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New York Times
15-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Dane Brugler's 2026 NFL Draft summer positional rankings: Edge rushers
Based on summer scouting, edge rusher should be one of the stronger positions in the 2026 NFL Draft, including a few standouts at the top who might finish among the top non-quarterbacks in the class. While I feel great about the seven edge prospects profiled below, numerous other candidates belong in the conversation. Can Miami's Rueben Bain Jr. return to his freshman-year impact? Is Kenyatta Jackson Jr. the next top-50 pass rush prospect from Ohio State? The list goes on and on, which speaks to the high-end talent and overall depth of this group. (Notes: An asterisk represents a draft-eligible underclassman. Listed heights and weights are what NFL teams have on file for each player, with 'v' representing verified measurements and 'e' for estimates.) Advertisement Not only does he look the part, but also Faulk plays the part using his length and the power in his hands. Regardless of his alignment, he consistently detaches in the run game with an efficient ability to stack, shed and finish. Although he is more advanced as a run defender, Faulk also uses his strength to create knock-back and affect the pocket as a pass rusher (45 pressures and seven sacks in 2024). He plays both gap sound and violent to control the point of attack and dispose of blockers. Against Cal last year, Faulk owned the trenches and frequently introduced himself to quarterback Fernando Mendoza and running back Jaydn Ott. Faulk can get away with being 'bigger, faster, stronger' (even against SEC competition), but the next step in his development is to create more diversity when setting up his pass rush. As he enters his third year at the college level, I hope to see an expanded arsenal with the corresponding punctuality to maximize his efficiency. Faulk is one of the best draft-eligible prospects I have studied so far this summer. In a lot of ways, he reminds me of Mykel Williams — he's long, physical, athletic and also happens to be one of the youngest players in the upcoming draft class (Faulk won't turn 20 until Sept. 7). However, I think Faulk has shown better consistency and overall versatility through two college seasons than Williams had. It hasn't mattered if he's lined up as the nose, wide nine or any technique in between, Faulk has been productive. My initial 2026 NFL Draft top 50 board won't be released until August, but I feel safe saying Faulk will be very highly ranked, likely in the top 10. His traits are outstanding, and I'm excited to see him this fall. Advertisement With his ability to win using both speed and power, Parker can dominate as a pass rusher. Whether he is mixing in a long-arm move or a physical swipe/chop, he uses his body well to leverage or wrap around blocks. And once he clears a blocker's outside shoulder, Parker is quick to flatten and close on the quarterback. He was an absolute menace against Pitt last season. Here are three clips (all sacks), which help illustrate his ability to carve up the corner and accelerate to the ball. The motor Parker shows as a pass rusher also translates to the run game — he will chase the ball all day. However, he can be pinned at times by offensive tackles or tight ends on the edge, especially on outside runs. Parker is a solid run defender, but he can get caught with his eyes in the wrong spot and needs to do a better job anticipating angle blocks. Parker has been a stud since he arrived at Clemson. After his Freshman All-America season in 2023, he followed up with 19.5 tackles for loss, 11.0 sacks and a school-record six forced fumbles as a sophomore. I was hoping to see him have more of an impact against Texas, the biggest game of his 2024 season. While his overall consistency needs to be better, he plays with a ton of energy and can continue to unlock his talent as he becomes a technician. The Clemson defense is well-stocked with NFL talent for the 2026 draft class, and that starts with Parker, who is on the path to becoming a top-15 pick. Overton has been more flash than consistent in college, but he teases exciting potential. He moves with impressive quickness, bend and body coordination for his size and competes with passion. If he takes a jump in his development in 2025 and becomes the sum of his parts, he has SEC Defensive Player of the Year potential. Advertisement Overton weighed in the 274-278-pound range last season but can get up to 290 if needed, which would expand his role as an interior player. This rep against South Carolina (a ridiculous play by QB LaNorris Sellers) showcases Overton's exciting ability to win gaps at the line of scrimmage. Though his ability is outstanding, Overton needs to mature his technique and play stronger to be a more consistent performer, especially as a pass rusher. With only two sacks and three tackles for loss last season, he didn't overwhelm with stat sheet production. NFL teams covet pass rush value, so to maximize his draft grade and NFL impact, Overton needs to take a jump in his second year as a starter. A consensus five-star recruit out of high school, Overton was one of the top prep players in Georgia and chose Texas A&M over his home state Bulldogs. He was part of a headline-grabbing class for the Aggies, which also included fellow five-stars Walter Nolen and Shemar Stewart, both first-round picks in April. Overton, one of the youngest seniors in the 2026 draft class (will turn 21 in October), spent two years in College Station before transferring to Alabama, where he came off the bench last season as a key part of the defensive line rotation. Overton ranked No. 4 among edge rushers (and as the No. 1 senior edge rusher) because his flashes have been better than his body of work. His summer grades from NFL teams are more in the Day 2 range, but he has the talent to cement himself in the first round if he puts better down-to-down consistency on his 2025 tape. Looking over my notes from the six Oregon games I studied last season, the word 'effort' appeared under Uiagalelei's name double-digit times. His motor is nonstop; he won't take plays off, but I was more impressed with the relentless physicality of his play style. Whether taking on pullers or forcing his way through contact, Uiagalelei consistently makes his presence known on each snap. Uiagalelei rushes with a potent mix of power and flexibility, allowing him to thud blockers or access the corner. He is an athletic player (at around 270 pounds), but his initial burst tends to be inconsistent. Although he will probably never be an elite get-off type of rusher, Uiagalelei can improve his timing and first-step quickness to make him an even more dangerous edge rusher (even if that means dropping some weight). Advertisement The Oregon defensive front was loaded last season, with three starters who became top-100 draft picks (Derrick Harmon, Jordan Burch and Jamaree Caldwell). Uiagalelei was the fourth starter, and he has a shot to be the highest-drafted of the group. The younger brother of former top quarterback recruit DJ Uiagalelei, Matayo, was highly recruited himself and hasn't disappointed (10.5 sacks last season). With his well-rounded skill set, Uiagalelei reminds me of JT Tuimoloau, who led the Big Ten in sacks in 2024 and was a 2025 second-round pick of the Indianapolis Colts. Neither player wows with their get-off, but both are agile and play with polish, physicality and strength. It is easy to envision Uiagalelei becoming a solid pro. Especially when lined up as a wide nine, Bailey is the type of speed rusher who can stress offensive tackles on an island using his arc acceleration and rush balance. Not only will he go around blockers, but also he can also convert that speed to power and put blockers in reverse. The Stanford transfer forces blockers to be perfect with their feet and timing, and he continued to add moves to his bag of tricks. This ghost dip-and-rip rush against San Jose State looks like vintage TJ Watt. After a quick get-off, Bailey flashes that inside hand before taking it away and dipping underneath the blocker's reach. The move execution and beautiful finish result in a strip sack. With only two starts last season, Bailey averaged just 30 defensive snaps per game. He battled an injury midseason that contributed to his lower snap count, but the scheme also used him primarily as a pass rusher, which is what he does best. Scouts are hoping to see a more expanded role for him with the Red Raiders so he can prove himself as an every-down edge presence. Highly recruited out of Mater Dei (Calif.) High, Bailey was a Freshman All-American at Stanford. He then led the team in sacks and tackles for loss as both a sophomore and junior despite not being a regular starter. He also tallied five forced fumbles in 2024, the fourth most in the FBS. Amid a coaching change this offseason, Bailey jumped into the transfer portal and landed at Texas Tech as one of the most impactful spring signings. With his bend, power and explosiveness off the edge, Bailey has the pass rush juice to have a Nik Bonitto-like impact in the NFL. He is one of the top senior defensive prospects I have studied this summer. Advertisement Young is a 'first off the bus' kind of player. He has broad shoulders, long arms and definition throughout his frame, and his on-field play matches his body type. Against the run, Young has outstanding hands and controls the point of attack with his length. Edge setters with his size, athleticism and strength can have decade-long careers in the NFL. With his length and power, Young can push his way to the pocket as a bull rusher. However, he is inconsistent at the top of his rush and doesn't threaten the corner with his quickness. Though he has some speed when chasing in the run game, Young needs to set up his pass rush plan better because he won't win with edge speed alone. A former three-star recruit from the Atlanta area, Young began his college career at Michigan State, where he became a starter as a freshman. (He was one of seven Spartans charged with misdemeanor assault after a postgame incident in the Michigan Stadium tunnel following a 2022 game.) After Michigan State fired Mel Tucker, Young entered the portal and transferred to Missouri before the 2024 season. Although the stat sheet production has been modest (5.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks in 2024), Young is built like an NFL player and his best football is still ahead of him. Scouts are optimistic he can follow a similar path to that of former Missouri edge defender Darius Robinson and become a top-60 pick with continued development as a senior. With his first-step burst and ability to gain ground in a blink, Thomas flashes the explosive twitch to stress blockers and access the pocket. Once at the top of his rush, he can bend or attack from a low position to create a leveraged push into contact. Former LSU left tackle Will Campbell gave up two sacks combined over his sophomore and junior seasons. This rep against Thomas was one of them. Though his backfield production jumps off the page, Thomas managed just 23 tackles last season, a number that reflects some of his issues as a run defender. He flashes feisty power to set the edge for a speed-based player, and his violence jumps out on film. However, Thomas can do a better job pressing off contact at the point of attack and working around roadblocks to create issues in the run game. Advertisement Despite having a wildly inconsistent defense last season, Oklahoma boasted several well-established prospects, including linebacker Danny Stutsman and safety Billy Bowman (both fourth-round picks in April). However, Thomas was the top draft-eligible prospect on Oklahoma's defense and led the team in both tackles for loss (12.5) and sacks (9.0). He would have been a top-100 pick in 2025 but elected to return for his senior year. With a short, compact frame and limited length, Thomas won't be an ideal fit for every scheme. However, because of his explosiveness off the line, Thomas has cornering skills to finish at the top of his rush and affect the pocket, which could keep him on an NFL field for a long time. 1. Overton 2. Bailey 3. Young 4. Thomas 5. Dani Dennis-Sutton, Penn State (6-5 5/8, 265) 6. Derrick Moore, Michigan (6-3 3/8, 265) 7. Gabe Jacas, Illinois (6-3, 279) 8. Joshua Josephs, Tennessee (6-2 5/8, 237) 9. Max Llewellyn, Iowa (6-5 1/8, 260) 10. Trey Moore, Texas (6-1 1/2, 246) 11. Cashius Howell, Texas A&M (6-2 1/8, 249) 12. Patrick Payton, LSU (6-4 5/8, 252) 13. Tyreak Sapp, Florida (6-2 1/8, 267) 14. Anthony Lucas, USC (6-5 1/4, 279) 15. Romello Height, Texas Tech (6-2 1/4, 228) 16. Jack Pyburn, LSU (6-2, 262) 17. Tre Smith, Arizona (6-4 1/8, 253) 18. Keyron Crawford, Auburn (6-3 3/4, 249) 19. Mikail Kamara, Indiana (6-0 1/2, 260) 20. Dean Miller, Kansas (6-5, 227) 21. Eric O'Neill, Rutgers (6-2 1/2, 257) 22. Mo Westmoreland, Tulane (6-0 7/8, 262) 23. Marvin Jones Jr., Oklahoma (6-4 1/4, 260) 24. Aidan Hubbard, Northwestern (6-4, 259) 25. Caden Curry, Ohio State (6-2 1/8, 255) 26. Ethan Burke, Texas (6-6 1/8, 260) 27. Roy Williams, Northern Illinois (6-5 1/2, 252) 28. TJ Guy, Michigan (6-3 1/8, 249) 29. Nyjalik Kelly, UCF (6-4 3/4, 248) 30. Corey Walker, Wisconsin (6-5 5/8, 291) 1. Faulk 2. Parker 3. Uiagalelei 4. Rueben Bain Jr., Miami (6-3, 275) 5. Kenyatta Jackson, Ohio State (6-6, 260) 6. Anto Saka, Northwestern (6-4, 250) 7. Anthony Smith, Minnesota (6-6, 285) 8. Will Heldt, Clemson (6-6, 265) 9. Boubacar Traore, Notre Dame (6-4, 245) 10. Beau Atkinson, Ohio State (6-6, 265) 11. Damon Wilson II, Missouri (6-4, 250) 12. Wesley Williams, Duke (6-3, 265) 13. Samuel Okunlola, Colorado (6-4, 250) 14. Elo Modozie, Georgia (6-3, 245) 15. James Williams, Florida State (6-6, 240) (Top photo of LT Overton: Jason Clark / Getty Images)
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Major Ohio State receiver recruiting target sets new commitment date
Four-star 2026 wide receiver Jerquaden Guilford sure felt like a big-time Ohio State lean before his original commitment date of June 27, but things were thrown up in the air when he announced that he would be postponing things. That came on the heels of a reported big push by Ole Miss -- presumably some pretty significant NIL money that threw a wrench into Guilford becoming a Buckeye. It seems as though Guilford has everything figured out now because on Monday, he announced that his new commitment announcement will be this Friday, July 18. According to On3's Steve Wiltfong (subscription may be required), Guilford will announce his college choice between OSU, Ole Miss, Indiana, Michigan, and Tennessee at 5:30 p.m. Advertisement Clearly, there has been a tug on some heartstrings vs. monetary opportunity, and if it's the former rather than the latter, you like Ohio State's chances to land the No. 68 receiver and 442nd overall prospect in the 2026 class (according to the 247Sports Composite rankings). If, however, money talks from the Rebels in a way we've seen things go down here recently, then maybe things go in another direction. I've kind of given up on trying to forecast these things in today's climate, but there are several crystal ball predictions flooding in for the Fort Wayne, Indiana native, so maybe the universe will restore itself on this one. We'll know Friday evening so stay tuned. Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes and opinion. Follow Phil Harrison on X. Advertisement This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: Ohio State priority recruiting target sets new commitment date
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
EA Sports College Football 26 Reveals Two Best Players
EA Sports College Football 26 Reveals Two Best Players originally appeared on The Spun. The EA Sports College Football 26 player ratings show that Ohio State returns elite talent for its national championship defense. Advertisement Ohio State watched 14 players get drafted earlier this year, but Ryan Day still has a superstar anchor for each unit. Two Buckeyes players boast the highest ratings for the video game, which successfully returned from a lengthy hiatus last year. Wide receiver Jeremiah Smith tops the recently released EA Sports ratings with an overall 98 grade. Safety Caleb Downs is next at 96. Smith graces the standard cover alongside Alabama's Ryan Williams, the game's second-highest rated wide receiver. Williams' 95 grade ties Anthony Hill Jr., Jeremiyah Love, and T.J. Parker for the third-best mark. The Buckeyes should have an explosive aerial attack both in the virtual world and on the real gridiron this season. Wide receiver Carnell Tate and tight end Max Klare each rate 91. Advertisement But nobody would blame gamers or Buckeyes quarterback Julian Sayin for frequently targeting Smith. The highly touted wideout exceeded the immense hype by recording 1,315 yards and 15 touchdowns as a true freshman. ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JANUARY 20: Jeremiah Smith #4 of the Ohio State Buckeyes celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the second quarter in the 2025 CFP National Championship at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 20, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by)Hardly bothered by the bright spotlight, Smith submitted 381 yards and four touchdowns during Ohio State's College Football Playoff run. The 19-year-old enters his second season with the best Heisman Trophy odds of any non-quarterback. "This is all a blessing," Smith told The Athletic's Manny Navarro. "The season I had last year was a blessing. I just won a national championship, contributed to a top team. I mean, all of this has been surreal. I'm just soaking it all in, but I'm not finished." Advertisement Meanwhile, Downs steered a defense that allowed a nation-leading 12.9 points per game. The Alabama transfer collected 82 tackles (eight for a loss) and two interceptions during an All-American season. Buckeyes fans may wish Smith or Downs received an elusive 99 rating, but the stars are poised to provide plenty more highlights in 2025. Related: EA Sports Unveils Top 25 Rankings For 'College Football 26' EA Sports College Football 26 Reveals Two Best Players first appeared on The Spun on Jul 1, 2025 This story was originally reported by The Spun on Jul 1, 2025, where it first appeared.
Washington Post
27-05-2025
- Business
- Washington Post
EA Sports names WRs Ryan Williams, Jeremiah Smith as College Football 26 cover athletes
Alabama's Ryan Williams and Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith are the cover athletes for EA Sports College Football 26, the video-game developer announced Tuesday. The electric sophomore wide receivers were picked for the second edition of the franchise's reboot. Last year's game was the first in 11 years and was among the best-selling video games in 2024.
Associated Press
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
EA Sports names WRs Ryan Williams, Jeremiah Smith as College Football 26 cover athletes
Alabama's Ryan Williams and Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith are the cover athletes for EA Sports College Football 26, the video-game developer announced Tuesday. The electric sophomore wide receivers were picked for the second edition of the franchise's reboot. Last year's game was the first in 11 years and was among the best-selling video games in 2024. Williams and Smith are posed together on the standard cover, while the deluxe edition also includes other players, coaches, mascots and former cover stars Reggie Bush, Tim Tebow and Denard Robinson. The '26 edition will test if the franchise still has the same staying power it had when it was released annually in the early 2000s. For the players who are featured in the game, it will certainly remain popular. Williams said in a statement released by EA Sports that the cover was 'a dream come true,' and Smith called it 'a tremendous privilege.' 'I'm proud to represent Ohio State alongside Coach (Ryan) Day while carrying the Buckeye legacy forward, celebrating the passion of our fans and the tradition of this incredible program,' Smith said. Williams and Smith broke onto the national scene in 2024 with their miraculous catches on the biggest stages. Williams' spinning TD grab to help beat then-No. 2 Georgia looked like it belonged in a video game. It was one of many wowing plays from the young receiver. Williams finished his freshman season with 48 receptions for 865 yards and eight receiving touchdowns. Smith was a major part of the Buckeyes' run to a national championship. He regularly hauled in one-handers that decimated the confidence of his defenders. In a CFP quarterfinals win over top-seeded Oregon, Smith had seven receptions, 187 yards and two touchdowns. He finished his freshman year with 76 catches, 1,315 yards and 15 receiving touchdowns. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: and
