackle. Does he have a motor? Yes. Does he have physical hands? Yes. Is he active with his hands? Yes. As a technician, he’s going to wear a lot of bad college linemen out with his hands and effort. He did that. But, wow, do I think he’s going to get blocked in the NFL? I do.” Finished with 121 tackles (33 ½ for loss), 20 ½ sacks, four forced fumbles and two batted passes. “His quickness and power are just outstanding,” said a third scout. “He’s violent in how he plays. He’s always around the quarterback. He’s going to be the exception to the rule because I don’t think he’s very fast. He’s probably smart he didn’t run because I think he’d run around 4.8. I like edge rushers that have speed but he’s an anomaly for me. There are a lot of other parts of his game that he will compensate with.” Compared by one scout to Kwity Paye. “Those short arms and that size will be a concern,” a fourth scout said. “More of an overachiever-type athlete than a natural, fluid, silky kind of dude. But you love the way he plays. He’s tough as hell. Best thing about his pass rush is he’s relentless. Gives effort against the run. Kills the tight ends. He gets smothered up a little bit by those big (tackles). They’ll get him. He’s like a Brandon Graham.” Four-star recruit from Miami, where he led Central High to four straight state titles and amassed 77 sacks. “He’s a really, really good college player,” a fifth scout said. “When I watch him against some of the better tackles he struggled a little bit. His best shot’s going to be as a 4-3 D-end. To me, if I’m going to take him top 15, I’m hoping to get somebody that’s going to come in and give me eight sacks and build up to like double digits in the next year or two. I don’t know that that’s what he is.”
3. ZION YOUNG, Missouri (6-5 ½, 265, 4.75, 1-2): Started 11 of 20 games at Michigan State in 2022-’23 and all 26 games for the Tigers the past two seasons. “Young is a pretty player,” one scout said. “He has the look of an NFL player when he steps on the field. My main concern is his production against the best competition. He occasionally has reps where he relies on his length and athleticism thinking ‘I will win,’ followed by many reps where he doesn’t know, or understand, how to get past a blocker. The same things happened at the Senior Bowl. In the one-on-one’s, he had some success but, overall, there were not enough impactful plays.” Finished with 131 tackles (28 ½ for loss), 11 ½ sacks, three forced fumbles and five batted passes. “Little bit the same as (Keldric) Faulk,” a second scout said. “But a little bit tighter athlete.” Named defensive MVP at the Senior Bowl. “He’s a much better player than that Darius Robinson (of Missouri) who got taken in the first round by the Cardinals (No. 27, 2024) and hasn’t done much,” said a third scout. “He’s tough, plays hard. They move him all up along the front because he’s so damn big. Not a top, top athlete but good enough for his size. He gets off, gets his arm out and controls people. His pass rush is more as a stunt kind of guy. They put him inside, too. He’s just not your edge guy. He’s a big power rusher. He’ll be in a 4-3, and some teams will even look at him as a 5-technique.” Arms were 33, hands were 9 1/2. Earned academic honors at both MSU and Mizzou. “He’s a defensive end that has a chance to go in the first round,” said a fourth scout. “Now he looks like an NFL left defensive end. He did well at the Senior Bowl.” Three-star recruit from Atlanta.
4. KELDRIC FAULK, Auburn (6-6, 275, 4.68, 1-2): Third-year junior. “He’s a big D-end, the left end, in a 4-3 who can slide inside and give you something in there,” said one scout. “He’s got all the physical qualities. He’s a great young man, probably too nice. They sort of changed schemes (in 2025) and he had more responsibility, more gap control. He’s not a natural playmaker. He probably plays more to the responsibility than just going and making a play. Someone’s going to take him because he’s a great kid and we can change him and he’s 6-6, 275. He’ll probably be in the first round, but later.” Longest arms (34 3/8) at the position. Hands were 9 7/8. “I wasn’t crazy about him but he’ll be late first or second round,” a second scout said. “I just thought he was a tweener. Not really an edge guy and not really an inside guy. He doesn’t really win on the edge as a rusher. Best thing he does is rush inside because he’s long and very quick. He can beat a guard on the pass rush, but in the run game he plays really high. He’s just not a natural defensive tackle inside. I worry about him. He is a great athlete and he’s got great makeup.” Finished with 109 tackles (19 ½ for loss), 10 sacks, one forced fumble and six batted passes. “He’s a 5-technique,” said a third scout. “If someone got him like top of the second round, yeah, you’d be excited because he’s strong. He’s kind of a bull rusher, a power player. Gets a guy on his heels and then slips underneath.” Four-star recruit from Highland Home, Ala. “Prototypical NFL frame without the production,” a fourth scout said. “Shows stiffness in his lower half when trying to bend and navigate around corners. Some will love his raw upside but I’ll hold off on that. He should be taken where similar players have succeeded, which is not in the first round.”
5. AKHEEM MESIDOR, Miami (6-3, 260, no 40, 1-2): Started one of 23 games at West Virginia in 2020-’21. After a seven-sack season in 2022 for the Hurricanes, he suffered a foot injury early in the ’23 season and was out for the year. Started all 28 games in 2024-’25. Turns 25 on Saturday. “He’s more flexible than Bain,” one scout said. “I thought he had better bend at times than Bain and was more athletic. I was looking at him through the lens of a 3-4 outside backer. But he’s 25 years old. What do you do? Some of these guys are 25 and going against 19-year-olds. It’s not necessarily a fair fight.” Registered two of his 12 ½ sacks last season in the national title game against Indiana. “I like him more than Bain,” said a second scout. “I think he’s a better pass rusher. He’s a pure pass-rushing, 4-3 defensive end. Now he kind of picks his spots to play the run but not terrible. I could see him (in a 3-4). He’s not going to make a living dropping in coverage but I don’t think he’d be out of place doing it.” Finished with 208 tackles (52 ½ for loss), 35 ½ sacks (third most in Division I since 2005), five forced fumbles and four batted passes. “I actually think he’s better than Bain,” a third scout said. “Instinctive, nasty. At the point of attack, tight end’s got no chance. As a pass rusher he’s got all sorts of stuff in the bag. He’s got power, spin, uses his hands. They drop him and he moves like a linebacker. Talented guy, starter, playmaker. But he’s old. Twenty-five.” Arms were 32 1/8, hands were 10. “He had Rueben Bain on the other side so he wasn’t getting a lot of the attention,” said a fourth scout. “I don’t think he got the attention he deserved. Not that Ahkeem is going to be Hall of Famer but he is much better than ‘the guy opposite Bain.’” One of eight siblings from Ottawa, Ontario. Earned multiple academic honors at both schools
6. CASHIUS HOWELL, Texas A&M (6-2 ½, 257, no 40, 1-2): Won SEC Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2025 after an 11 ½-sack season. “He’s a compact dude but he has excellent quickness, speed, athleticism, bend and hand use,” said one scout. “He has shorter arms, but he’s able to sideswipe and dip and do all this really cool stuff. If he was bigger he’d be a top-10 pick, but he’s not.” Started in his third of three seasons at Bowling Green, where he had 11 ½ sacks total. Started for the Aggies the past two years. “He might be a first-rounder,” a second scout said. “He’s quick and fast but he’s also small and short-limbed.” Has the shortest arms (30 ¼) of the top 25 edges. Hands were 9 ¼. “Best thing he does is from the back side,” said a third scout. “That’s the only plays I ever saw him make is beat blocks from the back side. He’s tweener size and not super athletic for that. Not explosive as a pass rusher. They wear him out in the run. It’s like he didn’t want anything to do with it.” Finished with 127 tackles (35 ½ for loss), 27 sacks, three forced fumbles and 15 batted passes. “I’m not a huge fan,” said a fourth scout. “He’s more of an outside linebacker. Doesn’t play the run real well. Plays hard against the pass.” Went to Bowling Green after not receiving a Power 4 offer. From Kansas City.
7. T.J. PARKER, Clemson (6-3 ½, 264, 4.71, 2): Third-year junior. “He’s similar to Mesidor,” one scout said. “He doesn’t wow you in anything. His thing is more motor. He’ll get stuck on an edge against athletic tackles. He keeps coming with second and third effort. He chases backside.” Best year was 2024 when his six forced fumbles ranked second in the nation and his 11 sacks ranked ninth. Those numbers dipped to zero and five in 2025. “They changed defensive coordinators and he didn’t have the freedom to go rush and it probably impacted his year,” said a second scout. Parker and his fiancé, former Clemson volleyball player Azyah Dailey, were married in late October during the team’s bye week. “He didn’t have great production this year but I liked his tape,” a second scout said. “He’s got quickness and power. Plays with a lot of energy. He’s physical. He’s an end-of-the-first-round type.” Arms were 33 1/8, hands were 9 1/2. “Good player,” a third scout said. “Has enough size, length, motor, production. It’s not high-end at anything. Just a solid package, not special.” Finished with 126 tackles (41 ½ for loss), 21 ½ sacks, six forced fumbles and four batted passes. “Not explosive on the edge,” said a fourth scout. “Just kind of out there. He tries to play tough but isn’t athletic enough to get off blocks and make plays. Just kind of a big effort guy.” Given name is Tomarrion. Four-star recruit from Phenix City, Ala.
8. JOSHUA JOSEPHS, Tennessee (6-3, 243, 4.73, 2-3): Spent four seasons in Knoxville, starting 16 games (11 as a senior). “One of the top edge rushers in the draft,” one scout said. “Not a sexy rusher. He’s is a long-armed speed-to-power rusher who has consistently created vertical rush. He won’t get as much love as Zion Young because he doesn’t look as athletic nor will he get the love of Rueben Bain because the hype isn’t there. However, he has a chance to produce more than either one because his style will carry over to the NFL more efficiently. He’ll most likely go in the second round and should be a career starter capable of eight to 12 sacks per season due to his speed-to-power conversion and relentless motor.” Finished with 104 tackles (22 for loss), 9 ½ sacks, six forced fumbles and nine batted passes. Had a vertical jump of 38 1/2. Arms were 34 ¼, hands were 10. “Good athlete,” a second scout said. “He’s long, but not that big and can get washed off pretty quickly. He’s not going to run through everybody. Kind of wins with his athleticism more than he does anything else. You’ll see more speed to power out of him. He did not have a good interview so I know some teams will be worried with the character.” Four-star recruit from Kennesaw, Ga.
9. DANI DENNIS-SUTTON, Penn State (6-5 ½, 259, 4.60, 2-3): Blew out the combine with a fast 40 and edge bests in the broad jump (10-11) and 3-cone (6.90). “He’s really talented,” said one scout. “Big, strong, fast. The guy can be a starter at defensive end. If you watch him drop you’d say this guy definitely can be a starter as a 3-4 outside guy. He can be hard to coach. Kind of my way is the way.” Played extensively all four seasons, finishing with 127 tackles (34 ½ for loss), 23 ½ sacks, seven forced fumbles and eight batted passes. “He’s got personality quirks, if you want to call it that, where he kind of marches to his own drum,” a second scout said. “He’ll go two or three, probably three.” Arms were 33 ½, hands were 10 1/8. Persistent knee problems remain a concern. “There was so much hype on him two years ago,” a third scout said. “I watched him, I didn’t like him. Last year, I didn’t like him at all. This year, I thought he played a lot better. Solid player. Don’t think he’s going to be a dynamic pass rusher. I think he lived off of last year when (Abdul) Carter flushed a lot of things and he cleaned it up. This year, they had another young kid (Chaz Coleman) and he was the beneficiary of some of that. He’ll play in the league for a long time.” Four-star recruit from Millsboro, Del. Added a fourth scout: “Good speed and acceleration, very quick hands and some nice moves. Occasional starter initially and then I could see him fitting in just about any kind of defense.”
10. R MASON THOMAS, Oklahoma (6-2, 242, 4.67, 2-3): Played four seasons in Norman, starting 20 of 42 games. “He is a tough, explosive little guy,” one scout said. “He was similar to Bailey. He’s got power. He can run through big guys. He absolutely destroys those guys (tight ends). With big tackles he can get up underneath ‘em and jolt ‘em, or out-quick you. Just physical. Wears you out. Against Auburn he runs 44 yards downfield. Runs past all his teammates and goes and catches this receiver. First round.” Finished with 65 tackles (25 ½ for loss), 17 sacks, four forced fumbles and three batted passes. “He’s a DPR (designated pass rusher) edge rusher with excellent speed and quickness off the edge,” a second scout said. “Just small and short-armed. How do you have an every-down role for him?” Arms were 31 5/8, hands (8 7/8) were the smallest of the 30 leading edges. “I know some people have him in the first round,” said a third scout. “I’ve been burned too many times in the past by these undersized guys like him that are short-armed. Once these NFL O-linemen get on them they really don’t do much. In the Michigan game I didn’t even know he was playing. Michigan didn’t have a tackle with first-round talent but they had big guys with size. Once those guys got their hands on him they nullified him. NFL tackles are big and long. He may be a more explosive athlete than they are but at the end of the day length wins. You know what you’re gonna get. He’s a high-character kid, a high-motor guy. I don’t think he can consistently beat O-linemen with length. He’s more of an annoyance than a guy you gotta put a tight end over there and adjust the running back. But there are people that absolutely love him.” Four-star recruit from Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Said a fourth scout: “Really fast, really athletic — run and chase. Disinterested playing the run. Somebody will draft him (high) because he’s got production.”
11. DERRICK MOORE, Michigan (6-4, 256, no 40, 3): Won the Bo Schembechler Award as team MVP in 2025. “Love him,” said one scout. “He made money at the Senior Bowl. Good size, length, strength, toughness, quick reads. Can hold the point. Can run down the running back off the RPO. Can run the hoop to the quarterback. Got an inside swipe move. Can get skinny in the hole to get to the quarterback.” Played seven games in 2022 before starting 24 of 39 games in 2023-’25. “He kind of grew on me a little bit,” said a second scout. “He knocks people down. His athletic ability and speed are not high level but the strength and the heavy-handedness and toughness and instincts are. Bit of an overachiever. Third round.” His 30-inch vertical jump was lowest among the top 11. “He’s OK,” a third scout said. “Didn’t see a whole lot of talent. I liked their little guy last year better (Josaiah Stewart). He was more of a threat. Fourth round.” Finished with 95 tackles (24 ½ for loss), 21 sacks, three forced fumbles and eight batted passes. “He didn’t stand out at all at the Senior Bowl,” a fourth scout said. “He was actually a dick down there in a couple drills. There’s been some better defensive ends that have come out the last few years at Michigan. He power rushes all the time. He gets into what I call personal battles sometimes and gets fighting the guy and not getting off the block.” Four-star recruit from Baltimore.
12. GABE JACAS, Illinois (6-3 ½, 260, no 40, 3): Started 43 of 50 games over four seasons. “Stout player,” one scout said. “Put together. Looks the part in person. Had a nice Senior Bowl.” Posted a career-high 11 sacks in 2025, giving him 27 in his career. That ranks sixth in Big Ten annals. “Fourth-round guy,” a second scout said. “If you actually study the plays that he made a lot of them are late-in-the-down production or somebody else flushed the quarterback out and he plays hard and finishes a lot of it. I don’t see him coming off the ball, flipping his hips, accelerating to the quarterback and making plays.” His 30 reps on the bench press were four more than any other edge. Arms were 33, hands were 10. “Third round,” a third scout said. “He’s such a relentless guy. He doesn’t want to give up. I just love guys like that. In nickel packages he moved into some 4-technique and did a good job in there. He’s a pure power rusher with good hand placement and active hands. He can hold the point. He can take on the kickout from the guard or tackle and hold his ground. He’s got good leverage on the goal-line in a four-point (stance) to squeeze the hole. Just lacks a burst in the open field.” Finished with 183 tackles (35 ½ for loss), the 27 sacks, seven forced fumbles and two batted passes. “As a rusher he just bulls and tries to run through you,” a fourth scout said. “Not much sprint off the edge and moves. He’d be a nice backup, a special-teams tough guy. I would just see him as a 4-3 end. I can’t see him playing in space. Fourth round.” Three-star recruit from Port St. Lucie, Fla. Was a state champion wrestler.
13. KEYRON CRAWFORD, Auburn (6-4 ½, 252, no 40, 3): Was a basketball player as a prep in Memphis. Didn’t play football until his senior year. “He’s in the second- or third-round mix,” one scout said. “He had a pretty strong off-season.” Had an impressive week at the Senior Bowl. A quad injury limited him to drill work only at the combine. At pro day March 24, he did drills but declined to run the 40 or participate in the bench press, shuttle runs or the vertical/broad jumps. “I’m rising, growing, mentally and football-related,” Crawford told reporters at pro day. “I feel I will fit in wherever. I’m a very genuine person.” With just one year of football, he accepted an offer from Arkansas State. After playing sparingly as a freshman, he started as a sophomore before moving to Auburn. “Good-looking player,” said another scout. “He had a nice spring.” Finished with 116 tackles (24 for loss), 11 ½ sacks (6 ½ at Arkansas State), three forced fumbles and two batted passes. “He’s a fourth-rounder,” said a third scout. In his lone season of high-school football he had 14 sacks.
14. LT OVERTON, Alabama (6-3, 287, 4.92, 3): Extremely versatile player. “It’s split,” one scout said. “Some people see him as a defensive tackle, that penetrator. Other see him as a power edge. He easily could be a power edge on base downs and you kick him down inside to rush on sub downs. Third round.” Started four of 23 games at Texas A&M in 2022-’23 before transferring to Alabama and starting 16 of 26 games the past two years. Finished with 132 tackles (12 for loss), seven sacks, one forced fumble and two batted passes. “I watched him in 2024,” said a second scout. “This kid just kept flashing. I could have seen taking him top 10 of the draft last year. He’s got some rare ability, but you watch him and he’s playing a backup center and he’s not winning. He can be whatever he wants to be. He has rare movement skills but he takes a lot of plays off. Doesn’t always strain through blocks. He can play 3-technique. He played nose tackle with very good effectiveness. He played on the outside collapsing the pocket. He’s the most versatile defensive lineman. There’s real value in him. You get in a situation where you don’t let the offense dictate to you like you have to bring in all your subpackage players because they’re spreading you out. This kid can play defensive tackle and defensive end. I think more teams would ask him to bulk up and play inside. Maybe be that undersized, quick 3-technique that Seattle and the Rams use.” Overton’s last weigh-in for scouts was March 26 at pro day when he was up to 287, 13 more than he was at the combine and nine more than at the Senior Bowl. Arms were 33 ¼, hands were an edge-best 10 5/8. His vertical jump was an edge-worst 26. Given name is Lebbeus. Five-star recruit from Milton, Ga.
15. MALACHI LAWRENCE, Central Florida (6-4 ½, 253, 4.51, 3): Redshirted in 2021, played briefly in three games in ’22 and started in 2023-’25. “He’s a guy with a lot of ability, and he showed up at the combine,” one scout said. “He has talent. He ran 4.51. He has traits and pretty decent production.” His 40 was the fastest among the edges. His vertical jump of 40 paced the top 20 edges. “He tested really, really well and ran fast,” said a second scout. “He’s a little more finesse. Lacks core strength, but a good player.” Finished with 72 tackles (28 for loss), 20 sacks, three forced fumbles and five batted passes. “He worked out well at the combine and now people are trying to make something of him,” a third scout said. “He’s a fifth-year senior who’s still raw and not productive. Hit or miss type. He ran fast, and you see a little of that in his getoff. But just overall he doesn’t have great instincts. He doesn’t play the run well. Not very strong bending and breaking with pass-rush stuff.” Arms were 33 5/8, hands were 9 ¼. “Inconsistent motor,” a fourth scout said. “When it’s third and 10 and he knows it’s pass he can get off the ball pretty good. If it’s first and 10 he kind of comes off slow, soft. Not real tough and physical setting the point. More of a fifth-fourth round project.” From Louisville, Ky.
Said one scout: “He and Bailey, it was almost like they were having a contest seeing who could get to the quarterback fastest. Good pass rusher. Plays hard. Inconsistent playing the run right now. I think a couple teams are talking about him and if he can be a linebacker and then drop down on passing downs. He did drop in coverage and wasn’t bad at it.”
Jaishawn Barham, Michigan (6-3 ½, 251, 4.66)
Said one scout: “He’s one of those hybrid pieces. Do you like him better off the ball or do you want to use him as both? Some teams are looking for positionless players. I think to get the most of his value you’re going to mix it up but he’s probably a better rusher than just a stack backer. He’s not a throwaway out there. Today, I’d say he’s second round because he does have some rush value. He’s kind of a unique player. At worst, he’s a rotational player. He has the demeanor to be a kick-*** on teams. He’s gonna get a jersey and help you.”
Wesley Williams, Duke (6-3 ½, 258, 4.90)
Said one scout: “He’s extremely athletic. He’s raw. Changes direction quickly. Plays fast. Plays extremely hard. Chases run and pass. Like they throw the ball to the alley and he turns and sprints. Fourth or fifth round. He did really well at the East-West Game.”
Logan Fano, Utah (6-5, 254, 4.60)
Said one scout: “He’ll play. He’ll be a backup-rotational guy. He has some DPR stuff to him. I could see fifth round because he’ll be a good backup ands play teams. His brother (Spencer) is the tackle. They’re cut from the same cloth. High-character kids.”
Quintayvious Hutchins, Boston College (6-3, 238, 4.73)
Said one scout: “(Donovan) Ezeiruaku was a better, more polished, more well-rounded football player but this kid is a way better athlete. But really raw, not instinctive. He’s got initial quicks. First and foremost, he’s a 3-4 outside linebacker. For a 4-3 team he’s a developmental DPR. He became a guy you can trust.”
EDGE RUSHERS
1. DAVID BAILEY, Texas Tech (6-3 ½, 253, 4.51, 1): Started just 16 of 32 games at Stanford from 2022-’24 before starting 13 times for the Red Raiders in 2025. “As a pass rusher he’s really good, probably the best in this draft,” one scout said. “He’s fast, twitchy, can bend, can change direction, can counter. He’s got a good variety of moves. I think he can walk in Day 1 and help you in your subpackages. If you call Arvell Reese an inside linebacker I probably think Bailey is the first (edge) to go. My downside on him is, he doesn’t chase plays away at times, and plays that are coming at him he’s not real physical at the point of attack. He’ll jump around some things, but he’s quick enough to make plays.” Led the nation in sacks last year with 14 ½. “(Micah) Parsons maybe has a little more power to his game,” said a second scout. “Aidan (Hutchinson) is just bigger and longer. Bailey’s the best edge. He’s a little undersized, but after that he’s got consistent production with some big-time burst. He has explosive ability off the edge, first-step quickness and violent hands. His only issue is if he’s head-up on the tackle he doesn’t have the bulk to really try to hold his ground. Usually he can use his hands and just kind of get off people.” Finished with 163 tackles (42 for loss), 29 sacks, 10 forced fumbles and four batted passes. “(Nik) Bonitto is a good comparison,” a third scout said. “He’s a skilled rusher. He might be a top-5 pick. He can win with power or speed. I’m not saying he loafs but against the run his mindset is pass rush first and then react to the run. In obvious pass-rush downs that’s great, but if it’s a run he’s not necessarily always in his gap. He’ll dip inside and give up the edge because he’s looking to rush the passer. Those are things that are correctable.” His old brother, DJ, played defensive end at Harvard from 2015-’17. David graduated from Stanford before departing. “He kind of did his own thing at Stanford,” said a fourth scout. “He dropped when he was supposed to rush, and vice versa. They tried to hold him accountable. Just kind of all over the map. When I watched him last summer I never dreamed he’d be talked about at this level. There’s definitely some stiffness with the guy. If he’s small and stiff that raises a major red flag to me. Texas Tech played with the lead most of the year. I don’t think any of that matters, but it’s going to matter now. I favor Reese over him because I think he’s more of a complete package. But maybe Bailey can turn out to be like one of those guys from the Colts (Robert Mathis, Dwight Freeney) years ago.” Ran the fastest 40 at the position. Arms were 33 3/4 inches, hands were 10 ¼ inches. “This guy gets off the ball better than Tyree Wilson (No. 7, 2023, Raiders) but he reminds me of him and he has done absolutely nothing,” said a fifth scout. “Kind of a weird kind of athlete. Not very fluid. He can just get off the ball and run. But after that he doesn’t show a lot of move coordination or power. Doesn’t seem like he has a plan to what he’s doing. In run support he wasn’t very good. He’s like a flash guy. He can cause problems just from getting off the ball with that edge burst. That being said, in any other draft he would not be that high of a pick.” Four-star recruit from Irvine, Calif.2. RUEBEN BAIN, Miami (6-2, 264, no 40, 1): Third-year junior started all three years. “Good football player,” one scout said.
“He’s a power player. He runs through people. Uses his hands pretty well. Can collapse the pocket. Has short arms. Not the rangiest body type. Doesn’t have a ton of speed. He’s not your historical top-5, top-10 D-lineman.” Arms were merely 30 7/8. Hands were small, too (9 1/8). “I think he’ll be the first defensive lineman or edge guy taken since ’99 or something with under 31-inch arms,” a second scout said. “He’ll be a major outlier. He’s super physical and aggressive but Bain is a tweener. He’s got no position. He’s not tall or lanky enough to be a defensive end. He’s not really athletic or fast enough to be an outside backer. And he’s too small to be a defensive tackle. Does he have a motor? Yes. Does he have physical hands? Yes. Is he active with his hands? Yes. As a technician, he’s going to wear a lot of bad college linemen out with his hands and effort. He did that. But, wow, do I think he’s going to get blocked in the NFL? I do.” Finished with 121 tackles (33 ½ for loss), 20 ½ sacks, four forced fumbles and two batted passes. “His quickness and power are just outstanding,” said a third scout. “He’s violent in how he plays. He’s always around the quarterback. He’s going to be the exception to the rule because I don’t think he’s very fast. He’s probably smart he didn’t run because I think he’d run around 4.8. I like edge rushers that have speed but he’s an anomaly for me. There are a lot of other parts of his game that he will compensate with.” Compared by one scout to Kwity Paye. “Those short arms and that size will be a concern,” a fourth scout said. “More of an overachiever-type athlete than a natural, fluid, silky kind of dude. But you love the way he plays. He’s tough as hell. Best thing about his pass rush is he’s relentless. Gives effort against the run. Kills the tight ends. He gets smothered up a little bit by those big (tackles). They’ll get him. He’s like a Brandon Graham.” Four-star recruit from Miami, where he led Central High to four straight state titles and amassed 77 sacks. “He’s a really, really good college player,” a fifth scout said. “When I watch him against some of the better tackles he struggled a little bit. His best shot’s going to be as a 4-3 D-end. To me, if I’m going to take him top 15, I’m hoping to get somebody that’s going to come in and give me eight sacks and build up to like double digits in the next year or two. I don’t know that that’s what he is.”
3. ZION YOUNG, Missouri (6-5 ½, 265, 4.75, 1-2): Started 11 of 20 games at Michigan State in 2022-’23 and all 26 games for the Tigers the past two seasons. “Young is a pretty player,” one scout said. “He has the look of an NFL player when he steps on the field. My main concern is his production against the best competition. He occasionally has reps where he relies on his length and athleticism thinking ‘I will win,’ followed by many reps where he doesn’t know, or understand, how to get past a blocker. The same things happened at the Senior Bowl. In the one-on-one’s, he had some success but, overall, there were not enough impactful plays.” Finished with 131 tackles (28 ½ for loss), 11 ½ sacks, three forced fumbles and five batted passes. “Little bit the same as (Keldric) Faulk,” a second scout said. “But a little bit tighter athlete.” Named defensive MVP at the Senior Bowl. “He’s a much better player than that Darius Robinson (of Missouri) who got taken in the first round by the Cardinals (No. 27, 2024) and hasn’t done much,” said a third scout. “He’s tough, plays hard. They move him all up along the front because he’s so damn big. Not a top, top athlete but good enough for his size. He gets off, gets his arm out and controls people. His pass rush is more as a stunt kind of guy. They put him inside, too. He’s just not your edge guy. He’s a big power rusher. He’ll be in a 4-3, and some teams will even look at him as a 5-technique.” Arms were 33, hands were 9 1/2. Earned academic honors at both MSU and Mizzou. “He’s a defensive end that has a chance to go in the first round,” said a fourth scout. “Now he looks like an NFL left defensive end. He did well at the Senior Bowl.” Three-star recruit from Atlanta.
4. KELDRIC FAULK, Auburn (6-6, 275, 4.68, 1-2): Third-year junior. “He’s a big D-end, the left end, in a 4-3 who can slide inside and give you something in there,” said one scout. “He’s got all the physical qualities. He’s a great young man, probably too nice. They sort of changed schemes (in 2025) and he had more responsibility, more gap control. He’s not a natural playmaker. He probably plays more to the responsibility than just going and making a play. Someone’s going to take him because he’s a great kid and we can change him and he’s 6-6, 275. He’ll probably be in the first round, but later.” Longest arms (34 3/8) at the position. Hands were 9 7/8. “I wasn’t crazy about him but he’ll be late first or second round,” a second scout said. “I just thought he was a tweener. Not really an edge guy and not really an inside guy. He doesn’t really win on the edge as a rusher. Best thing he does is rush inside because he’s long and very quick. He can beat a guard on the pass rush, but in the run game he plays really high. He’s just not a natural defensive tackle inside. I worry about him. He is a great athlete and he’s got great makeup.” Finished with 109 tackles (19 ½ for loss), 10 sacks, one forced fumble and six batted passes. “He’s a 5-technique,” said a third scout. “If someone got him like top of the second round, yeah, you’d be excited because he’s strong. He’s kind of a bull rusher, a power player. Gets a guy on his heels and then slips underneath.” Four-star recruit from Highland Home, Ala. “Prototypical NFL frame without the production,” a fourth scout said. “Shows stiffness in his lower half when trying to bend and navigate around corners. Some will love his raw upside but I’ll hold off on that. He should be taken where similar players have succeeded, which is not in the first round.”
5. AKHEEM MESIDOR, Miami (6-3, 260, no 40, 1-2): Started one of 23 games at West Virginia in 2020-’21. After a seven-sack season in 2022 for the Hurricanes, he suffered a foot injury early in the ’23 season and was out for the year. Started all 28 games in 2024-’25. Turns 25 on Saturday. “He’s more flexible than Bain,” one scout said. “I thought he had better bend at times than Bain and was more athletic. I was looking at him through the lens of a 3-4 outside backer. But he’s 25 years old. What do you do? Some of these guys are 25 and going against 19-year-olds. It’s not necessarily a fair fight.” Registered two of his 12 ½ sacks last season in the national title game against Indiana. “I like him more than Bain,” said a second scout. “I think he’s a better pass rusher. He’s a pure pass-rushing, 4-3 defensive end. Now he kind of picks his spots to play the run but not terrible. I could see him (in a 3-4). He’s not going to make a living dropping in coverage but I don’t think he’d be out of place doing it.” Finished with 208 tackles (52 ½ for loss), 35 ½ sacks (third most in Division I since 2005), five forced fumbles and four batted passes. “I actually think he’s better than Bain,” a third scout said. “Instinctive, nasty. At the point of attack, tight end’s got no chance. As a pass rusher he’s got all sorts of stuff in the bag. He’s got power, spin, uses his hands. They drop him and he moves like a linebacker. Talented guy, starter, playmaker. But he’s old. Twenty-five.” Arms were 32 1/8, hands were 10. “He had Rueben Bain on the other side so he wasn’t getting a lot of the attention,” said a fourth scout. “I don’t think he got the attention he deserved. Not that Ahkeem is going to be Hall of Famer but he is much better than ‘the guy opposite Bain.’” One of eight siblings from Ottawa, Ontario. Earned multiple academic honors at both schools
6. CASHIUS HOWELL, Texas A&M (6-2 ½, 257, no 40, 1-2): Won SEC Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2025 after an 11 ½-sack season. “He’s a compact dude but he has excellent quickness, speed, athleticism, bend and hand use,” said one scout. “He has shorter arms, but he’s able to sideswipe and dip and do all this really cool stuff. If he was bigger he’d be a top-10 pick, but he’s not.” Started in his third of three seasons at Bowling Green, where he had 11 ½ sacks total. Started for the Aggies the past two years. “He might be a first-rounder,” a second scout said. “He’s quick and fast but he’s also small and short-limbed.” Has the shortest arms (30 ¼) of the top 25 edges. Hands were 9 ¼. “Best thing he does is from the back side,” said a third scout. “That’s the only plays I ever saw him make is beat blocks from the back side. He’s tweener size and not super athletic for that. Not explosive as a pass rusher. They wear him out in the run. It’s like he didn’t want anything to do with it.” Finished with 127 tackles (35 ½ for loss), 27 sacks, three forced fumbles and 15 batted passes. “I’m not a huge fan,” said a fourth scout. “He’s more of an outside linebacker. Doesn’t play the run real well. Plays hard against the pass.” Went to Bowling Green after not receiving a Power 4 offer. From Kansas City.
7. T.J. PARKER, Clemson (6-3 ½, 264, 4.71, 2): Third-year junior. “He’s similar to Mesidor,” one scout said. “He doesn’t wow you in anything. His thing is more motor. He’ll get stuck on an edge against athletic tackles. He keeps coming with second and third effort. He chases backside.” Best year was 2024 when his six forced fumbles ranked second in the nation and his 11 sacks ranked ninth. Those numbers dipped to zero and five in 2025. “They changed defensive coordinators and he didn’t have the freedom to go rush and it probably impacted his year,” said a second scout. Parker and his fiancé, former Clemson volleyball player Azyah Dailey, were married in late October during the team’s bye week. “He didn’t have great production this year but I liked his tape,” a second scout said. “He’s got quickness and power. Plays with a lot of energy. He’s physical. He’s an end-of-the-first-round type.” Arms were 33 1/8, hands were 9 1/2. “Good player,” a third scout said. “Has enough size, length, motor, production. It’s not high-end at anything. Just a solid package, not special.” Finished with 126 tackles (41 ½ for loss), 21 ½ sacks, six forced fumbles and four batted passes. “Not explosive on the edge,” said a fourth scout. “Just kind of out there. He tries to play tough but isn’t athletic enough to get off blocks and make plays. Just kind of a big effort guy.” Given name is Tomarrion. Four-star recruit from Phenix City, Ala.
8. JOSHUA JOSEPHS, Tennessee (6-3, 243, 4.73, 2-3): Spent four seasons in Knoxville, starting 16 games (11 as a senior). “One of the top edge rushers in the draft,” one scout said. “Not a sexy rusher. He’s is a long-armed speed-to-power rusher who has consistently created vertical rush. He won’t get as much love as Zion Young because he doesn’t look as athletic nor will he get the love of Rueben Bain because the hype isn’t there. However, he has a chance to produce more than either one because his style will carry over to the NFL more efficiently. He’ll most likely go in the second round and should be a career starter capable of eight to 12 sacks per season due to his speed-to-power conversion and relentless motor.” Finished with 104 tackles (22 for loss), 9 ½ sacks, six forced fumbles and nine batted passes. Had a vertical jump of 38 1/2. Arms were 34 ¼, hands were 10. “Good athlete,” a second scout said. “He’s long, but not that big and can get washed off pretty quickly. He’s not going to run through everybody. Kind of wins with his athleticism more than he does anything else. You’ll see more speed to power out of him. He did not have a good interview so I know some teams will be worried with the character.” Four-star recruit from Kennesaw, Ga.
9. DANI DENNIS-SUTTON, Penn State (6-5 ½, 259, 4.60, 2-3): Blew out the combine with a fast 40 and edge bests in the broad jump (10-11) and 3-cone (6.90). “He’s really talented,” said one scout. “Big, strong, fast. The guy can be a starter at defensive end. If you watch him drop you’d say this guy definitely can be a starter as a 3-4 outside guy. He can be hard to coach. Kind of my way is the way.” Played extensively all four seasons, finishing with 127 tackles (34 ½ for loss), 23 ½ sacks, seven forced fumbles and eight batted passes. “He’s got personality quirks, if you want to call it that, where he kind of marches to his own drum,” a second scout said. “He’ll go two or three, probably three.” Arms were 33 ½, hands were 10 1/8. Persistent knee problems remain a concern. “There was so much hype on him two years ago,” a third scout said. “I watched him, I didn’t like him. Last year, I didn’t like him at all. This year, I thought he played a lot better. Solid player. Don’t think he’s going to be a dynamic pass rusher. I think he lived off of last year when (Abdul) Carter flushed a lot of things and he cleaned it up. This year, they had another young kid (Chaz Coleman) and he was the beneficiary of some of that. He’ll play in the league for a long time.” Four-star recruit from Millsboro, Del. Added a fourth scout: “Good speed and acceleration, very quick hands and some nice moves. Occasional starter initially and then I could see him fitting in just about any kind of defense.”
10. R MASON THOMAS, Oklahoma (6-2, 242, 4.67, 2-3): Played four seasons in Norman, starting 20 of 42 games. “He is a tough, explosive little guy,” one scout said. “He was similar to Bailey. He’s got power. He can run through big guys. He absolutely destroys those guys (tight ends). With big tackles he can get up underneath ‘em and jolt ‘em, or out-quick you. Just physical. Wears you out. Against Auburn he runs 44 yards downfield. Runs past all his teammates and goes and catches this receiver. First round.” Finished with 65 tackles (25 ½ for loss), 17 sacks, four forced fumbles and three batted passes. “He’s a DPR (designated pass rusher) edge rusher with excellent speed and quickness off the edge,” a second scout said. “Just small and short-armed. How do you have an every-down role for him?” Arms were 31 5/8, hands (8 7/8) were the smallest of the 30 leading edges. “I know some people have him in the first round,” said a third scout. “I’ve been burned too many times in the past by these undersized guys like him that are short-armed. Once these NFL O-linemen get on them they really don’t do much. In the Michigan game I didn’t even know he was playing. Michigan didn’t have a tackle with first-round talent but they had big guys with size. Once those guys got their hands on him they nullified him. NFL tackles are big and long. He may be a more explosive athlete than they are but at the end of the day length wins. You know what you’re gonna get. He’s a high-character kid, a high-motor guy. I don’t think he can consistently beat O-linemen with length. He’s more of an annoyance than a guy you gotta put a tight end over there and adjust the running back. But there are people that absolutely love him.” Four-star recruit from Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Said a fourth scout: “Really fast, really athletic — run and chase. Disinterested playing the run. Somebody will draft him (high) because he’s got production.”
11. DERRICK MOORE, Michigan (6-4, 256, no 40, 3): Won the Bo Schembechler Award as team MVP in 2025. “Love him,” said one scout. “He made money at the Senior Bowl. Good size, length, strength, toughness, quick reads. Can hold the point. Can run down the running back off the RPO. Can run the hoop to the quarterback. Got an inside swipe move. Can get skinny in the hole to get to the quarterback.” Played seven games in 2022 before starting 24 of 39 games in 2023-’25. “He kind of grew on me a little bit,” said a second scout. “He knocks people down. His athletic ability and speed are not high level but the strength and the heavy-handedness and toughness and instincts are. Bit of an overachiever. Third round.” His 30-inch vertical jump was lowest among the top 11. “He’s OK,” a third scout said. “Didn’t see a whole lot of talent. I liked their little guy last year better (Josaiah Stewart). He was more of a threat. Fourth round.” Finished with 95 tackles (24 ½ for loss), 21 sacks, three forced fumbles and eight batted passes. “He didn’t stand out at all at the Senior Bowl,” a fourth scout said. “He was actually a dick down there in a couple drills. There’s been some better defensive ends that have come out the last few years at Michigan. He power rushes all the time. He gets into what I call personal battles sometimes and gets fighting the guy and not getting off the block.” Four-star recruit from Baltimore.
12. GABE JACAS, Illinois (6-3 ½, 260, no 40, 3): Started 43 of 50 games over four seasons. “Stout player,” one scout said. “Put together. Looks the part in person. Had a nice Senior Bowl.” Posted a career-high 11 sacks in 2025, giving him 27 in his career. That ranks sixth in Big Ten annals. “Fourth-round guy,” a second scout said. “If you actually study the plays that he made a lot of them are late-in-the-down production or somebody else flushed the quarterback out and he plays hard and finishes a lot of it. I don’t see him coming off the ball, flipping his hips, accelerating to the quarterback and making plays.” His 30 reps on the bench press were four more than any other edge. Arms were 33, hands were 10. “Third round,” a third scout said. “He’s such a relentless guy. He doesn’t want to give up. I just love guys like that. In nickel packages he moved into some 4-technique and did a good job in there. He’s a pure power rusher with good hand placement and active hands. He can hold the point. He can take on the kickout from the guard or tackle and hold his ground. He’s got good leverage on the goal-line in a four-point (stance) to squeeze the hole. Just lacks a burst in the open field.” Finished with 183 tackles (35 ½ for loss), the 27 sacks, seven forced fumbles and two batted passes. “As a rusher he just bulls and tries to run through you,” a fourth scout said. “Not much sprint off the edge and moves. He’d be a nice backup, a special-teams tough guy. I would just see him as a 4-3 end. I can’t see him playing in space. Fourth round.” Three-star recruit from Port St. Lucie, Fla. Was a state champion wrestler.
13. KEYRON CRAWFORD, Auburn (6-4 ½, 252, no 40, 3): Was a basketball player as a prep in Memphis. Didn’t play football until his senior year. “He’s in the second- or third-round mix,” one scout said. “He had a pretty strong off-season.” Had an impressive week at the Senior Bowl. A quad injury limited him to drill work only at the combine. At pro day March 24, he did drills but declined to run the 40 or participate in the bench press, shuttle runs or the vertical/broad jumps. “I’m rising, growing, mentally and football-related,” Crawford told reporters at pro day. “I feel I will fit in wherever. I’m a very genuine person.” With just one year of football, he accepted an offer from Arkansas State. After playing sparingly as a freshman, he started as a sophomore before moving to Auburn. “Good-looking player,” said another scout. “He had a nice spring.” Finished with 116 tackles (24 for loss), 11 ½ sacks (6 ½ at Arkansas State), three forced fumbles and two batted passes. “He’s a fourth-rounder,” said a third scout. In his lone season of high-school football he had 14 sacks.
14. LT OVERTON, Alabama (6-3, 287, 4.92, 3): Extremely versatile player. “It’s split,” one scout said. “Some people see him as a defensive tackle, that penetrator. Other see him as a power edge. He easily could be a power edge on base downs and you kick him down inside to rush on sub downs. Third round.” Started four of 23 games at Texas A&M in 2022-’23 before transferring to Alabama and starting 16 of 26 games the past two years. Finished with 132 tackles (12 for loss), seven sacks, one forced fumble and two batted passes. “I watched him in 2024,” said a second scout. “This kid just kept flashing. I could have seen taking him top 10 of the draft last year. He’s got some rare ability, but you watch him and he’s playing a backup center and he’s not winning. He can be whatever he wants to be. He has rare movement skills but he takes a lot of plays off. Doesn’t always strain through blocks. He can play 3-technique. He played nose tackle with very good effectiveness. He played on the outside collapsing the pocket. He’s the most versatile defensive lineman. There’s real value in him. You get in a situation where you don’t let the offense dictate to you like you have to bring in all your subpackage players because they’re spreading you out. This kid can play defensive tackle and defensive end. I think more teams would ask him to bulk up and play inside. Maybe be that undersized, quick 3-technique that Seattle and the Rams use.” Overton’s last weigh-in for scouts was March 26 at pro day when he was up to 287, 13 more than he was at the combine and nine more than at the Senior Bowl. Arms were 33 ¼, hands were an edge-best 10 5/8. His vertical jump was an edge-worst 26. Given name is Lebbeus. Five-star recruit from Milton, Ga.
15. MALACHI LAWRENCE, Central Florida (6-4 ½, 253, 4.51, 3): Redshirted in 2021, played briefly in three games in ’22 and started in 2023-’25. “He’s a guy with a lot of ability, and he showed up at the combine,” one scout said. “He has talent. He ran 4.51. He has traits and pretty decent production.” His 40 was the fastest among the edges. His vertical jump of 40 paced the top 20 edges. “He tested really, really well and ran fast,” said a second scout. “He’s a little more finesse. Lacks core strength, but a good player.” Finished with 72 tackles (28 for loss), 20 sacks, three forced fumbles and five batted passes. “He worked out well at the combine and now people are trying to make something of him,” a third scout said. “He’s a fifth-year senior who’s still raw and not productive. Hit or miss type. He ran fast, and you see a little of that in his getoff. But just overall he doesn’t have great instincts. He doesn’t play the run well. Not very strong bending and breaking with pass-rush stuff.” Arms were 33 5/8, hands were 9 ¼. “Inconsistent motor,” a fourth scout said. “When it’s third and 10 and he knows it’s pass he can get off the ball pretty good. If it’s first and 10 he kind of comes off slow, soft. Not real tough and physical setting the point. More of a fifth-fourth round project.” From Louisville, Ky.
THE NEXT FIVE
Romello Height, Texas Tech (6-2 ½, 238, 4.66)Said one scout: “He and Bailey, it was almost like they were having a contest seeing who could get to the quarterback fastest. Good pass rusher. Plays hard. Inconsistent playing the run right now. I think a couple teams are talking about him and if he can be a linebacker and then drop down on passing downs. He did drop in coverage and wasn’t bad at it.”
Jaishawn Barham, Michigan (6-3 ½, 251, 4.66)
Said one scout: “He’s one of those hybrid pieces. Do you like him better off the ball or do you want to use him as both? Some teams are looking for positionless players. I think to get the most of his value you’re going to mix it up but he’s probably a better rusher than just a stack backer. He’s not a throwaway out there. Today, I’d say he’s second round because he does have some rush value. He’s kind of a unique player. At worst, he’s a rotational player. He has the demeanor to be a kick-*** on teams. He’s gonna get a jersey and help you.”
Wesley Williams, Duke (6-3 ½, 258, 4.90)
Said one scout: “He’s extremely athletic. He’s raw. Changes direction quickly. Plays fast. Plays extremely hard. Chases run and pass. Like they throw the ball to the alley and he turns and sprints. Fourth or fifth round. He did really well at the East-West Game.”
Logan Fano, Utah (6-5, 254, 4.60)
Said one scout: “He’ll play. He’ll be a backup-rotational guy. He has some DPR stuff to him. I could see fifth round because he’ll be a good backup ands play teams. His brother (Spencer) is the tackle. They’re cut from the same cloth. High-character kids.”
Quintayvious Hutchins, Boston College (6-3, 238, 4.73)
Said one scout: “(Donovan) Ezeiruaku was a better, more polished, more well-rounded football player but this kid is a way better athlete. But really raw, not instinctive. He’s got initial quicks. First and foremost, he’s a 3-4 outside linebacker. For a 4-3 team he’s a developmental DPR. He became a guy you can trust.”
dbair1967
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The 2026 NFL draft is less than three weeks away (April 23-25). So, we asked draft analysts Matt Miller and Field Yates to break down the newest intel from around the league.
Pro days are wrapping up, though a handful of top prospects still have private workouts with teams this month. How did Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy answer injury questions at his pro day? And what did we learn from the prospects not named Fernando Mendoza at Indiana's pro day?
We also asked our experts for the latest on a bunch of buzzy topics. Who is the third-best quarterback prospect in this class right now? Which NFL teams could trade out of the first round? How many edge rushers, offensive linemen and wide receivers could get picked on Day 1? Finally, Miller and Yates emptied their scouting notebooks with what they're hearing, seeing and thinking.
What's the league buzz off the much-anticipated Jermod McCoy pro day workout on Tuesday?
Yates: The race for CB1 is officially on. Both McCoy and LSU's Mansoor Delane are viewed as top-15 prospects in the class, with the Giants, Commanders, Saints, Chiefs, Bengals and Cowboys as natural landing spots. But McCoy's health lingered until this pro day workout, as a torn ACL caused him to miss the entire 2025 season and he sat out the combine.While scouts on the road had been getting positive reviews about McCoy's recovery, there is a certainty in seeing it on the field. He posted a 4.38 in the 40-yard dash, a 38-inch vertical jump and a 10-foot-7 broad jump.
Miller: Like Field said, the feedback I received from teams was that McCoy is back in the running for CB1. There were some questions even from the morning of the workout about what drills he would participate in. But he did everything, including positional drills.Teams love McCoy's size and his over 1-inch advantage in terms of arm length over Delane -- 31¼ inches compared to 30 inches. And while Delane's elite final season might keep him in the top spot, both players feel like top-12 locks.
Indiana's Fernando Mendoza and Alabama's Ty Simpson are the top two QBs in this class. But who is No. 3?
Miller: Garrett Nussmeier, QB, LSU. There are a number of good competitors for this spot, but Nussmeier has impressed in the predraft process now that he's healthy from an abdominal injury suffered before the 2025 season. Going back to the 2024 tape, Nussmeier ranked fifth in the FBS with 4,052 yards; he threw 29 touchdowns to 12 picks. And he was cutting down on his interceptions in 2025 before being shut down for the season after nine games.
The 6-foot-2, 203-pound quarterback lacks elite measurables, but his instincts, accuracy and high ball velocity are traits teams can build around. He should come off the board at some point on Day 2.
Yates: Carson Beck, QB, Miami. This answer has varied over the past few months, but I'm giving Beck the nod for a few reasons. He has a natural throwing ability (69.5% career completion percentage) and plenty of experience (43 starts). Scouts are extremely impressed with his overall acumen as a player. Plus, Beck has very good size (6-foot-5, 233 pounds) and handled the pressure of starting at two high-profile colleges. I believe he'll go in the third round.
What did we learn from Indiana's pro day Wednesday?
Yates: Quarterback Fernando Mendoza might as well start shopping for a home in Las Vegas, so what he did was not going to influence much. But a player who had something on the line was wide receiver Elijah Sarratt, whose excellent contested catch ability and chemistry with Mendoza shined this past season. Sarratt ran a 40, with scouts clocking him around 4.50 seconds. That time was good enough to further cement his case as a potential top-100 pick.Miller: Cornerback D'Angelo Ponds also put an exclamation mark on a fantastic collegiate career, as he was timed at 4.31 seconds in the 40-yard dash by scouts in attendance. Ponds is the best nickelback in the class and ranks inside my top 50 prospects. He lacks prototypical NFL size (5-foot-9, 182 pounds), but he's explosive with a 43½-inch vertical jump that more than makes up for his height.
Which team is most likely to trade down in Round 1?
Miller: The Buffalo Bills. Finding a partner willing to move into Round 1 might be as difficult as predicting which team will move out. It's expected that teams will not give up too much 2027 capital based on the strength of next year's class. That makes me think it'll be a "win-now" team willing to jump out of Round 1. Buffalo GM Brandon Beane has long been a fan of moving down on draft day. And with just three picks in first four rounds, the Bills could benefit from adding draft capital.
Yates: The Seattle Seahawks. To be clear, my assessment of who is most likely is based off what I believe is logical; no team has revealed its intentions to move up or down in the draft. But the Seahawks are a sensible pick for two obvious reasons. They enter the draft with a league-low four selections and can offer the 32nd pick to another team that wants to secure a fifth year of contract control for a prospect.
Call it now: How many first-round edge rushers will we see?
Miller: Five, maybe six if you classify Ohio State's Arvell Reese as an edge rusher. I believe Reese, David Bailey (Texas Tech), Rueben Bain Jr. (Miami) and Keldric Faulk (Auburn) are locks. Then, Akheem Mesidor (Miami) and Cashius Howell (Texas A&M) are likely to go in the first round, too.But would it be a surprise to see as many as nine edge rushers? Not in this class. There is a lack of top prospects at other premium positions and a need for rotational pass rushers in the NFL, especially from playoff teams selecting in the back end of the round. R Mason Thomas (Oklahoma), Zion Young (Missouri) and T.J. Parker (Clemson) could all sneak in.
How about the number of first-round offensive tackles?
Yates: Six, though a seventh is possible. The six I believe are the strongest first-round candidates: Francis Mauigoa (Miami), Spencer Fano (Utah), Monroe Freeling (Georgia), Kadyn Proctor (Alabama), Caleb Lomu (Utah) and Blake Miller (Clemson). But Arizona State's Max Iheanachor is right there as well. The intriguing part about this class is that stacking these tackles is so dependent upon scheme and which traits a team most values.And what about the number of first-round wide receivers?
Miller: Five. We know about Makai Lemon (USC), Carnell Tate (Ohio State), Jordyn Tyson (Arizona State) and Omar Cooper Jr. (Indiana), but there's a strong case for a fifth receiver in the final eight picks. Texas A&M's KC Concepcion is the best candidate for that, thanks to his run-after-catch ability and pure speed. Teams like Buffalo, San Francisco, Kansas City or Miami could all be potential landing spots.
What else did you hear and see this week?
Miller's notes:- One player trending in the wrong direction leading up to the draft is Arizona State receiver Jordyn Tyson. In reviewing my grades with a handful of scouts, many remarked that Tyson's hamstring injury and lack of predraft workouts could cause him to slide to the back half of the first round. Three scouts told me that Tyson ranks as the No. 4 receiver on their internal boards. He is scheduled to do positional work for NFL teams on April 17.
- While there might not be a true center taken in the first two rounds, there is strong depth at the position. A name with plenty of intrigue around the NFL is Texas A&M's Trey Zuhn III. He played more than 3,000 snaps at left tackle, with just 124 at center (all in 2025). Zuhn has strong foot quickness and would be one of the tallest centers in the NFL at nearly 6-foot-7. I have an early Day 3 grade on him.
- This defensive tackle class lacks a guaranteed top-20 pick, but it offers a good blend of archetypes at the position. Oklahoma's Gracen Halton, Penn State's Zane Durant and SE Louisiana's Kaleb Proctor are among those whose quickness gives them a chance to be impactful behind the line of scrimmage. But one name that comes up with scouts as a brick wall to defend the run is South Carolina's Nick Barrett. He was excellent in 2025, posting 28 solo tackles, 14 run stuffs (tackles on runs for 0 or negative yards) and his first two career sacks. Barrett should go off the board on Day 3.
dbair1967
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Grand larceny steal if this were to happen, but we come out WAY ahead on the pts value chart. (#3 worth 2200, #12 worth 1200, #92 worth 132 which is a net+ 868 for us)
If this were to be true it would possibly be the cheapest trade from outside the top-10 into the top-3 in draft history, and certainly since the draft went to 7 rds.
If this were to be true it would possibly be the cheapest trade from outside the top-10 into the top-3 in draft history, and certainly since the draft went to 7 rds.