Editor’s note: The Union-Tribune’s Eddie Brown is breaking down prospects, position by position, leading up to the NFL draft (April 23-25). Here are his top 10 edge rushers, plus players he believes will be drafted or signed as a priority free agent:

1. Rueben Bain Jr. (Jr., Miami, 6-foot-2, 263 pounds)

Much of the draft discourse this cycle was about Bain’s arm length, but there was no reason to argue about the tape measure if you watched the tape. He wins with power, leverage, technique and a mean streak that shows up snap after snap. Bain kicked off his career with the Hurricanes by earning Freshman All-American recognition and ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year. He finished it as a consensus All-American and the ACC Defensive Player of the Year. Bain’s 50 true-pass-set pressures were the most in this class. He is a power-first edge who compresses pockets with force and plays the run like it’s personal. The lack of ideal length is real, and will make some teams flinch. But the top-tier production, power and polish are also real. Projected: Top 10

2. David Bailey (Sr., Texas Tech, 6-4, 251)

Bailey led Stanford in sacks and tackles for loss as a sophomore and junior as a part-time player before earning unanimous All-American honors with the Red Raiders his senior season. He led the FBS in pressure rate (21.3%), tied for first with 14 1/2 sacks, and was second with 19 1/2 tackles for loss. The former four-star recruit backed up the monster production with an impressive combine (9.66 Relative Athletic Score), verifying the runway speed (4.50 40). Bailey is a get-off merchant who stresses tackles immediately and can live in the backfield when he wins early. The selling point is simple: he gets to quarterbacks, and he does it a lot. The questions are early-down sturdiness and whether he develops a deeper rush plan when speed alone isn’t enough. Projected: Top 5

3. T.J. Parker (Jr., Clemson, 6-4, 263)

Parker’s bull rush is devastating and he’s already a solid run defender. While last season didn’t live up to an eye-popping sophomore year where he had 19 1/2 tackles for loss, 11 sacks and six forced fumbles, his size, and ability to convert speed to power places him firmly in the first-round discussion. His counters can stall when first contact doesn’t win, so he needs a better Plan B, but there’s double-digit sack upside at the next level. Projected: Rounds 1-2

4. Keldric Faulk (Jr., Auburn, 6-6, 274)

Faulk is long, heavy-handed and built like an NFL edge out of central casting. He flashes high-end tools, and his draft slot will hinge on whether he shows a repeatable rush plan and scouts believe he can consistently finish. From wide-nine to interior alignments, he offers versatility. If an NFL D-Line coach can turn his flashes into a consistent counter-based plan, he’s the kind of edge who quietly wrecks protections without needing 15 sacks to prove it and could become a dominant run defender. Faulk ran a 4.67 40 at nearly 275 pounds (9.11 RAS), which is a big reason he keeps hovering in the first-round conversation despite a lack of production. That, and he doesn’t turn 21 until September. Projected: Round 1

5. Cashius Howell (Sr., Texas A&M, 6-2, 253)

Howell produced 9 1/2 sacks and 10 1/2 tackles for loss in his final season at Bowling Green before joining the Aggies in 2024. After making the leap from the MAC to the SEC, he earned the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year last season with 14 tackles for loss and 11 1/2 sacks (tied for seventh in the FBS). He’s a classic sub-package headache for offensive tackles. His first-step burst and cornering ability give him immediate third-down value, and his testing backed up what the tape already suggested. Howell’s 4.59 40 in Indy helped reshape his draft stock, even with shorter arms than teams usually prefer. He can get uprooted in the run game, but he has a knack for disrupting passing lanes (16 career passes defensed). Projected: Rounds 1-2

6. Akheem Mesidor (Sr., Miami, 6-3, 259)

Mesidor had 9 1/2 sacks in two years, primarily playing on the interior at West Virginia before joining the Hurricanes in 2022. He’s an older prospect, who just turned 25, but he’s been highly productive for two different programs, including 17 1/2 tackles for loss, 12 1/2 sacks and four forced fumbles last season. Mesidor features advanced hand usage, and polished rush sequencing. He’s a technician first, not a fireworks show, and that usually plays well on Sundays. The Canadian native finished his collegiate career with a robust 52 1/2 tackles for loss and 35 1/2 sacks. Projected: Rounds 1-2

7. Gabe Jacas (Sr., Illinois, 6-4, 261)

Jacas has a masters in leverage. He’s ruggedly strong and wins with effort and brute physicality. He may not be a bendy sack artist, but he’s a dependable edge-setter whose strength and motor allow him to collapse the pocket. A team captain his senior year, Jacas finished his career with 27 sacks and seven forced fumbles, led the Big Ten with 11 sacks in 2025, earned second-team All-Big Ten honors and cranked out 30 bench reps at the combine, which fits the tape of a sturdy, tone-setting rusher. Jacas’ 4.69 40 at his pro day was a nice surprise and boosted his RAS to an elite 9.59. The Florida native also won multiple state titles in different weight classes as a wrestler in high school. Projected: Rounds 2-3

8. Malachi Lawrence (Sr., UCF, 6-4, 253)

Lawrence is a former three-star recruit who became a two-year starter and finished his career at Central Florida with 28 tackles for loss and 20 sacks. The first-team All-Big 12 pick was one of the bigger risers of the cycle due to an explosive performance at combine. Lawrence produced a 4.52 40 with a 40-inch vertical and 10-foot-10 broad jump in Indy (9.95 RAS). He can play too tall into contact, but he’s a smooth mover with the bend and burst teams covet. At the next level, he’ll need to keep adding functional power so tackles can’t simply sit on speed and widen him past the pocket. Projected: Rounds 1-2

9. Zion Young (Sr., Missouri, 6-6, 267)

Young set career highs in pressures (53), tackles for loss (16 1/2), sacks (6 1/2) and forced fumbles (two) last season. The Michigan State transfer lacks elite get-off, but he’s relentless in pursuit of the ball, features a powerful bull rush and can play multiple positions on the defensive line. Young was a standout performer at the Senior Bowl, earning Defensive MVP honor in the actual game. He isn’t a sudden-twitch rusher, and his pad level can steal leverage, but there is real value in a edge who can collapse pockets and hold up in the run game. Projected: Rounds 1-2

10. Derrick Moore (Sr., Michigan, 6-4, 255)

Moore was a consensus top-50 recruit nationally in the 2022 class. He improved each year in Ann Arbor, and finished with 21 sacks, the eighth most in school history. His power and hand usage creates pressure, and he has the ability to control the edge against the run. The Wolverines frequently used him in heavy defensive fronts where he set the edge effectively. His senior year leap to double-digit sacks suggests he’s honing his craft as a finisher. His pressure rate (17.5%) was first in the Big Ten. The next level is building a deeper repertoire of counter moves in case his powerful bull rush gets stalled. I see him as a solid Day 2 investment. Projected: Round 3

11. R Mason Thomas (Sr., Oklahoma, 6-2, 241)

Thomas is strong, and flashes real edge bend with pressure ability when he gets a clean runway, which could be a nightmare for taller tackles. He earned second-team All-American and first-team SEC recognition his senior year, ran a 4.67 40 with a 1.63 10-yard split at the combine, and produced 22 tackles for loss and 15 1/2 sacks his last two seasons. He can get moved when teams run right at him, primarily due to his length, and there are some durability concerns. Thomas has missed multiple games due to a hamstring injury, high-ankle sprains and a pulled quad during his time in Norman. Still, when he’s on the field, he remains one of more dynamic pass-rushers in this class. Projected: Round 2

12. Dani Dennis-Sutton (Sr., Penn State, 6-6, 256)

Dennis-Sutton was the seventh-ranked defensive lineman in the 2022 class and No. 29 recruit nationally. He is a classic edge export from the Nittany Lions: productive, big, long, violent hands and a built-in motor. He looks like a base end, plays like a power rusher, and tested like a guy who can actually survive in space when the NFL asks him to do more than just squeeze the C-gap. Dennis-Sutton looked like a premium athlete at the combine: 4.63 40, 39.5-inch vertical, 10-foot-11 broad jump and a 6.90 three-cone (9.96 RAS). He also blocked three punts last season, tying the school’s single-season record, matching Jack Ham (1968) and Andre Collins (1989). Interestingly, it was his first year playing special teams. His predictable rush plan needs deception, and he plays too upright at times, but there’s scary upside here when everything syncs. Projected: Rounds 2-3

13. Romello Height (Sr., Texas Tech, 6-3, 239)

Height is a lean, twitchy pass-rush specialist whose get-off changes protection plans. He is older (25) and lighter than ideal, but the explosiveness (8.83 RAS) and pressure production will be hard for teams to ignore. He formed a dynamic pass-rush duo with fellow transfer David Bailey, and posted 62 QB pressures in 2025, which was second in the Big 12 (behind Bailey) and seventh in the FBS. He finished with 10 sacks and 11 1/2 tackles for loss last season after transferring from Georgia Tech. He also spent time at Auburn (2020-21) and USC (2022-23). Projected: Rounds 2-3

14. Jaishawn Barham (Sr., Michigan, 6-3, 240)

Barham was the 10th-ranked linebacker in the 2022 class. He is one of the more intriguing conversion projects in this class. He still looks like a player learning the position. His hand usage and rush feel are behind, but the range, movement ability (8.82 RAS) and upside as a multipurpose front-seven chess piece in a creative scheme is obvious. Some teams will view the Maryland transfer as neither a true edge or a classic MIKE, which will push him into a scheme-fit conversation. He’s best when a defense embraces the hybrid label and uses him aggressively. Projected: Rounds 2-4

15. Keyron Crawford (Sr., Auburn, 6-4, 253)

Crawford is a former basketball player who didn’t start playing football until his senior year of high school. He’s a tools-and-effort edge-setter with flashes of speed-to-power ability. The Arkansas State transfer produced a pressure rate of 17.8% in 2025 (12th in the FBS). He needs a clearer rush plan to be more than rotational depth, but the motor gives him a chance. Crawford is still developing his instincts and technique, but he’s grown exponentially in his last two seasons with the Tigers. There’s enough here to warrant a real investment, especially for a team willing to develop him patiently. Projected: Rounds 3-4

16. LT Overton (Jr., Alabama, 6-3, 274)

The Under Armour All-American was the fourth-ranked defensive lineman in the 2022 class and No. 14 recruit nationally. Overton has the size and versatility to play multiple roles. He’s not bendy or a true closer yet (he’s still 21), but the value is in being movable, sturdy and disruptive from different launch points. Overton was also a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy (“Academic Heisman”). Projected: Rounds 2-4

17. Caden Curry (Sr., Ohio State, 6-3, 257)

Curry finally put together the type of season evaluators had been waiting on. The second-team All-Big Ten edge erupted for 66 tackles, 16 1/2 tackles for loss and 11 sacks in 2025, including a monster game against Washington. The appeal is easy to see: heavy hands, big motor. Curry plays bigger than his measurements. The former four-star recruit also has extensive special teams experience, including two blocked punts. Projected: Rounds 4-5

18. Joshua Josephs (Jr., Tennessee, 6-3, 243)

Josephs features exceptional explosiveness, length (34 3/4-inch arms) and a rare wingspan. He produced a 4.73 40, 38 1/2-inch vertical and 10-foot-9 broad jump at the combine (8.54 RAS). If he adds more functional power and counters, he could outplay his draft slot. Projected: Rounds 2-4

19. Anthony Lucas (Sr., USC, 6-5, 256)

A native of Haiti, Lucas didn’t play football until high school. He arrived at Texas A&M as a five-star recruit before transferring to Los Angeles. His seven-foot wingspan was the stuff of legend for scouts. The production never quite matched the talent, but the tools remain easy to see. Lucas is long, athletic and disruptive enough in flashes to keep scouts talking. The developmental ceiling is worth the investment. Projected: Rounds 3-5

20. Wesley Williams (Jr., Duke, 6-4, 256)

Williams is a former three-star recruit who became a two-year starter for the Blue Devils and a team captain his final season. He earned honorable mention All-ACC twice and led the team in sacks (7 1/2) as a sophomore. He features a modest athletic ceiling, but the appeal is technique, run-game instincts and motor. Williams also has five career blocks on special teams (four field goals, one punt). Projected: Rounds 5-6

21. Mason Reiger (Sr., Wisconsin, 6-5, 251)

Reiger spent five years at Louisville before transferring to Madison, where he revived his football career after being advised to medically retire (knee surgery). His solid production (five sacks for the Badgers), strong testing and an impressive performance during East-West Shrine practices (and he was named the Defensive MVP of the game) took him from a fringe prospect to a projected Day 3 pick (potentially early). Reiger produced a 4.78 40, 40-inch vertical and 10-foot-5 broad jump in Indianapolis (9.64 RAS). He is not the most naturally gifted rusher in the class, but he has enough size, athletic ability and the motor to justify a developmental role. Projected: Rounds 5-6

22. Michael Heldman (Sr., Central Michigan, 6-4, 268)

Heldman is one of the more interesting small-school names in this class. He showed gradual improvement each season with the Chippewas before erupting his senior season with 16 1/2 tackles for loss, 10 1/2 sacks and 53 QB pressures (second to only Nadame Tucker in the MAC). Then he ripped off a 4.70 40, 40-inch vertical and 10-foot-3 broad jump at his pro day (9.90 RAS). Heldman features enough inside-out flavor and power to convert speed into knock-back to earn serious late-round consideration. Projected: Rounds 6-7

23. Keyshawn James-Newby (Sr., New Mexico, 6-2, 238)

James-Newby is one of the better under-the-radar pass-rush sleepers in this class. He was an FCS All-American and first-team All-Big Sky player at Idaho before moving to Albuquerque. Then he led the Mountain West in sacks and ranked among the best FBS edge rushers in pressure rate last season. The athletic profile is more good than freaky, but the motor and explosive first step are real. He ran a 4.53 40 at his pro day. Projected: Rounds 6-7

24. Trey Moore (Sr., Texas, 6-2, 243)

There was a dip in production from UTSA to Austin for Moore. In two record-setting seasons with the Roadrunners, he had 35 1/2 tackles for loss and 22 sacks, while eclipsing the single-season school mark for both. In his two years with the Longhorns, he had 14 1/2 tackles for loss and 8 1/2 sacks. Not horrible, just noticeable. Moore’s explosive combine, a 4.54 40 and 38 1/2-inch vertical (8.86 RAS), should help his case though. He’d fit best as a sub-package 3-4 rusher in the pros, not a full-time edge. Moore was also a finalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy (“Academic Heisman”). Projected: Rounds 5-6

25. Logan Fano (Jr., Utah, 6-5, 257)

Fano comes from real NFL bloodlines. His younger brother Spencer is also in this class, and several uncles played in the league. He is a sturdy, technical rusher whose game is built more on strain and leverage than pure bend. The team captain earned second-team All-Big 12 honors after posting 44 tackles, 7 1/2 tackles for loss and 4 1/2 sacks in 2025. Fano’s pro day likely boosted his draft stock: a 4.59 40 with a 1.56 10-yard split (9.60 RAS). While the injury history caps the ceiling a bit — three ACL injuries in the past seven years — he looks like a player who can hang in a rotation. Projected: Rounds 4-7

26. Mikail Kamara (Sr., Indiana, 6-1, 250)

Following four years at James Madison, including All-American and All-Sun Belt recognition, Kamara followed head coach Curt Cignetti to Bloomington, where he once again earned All-American honors in 2024. His stat line last season (34 tackles, seven tackles for loss, two sacks) undersells the disruption because he still generated 58 QB pressures. His career total of 25 1/2 sacks says there’s enough craft and leverage here for a sub-package role. Kamara lacks prototype length, but he compensates with pass-rush know-how. He turns 25 in October. Projected: Rounds 4-5

27. Nadame Tucker (Sr., Western Michigan, 6-2, 247)

Tucker is the small-school riser who forced his way into the conversation with pure disruption out of nowhere. He led the nation last season with 21 tackles for loss and was tied for first with 14 1/2 sacks (with David Bailey). While the testing (4.73 40) was good-not-great and the run defense is still a question, the ability to find the quarterback is not something teams dismiss lightly. Tucker’s likely start out as a designated pass rusher, with the possibility of growing into more if the run defense improves. He turns 26 in June. Projected: Rounds 4-7

28. Aidan Hubbard (Sr., Northwestern, 6-4, 260)

Hubbard led the Wildcats in sacks as a sophomore, junior and senior, finishing with 20 1/2 for his career (5th all-time at Northwestern). His 4.80 40 and 38 1/2-inch vertical at 260 pounds are solid numbers for a fringe Day 3 rusher. He’s a late-round grinder with enough athletic ability (8.76 RAS) to make camp interesting. Projected: Rounds 6-7

29. Vincent Anthony Jr. (Sr., Duke, 6-6, 258)

Anthony started 41 games for the Blue Devils, and finished his career with 29 tackles for loss and 15 sacks, earning All-ACC recognition as a senior. He has the length (over 34-inch arms) and college experience teams look for in a developmental edge. He still needs more functional strength and finishing polish, but there is enough size and disruption history here to justify a late investment. Projected: Rounds 5-7

30. George Gumbs Jr. (Sr., Florida, 6-4, 245)

Gumbs was a former walk-on at wide receiver before transitioning to edge rusher at Northern Illinois and transferring to Gainesville. He gave himself a real chance with his combine performance: 4.66 40, a 41-inch vertical and a 7.00 three-cone (9.19 RAS). While his 2025 production (6 1/2 tackles for loss, 2 1/2 sacks and two forced fumbles) wasn’t huge, Gumbs is already an asset as a run defender. The testing and movement skills make him a worthwhile Day 3 swing for a team chasing upside. Projected: Rounds 6-7

31. Tyreak Sapp (Sr., Florida, 6-2, 273)

Sapp is a blue-collar early-down defender who offers more grit than glamour. His 2024 tape will probably get him drafted more than his 2025 tape will. His production took a major downturn last season, from seven sacks and 13 tackles for loss to just one sack and 3 1/2 tackles for loss. Sapp’s pass-rush upside may be capped, but he’s still a stout run defender with inside-outside functionality and extensive special teams experience. Projected: Rounds 4-6

32. Quintayvious Hutchins (Sr., Boston College, 6-3, 233)

Hutchins was the Eagles’ best special-teamer as an underclassman and a team captain his senior season. He is light, twitchy and very clearly a specialist type. The scouting community likes the quickness and change of direction, and the numbers — 4.74 40, 37-inch vertical — fit that, which means his clearest path is as a designated pass rusher who earns work on obvious throwing downs. Projected: Rounds 6-7

33. Zach Durfee (Sr., Washington, 6-5, 247)

The testing is better than the résumé, but Durfee is exactly the kind of late flier teams take late on Day 3 and into free agency after the draft. He didn’t get a combine invite, but his put in work at his pro-day, running 4.58 40 with a 39-inch vertical, 10-foot-3 broad jump and 7.01 three-cone (9.78 RAS). He turns 25 in October, but Durfee is a piece of developmental clay with size-speed upside. Projected: Rounds 4-7

34. Khordae Sydnor (Sr., Vanderbilt, 6-4, 264)

Sydnor spent three years at Purdue before joining the Commodores for his final two seasons, and becoming team captain as a senior. His testing, a 4.68 40, 1.58 10-yard split, 10-foot-1 broad jump with almost 35-inch arms, is good enough to justify a camp bet. The production never fully matched the frame, but the profile is still interesting enough for a post-draft shot. Projected: Round 7-PFA

35. Ethan Burke (Sr., Texas, 6-6, 267)

Burke is long, rugged and better suited to playing through people than around them. The former four-star recruit’s best chance to stick in the pros is as a strong-side edge-setter and special teams contributor. He has three blocked field goals over the past two seasons. Projected: Round 7-PFA

36. Niles King (Sr., San Diego State, 6-6, 265)

King produced 27 tackles for loss and 20 sacks over 34 games in four years at Grand Valley State before joining the Aztecs last season. He had 10 tackles for loss and 6 1/2 sacks after jumping from Division II to the Mountain West. His stiffness shows up when forced to redirect, but he features prototypical length and enough strength to set a physical tone against the run. King is a developmental edge with just enough juice — 4.70 40 and 7.31 RAS — to make him an appealing camp bet. Projected: Round 7-PFA

37. Joshua Weru (Kenya, 6-4, 244)

Weru has never played organized football, but his pro day and field workout certainly caught the attention of the scouting world. The Kenya-born rugby product from the International Player Pathway program produced a 4.45 40 with a 1.59 10-yard split, a 41-inch vertical and 11-foot-2 broad jump (8.69 RAS). Projected: PFA

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