1. David BaileyBailey is the best pure pass rusher in this class. The speed and explosiveness off the edge are elite, and he consistently wins with burst in a way no one else in the group can match. He is not as complete as some of the other edge defenders in the run game or in the finer details, but he is functional when asked to play contain and does enough outside of pass rushing to stay on the field. What separates him is the ability to simply win off the edge at a high rate, and in today’s NFL that carries enormous value.Projection: Top 5

2. Rueben Bain Jr.Bain is a powerful, explosive edge defender with long strides out of his stance, very good bend, and the strength to overwhelm blockers at the point of attack. He reads plays extremely well, which helps him impact both the run and pass game at a high level, and his overall profile is more complete than most of the other pass rushers in the class. He is not a true speed merchant, but the combination of strength, explosiveness, and feel for the game gives him one of the highest floors in the group.Projection: Top 5

3. Akheem MesidorMesidor is a polished, productive pass rusher with a strong motor and one of the better hand-move arsenals in the class. He knows how to work through a rush, can win in multiple ways, and consistently brings effort from snap to snap. He is not a dominant run defender, and that will remain part of the evaluation, but pass-rush value matters most for edge defenders and that is where his best football shows up. The pass-rush skill, technique, and activity level give him real starting upside.Projection: Round 1-2

4. Cashius HowellHowell is one of the more dangerous speed rushers in the class because of his length, explosiveness, bend, and production. He can really threaten the corner, flatten, and finish, which is exactly what teams want from a modern edge defender. The problem is run defense, which is clearly below the level of his pass-rush game and limits how complete the profile is right now. Even with that issue, the pass-rush upside is strong enough that he is hard to pass on early.Projection: Round 1-2

5. Keldric FaulkFaulk offers versatility and can line up in a variety of roles, whether that is as a 5-technique, 7-technique, standing up, or even working inside in certain fronts. That flexibility helps his value, but the pass-rush profile is not especially convincing and the explosiveness does not consistently stand out. Too often, other defenders around him look more disruptive or impactful on the front. He still has the talent and versatility to become a capable NFL starter, but the overall ceiling looks more solid than dominant.Projection: Round 2

6. T.J. ParkerParker brings useful versatility because he can line up at 3-technique or 5-technique and has enough explosiveness off the line to create problems early in the rep. He is a powerful strider and does a lot of things reasonably well, but he does not have one defining trait that clearly separates him. The fact that he was not a true every-down player raises some questions, and the overall profile feels more like a jack of all trades than a player with a clear standout specialty. There is enough here to see a quality NFL starter, but not quite the profile of a top-tier edge talent.Projection: Round 2

7. Gabe JacasJacas is a tough, competitive edge defender who plays hard, fights to stay involved, and brings a dependable motor when he is on the field. He is not an every-snap player and can get influenced or beaten by option looks and offensive line movement, which hurts the consistency of the profile. He also does not bring much true bull-rush ability, so the power ceiling as a pass rusher is somewhat limited. Still, the effort level, competitiveness, and enough functional pass-rush value give him a strong chance to become a useful NFL front-seven piece.Projection: Round 2

8. Jaishawn BarhamBarham is a versatile, quick edge defender whose background as an off-ball linebacker clearly shows up in his game. He closes extremely well, processes quickly, and looks like a smart player who is constantly thinking through the rep rather than just relying on raw talent. He is very good against the run, brings real movement skills, and has the kind of quickness that allows him to create problems in multiple ways. The projection still carries some development because of the hybrid background, but the overall profile is that of a valuable front-seven player with legitimate starter upside.Projection: Round 2-3

9. Keyron CrawfordCrawford is a raw but highly intriguing edge prospect whose quickness and lack of wasted movement stand out immediately. The athleticism and explosiveness are real, and his best reps show the kind of upside that makes him easy to bet on. The issue is consistency. He can disappear for stretches, the instincts are still developing, and the tape does not always match the flashes. Even with that, the highs are high enough to project him as a Day 2 player who could become much more with time and coaching.Projection: Round 2-3

10. Zion YoungYoung is a high-effort, high-motor defender who brings toughness, patience, and versatility to the front. He is good against the run, continues to fight through contact, and does not allow tackles to win easily or cleanly. He also has enough versatility to reduce inside and play 3-technique in certain fronts, which adds real value. The next step in his development is as a pass rusher, where more hand usage and cleaner ways to win would help him finish more consistently. The floor is strong because of the motor and toughness, and the profile fits a reliable multi-role front defender.Projection: Round 2-3

11. R Mason ThomasThomas is a thickly built edge rusher with good explosiveness and enough bend to threaten the edge, even if the flexibility is not elite. He can win inside when needed and does a nice job of creating force through the rep, though that tends to come more through power and momentum than with a deep bag of hand moves. The overall skill set gives him multiple ways to win, but there are still some limits on how dynamic the pass-rush profile can become against better competition. He looks like a strong rotational pass rusher with starting potential in the right role.Projection: Round 2-3

12. Malachi LawrenceLawrence wins more with bend, power, and motor than with pure speed. He does a nice job ripping through offensive tackles, stays active throughout the rush, and has enough flexibility to work around the corner even if the burst is not elite. The concern is that some of the ways he wins now will be harder to get away with against NFL tackles, so the pass-rush plan will need to evolve. Still, the bend, effort, and enough functional power should be enough to get him drafted on Day 2 and give him a chance to carve out a real role.Projection: Round 3

13. Derrick MooreMoore is a solid edge prospect whose game looks more dependable than flashy. He can put together productive reps and has enough overall ability to contribute, but the lack of true explosiveness and speed puts a cap on the long-term ceiling. He does not project as a high-end twitch rusher and may struggle to become a true difference-maker off the edge because of that. The value lies more in being a useful rotational defender or complementary starter than in becoming a featured pass-rush threat.Projection: Round 3

14. Dani Dennis-SuttonDennis-Sutton is a productive edge defender whose best rush comes through power, particularly with the bull rush. He has posted strong sack production, but the pass-rush profile still feels too narrow because he needs to show more ways to win and more bend around the corner. Right now, too much of the projection rests on one primary rush style rather than a complete tool set. The production is real, but the next step in his development will depend on expanding the pass-rush plan.Projection: Round 3

15. Joshua JosephsJosephs is a long, disruptive edge defender with strong hands and a more polished game than some of the players in his range. He can make plays, affect the pocket, and bring enough refinement to project more cleanly than a pure traits-based developmental player. He may not have the same upside as some of the higher-ranked rushers, but the length, hand strength, and overall disruption give him a chance to outplay his draft slot. He looks like a useful NFL front-seven piece with a solid middle-round profile.Projection: Round 3-4

1. Kayden McDonaldMcDonald is a true nose tackle with first-round value because of his size, burst, and pass-rush upside for a player built to control the middle. He is very good against the run, can anchor, hold his ground, and still get off the ball quickly enough to create problems inside. What separates him from a lot of the other nose tackles in this class is that he is not just a space-eater. There is enough juice and disruption in his game to believe he can affect the passer as well.Projection: Round 1

2. Caleb BanksBanks is one of the most talented interior defenders in the class and would have a case to be the top player at the position if healthy. He has a big frame, great movement skills, very good quickness, and the ability to stress blockers one-on-one in a way most players in this group cannot. The foot injury is the biggest issue in the evaluation and clearly hurts the stock after he missed most of last season, but the traits are high-end and the upside is enormous if the medicals check out.Projection: Round 1-2

3. Peter WoodsWoods is a disruptive interior defender with the kind of quickness, strength, and one-on-one ability that gives him real value on passing downs. He can win inside, create pressure, and make high-level plays without needing to simply sit in the middle and absorb blocks. The grade is a little lower than the raw talent would suggest, but the profile still reflects a quality interior defender who can impact the pocket and create problems for offenses.Projection: Round 2

4. Tyler OnyedimOnyedim is a disruptive interior defender with quick hands, a fast first step, and a very good feel for how to engage blocks, keep leverage, and stay around the football. He consistently bothers offenses and shows more quality on tape than the raw production might suggest. He still needs to finish better in space, and the overall pass-rush game can look a little narrow at times, but there is clear starting upside here with room for growth.Projection: Round 2-3

5. Darrell Jackson Jr.Jackson is a large, imposing interior defender who looks the part immediately and offers more pass-rush upside than many of the noses in this class. He is still very good against the run, but what helps him stand out is that he can also win as a pass rusher and create pressure with his size and power. The main question is consistency, since he does not play a massive snap load and can disappear at times, but the overall package is strong enough to put him firmly in the Day 2 mix.Projection: Round 2-3