10 Most Intriguing EDGE Prospects at NFL Scouting Combine

Defensive linemen and linebackers get the NFL combine kicked off Thursday with on-field work.

Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey is one of the more intriguing prospects at the NFL Scouting Combine this week in Indianapolis. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The NFL Scouting Combine kicks off in Indianapolis on Thursday with 319 draft prospects invited to work out for and meet with scouts, coaches and general managers this week.

The on-field work starts Thursday afternoon at 3 p.m. ET with defensive linemen and linebackers getting the first opportunity.

The edge rushers are an especially intriguing group to watch.

Not all combine invitees will be going through drills and testing. Miami star EDGE and projected first-round pick Rueben Bain Jr. is notably not working out at all in Indianapolis by choice, while Michigan EDGE Derrick Moore is limited by a hamstring injury.

But here are the 10 most intriguing edge rushers/outside linebackers to track Thursday.

1. David Bailey (Texas Tech)

Texas Tech's David Bailey is a projected high first-round NFL draft pick. | Nathan Giese/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. has Texas Tech star edge rusher David Bailey projected as the No. 3 overall pick to the Arizona Cardinals, and Bailey is expected to take full part in combine workouts Thursday.

“I should be doing everything.”

Texas Tech pass rusher David Bailey will participate in most drills at the NFL Combine. pic.twitter.com/SCxVBS5hMN

— Bo Brack (@BoBrack) February 25, 2026

Bailey was a productive player over three seasons at Stanford with 14.5 total sacks, but he took it to another level as a senior transfer at Texas Tech, matching that total with 14.5 sacks, 19.5 tackles for loss, 52 total tackles and 3 forced fumbles.

A first-team AP All-America selection, he was a tone-setter for Texas Tech's elite defense, which carried the Red Raiders to their first College Football Playoff appearance.

All eyes will be on Bailey during his combine field work Thursday.

Texas Tech EDGE David Bailey Combine measurements;

6035
251
7968 wing
3368 arm
1028 hand pic.twitter.com/rr4k9nglqR

— John “Draft” Vogel (@DraftVogel) February 26, 2026

2. Arvell Reese (Ohio State)

Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Arvell Reese is one of the most intriguing draft prospects at the NFL Scouting Combine this week. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

There seems to be no question that Reese will be drafted early in the first round, with Kiper projecting him No. 4 overall to the Tennessee Titans.

But there is a question as to what Reese's best position will be at the next level -- OLB/EDGE or off-ball linebacker.

"Teams have pretty much been asking me what I wanted to do, you know, just seeing where my mind was at. I think I'm an outside linebacker. Or an edge, potentially," Reese said during his media session in Indianapolis.

But Reese is expected to do both EDGE and LB drills Thursday.

He was a first-team AP All-America selection at linebacker while posting 69 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and 6 sacks for Ohio State's elite defense this past season.

Arvell Reese plans to do both LB and EDGE drills this week.

A drill to watch will be the 3-cone. If he does poorly, may mean he’s more of an off-ball guy than on on-ball guy.

3-cone has a much higher correlation with success for EDGE than LB. pic.twitter.com/RPxQBjDGU1

— Sam Bruchhaus (@sambruchhaus) February 26, 2026

3. Keldric Faulk (Auburn)

Auburn edge rusher Keldric Faulk speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Faulk had just 2 sacks in 12 games this past season for Auburn, but NFL scouts and draft gurus like Kiper -- who projects him 19th overall to the Carolina Panthers -- see significant untapped potential in the 6-foot-5, 276-pound defensive end.

Faulk did have a career-high 7 sacks and 11 tackles for loss in 2024, and his ideal measurements -- including the longest arms of any edge rusher at the combine (34 and 3/8 inches) -- have the full attention of NFL talent evaluators.

As we nitpick everyone else in the EDGE class, here is 20-year-old Keldric Faulk with extremely ideal measurements. Squatted 700 pounds per the Freak's List. https://t.co/JJHTyzQwjf

— Hayden Winks (@HaydenWinks) February 26, 2026

Faulk may have more at stake this week in Indianapolis than most top prospects, though.

4. Akheem Mesidor (Miami)

Miami edge rusher Akheem Mesidor speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

While Faulk is 21 years old, Mesidor is 24 and more of a finished product in terms of what he's going to be. He had his true breakout in his sixth college football season, exploding for 12.5 sacks and 17.5 tackles for loss for Miami on its run to the national championship game.

Mesidor's previous career bests were 7 tackles and 10.5 TFLs in 2022, so his 2025 season is what truly vaulted him into first-round potential.

Kiper has Mesidor going No. 20 overall to the Dallas Cowboys.

Miami FL EDGE Akheem Mesidor says his formal Combine meeting with the Cowboys went well pic.twitter.com/TByLyVtcDB

— Tom Downey (@WhatGoingDowney) February 25, 2026

5. Zion Young (Missouri)

Missouri Tigers defensive end Zion Young is one of the most intriguing edge rushers competing at the NFL Scouting Combine this week. | Travis Register-Imagn Images

Talk about belated breakouts, Young had 6.5 sacks, 16.5 tackles for loss and 2 forced fumbles in 2025 for Missouri, surpassing his combined career totals in those categories.

The 6-foot-6, 262-pound prospect turned heads at the Senior Bowl last month and will look to further solidify his draft stock this week in Indianapolis.

Kiper projects Young going No. 17 overall in the draft to the Detroit Lions.

6. Cashius Howell (Texas A&M)

Texas A&M defensive end Cashius Howell is looking to prove himself after his arm measurements at the combine raised questions. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Howell was a first-team AP All-America selection after posting 11.5 sacks, 14 tackles for loss and 6 pass deflections as a fifth-year senior for Texas A&M's College Football Playoff squad.

But he has plenty to prove at the combine this week after his official arm length measurement raised concerns.

Texas A&M ED Cashius Howell having 30 1/4” arms is the shortest by an EDGE of the NFL Combine 2000s https://t.co/XMus7tfspr pic.twitter.com/qNeqdaVzAt

— Clint Goss (@NFLDraftDome) February 26, 2026

7. R Mason Thomas (Oklahoma)

Oklahoma edge rusher Mason Thomas speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Thomas tallied 22 tackles for loss, 15.5 sacks and 4 forced fumbles over the last two seasons for Oklahoma.

Kiper projects Thomas going No. 31 overall to the New England Patriots.

Thomas is on the smaller size for edge rushers at 6-foot-2, 241 pounds, but his production the last two seasons in the SEC is hard to ignore.

Oklahoma EDGE R Mason Thomas on his smaller size for a pass rusher: "Mass times acceleration equals force" pic.twitter.com/fnowVcOCgM

— alex katson 🇯🇵 (@alexkatson) February 25, 2026

8. Dani Dennis-Sutton (Penn State)

Penn State edge rusher Dani Dennis-Sutton speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Dennis-Sutton was a model of consistency the last two years for Penn State, posting 42 tackles and 8.5 sacks each season with 13 tackles for loss in 2024 and 12 in 2025.

The 6-foot-6, 256-pound edge rusher is projected to be on the edge of late first-round or second-round consideration in the draft, so the combine workouts on Thursday will be key for him.

Dani-Dennis Sutton is an underrated DE/Edge prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft. He finished his Senior year on a tear, posting 6.5 Sacks and 17 tackles in his last five games at Penn St.#NFLDraft #NFLCombine #PennState #NittanyLions pic.twitter.com/AwxJBYM6Vv

— All 22 Films (@All_22_NFL_Cuts) February 26, 2026

9. T.J. Parker (Clemson)

Clemson edge rusher TJ Parker speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Parker is another prospect trying to play his way into late first-round consideration for the draft with a strong showing at the combine.

The 6-foot-4, 263-pound edge rusher saw a dip in his numbers this past season with 5 sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss, but over the previous two years at Clemson, he totaled 32 TFLs and 16.5 sacks with 6 forced fumbles.

10. Nadame Tucker (Western Michigan)

Western Michigan defensive lineman Nadame Tucker speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The combine is a huge opportunity for Tucker, who managed to earn third-team AP All-America recognition despite playing at Western Michigan.

His production was too hard to ignore, even out of the main college football national spotlight, as he posted 14.5 sacks, 21 tackles for loss and 55 tackles in 13 games. But the 6-foot-2, 247-pound Tucker had minimal production during the previous three seasons at Houston, so he's a tough draft prospect to evaluate.

This week will go a long way to shaping perceptions about Tucker's draft upside.