2026 NFL Draft Intel: Rueben Bain Jr. question marks, a top-15 pick not enough people are taking about, and other nuggets to know
2026 NFL Draft Intel focusing on the defensive line.
The NFL and college football seasons are flying by quickly. You’ll blink your eyes, and it’ll be the offseason again, and fans everywhere will have their eyes on how their favorite teams can improve. The 2026 NFL Draft might not be high on most people’s priority lists right now, but the work is being done diligently behind the scenes on the class.
As the media and draftniks work nonstop to develop a deeper understanding of the 2026 class, the folks on the NFL side have been working at it for months at this point. That includes everything from school visits, watching film, getting body measurements, talking to every staffer they can, and continuing to update their scouting reports, among other things. It’s an arduous process with no stone left unturned.
With a strong sample size now on tape, it felt like the perfect time for a little 2026 NFL Draft intel. Over the last week or so, I have spoken to just about every scouting contact I have on the NFL side. They were all kind enough to give me insight into some of the bigger names in the class, including some that are rising, others that are disappointing, and even a sleeper to keep a close eye on.
Here are some of those tidbits I have learned over the last several days. I have more defensive notes that I will save for another piece one day soon. Let’s focus on the defensive line.
Top of the defensive line class
When you talk about the top overall players in the 2026 class, most will mention Miami EDGE Rueben Bain Jr. very quickly. After an injury-plagued 2024 season, Bain looks back healthy in 2025, and he is playing very well. The combination of explosiveness and power makes Bain stand out in a big way.
There does appear, however, to be some questions around Bain from some in the league. While he has been very disruptive for the Hurricanes, the raw production (28 total tackles, 3.5 TFLs, two sacks) hasn’t been there. We don’t evaluate the box score, so there is always context to consider, and raw numbers aren’t everything. They also aren’t nothing, however.
“I’d draft him pretty high, but the blue chip stuff is a bit much,” an NFL South area scout told me. “You see the explosiveness and the power is exceptional. He just has some physical deficiencies with length and range that might not let him finish a ton of plays. Everyone loves disruption, but you shouldn’t be drafting a kid top five to not finish.”
That is a perspective with which I tend to agree. Bain is a lot better than I thought he was coming into the season, but I do think he will struggle to finish reps at the NFL level consistently.
The 6-3, 275-pound EDGE is still a winning football player, but there are still some deficiencies you don’t want to see from a potential top-five selection. His arm length (right around 32 inches) will also be debated heavily.
While Bain is the betting favorite to be the first EDGE off the board in April, he is not without competition. This conversation could come down to the flavor you’re looking for, but David Bailey (Texas Tech) is creating heavy buzz in NFL circles right now. The former Stanford transfer has 13 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles on the season.
At around 6-4, 250 pounds, Bailey is more of the standup rusher archetype compared to Bain. In today’s game, getting after the quarterback is paramount. Bailey does that as well, or better, than anyone in the class.
“That dude is going top 15,” an AFC West scout told me. “Book it! His first step and bend translate. That’s going to be a guy who feasts in 1-on-1s in the NFL. He’s not a great run defender, but I’m not sure I care with what he can do on passing downs.”
Heading into the 2025 season, there was a lot of love out there for Auburn defensive end Keldric Faulk. The 6-6, 285-pound defender is a physical freak with a ton of athletic upside, and even more versatility to play up and down the line of scrimmage. It has been a slow start to the season for Faulk, recording just four tackles for loss and two sacks so far.
Despite that slow start, several people at the next level still have a high opinion of Faulk. The junior might be the product of a less than advantageous situation, or at least it seems that way.
“He’s getting lost on a bad team,” a scout from the NFC East said. “Great leader. One of the most versatile defensive players in the entire class. Someone is getting a plus starter for a long time with freaky upside.”
Designated pass rushers to know
In my conversation with the previously mentioned NFC South scout, he also gave me some insight into some of the better pass rushers in this class who could hear their names called early in April. One of the more popular names in the class is Oklahoma star R Mason Thomas, who was one of my personal favorites from Summer Scouting. While Thomas is an outlier in terms of size and arm length, he compensates for it with his combination of first-step explosiveness and bend.
He is, admittedly, not for everyone. For teams that are looking for a physical presence coming off the edge, Thomas won’t be your guy. We can love the player, and still say he will be a bit scheme and role specific, which Thomas is.
“I love Thomas as a player, but he just won’t wow you physically,” the scout explained. “He has a great first step, is twitchy, but there is no power to his game. When you’re there in person and watch him shock the sled or when they’re live in practice, you just don’t feel him. He’s going to be a good pass rusher, but we have him graded as a sub starter right now. I’m just not sure he’s going to offer much against the run ever.”
When the scout says “sub starter,” that basically means a designated pass rusher who won’t play on heavy run downs in this conversation. There is a place for Thomas on the next level, but it will be in a niche role.
That same scout had some pleasant things to say about Bailey’s teammate, Romello Height, over at Texas Tech. Like Thomas, Height is a pure standup rusher with limited length. I spoke with multiple scouts who were impressed with Height and what he has put on film so far in 2025.
He has had a long and winding road, spending time at Auburn, USC, and Georgia Tech before landing with the Red Raiders.
So far this season, Height has recorded a career-high five sacks. Height is viewed as one of the better situational pass rushers in the class, and could earn himself a selection somewhere on Day 2 (Rounds 2-3).
Sleeper small school defensive lineman
One of my favorite parts about talking to folks around the league is starting to hear some of the lesser-known sleepers in the class. One name I was happy to hear from multiple people was Southeastern Louisiana defensive tackle Kaleb Proctor.
The FCS standout is someone that I spotted last season, seeing some clear tools to work with. So far this year, he has managed to collect 8.5 tackles for loss and six sacks, two of those coming against LSU a few weeks ago.
Proctor is a smaller defensive tackle, but there is a lot of raw athleticism to work with. Several larger schools attempted to persuade Proctor to enter the Transfer Portal this offseason, but the talented defender opted not to. He is quickly trending to being a late-round selection in the 2026 class, and don’t be surprised if he gets a chance to showcase his talents at the Reese’s Senior Bowl or East-West Shrine Bowl.
“He has some real juice as a pass rusher,” an AFC scout said. “There are some reps that wow you in terms of get off and flexibility, against some bigger opponents as well. The biggest issue is going to be his size. Will he ever be a full-time player for you on running downs? I have my doubts. I wouldn’t be shocked if he’s a key contributor on passing downs, at least someone who finds his way onto a practice squad for a while.”
Proctor is the type of interior pass rusher you take a shot on in the later rounds. He has clear NFL athleticism. The question will be how much weight his frame can handle to continue developing as an all-around player.
NFL Draft
2-Round 2026 NFL Mock Draft: The battle to be QB1 continues, surprise defender goes first off the board, and Kadyn Proctor falls
Latest 2-round 2026 NFL mock draft features heavy quarterback debate, a surprise run at the top, and a massive Kadyn Proctor fall.
