We continue our 2026 NFL Draft preview of draft prospects that could interest the Dallas Cowboys. Today we are looking at defensive end Romello Height from Texas Tech.
Romello Height
DE
Texas Tech Red Raiders
Senior
4-star rating
6’3”
239 lbs
History
Height’s first college season started in 2020 at Auburn. He appeared in one game with no recorded tackles as it was essentially a developmental and COVID-eligibility year. His second year at Auburn he became a rotational edge defender and finished with 19 tackles and three TFL
in nine games.
In 2022, Romello transferred to USC and it was a lost season. He won the starting rush-end job out of camp, started the first two games, then suffered a season-ending shoulder injury, recording no stats.
In his fourth year in college, Romello remained at USC where he returned from injury and had his first real pass-rush production season. In 12 games he registered 20 tackles, six TFL, and four sacks. His best game came against Arizona State where he made five tackles and two sacks.
For his fifth year in 2024, Romello transferred again, this time to Georgia Tech. It was a one-year homecoming to Georgia and his first season with real all-around production. He started all 12 games and logged 34 tackles, 6.5 TFL, 2.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, and one interception. The standout moments include his debut versus Florida State in Dublin, Ireland, and a 1.5-sack game versus Virginia Tech.
He moved to Texas Tech for his final season and this became the breakout season that turned him into a real NFL edge name. He started all 14 games and finished with 38 tackles, 11.5 TFL, 10 sacks, and two forced fumbles, earning First-Team All–Big 12 honors. His 62 pressures was seventh-most nationally and he had two games where he registered two sacks on the day.
2025 Statistics
598 Defensive Snaps
38 Total Tackles
11.5 TFL
62 Total Pressures
10 Sacks
2 Forced Fumble
1 Fumble Recoveries
7 Missed Tackles
0 Penalties
Snap by Position
B-Gap- 1%
OLB- 97%
Box- 2%
NFL Combine/Pro Day
Awards
2025: All-Big 12 First Team
Scorecard
Overall– 79.0
Speed- 91
Acceleration- 82
Agility- 82
Strength- 66
Tackling- 70
Run Defense- 69
Pass Rush- 93
Coverage- 90
Discipline- 94
THE GOOD
- Explosive get-off and first step
- High-end burst and bend around the arc
- Deep pass-rush bag and has multiple moves and counters
- Advanced hand usage for a speed rusher
- High-level athletic profile
- Relentless motor and pursuit
- Pressure conversion and production record
- Scheme and role versatility as a sub-package weapon
THE BAD
- Run-defense anchor and point-of-attack strength
- Struggles to consistently set a firm edge
- Doesn’t have the long-lever edge build, which can make it harder to keep separation and finish when tackles get hands inside.
- Projects best as a rush-first sub-package weapon
- At times can get too far upfield or chase the play, creating escape lanes if he doesn’t stay tight to his landmark.
- Creates pressure but doesn’t always convert to clean sacks
- Older prospect with one major production spike late in his career
THE FIT
Height fits best as a rush-first 3-4 outside linebacker in an attacking front that lets him play from wide alignments where he can hunt tackles with burst, bend and counters rather than asking him to be a static, every-down edge-setter. You maximize him by making him a sub-package focal point, stand him up, threaten both edges, and create oversets so his inside counters and closing speed can finish.
SUMMARY
Romello Height basically reads as a late-blooming, rush-first EDGE with legit production and pressure metrics. His role is more as a sub-package weapon than as a prototype every-down base end. His best traits are first-step urgency, ability to threaten the edge with speed and bend, and a real counter plan that helped him convert pressures into sacks during his 2025 breakout. He also plays with a high-effort motor and has proven he can create strips and turnover plays.
The main concerns are age and trajectory, run-defense consistency, anchor versus power, and whether his pass-rush wins translate against NFL tackles without being schemed into favorable matchups.
Overall, he projects as an early rotational rusher with upside to become a quality starter if his run fits and point-of-attack strength catch up to his pass-rush impact.
PRO COMPARISON
Nolan Smith
BTB OVERALL RANKING
67th
CONSENSUS OVERALL RANKING
75th
(Consensus ranking based on the average ranking from 90 major scoring services, including BTB)
