2026 IDP Rookie Breakdown: Defensive Line
Jason King brings us early rankings, projected draft capital, and dynasty value for the defensive linemen leading this year’s IDP class.
If the Winter Olympics have you in the mood for more timed races and obstacle courses, the NFL Combine will have you covered in just two weeks! Football’s underwear Olympics mark the official kickoff of rookie prospecting season, and The IDP Show team is already celebrating with the rollout of IDP draft previews.
Eric Harms and I are tag-teaming the rookie series through a dynasty lens, and Part 1 offers a high-level first look at the EDGE rushers and the interior defensive linemen.
In addition to a brief look at the prospects, I’m going to offer an initial assessment of dynasty value. For several of the top prospects, we lack measurables, so I’ve included them where we’ve received reliable information from the Senior Bowl or the Shrine Bowl. I’ve also included an early assessment of where these defensive linemen would come off the board in a 12-team, six-round rookie draft.
For projected NFL draft pick capital, I referenced the past two weeks’ worth of mock drafts from NFL Mock Draft Database. Since almost all mock drafts only cover the first-round, I had to reference The Athletic for a two-round mock and NFL.com’s Chad Reuter for a three-rounder (I know, not great, but it’s what’s out there).
For fantasy, draft capital and landing spot are crucial pieces of information, so expect this list to change quite a bit by the end of April.
Elite Tier Upside
The EDGE rushers in this tier have the upside to ascend to the elite level of IDP assets, led in my book by the likes of Aidan Hutchinson, Will Anderson, and Micah Parsons.
1. Arvell Reese, EDGE, Ohio State
Measurables: 6-foot-4, 243 pounds
Age: 21 years old when the season kicks off
Path: Played three seasons at Ohio State
Composite draft projection: Round 1, Pick 2
Strengths and Shortcomings
Is he an EDGE? Is he an off-ball? The elite pass rush upside and high draft capital likely will lock him into the EDGE spot; either way, he’s arguably the top IDP prospect in this class. This year’s No. 1 overall prospect according to The Athletic's draft expert Dane Brugler, Arvell Reese has youth and athletic tools on his side.
He’s laterally agile. He’s quick to hit the outside shoulder of tackles and can lower his inside shoulder to zoom past. His hands are already pretty strong with swipes. He has an effective bull rush. He closes on the ball quickly. He’s strong enough to stack tackles, and his long arms help him shed to find ball carriers for tackles. Other than experience and refinement, I’m not sure what’s not to like.
First-Look Dynasty Valuation
I already have him in my elite tier at No. 6 overall behind Aidan Hutchinson, Will Anderson Jr., Micah Parsons, Carson Schwesinger, and Jack Campbell.
Dynasty Rookie Draft Valuation
Late 1st in a 12-team superflex.
2. David Bailey, EDGE, Texas Tech
Measurables: 6-foot-3, 250 pounds
Age: 23 years old when the season kicks off
Path: Played three seasons at Stanford before transferring to Texas Tech for his senior year
Composite draft projection: Round 1, Pick 7
Strengths and Shortcomings
The first thing you notice with David Bailey is the explosion off the snap. His timing is impeccable, and he’s instantly at full throttle. In this sense, he reminds me of Clemson’s Vic Beasley as a prospect—the eighth overall pick of the 2015 NFL Draft who led the NFL with 15.5 sacks as a sophomore in Atlanta.
Bailey also has quite the array of moves, and wins with speed, rips, swims, and Von Miller’s famous “ghost” move, dipping low below the tackle. He has a controlled spin move that’s electric, a la Will McDonald. Like Beasley, Bailey isn’t great at holding the point of attack on the edge, but he’s active as a run defender when he can stay clean of blockers.
First-Look Dynasty Valuation
I’m thinking of Bailey as a top 50 dynasty asset right now, with similar value to EDGEs Dallas Turner, Jalon Walker, and Tuli Tuipulotu. I’d anticipate he’ll spend year one as a pass-down specialist, with subsequent offseasons being used to help him shore up his run game deficiencies to better position him for three-down work.
Dynasty Rookie Draft Valuation
Middle to late Round 2.
Starter Tier Upside
3. Rueben Bain Jr., EDGE, Miami
Measurables: 6-foot-3, 275 pounds
Age: 22 years old when the season kicks off
Path: Played three seasons at Miami (Fla.)
Composite draft projection: Round 1, Pick 4
Strengths and Shortcomings
Rueben Bain Jr. is a pure bully who generates big power and can turn the corner if tackles set up to anchor too early. You can also slide him inside to get an extra pass rusher on the field, and he holds up just fine.
The projected shorter arms are a knock, but strong, quick hands mitigate the weakness. We always need to be wary of players with the “tweener” label, but in this case, Bain is bendy enough to hold up as a three-down lineman. If Washington selects him at No. 7 overall, he’ll be pegged as Dan Quinn’s new Michael Bennett.
First-Look Dynasty Valuation
The shorter arms, lack of burst off the line, and closing speed have me somewhat concerned with his sack ceiling. He’s in my 70-75 overall range, with an age advantage over the similarly tiered Chase Young, YaYa Diaby, Travon Walker, and Kayvon Thibodeaux.
Dynasty Rookie Draft Valuation
Early to mid Round 3
4. Cashius Howell, EDGE, Texas A&M
Measurables: 6-foot-2, 248 pounds
Age: Unconfirmed, but reportedly 22 years old with an April 16 birthday.
Path: Spent three seasons at Bowling Green before transferring to Texas A&M for his final two years.
Composite draft projection: Round 1, Pick 15
Strengths and Shortcomings
Cashius Howell wins with quickness off the line, lateral agility, bend around the edge, good handwork to stay clean of blockers’ arms, and pure hustle. For those reasons, he should make for a good designated pass rusher. I wouldn’t say he’s terrible as a run defender, but he does get pushed around, and given his age and frame, it’s questionable whether he’ll be able to add strength to stack and shed.
The lack of length is worrisome from a ceiling standpoint, and I think the middle of Round 1 draft projection is generous.
First-Look Dynasty Valuation
His measurables and play demeanor make me think of Nick Herbig, and that’s a pretty good outcome. For now, I’d rank him around No. 135 overall for dynasty, just below his former teammate, Nic Scourton.
Dynasty Rookie Draft Valuation
Round 5 or 6
5. Akheem Mesidor, EDGE, Miami
Measurables: 6-foot-3, 265 pounds
Age: 25 years old when the season kicks off
Path: Played two seasons at West Virginia before transferring to Miami, where he spent four seasons (one redshirt)
Composite draft projection: Round 1, Pick 31
Strengths and Shortcomings
Akheem Mesidor can feast as a designated pass rusher with coordinated upper- and lower-body moves. His strengths are his burst and his balance, and tackles who fear he’ll win the edge will overset and fall prey to a quick change of direction inside.
Though he’s a more weighty EDGE, he’s most effective out of a Wide 9 alignment, and he gets swallowed up against the run and fails to generate speed-to-power. Given his age and size, I think what we see now is what we get, and there’s not a higher ceiling from a development perspective.
First-Look Dynasty Valuation
I’m grouping him somewhere in the 135-145 range with linebackers Dorian Williams and Tyrice Knight, and EDGEs Austin Booker, Rashan Gary, Odafe Oweh, and Nolan Smith.
Dynasty Rookie Draft Valuation
Round 5 or 6
6. Peter Woods, IDL, Clemson
Measurables: 6-foot-3, 310 pounds
Age: 21 years old when the season kicks off
Path: Played three seasons at Clemson
Composite draft projection: Round 1, Pick 19
Strengths and Shortcomings
Peter Woods is pretty explosive off the snap and shows active hands to keep offensive linemen from gluing their hands onto his chest. Laterally quick, Woods is dangerous as a puller on stunts or working down the line to chase running backs working through a gap. The fast movements really have me optimistic for his growth as a pass rusher; he should contribute early as a stout run defender.
First-Look Dynasty Valuation
I rank him around No. 125 overall, on par with San Francisco EDGE Mykel Williams. Among tackles, he’s below Gervon Dexter and Calijah Kancey, but above Zach Sieler and Justin Madubuike (whose ranking could change quickly if his neck issue is resolved for good).
Dynasty Rookie Draft Valuation
Round 3-4 in defensive tackle-premium leagues. Round 4-5 in defensive tackle-required leagues. Round 6 or undrafted elsewhere.
Rosterable IDPs
7. Caleb Banks, IDL, Florida
Measurables: 6-foot-6, 335 pounds, 35-inch arms
Age: 24 years old when the season kicks off, and hits 25 in December
Path: Played in seven total games over two years at Louisville before transferring to Florida for his final three seasons. He played in just three games in 2025 due to a mid-September foot injury.
Composite draft projection: Round 1, Pick 25
Strengths and Shortcomings
Caleb Banks combines massive human size with quick movements at the snap of the ball to burst through gaps and into the backfield. The problem is he’s often lost once he gets there, either by being out of position to make a tackle or he’s pushed off balance. And all too often, he just can’t finish the tackle.
He doesn’t consistently play with leverage and can get off-balance fairly easily. As such, he’s very susceptible to snatch-and-trap blocks. When locked up with a guard, can wear down the block with sheer force. But in general, he’s not a stack-and-shed tackle despite his size.
First-Look Dynasty Valuation
He’s firmly outside of my top 150, but inside my top 30 for defensive tackle rankings.
Dynasty Rookie Draft Valuation
As high as Round 4 in defensive tackle-premium leagues. Round 5-6 in defensive tackle-required leagues. And undrafted elsewhere.
8. Keldric Faulk, EDGE, Auburn
Measurables: 6-foot-6, 285 pounds
Age: 21 years old when the season kicks off
Path: Played three seasons at Auburn
Composite draft projection: Round 1, Pick 9
Strengths and Shortcomings
If you like Keldric Faulk as an EDGE, you must admit he’s a projection. He can take a few steps to get going off the line and doesn’t overpower tackles like a 285-pound EDGE probably should. And when he wins the edge, he has a pronounced arc to the quarterback (we want to see a flat, straight line).
Still, his long arms show in his rush, and he’s good at swiping away block attempts. He’s a no-doubt tweener and may best fit as a rush down 3-tech if he puts on some more mass.
First-Look Dynasty Valuation
I’m having a hard time getting excited about Faulk, though he’ll probably go in the first round. How often do we see the proverbial “moldable ball of clay” work out? Shemar Stewart is a good recent comparison, even though Faulk had more collegiate sack production. Faulk lands just outside my top 150 overall, not too far behind Stewart, and young veterans Boye Mafe and Derick Hall.
Dynasty Rookie Draft Valuation
Round 6
9. Zion Young, EDGE, Missouri
Measurables: 6-foot-5, 262 pounds, 33.5-inch arms
Age: 22 years old when the season kicks off
Path: Spent two years at Michigan State before transferring to Missouri for his final two years.
Draft projections: Round 2, Pick 42 (The Athletic) or 41 (Chad Reuter)
Strengths and Shortcomings
A Senior Bowl standout, Zion Young is a proven run defender who consistently sets the edge and can stack and shed blockers with long arms. Young is a powerhouse who can crush one side of the pocket with a bull rush and/or strong hands, but unfortunately, there’s not much else from a pass rush perspective as he lumbers off the line and struggles to turn the corner and flatten to the quarterback.
First-Look Dynasty Valuation
I don’t have him in my top 150. He might crack the top 200, though.
Dynasty Rookie Draft Valuation
Round 6 or undrafted
10. Derrick Moore, EDGE, Michigan
Measurables: 6-foot-3, 254 pounds, 34.25-inch arms
Age: 23 years old, turns 24 in early December
Path: Played four seasons at Michigan
Composite draft projection: Round 2, Pick 42 (Chad Reuter)
Strengths and Shortcomings
Derrick Moore gets out of his set quickly and displays nice speed-to-power conversion. He has great length and utilizes a nice long-arm to push the pocket. He’s not going to wow anyone with edge-bending flexibility, so he’ll need to continue to get by on his quickness and power (that’s not a bad combination). His run defense is adequate, but I won’t be surprised if he’s pigeonholed as a pass rush specialist.
First-Look Dynasty Valuation
I think I like Moore more than most simply because of the power, because power typically translates to the pros. Like Zion Young, he’s in my top 200 but not my top 150.
Dynasty Rookie Draft Valuation
Round 6 or undrafted.
11. Malachi Lawrence, EDGE, Central Florida
Measurables: 6-foot-4, 247 pounds, 33.5-inch arms
Age: Unconfirmed
Path: Played four seasons at UCF
Composite draft projection: N/A
Strengths and Shortcomings
Perhaps the main attraction at the Shrine Bowl, Malachi Lawrence is lengthy with all kinds of moves (swipes, swims, and dips) and super strong hands to stay clean of blocks. His bend around the edge is adequate, and his power rush is lacking. He’s not a liability on the edge as a run defender, but his vision and focus are lacking.
First-Look Dynasty Valuation
He’s a top 200 asset, but I suspect he’ll need a season before he’s ready to make any sort of impact outside of special teams.
Dynasty Rookie Draft Valuation
Round 6 or undrafted
12. Lee Hunter, IDL, Texas Tech
Measurables: 6-foot-4, 330 pounds, 34.25-inch arms
Age: 24 years old when the season kicks off
Path: Spent three seasons at Central Florida before transferring to Texas Tech for his senior year.
Draft projections: Round 2, Pick 56 (The Athletic) or Round 1, Pick 15 (Chad Reuter)
Strengths and Shortcomings
Though he skipped the game, Lee Hunter dominated Senior Bowl week to put himself in the first-round conversation. Quick enough off the line, Hunter has good lateral agility and power. Long arms and strength help him overpower blockers versus the run, and once stacked, you’re in his control. He’s a tough hombre to handle one-on-one due to his bull rush. His best pass rush move is the swim, but he could use some development as a pass rusher to help him move off the nose with higher frequency.
First-Look Dynasty Valuation
There are a lot of traits to be excited about, and I can see a quick progression to a Gervon Dexter-level interior lineman. At least initially, you have to think he’s going to see more time as a shaded nose or head up over a guard. So while he’s top 200 for me, he has a ways to go before he sniffs the top 150.
Dynasty Rookie Draft Valuation
As high as Round 5 in defensive tackle-premium leagues. Round 6 or undrafted in defensive tackle-required leagues.
Borderline Rosterable Assets
13. R Mason Thomas, EDGE, Oklahoma: Thomas accelerates like a funny car off the line and can bend the edge, but he’s not very coordinated in his upper and lower body movements, and his shorter stature and arm length are obvious.
14. T.J. Parker, EDGE, Clemson: At a solid 6-foot-3, 263 pounds, Parker is an early down edge setter with some pass rush upside thanks to heavy hands and a powerful long-arm.
15. Romello Height, EDGE, Texas Tech: Fast and crafty in his body movement, Height can close on quarterbacks quickly. He’s slight and light at 6-foot-2, 234 pounds, and is likely only a situational pass rusher unless he can add some sturdy weight.
16. Joshua Josephs, EDGE, Tennessee: Light (240 pounds) but long (6-foot-4 with arms that almost reach 35 inches), Josephs is a quick-off-the-line, beat-you-to-the-edge threat. The frame is intriguing; he needs to add below-the-waist bulk if he’s going to become more than a lightly used situational pass rusher.
17. Kayden McDonald, IDL, Ohio State: This strong nose tackle is pretty awesome against the run; you might as well just build a brick wall where he’s responsible for gaps. He’ll be coming off the field on pass downs, though.
18. Dani Dennis-Sutton, EDGE, Penn State: He’s a powerful dude with nice size at 6-foot-5, 268 pounds. He’s probably limited as an early-down backup given his limited moves and flexibility.
Be sure to subscribe to The IDP Show on Apple, Spotify, or YouTube.
 | A guest post by
|