Part 8, Edge: Deep 2026 class promises to torment quarterbacks
David Bailey, Rueben Bain will go early, but they're far from alone. NFL scouts dissect one of the deepest Edge classes in recent memory. As always, however, there are red flags to examine.
This is the 42nd year, and the fifth at Go Long, in which Bob McGinn has written a position-by-position series previewing the NFL draft. Previously, it appeared in the Green bay Press-Gazette (1985-’91), the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (1992-2017), BobMcGinnFootball.com (2018-’19) and The Athletic (2020-’21). Until 2014, many personnel people were quoted by name. The series reluctantly adopted an all-anonymous format in 2015 at the request of many scouts. Listed times in the 40-yard dash reflect the average of hand-held clockings from the combine and pro days. Electronic times from the combine aren’t compatible with most pro days and therefore weren’t utilized.
Eighth of 12 parts: edge rushers.
By Bob McGinn
When some general manager trumpets his team’s selection of an edge rusher in the fourth round of the NFL draft on April 25 there’s a good to very good chance he won’t just be whistling Dixie.
Edge rusher is one of the few positions in this draft where supply more than meet demands, most noticeably beyond the first round and stretching well into the middle rounds.
“I would say it’s deep,” one executive in personnel said. “I would not say it’s necessarily like wow top-heavy. But when you get into the second through the fourth round it’s really solid.”
In the last eight drafts an average of 25.89 edge rushers has been drafted, including 4.5 on average in the first round. After interviewing personnel people for the past two months the sense here is that 30-plus will be drafted, and that about 22 could fall in the first four rounds.
Some but not all edge rushers are capable of playing both defensive end in a 4-3 base and outside linebacker in a 3-4 base.
“There’s a lot of very good 4-3 defensive ends,” another scout said. “I don’t know that there’s a lot of playmakers at the top of (the draft). There’s a lot of mid-second round to the top of the fourth. You can get some really good players that will help your team. I just don’t know that any will be really dynamic.”
Some teams have Ohio State’s Arvell Reese No. 1 on their boards at edge rusher. Others list him at linebacker. For the purpose of this series, Reese will be included with the linebackers.
Links:
Part 2, TE: Kenyon Sadiq and the hunt for matchup nightmares
Part 3, T: Why Francis Mauigoa ‘n co. may define the 2026 NFL Draft
Part 6, RB: Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love? ‘The best NFL prospect in this draft
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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.