We’ve kind of discussed this a little prior to the season but it sure does feel like our likely FA exits coincides with this draft’s strengths. Given the competitiveness of our team, draft bandwidth seems to be scarce for much of the message board. Therefore I thought positional overviews of our likely need might be a nice introduction for those that care to familiarize themselves with this draft.
So of course, we’ll start with edge
DE is IMO the best position in the draft. Mike Renner called OT and QB the best two spots so perhaps I’m missing something. But to me Edge is where it’s at this draft cycle. And as @thats2 has mentioned it’s mostly guys that fit us.
I am not including the obvious DPR types in this post. So no Barham, Thomas, Baily, Height. Josephs, etc.
Anyways, the Davenport replacements.
The big four true Jr.'s -
TJ Parker - Clemson - slow start but has a long track record of disruption. Not the longest guy and likely more good than great athlete. He’s pressuring at 1/2 the rate of last year so he better pick it up in this class or he will slide.
Keldrick Faulk - Auburn - long, massive inside-outside DL. One of the true elite dudes in this class. Could he Calais Campbell or someone like that if hits big. Can’t imagine he comes anywhere close to us. Just turned 21 two weeks ago.
Reuben Bain - Miami - was terrific as a freshman before having his Sophomore season derailed. Powerful 270 Edge with some real juice. A bit sawed off perhaps. More of a Kwitty Paye type of build rather than the longer archetype. Jared Verse like sort of power game.
Matayo Uiagalelei - Oregon - DJ’s younger brother . Big high energy power end. Will still be 20 years old on draft day. Pass rush game is still in need of refinement but just like the four above he sure seems like a first round EDGE to me.
The Seniors
DDS - Penn State - he’s really turned it on over the last calendar year. Big long athletic former five star. He is pretty linear so he may not be for everyone but stylistically he likely fits us pretty well. Seems like a top fifty pick in the making.
Gabe Jacas - lllinois - former high level wrestler with immense playing strength and refined hand usage. Illinois stands him up a lot and though that is not his ideal usage it does show what I believe to be underrated athleticism. Sort of a heavier Paschal in terms of body type. I like him a lot personally. Think he fits us well. Hard guy to gauge in terms of draft stock. Somewhere on day 2 I would presume.
Vincent Anthony Jr. - Duke - Long and yet impressively bendy Edge. Had been IMO one of the big risers over the first three weeks. Coming off more of a quiet game against NC State. Listed at 250lbs but he doesn’t seem overly lean though I do think more strength is needed. He’s got ropes for arms so with additional strength I think he could have a helluva long arm and strength to power arsenal. For now he’s somewhat reminiscent of Kyle Kennard IMO. I think he’s likely a day 2 player if his production carries forward. Not sure on the run defense.
Zion Young - Mezzo - Similar Fram to Anthony but significantly stronger. I don’t think he’s nearly as bendy and so I think it takes more squinting to see a high end NFL pass rusher but the power game seems pretty legit and was a problem for South Carolina. The Michigan State transfer had 9 or 10 pressures last week depending on who was counting. Seems like a high floor base end that can set an Edge and anchor in the run game while pushing the pocket on passing downs. Can ease my pass rushing skepticism if last week carries forward throughout the SEC schedule. My guess is he’s an early day 3 type.
LT Overton - was the number 1 HS player in his class before reclassifying. Was still a very high five star recruit. Big long dirty work sort of EDGE but I just don’t see nearly enough disruption given the pedigree. He’s still only 20 y/o so upside remains but he sort of strikes me as the type that developed early and dominated but really hasn’t improved all that much sense.
Max Llewellyn - Iowa - was a DPR for Iowa last year and seems to be handling full time duty rather well. We love that program for how well coached they are and on an Iowa broadcast last year I recall the announcer talking about the coaching staff believing that he was one of the most technically refined pass rusher they’ve ever had. He is 23 but I still think there is plenty of untapped development. In particular I think the power aspect of his pass rushing game can significantly improve as he fills out his 6’5” 260 lb frame. Seems destined for day 2. My guess would be sooner rather than later on day 2 but who knows with this class.
Akheem Misidor - Miami - Canadian kid that transferred in from WVU a few years back. A bit of a tweeter at 6’3” 280lbs but really understands how to rush the passer and has a long track record of being impactful against both the run and the pass. Definitely more of a technician and a bruiser than an athletic marvel. As good as Bain has been Misidor is only being in pressures by 3 which is impressive given that Bain is second in the nation with 22 pressures. He’ll be 25 on draft day so he’s almost certainly a day 3 guy. If we forgo EDGE early he’s way up my list.
Derek Moore - Michigan- well know around here. Had a great game last week (what Michigan DL didn’t 
). I always thought he was too speed rush reliant early in his career. My impression is that his game is rounding out a bit but I need to watch more of him as last week might have been a bit of a unique situation. Seems like an early to mid day 3 type to me. If so I think he’s pretty good value down there.
Underclassmen with Helium -
John Henry Daley - Utah - IMO one of the primary revelations of this draft cycle. Only a RS Soph but he went on a mission so I think the 2026 draft is in play. Leads the nation with 6 sacks and has been a factor in every game. Initially my melanin bias got the best of me and I thought he was merely a try hard type. But he looks legitimately athletic to me. Seems to be really gifted at disengaging and is almost certainly closer to 260 than his listed 247. Found an Utah sportswriter on Twitter that referred to him as perhaps the greatest HS defender that he’s ever seen covering that state’s HS ranks. I’m guessing that he’s trending towards day 2 but he’s still under the radar despite the production so I’m not really sure what consensus is here.
Braylan Shelby - USC - former elite recruit who was a State qualifying Triple Jumper at 240 lbs as a TX HS’er. Long, bendy 6’5” Edge. Seems to have the whole bag it was merely a matter of him putting it together. Coach Lynn has that Trojans D playing with its hair on fire and Shelby really seems like he might finally be breaking out.
Clev Lubin - Louisville - He was super productive in hi s one year at Coastal Carolina and hasn’t skipped a beat after transferring up. Maybe I should have left him off as he may be more DPR. But he seems more sturdy than other DPR types so maybe there is more two way ability. Louisville seems to move him all around. His pass rushing game kind of reminds me of prime Z. Smith. He’s a little bit smaller but for a DPR type he seems really comfortable working through congestion rather than simply bending the arc over and over again. Not really sure on the run defense and whether it would be sufficient for us to be interested.
Damon Wilson - Mizzou - Another one that may be more DPR but he’s got the frame at 6’4” to develop more strength in time. Former five star that got lost in the shuffle at Georgia. Was the number 3 transfer in this last NIL class. Looks like he probably isn’t much heavier than his listed 250 lbs. but the juice is evident and makes you understand why he was such a ballyhooed EDGE recruit coming out of the FL HS ranks.
Boubacar Traore - Notre Dame - like Wilson he may be straddling that DPR line until whe can add to his frame. But my gawd is this dude twitchy. I personally doubt that he ends up in this draft but if you can take your time with him and get him up to 265 without losing much of the twitch the sky is the limit IMO.
Big guys shouldn’t move like that -
Quincy Rhodes - Arkansas - He plays on a terrible defense but he’s been impactful despite that so far in 2025. Stat numbers last week were a bit Fugazi bc of Memphis simply turning him loose and underestimating his closing speed but he has some legitimately impressive pass rushing reps as well. Was the jewel of Arkansas’ 2023 recruiting class. He’s probably close to 280 lbs but looks more like a power forward. Just crazy impressive frame given his weight. The closing speed at that length is something else. Still fairly unrefined but a breath taking combo of speed and power.
Anthony Lucas Jr. - USC - Was part of that A&M DL recruiting class that may have been the most highly rated DL class of all time (Nolan, Stewart, Overton, Brownlow-Dindy, Lucas). Just an unreal physical specimen. Fairly Stewart like tbh. Probably a tick down in terms of twitch but with even more power. And he’s plenty twitchy. Had very little production up until this year but he seems to be breaking out a bit. Lynn has been very creative in taking advantage of his athleticism. Standing him up, dropping him into coverage, mugging him up, feigning a drop and then delay blitzing him, etc.). Lucas has the athleticism to handle it despite being 285 pounds of granite.
Anthony Smith - Minnesota - Another massive twitchy Edge that is still flying a bit under the radar. 6’6 285 lbs but moves like he’s 260 lbs. Supposed to be the team’s meanest guy on the field and nicest off of it. Has a youth charity that he’s very committed to. Seems to be very us from a character standpoint. He’s being slept on by the draft community but there’s no way that someone that big, bad and athletic isn’t well know in league scouting circles.
I left off guys like Kenyatta Jackson and Adelphi Adebawore who would zoom up lists with some production.
Feel free to bring up others and as we discuss them I’d be happy to add them to this list.
