Todd McShay Ranks No. 1 EDGE in College Football Entering 2026 Season

College football preseason rankings and prognostications help shape how fans watch a season. They set an expectation.

Todd McShay, an NFL Draft analyst for The Ringer, posted his top six edge rushers in college football for 2026. Three of the six play in the SEC. His No. 1 pick plays at South Carolina and missed the start of fall camp. His No. 2 pick led the SEC in sacks last season.

Most fans understand that how such a list would look after the season could be entirely different, but it's still a fun exercise to stake our claims.

Todd McShay's top six edge rushers for the 2026 season

McShay listed Dylan Stewart of South Carolina first, then Texas rusher Colin Simmons. Yhonzae Pierre of Alabama came third, and Miami's Damon Wilson II landed fourth. Ohio State's Kenyatta Jackson Jr. sat fifth, with Clemson's Will Heldt sixth.

Stewart has 11 sacks, 22.5 tackles for loss and six forced fumbles in 24 games. The 6-foot-5, 250-pound junior from Washington, D.C., was named a Walter Camp preseason first-team All-American in June.

South Carolina Gamecocks defensive end Dylan Stewart (6) attempts to knock down a pass by Oklahoma Sooners quarterback John Mateer (10). | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

But he played through a back injury last season and finished with 33 tackles and 4.5 sacks in 11 games. He also was not cleared when the Gamecocks opened camp on Aug. 7.

The rest of the list is full of proven starters. Pierre put up 52 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss and eight sacks in 2025. Wilson had nine sacks at Missouri before transferring to Miami, his third school in three years. Jackson started all 14 games in Columbus and added 11 tackles for loss with 6.5 sacks. Heldt led Clemson with 15.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks in his first year after leaving Purdue.

Why Colin Simmons is the No. 1 edge rusher in college football

Simmons belongs at the top. He led the SEC with 12 sacks last season and added 15.5 tackles for loss. He has 21 sacks in two years, so he needs nine more to reach 30 for his career. Only three Longhorns have ever hit that number.

The Duncanville native also fixed what held him back. He had zero sacks and five penalties after two games in 2025. Then he recorded 10.5 sacks over the final eight games, including three at Kentucky.

The scheme change helps. Texas hired Will Muschamp as defensive coordinator in December, and Muschamp leans on man coverage with pressure from everywhere. Simmons played 74 coverage snaps last season per Pro Football Focus, fifth-most among SEC edge rushers.

Texas Longhorns defensive end Colin Simmons (1) speaks to the press during SEC Football Kickoff Media Day at the Tampa Marriott. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Earlier this month, I ranked Simmons the No. 2 most important player in college football. He explained his season aim at SEC media days in Tampa.

"Honestly, my individual goals are the team goals," Simmons said. "It's the team's success. Winning. Winning a national championship."

Stewart may still finish 2026 as the best player on this list. His get-off and bend are hard to match. But Stewart has not been cleared for full practice yet. Simmons started all 13 games last season and has not missed a game at Texas.

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