Height: 6-2

Weight: 267 pounds

Year: Senior 

Pro Comparison: Yannick Ngakoue  

Pros for Clev Lubin

• Lubin has an outstanding first step, which can send opposing offensive tackles into conflict early in reps 
• He plays with natural leverage, allowing him to get underneath blockers 
• From a pass rush plan perspective, Lubin has shown a well-balanced bag of moves and counters
• Lubin plays with great effort every snap, both in the run and pass game 
• His game continues to trend upward, having some standout performances in bigger games a year ago 
• Lubin’s get-off is consistent, which allows him to threaten the outside track and flatten from wider alignments 

Cons for Clev Lubin

• Lubin does have some hip tightness, which can hurt him to turn tighter corners and steeper angles 
• The lack of length can hurt him a ton in the run game, lacking the ability to get off bigger blockers consistently 
• When Lubin doesn’t have a good get-off, he has a limited ability to set up counters 
• There isn’t much physical development left to tap into due to his shorter frame 

Background 

Clev Lubin enters the 2026 season looking to build on a collegiate career that has taken him from Army to Iowa Western to Coastal Carolina and to Louisville. After breaking out with the Chanticleers in 2024, Lubin transferred to Louisville ahead of the 2025 season and quickly established himself as an impactful EDGE defender. During his first season with the Cardinals, he appeared in every game. He totaled 61 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, and multiple quarterback hurries, emerging as one of Louisville’s most productive pass rushers. His explosive first step and ability to win one-on-one matchups allowed him to carve out a significant role, and he enters 2026 projected as one of the leaders of the Cardinals’ defensive front with the potential to develop into one of the ACC’s top EDGE defenders, once again.

A native of South Carolina, Lubin starred at Rock Hill High School, where he developed into one of the state’s top defensive prospects. He was rated as a three-star recruit in the 2023 recruiting cycle by the major recruiting services and was viewed as a high-upside EDGE defender because of his length, athleticism, and disruptive ability off the edge. While he wasn’t among the nation’s elite blue-chip recruits, Lubin attracted scholarship offers from several FBS programs before signing with Army, where he began his collegiate career. His combination of physical traits and developmental upside eventually led him to Louisville, where he has continued his progression into a productive Power Four defender.

Player Evaluation

Clev Lubin wins with explosiveness, technique, and relentless effort off the edge. His outstanding first step immediately stresses offensive tackles, while his consistent get-off allows him to threaten the outside shoulder and flatten to the quarterback from wide alignments. Lubin also plays with natural leverage, helping him get underneath blockers despite not having ideal size, and he has developed a well-rounded pass-rush arsenal that includes effective moves and counters. Beyond his physical tools, he plays with a nonstop motor in both the run and pass game, and his steady improvement has been evident through several standout performances against top competition last season.

Lubin’s biggest limitations stem from his physical profile. He shows some hip tightness that can prevent him from consistently turning sharp corners or taking steeper rush angles, limiting his overall pass-rush ceiling. His lack of ideal length also creates issues against the run, where bigger offensive linemen can latch onto him and keep him from disengaging consistently. Because so much of his success is built around his first-step explosiveness, reps where he doesn’t get off the ball cleanly often leave him without the space needed to set up his counters. Additionally, with a shorter frame and a body that appears close to fully developed, there may be less untapped physical upside compared to some of the longer, more projectable edge defenders in the class.

Lubin will most likely never be a major asset against the run. However, his combination of nuance, explosiveness, and get-off make him a clear upside play as a designated pass rusher. That should provide huge upside on the next level.