Dating back to the NFL Scouting Combine, the Patriots top brass has highlighted edge rusher as a position of need for New England this offseason.

In free agency, the Patriots swapped K'Lavon Chaisson for pass-rusher Dre'Mont Jones. Along with the 29-year-old Jones, Harold Landry III is rehabbing a knee injury that altered his 2025 season and will turn 30 in 2026. Behind their two vets, the Pats depth chart consists of Elijah Ponder, who showed promise as an undrafted rookie, 2025 fifth-rounder Bradyn Swinson (27 defensive snaps as a rookie), and fourth-year pro Jesse Luketa.

Based on the current state of things, an infusion of youth and upside is needed on the edge of the Patriots defense. Luckily, it's a loaded class, with the need lining up with one of the strengths of the 2026 NFL Draft. By my count, as many as 16 edge rushers could go inside the top-100 in this month's draft (including top prospects Rueben Bain and David Bailey). Therefore, who New England might target comes down to what body type and skillset the Patriots covet at the position. Back in February, personnel chief Eliot Wolf outlined what the team looks for in its edge rushers.

"Pass rush, speed and violence, explosiveness, first step quickness, and the ability to win in multiple ways," Wolf said. "Everyone's looking for pass rushers in the league."

Although their top free-agent signing, Jones, breaks slightly from their usual size mold at 6-3, 265 pounds, most of the Patriots pass-rushers are in the 255-pound range (Landry - 6-2, 252, Ponder - 6-2, 258, Swinson - 6-4, 255, Luketa - 6-3, 253). Jones might be slightly bigger than the others, but he's still best known for his explosiveness off the edge in the pass rush, so he's not a total departure. With that in mind, the speed-rushers will mostly take priority within our tiers.

Here are my rankings of this year's edge rusher class in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Note: I base pro comparisons on playing style. When you watch this guy play, who does he remind you of and why? Don't look at them as setting expectations for career production.

Tier One - Top First Round Targets for the Patriots

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

Consensus Ranking: 19, Pro Comparison: Byron Young

Mesidor has one of the best tape libraries of any edge rusher in this class. He lives on blockers' edges due to his initial burst off the snap, quickness to knife into gaps, and a low center of gravity that seldom allows blockers to square him up. Mesidor also uses a series of pass-rush moves such as cross-chops, rips, swims, and a double swipe to clear his frame, and he has a nasty inside-out crossover to shorten the corner. At 259 pounds, the Miami product can also reduce inside to win with quickness as a three-technique and plays with relentless violence into the line of scrimmage as a run defender. The only knock on Mesidor is that he'll be a 25-year-old rookie, with torn ligaments in both feet stalling his college career. Due to his age and lingering injury concerns, Mesidor could fall into the Patriots range at the end of the first round.

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

Consensus Ranking: 35, Pro Comparison: Harold Landry III

Howell feels like a prototypical Patriot, with a skill set similar to Mike Vrabel's longtime captain. Although he's a major arm length outlier (30.25"), Howell wins with a blend of pure speed and bend to flatten the corner that mostly mitigates his length issues. His ghost rush (fake bull rush+dip) is one of the best in the class. He has effective spin and swim counters to beat over-setting tackles inside, shows good instincts against the run to win around blocks with initial quickness off the snap, and is athletic enough to drop into coverage. However, he's inconsistent setting the edge vs. the run, possibly due to his length disadvantage. Landry's arms (32 ⅞") aren't quite as short as Howell's, but the Pats captain has worked around a smaller frame by being instinctive and first off the ball, which is how Howell projects to win as a pro.

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

Consensus Ranking: 27, Pro Comparison: Rashan Gary

Parker is a power-oriented rusher who was a projected top-20 pick at one point, but the 21-year-old's 2025 season wasn't as productive (5.5 sacks, 41 pressures) as his 2024 campaign (11.0 sacks, 51 pressures). Parker will go through tackles with pure force thanks to heavy hands and effective long-arm/bull rushes. He complements that with adequate swipes to shorten the corner, can set the edge by getting good arm extension to post-up on tackles, and is comfortable dropping into the flats in coverage. Parker lacks the twitch and bend to win with pure speed off the edge, and needs better counters when his bull rush stalls. But his power and flashes of quicker wins in 2024 should see him drafted in the first round.

4. Zion Young, Missouri (6-6, 262)

Consensus Ranking: 38, Pro Comparison: Greg Rousseau

Young has freaky flashes on film where his play strength and twitched-up movements produce some "wow" moments. He maximizes his length to shorten corners, separate from blocks, and close quickly on the quarterback. He can also win with lateral quickness for TFLs against the run or to work down the line of scrimmage. However, Young is a bit of a tweener. He's not big enough for three-technique work but doesn't have the first-step explosiveness to consistently win outside. His best fit might be as a five or 4i-technique playing over the tackle, which isn't how the Patriots typically use their edge rushers, as New England usually uses wider alignments outside the tackles. Plus, Young has an off field past that will need vetting. Young has immense potential but might not be a scheme or culture fit in Foxborough.

Tier Two - Early Day Two Targets (Trade Down Scenarios)

5. Malachi Lawrence, UCF (6-4, 253)

Consensus Ranking: 41, Pro Comparison: Josh Sweat

Elite athletic testers from smaller schools like Lawrence are typically labeled as raw prospects. Lawrence posted a 9.95 out of 10 relative athletic score, which initially boosted his stock. Then, you put on the tape, and you see a highly skilled rusher with a deep bag of tricks, which is why he's getting first-round buzz. Lawrence's athleticism shows up on film with his ability to quickly get on the edges and unleash a variety of pass-rush moves: inside-out rip, double swipe, ghost, and euro-swim inside counter. However, Lawrence is a raw run defender who lacks the playing strength, contact balance, block anticipation, and discipline to project as an immediate three-down contributor. Lawrence might be a situational pass-rusher until the run defense catches up with his undeniable physical gifts.

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

Consensus Ranking: 44, Pro Comparison: Dee Ford

Thomas is a twitched-up rusher who has tantalizing reps of first-step explosiveness, bend, and closing burst, finishing pressures with violent hits on the quarterback. There's some serious juice here, and for a defense that preaches effort and finish, Thomas encapsulates that with how he hunts quarterbacks and expands his tackle radius by pursuing the ball. He can also convert speed-to-power for an effective bull rush, further solidifying himself as a physical rusher. With that said, Thomas is lighter and lacks the mass/anchor for early-down duties. He gets swallowed by bigger tackles, with fifth-percentile arm length that makes it hard for him to create separation from blocks and might not be big enough to hold up against NFL-caliber run blockers. Thomas projects as a situational pass-rusher early in his pro career.

7. Keldric Faulk, Auburn (6-6, 276)

Consensus Ranking: 20, Pro Comparison: Carlos Dunlap

I'm willing to be much lower than consensus on Faulk as it pertains to the Patriots for a few reasons. First, Faulk should probably continue adding mass to his frame to play as a traditional 3-4 defensive end, where he can use his long levers and block-slipping abilities to win on the interior. Second, his lack of pass-rush tools, whether that's speed/bend to win around the arc or a pass-rush plan to stack moves together, limits his ability as an outside rusher. Faulk is a linear athlete with too much lower-body tightness to turn the corner, has a tweener body type, and is still building up his play strength. Some will view Faulk being a 21-year-old rookie as a positive because he's still a developing prospect, and his press-and-shed flashes and alignment versatility are intriguing, but it's hard to envision where he fits in the Patriots system.

Tier Three - Top Second Round Targets for the Patriots

8. Gabe Jacas, Illinois

Consensus Ranking: 54, Pro Comparison: Whitney Mercilus

Barring a surprising fall from the first two tiers, my preference for the Patriots second-round pick is a two-horse race if the 63rd overall pick ends up being an edge rusher. New England's coaching staff often uses the word "violence" to describe how it wants its defense to play, and Jacas, a former wrestler who loves grappling with blockers, might be the most violent player in the draft. The Illinois product is a rugged splash-play machine with a willingness to blow up and play through blocks. He has excellent functional strength and balance to absorb contact, converts speed to power in all phases, spills or sets a firm edge against pulling blockers, and has an effective dip-rip move to shorten the corner. Jacas will also be an effective wrap player on stunts and beats over-setting tackles to the inside with quickness. Jacas might not have the same high-side speed or bend as others, but there's a lot to like about his power-based game.

9. Derrick Moore, Michigan

Consensus Ranking: 59, Pro Comparison: Boye Mafe

Moore is in a similar mold as Jacas as a speed-to-power aficionado. The Michigan product might have the best bull rush in the class, with high-level flashes of power and the ability to soften edges with pure force. Moore uses a straight bull rush and long arm as a foundational rush move, and when tackles anchor down to brace for his power, he can slip inside them for quick wins. He also has good instincts and edge-setting ability, while easily discarding college tight ends in the run game. Moore needs to find some finishers to shed pass-blockers late in the rep when his bull rush does the initial work, but his knock-back power is legit.

Tier Four - Top Third Round Targets for the Patriots

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

Consensus Ranking: 77, Pro Comparison: Haason Reddick

There will be folks who are out on Height because he's 239 pounds at 25 years old, which means he's likely tapped out physically. However, the pass-rush toolbox is too enticing to gloss over. Height is a well-schooled rusher with twitched-up movements, sudden fakes and stutters to keep tackles off balance, and a deep bag of pass rush moves (double swipe, inside-out rip, long arm, ghost, inside spin). He will instantly provide pass-rush juice, and his speed-to-power conversion, along with upward stabs to separate from blocks, might translate as a run defender to the pro level. If they do, watch out, Height will be a dude.

11. Keyron Crawford, Auburn

Consensus Ranking: 95, Pro Comparison: Chop Robinson

Crawford is "my guy" on day two of the draft as a versatile and explosive rush linebacker who played the "Buck" role in Auburn's defense last season. As a pass rusher, Crawford has unreal pure speed, blowing by tackles and flattening at the top of the rush for instant wins. Tackles are so worried about Crawford winning high side that they often overset, and he'll take advantage by quickly crossing over to his inside counter. Auburn also often asked him to play as an overhang defender and coverage player, where he has impressive movement skills in space. Crawford needs to learn to harness his aggression and improve his block recognition, but the play speed makes him unblockable at times when he's rushing off the edge.

12. Jaishawn Barham, Michigan

Consensus Ranking: 86, Pro Comparison: smaller Melvin Ingram

Barham is a "late riser" in the media as a hybrid linebacker who can play on or off the line of scrimmage. He's at his best playing on the line, where he's an explosive linear athlete who can convert speed-to-power and slip underneath blocks. With his speed-to-power conversions, Barham can compress space against lead blockers. He also has the speed+bend to turn a tight corner and excellent closing burst to the ball. Barham is currently winning more with athleticism than technique, likely due to inexperience as an edge rusher, but if he improves his hand counters and maxes out his length, he has a legit playmaking gear.

13. Joshua Josephs, Tennessee (6-3, 242)

Consensus Ranking: 83, Pro Comparison: Will McDonald IV

I'm not as high on Josephs as some because he's a lighter edge rusher who doesn't have the ability to convert speed-to-power and is a bit disjointed as a speed-rusher at the moment. But his long limbs (34.25" arms) allow him to stab and long arm tackles to shorten the corner to go along with decent first-step explosiveness to win outside. Josephs knows how to weaponize his length, but you wish there was more explosiveness and power to go along with it.

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

Consensus Ranking: 71, Pro Comparison: Jermaine Johnson

In a prior Patriots era, Dennis-Sutton would be much higher in my rankings. His athletic profile (9.96 RAS) and agility testing (6.90s three-cone) suggest there's more fluidity there than he showed on tape, but DDS is a stiffer linear athlete who gets stuck on tackles as a pass rusher. You just don't see the quick-twitch movements or counters of a big-time pass rusher, but he has starter upside due to his sturdiness on the edge.

Tier Five - 'My Guys' on Day Three for the Patriots

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

Consensus Ranking: 171, Pro Comparison: Baron Browning

Getting into some day-three sleepers now, Gumbs is a late-blooming athletic freak (9.19 RAS) who played three different positions in college before settling on edge defender. Due to his inexperience, he lacks pass rush counters and technique against the run, but the flashes of quick-twitch movements and ability to play the run when his technique is there are intriguing. Gumbs moves like a top-100 player. If he hits, he'll be one of the steals of the draft.

16. Max Llewellyn, Iowa (6-6, 258)

Consensus Ranking: 167, Pro Comparison: smaller Deatrich Wise

Llewellyn lacks the play strength to be a sturdy run defender and is a stiff mover, but he's a skilled rusher with a variety of hand counters. His lateral quickness beats tackles on slants into inside gaps, he'll be effective in stunt schemes, and there's a deep pass-rush toolbox to work with here (stabs, rips, swipes, cross-chop, spin). Llewellyn just gets how to rush the passer.

DISCLAIMER: The views and thoughts expressed in this article are those of the writer and don't necessarily reflect those of the organization. Read Full Disclaimer