Patriots To Explore Pass Rush Possibilities

Every NFL organization desires an impactful pass-rush, something the New England Patriots are working towards. In 2025, the Patriots registered just 35 team sacks on defense; only six teams had fewer. Upon further examination, nearly half of all their sack production came from Harold Landry III (eight and a half sacks) and K’Lavon Chiasson (seven and a half sacks).

The unexpected boost provided by Chiasson (Commanders) resulted in his defection during free agency last month. However, New England did manage to help offset the loss with the addition of Dre’Mont Jones, who spent last season with the Ravens and Titans. While Jones has been a consistent presence throughout his nine-year career, totaling 37.5 sacks, his seven sacks a year ago were a career-high. No other returning Patriots player had more than four sacks.

Should New England wish to keep up with some of the premier defenses around the league, adding an additional edge rusher would seem to be rather high on their list of priorities come draft day. Players who could possibly be available at the end of round one include Zion Young of Missouri and Cashius Howell of Texas A&M. Projected as a down lineman, Young brings versatility with his ability to impact the quarterback, but he is also a stout run defender when setting the edge. For Howell, he is likely to play a stand-up role on the outside and bring an explosive burst on the outside.

Other early round candidates could include Gabe Jacas of Illinois, Derrick Moore of Michigan and Romello Height of Texas Tech. These defenders would be able to provide situational mismatch problems in pass-rush situations, while they continue to develop their overall game. One late-round prospect worth monitoring is Nadame Tucker of Western Michigan. While he lacks the ‘Power-Four’ pedigree of his counterparts, he has flashed impressive pass-rush prowess and could be a diamond in the rough.

New England Patriots ER Depth Chart: Harold Landry III, Dre’Mont Jones, Elijah Ponder, Bradyn Swinson, Jesse Luketa

Please find our BSJ 2026 Edge Rusher Preview below, filled with an overview, rankings and in-depth player evaluations on the top 50 draft-eligible edge rusher prospects. [Next Up: Linebackers] 

2026 BSJ NFL DRAFT EDGE RUSHER CLASS OVERVIEW

Welcome to the edge class of 2026, the ultimate risk/reward position group of this year’s draft. Let’s begin with Rueben Bain Jr., the most disruptive player in the land this past season, but has been scrutinized for his lack of arm length. It makes for an interesting case study as no player known to date has been able sustain on the edge with sub 31-inch arms, it makes for a fascinating case study sure to be dissected for years to come. 

Next is David Bailey of Texas Tech, whose motor can run hot and cold but is the closest player to fit the prototype mold when it comes to size, length, speed and production. While it’s debatable as to whether he fits in the blue-chip category, there is no telling just how high Bailey could come off the board due to the overwhelming pass-rush need around the league. 

Other first-round contenders include TJ Parker of Clemson and Zion Young of Missouri, both of whom possess all the physical traits that scouts crave but did not produce as well as anticipated. Overall, NFL war rooms will have a lot to ponder when it comes to this class. Players such as R Mason Thomas of Oklahoma and Cashius Howell of Texas A&M also come with arm length concerns, while Akheem Mesidor will be one of the oldest players (25 years old) in this year’s draft, which must be weighed.

Others, such as Dani Dennis-Sutton of Penn State and Keldric Faulk of Auburn, come with consistency questions, while Malachi Lawrence of UCF has as much potential as anyone but still remains very raw overall. Finding the right ones will be the toughest task, but many of the selections will also require being coached up too.

2026 BSJ EDGE RUSHER BIG BOARD

RANK | PLAYER | SCHOOL | PROJECTION [# = indicates combine invite; HPFA = high priority free agent; PFA = priority free agent]

1. #Rueben Bain Jr., Miami, Rd1

2. #David Bailey, Texas Tech, Rd1

3. #TJ Parker, Clemson, Rd1

4. #Zion Young, Missouri, Rd1

5. #Akheem Mesidor, Miami, Rd1

6. #R Mason Thomas, Oklahoma, Rd2

7. #Cashius Howell, Texas A&M, Rd2

8. #Dani Dennis-Sutton, Penn State, Rd2

9. #Gabe Jacas, Illinois, Rd2

10. #Keldric Faulk, Auburn, Rd2

11. #Malachi Lawrence, UCF, Rd3

12. #Joshua Josephs, Tennessee, Rd3

13. #Derrick Moore, Michigan, Rd3

14. #Romello Height, Texas Tech, Rd3

15. #LT Overton, Alabama, Rd3

16. #Jaishawn Barham, Michigan, Rd4

17. #Max Llewellyn, Iowa, Rd4

18. #Tyreak Sapp, Florida, Rd4

19. #Mason Reiger, Wisconsin, Rd5

20. #Keyron Crawford, Auburn, Rd5

21. #Vincent Antony Jr., Duke, Rd5

22. Khordae Sydnor, Vanderbilt, Rd6

23. #Anthony Lucas, USC, Rd6

24. #Marvin Jones Jr., Oklahoma, Rd6

25. #Nadame Tucker, Western Michigan, Rd6

26. #George Gumbs Jr., Florida, Rd7

27. #Caden Curry, Ohio State, Rd7

28. Cian Slone, North Carolina State, Rd7

29. #Wesley Williams, Duke, Rd7

30. Stephen Daley, Indiana, Rd7

31. #Patrick Payton, LSU, HPFA

32. #Jack Pyburn, LSU, HPFA

33. Mitchell Melton, Virginia, HPFA

34. #Aidan Hubbard, Northwestern, HPFA

35. #Quintavious Hutchins, Boston College, HPFA

36. #Nyjalik Kelly, UCF, HPFA

37. Bryan Thomas, South Carolina, HPFA

38. Ben Bell, Virginia Tech, HPFA

39. #Logan Fano, BYU, HPFA

40. TJ Guy, Michigan, HPFA

41. Mikail Kamara, Indiana, HPFA

42. Jordan Botelho, Notre Dame, HPFA

43. Sabastian Harsh, North Carolina State, HPFA

44. Daniel Rickert, Virginia, HPFA

45. Ckelby Givens, Southern, Sr, HPFA

46. Ethan Burke, Texas, HPFA

47. Dayon Hayes, Texas A&M, HPFA

48. Keyshawn James-Newby, New Mexico, HPFA

49. Wesley Bailey, Louisville, HPFA

50. Eric O’Neil, Rutgers, HPFA

BSJ EDGE RUSHER SCOUTING REPORTS

PLAYER PROFILE KEY (How to read the prospect header):

LAST NAME | FIRST NAME | SCHOOL | POSITION | YEAR | JERSEY # | HOMETOWN | PROJECTION

ABBREVIATIONS: HT = Height | WT: Weight | HD = Hand | ARM = Arm | WS: = Wingspan | 40-YD = Forty-Yard Dash | BP = Bench Press | VJ = Vertical Jump | BJ = Broad Jump | SHTL = Short Shuttle | 3C = Three-Cone

**Note**Heights of players are measured to the nearest eighth of an inch – for example, “6003” would stand for 6 ft. and 3/8 inches tall. (The first number refers to the feet, the second two numbers refer to the inches, and the last number refers to eighths of an inch). Arm, hand, and wingspan are written differently – 3012 would mean 30 1/2 inches, 0934 would mean 9 3/4 inches, and 7558 would mean 75 5/8 inches.

1. BAIN, REUBEN | Miami | ER | Jr | #4 | Miami, FL | Day 1

Combine: HT: 6022 | WT: 263 | HD: 0918 | ARM: 3078

Evaluation: One of the most fascinating prospects in this year’s draft class, Bain brings unprecedented arm size to the defensive end position. A topic of much debate revolves around whether Bain can sustain his dominance in the pros with severely short arms. Up to this point, it has not been an issue. A disruptive defender with an explosive first step, Bain Jr. possesses a high motor, along with tremendous hand-usage to help complement his full toolbox of pass-rush moves. He demonstrates the ability to get low and not sacrifice speed, plus the versatility to play in 3-4 or 4-3 scheme, as Bain is able to line up on the interior, or out wide along the defensive line. In addition, he owns the lateral agility necessary to cover sideline-to-sideline. The aggressive Bain makes excellent use of his violent hands to shed blockers and make a play on the ball. He can convert speed-to-power and owns adequate bend to win on the edge. Coming off a career year, Bain has thrust himself into the conversation as the top overall prospect but projections vary based on teams. The Miami native has remained adamant about playing defensive end, as kicking inside is something he has shot down in the past. However, we did see glimpses of Bain playing three-tech during the national championship game in January. Overall, Bain combines instincts, smarts, strength and eye discipline to read-and-react quickly, which leads to impact plays. Despite concerns surrounding his arm length, Bain has the makeup of an All-Pro-caliber player.

Background: Appeared in 38 games (36 starts) in three seasons at Miami. Suffered a soft-tissue injury in 2024, causing him to miss four games. Named Ted Hendricks Award Winner, Consensus All-American, ACC Defensive Player of the Year, and All-ACC First Team in 2025. Was All-ACC Third Team and ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2023. Majored in studio art with a focus in photography. A four-star recruit out of Miami Central High School, won the Nat Moore Trophy, given South Florida’s best player, his senior year in 2022.

Stats: Started 16 games in 2025, made 54 tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss, nine and a half sacks, one forced fumble, one pass deflection, one interception. In 38 career games, made 121 tackles, 33.5 tackles for loss, 20.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, two pass deflections, one interception.

2. BAILEY, DAVID | Texas Tech | ER | Sr | #31 | Irvine, CA | Day 1

Combine: HT: 6035 | WT: 251 | HD: 1028 | ARM: 3378 | 40-YD: 4.50 (1.62) | VJ: 35” | BJ: 10-9

Evaluation: A tremendous force on the edge, Bailey arrived at Texas Tech as a big-money NIL signing and lived up to the billing as the most impactful transfer player in the nation this past season, doubling his sack total from seven, to 14.5. He specializes in converting speed-to-power and terrorizes opposing quarterbacks. While he does not have the quickest first step, or explosion off the line of scrimmage, it is more than adequate to succeed at the next level. There are moments of brilliance where Bailey shows he can be a technician with his pass rush repertoire but he needs to find more consistency in that regard. Too often, he’ll try to overpower his opponent with his strength and length, but tends to get washed out against more developed tackles. Despite his potential as a pass-rusher, he’s already a developed run-stopper, able to consistently set the edge and maintain gap integrity. A well-rounded player who is not only a sack artist but an efficient run-stuffer, Bailey could very well be the first edge rusher off the board.

Background: Appeared in 46 career games; 14 games at Texas Tech in 2025 and 32 games at Stanford (2022-24). Missed one game due to injury in 2022. Reportedly dealt with a nagging undisclosed injury for most of the 2024 season. Unanimous All-American, Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year,  Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year and All-Big 12 First Team in 2025. Earned a bachelor’s degree in science, technology and science from Stanford in less than four years and was named to the All-ACC Academic Team in 2024. Was enrolled in graduate school during his lone season at Texas Tech. A four-star recruit from the powerhouse Mater Dei High School. The son of Anthony and Monica Bailey; has three siblings, DJ, Antoinette and Shawn. Older brother, DJ, previously was a three-year letterman as a defensive end for Harvard from 2015-17.

Stats: Played 14 games in 2025, made 52 tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss, 14.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, three pass deflections. In 46 career games, had 163 tackles, 42 tackles for loss, 29 sacks, 10 forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, four pass deflections.

3. PARKER, TJ | Clemson | ER | Jr | #3 | Phoenix City, AL | Day 1

Pro Day: HT: 6035 | WT: 263 | HD: 0948 | ARM: 3318 | WS: 7900

Evaluation: In a 2026 edge rushing group that carries some heavy hitters at the top of the draft, Clemson’s junior pass rusher, TJ Parker, is looking to show that he deals the most powerful punch. From a size, athleticism and pedigree perspective, Parker possesses an ideal frame, while flashing signs of dominance throughout his career. A star and an uncanny athlete from the moment he stepped on the field as a true freshman, Parker’s effectiveness stems from his fiery get off and precise timing that holds second to none among other rushers. Consistently and with ease, Parker is able to explode at the snap, surprising even the swiftest tackles while infusing a violent and disruptive display of power to his game. If an offensive tackle is able to match his speed around the corner, the superstar is able to fluently counter with his strength that can routinely walk back lineman into the quarterback. Through his two years at the collegiate level, the Clemson product has shown that he is much more than a freak athlete on the field. Despite his athletic gifts offering an advantage, Parker is also seasoned in his technique with showing a potent rip move that leaves his opposition frozen. Additionally, his excellent understanding of hand placement and leverage allows him to shine in both the run game and the pass game. However, there is no such thing as a perfect prospect. Parker will need to work on his pad level when rushing the passer as there are often times he will play too high which negates that natural leverage and makes him more manageable for opposing lineman. Overall, Parker has all the tools to emerge as a bonafide double-digit sack artist at the next level if everything aligns.

Background: Senior Bowl participant. After posting 19.5 tackles for loss and 11 sacks (third in the ACC) during the 2024 season, he was awarded with a second team All-ACC and All-America selection. His six forced fumbles set a new Clemson record. This comes after a true freshman season that saw the edge rusher set a new freshman record for tackles for loss with 12.5 which helped him garner a spot as a Freshman All-American. A former four-star prospect coming out of Central High School in Alabama, the Clemson commit earned a spot in the All-American Bowl after posting 12 sacks as a senior.

Stats: Played 12 games in 2025, had 37 tackles, nine and a half tackles for loss, five sacks, three forced fumbles, one pass deflection. In 39 career games, 126 tackles, 41.5 tackles for loss, 21.5 sacks, six fumble recoveries, four pass deflections.