New Tulane Football Edge Rusher Ranks on 2026 NFL Draft Watch List
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The Tulane Green Wave football team begins fall camp next Tuesday ahead of the 2025 college football season, and the defensive side of the ball may be a bit underrated.
The Green Wave may have one of the deepest defensive line rooms in recent seasons, and several transfers are expected to make a splash.
Former UTEP edge rusher Mo Westmoreland, who will compete for the starting Bandit role, will be one to watch in a 2026 NFL draft class headlined by strong edge rushers.
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Dane Brugler of The Athletic (subscription required) recently released his NFL draft positional rankings for edge rushers across college football, and Westmoreland made the list at No. 22 overall.
The 6-foot-1, 262-pound transfer recorded 100 total tackles, 15.5 sacks, and 21 tackles for loss in three seasons with the Miners.
In his 2025 campaign, Westmoreland led Conference USA with eight sacks, nine tackles for loss, six quarterback hurries, two forced fumbles, and three pass deflections, which earned him First-Team All-Conference honors.
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While initially preparing to head for the NFL draft after his standout season, the injunction granted by a federal judge last December allowing Vanderbilt senior quarterback Diego Pavia an additional year of eligibility changed his path.
The successful argument didn’t count JUCO seasons towards accrued eligibility.
That gave prospects like Westmoreland an opportunity to potentially improve their draft stock with one more stellar season.
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Head coach Jon Sumrall told Rene Nadeau of Crescent City Sports that he reminds him of his former standout edge rusher Javon Solomon, who is now with the Buffalo Bills.
“He can be an elite pass rusher,” Sumrall said. “Powerful as a rusher, learning the defense. He’s a pass rusher who can create problems. He’s got speed and power at the same time. He gives offensive tackles fits. He continues to grow and can be special. When he first got to Tulane, he was just trying to figure it all out. He has really taken off and excelled in spring drills.”
All eyes are on the quarterback competition, particularly with the unexpected transfer of BYU Cougars starter Jake Retzlaff, but to reach a fourth consecutive conference championship, Tulane will need a pass rush.
Westmoreland and several other defensive linemen are expected to be difference-makers in the 2025 season.
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Maddy Hudak is the deputy editor for Tulane on Sports Illustrated and the radio sideline reporter for their football team. Maddy is an alumnus of Tulane University, and graduated in 2016 with a degree in psychology. She went on to obtain a Master of Legal Studies while working as a research coordinator at the VA Hospital, and in jury consulting. During this time, Maddy began covering the New Orleans Saints with SB Nation, and USA Today. She moved to New Orleans in 2021 to pursue a career in sports and became Tulane's sideline reporter that season. She enters her fourth year with the team now covering the program on Sports Illustrated, and will use insights from features and interviews in the live radio broadcast. You can follow her on X at @MaddyHudak_94, or if you have any questions or comments, she can be reached via email at maddy.hudak1@gmail.com