Detroit Lions 2026 draft preview: Edge fits abound in early rounds

DJ Wonnum is the position’s most notable addition in free agency thus far. If the Lions don’t draft an edge defender who starts, Wonnum should be able to competently take over Davenport’s early-down role and be effective against the run. Multiple eight-sack seasons on his resume suggest he has some pass-rushing upside, as well. Detroit also signed Payton Turner, a former first-round pick who is getting a change of scenery after four disappointing seasons with the New Orleans Saints and one injury-derailed year with the Dallas Cowboys.

And of course, any additions to the edge group will be with the mission of supporting Aidan Hutchinson, who earned the most guaranteed money for a non-quarterback in NFL history in a contract extension last October. He had 14½ sacks and played all 17 games in his return from a broken leg the previous season.

Rounding out the position group is Ahmed Hassanein, a sixth-round draft pick in 2025 who didn’t play a snap during his rookie year after missing significant time with a pectoral injury he suffered during the preseason. The Lions also like to use some of their defensive tackles on the edge, and we’d expect to see Levi Onwuzurike, specifically, spend considerable time out there this fall. Tyler Lacy could also see some run as a big defensive end.

Level of need: High. The Lions’ pass rush was 30th in time-to-pressure last season. When push comes to shove, the group simply hasn’t gotten it done, even if it has dealt with injuries (and players recovering from injuries) over the last two seasons. Not to mention, Hutchinson is the only edge player under contract through 2027. Finding a cost-controlled difference-maker to play opposite their superstar would be a massive boost toward sustained competitiveness and withstanding some of the depth issues the Lions have had.

Potential first-round edge defenders

There are at least 10 edge players with potential to go in Round 1 next week. We’ll start at the top, where Arvell Reese (Ohio State, No. 2) and David Bailey (Texas Tech, No. 3) are fighting to be the first defender taken.

Reese is a phenomenal athlete who recorded 6½ sacks last season and has absurd upside as a pass rusher after playing off the ball for most of his college career. There’s almost zero chance he gets anywhere close to Detroit’s pick. Bailey, an explosive rusher who had 14½ sacks last season (tied-first in the nation), has enough question marks about his frame and ability to set the edge at the NFL level that he could theoretically fall within striking distance of a trade. However, if the Lions don’t think he’ll be able to set the edge, they won’t be interested. Bailey, who led the Big 12 in tackles-for-loss (19½) in 2025, had five forced fumbles with seven sacks in 2024.

Rueben Bain Jr. (Miami, No. 8) is a semi-distant third in the debate of top edge rusher. He has the potential to make a team ecstatic nonetheless and is a realistic target for Detroit. His 6-3 frame and 30⅞-inch arms are a big drawback, but he led the FBS in pressures (83) last season to go with 9½ sacks and 54 tackles, including 15½ for loss. Bain uses his quickness of the line, leverage and hands to win with speed-to-power. He was at his best during the College Football Playoff, recording five sacks and 24 pressures over four games.

There are four more edge rushers with a consensus ranking in the top 32. Keldric Faulk (Auburn, No. 20) and T.J. Parker (Clemson, No. 27) both have immediate upside as run defenders and boomed as pass rushers in 2024 before disappointing in that area last season. Ultimately, their ability to play the run makes them both fits in Detroit.

Faulk has a pro-ready frame (6-6, 276 pounds, 34⅜-inch arms) and impressive athleticism, with a Relative Athletic Score (RAS) of 9.11 out of 10. He was a team captain, has renowned character and played his entire career for one school. He can play all along the defensive line but needs to refine his pass-rush skills to reach his ceiling after his production dropped in pressures (45 to 30) and sacks (11 to five) from 2024 to 2025.

Same goes for Parker, who also saw his sack production drop from 11 to five last season. Parker (6-3, 263 pounds) had 41½ tackles-for-loss over his college career. He’s violent at the point of attack, leading to a whopping six forced fumbles in 2024, and has heavy hands. He needs to refine his pass-rush skills and do more with his frame, but the promise is certainly there.

Auburn defensive end Keldric Faulk (15) blitzes against Ball State at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala. on Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025.

Akheem Mesidor (Miami, No. 21) is a mature prospect who doesn’t have elite traits but had elite production as a sixth-year senior with the Hurricanes. He totaled 67 pressures, 12½ sacks (tied-third in the nation), 63 tackles (17½ for-loss, tied-fifth), and four forced fumbles. But he turned 25 years old this month, and his only dominant pass-rushing season came as a much older player with Bain on the other side of him.

Rounding out the top-32 consensus prospects is Cashius Howell (Texas A&M, No. 32). Truth be told, he doesn’t seem like a Lions fit. While he totaled 25 sacks over his last three seasons, he’s not strong against the run and doesn’t set an edge well. We’d be surprised to see him land in Detroit.

Then we have four edge prospects who fall outside of the top 32 on the consensus board but are very much in contention to be first-round picks.

Malachi Lawrence (UCF, No. 42) is one of this cycle’s biggest risers. Three months ago, his consensus rank was No. 106. He’s an elite, elite athlete (RAS of 9.95 out of 10) with good size (6-4, 253 pounds) and length (33 ⅝-inch arms). His get-off is sensational and he plays with excellent hand usage, leading to 19½ sacks over his last three seasons. Sometimes, he can play with poor pad level. Other times, he get overzealous in run defense; he had a missed tackle rate of 22.4% during his college career and didn’t have much production as a run defender. He also had two shoulder surgeries in recent years, another red flag. But he might have the most pass-rushing upside of anybody besides Reese and Bailey.

Ex-Spartan Zion Young (Missouri, No. 37) is the outlier of this last group. He’s a powerful, high-effort run defender who should find opportunities to contribute quickly. He has an NFL-ready frame (6-5, 262 pounds), a relentless motor and finished 24th nationally in tackles-for-loss (16½). Against the pass, he has an excellent bull rush but lacks detail with his hands and can get too upright too often. He had 57 pressures last season (12th in FBS) but had just 11½ sacks over four college seasons. His athleticism (7.68 RAS) is nothing to write home about. He’d be a stylistic fit in Detroit as a player who can crush the can opposite Hutchinson.

R Mason Thomas (Oklahoma, No. 47) and Gabe Jacas (Illinois, No. 52) are two bulked-up edge defenders with explosive pass-rushing skills and question marks about their ability to play the run at the NFL level.

Thomas is a bit undersized (6-2, 241 pounds), but his quick twitch and ensuing power allows him to play big as a pass rusher. He had 15½ sacks over his last two seasons. His deficiencies against the run are not for a lack of effort; he’s simply overmatched physically at times. He missed three games with a quad injury last season and recorded 6½ sacks on 28 pressures.

Jacas, an extremely popular mock draft pick to the Lions in Round 2, has the size (6-3, 260 pounds, 33-inch arms) to set the edge but draws criticism for his inconsistency in that department. His missed tackle rate (21.2%) last year is concerning. He’s an advanced pass rusher who plays with strong technique. He’s received praise for his work ethic and was a team captain. Jacas collected 85 pressures and 19 sacks over the last two seasons. He’d be a terrific Day 2 target if Detroit misses out on an edge the first time around.

Down the board

Just on the other side of this group, there are a couple of productive pass rushers who could be of interest in Round 2. Derrick Moore (Michigan, No. 61) and Romello Height (Texas Tech, No. 74) each finished with 10 sacks last season.

Moore (6-4, 255 pounds, 33⅜-inch arms), a former team captain who spent all four years at Michigan, was a reliable edge-setter who saw steady improvement as a pass rusher. He had 78 pressures over his last two seasons. Height played at four different schools during his college career (Auburn, USC and Georgia Tech before Texas Tech), which might take him off the Lions’ board.

On Day 2, the Lions could also target a player like Dani Dennis-Sutton (Penn State, No. 70), a 6-5, 256-pounder who’s built like a brick house and has elite speed, strength and explosion measurables (RAS of 9.96). He’s held back by the fact that his explosiveness doesn’t always show up in his game, and he needs to work on his anchor. He had 96 pressures and 17 sacks over his last two seasons. One feather in his cap: He played in a meaningless bowl game, which is an admirable trait in the eyes of Detroit.

The stock of Keyron Crawford (Auburn, No. 92) has risen dramatically since the week after the combine, when he was No. 141 on the consensus board. His 32-inch arms aren’t ideal, but he has potential to be a well-rounded player. He had no sacks on 26 pressures after transferring to Auburn from Arkansas State in 2024.  In his one and only season as a full-time starter for the Tigers, he had 9½ tackles-for-loss with five sacks on 43 pressures.

Later in the draft, there are a couple highly productive sack-getters who could be available on Day 3. Nadame Tucker (Western Michigan, No. 182) tied with Bailey for the FBS lead in sacks (14½). He had a long road to Western, starting in Juco, then three seasons with Houston, where he rarely saw the field. With the Broncos, he came alive, adding 21 tackles-for-loss with 55 tackles. He’ll be 26 years old by Week 1 of next season, though. Caden Curry (Ohio State, No. 143) had 11 sacks in his one season as a full-time starter. He’s undersized (6-2, 257 pounds) with short arms (30⅛ inches) but is good against the run and has a high motor with ample special teams experience.

We’ve seen George Gumbs Jr. (Florida, No. 188), a former wide receiver and tight end, repeatedly referenced as an intriguing sleeper, which, in theory, means he’s not much of a sleeper at all, but that’s besides the point. He has great size (6-4, 245 pounds, 33⅝-inch arms) and burst with an RAS of 9.19. He recorded 56 pressures and 11 sacks over his last three seasons (546 pass-rushing snaps). For a player still learning the position, he possesses plenty of intrigue for a Day 3 pick.

Best time for Lions to target edge: Rounds 1-2. This year’s draft class is loaded with players who have potential to go in the first two rounds. Barring a trade-up, the Lions’ lack of a third-round pick could prevent them from being able to grab a player who fell out of Round 2. So if Detroit is going to add a player who has the potential to contribute as a rookie, they’ll probably have to take him in the first two rounds.

nbianchi@detroitnews.com

@nolanbianchi

This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Detroit Lions 2026 draft preview: Which edge defenders are best fits?