After the interior defensive linemen took the field to kick off on-field drills at the 2026 NFL Combine, the edge rushers were next up, and they put on a show. We previewed 10 edge rushers we previewed for Detroit Lions fans to watch during this segment of on-field drills, and while not all of them participated, those who did had strong showings.
Here are the top five winners from the edge rushing group at this year’s NFL Combine.
T.J. Parker, Clemson (6-foot-4, 263)
With a 1.61/4.68 10/40 yard-dash split, a 34inch vertical jump, and
a 10-foot broad jump, Parker landed a Top 5 athleticism score amongst the edge rushers participating at the Combine.
Despite NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah projecting the Lions to select Parker at No. 17 in his most recent mock draft, I still held some reservations about Parker after a season of regression at Clemson. His performance at the Combine helped calm those concerns. Parker was a smooth flower in on-field drills, showing balance, control, and quick feet throughout the day. In pass rush drills, he married his hands and feet, demonstrated a quick strike, gained ground in a hurry, showed a controlled spin and dip, and speed when bending the corner. He did bend at the waist at times, which slowed his speed, but overall, he’s a very athletic mover. Lastly, he participated in linebacker drills, illustrating he could drop in space if needed, but it was not a skill he could pull off regularly.
David Bailey, Texas Tech (6-foot-4, 251)
Bailey’s 1.62/4.50 split with a 35-inch vertical jump and 10-foot-9 broad jump earned him the third-best athleticism score at the Combine.
Bailey had his share of doubters in the draft media, but his performance in on-field drills showed why most are projecting him to be selected in the top 10, if not top 5. With quick feet and a powerful burst/cut, Bailey pulls his full force into his change of direction efforts. Despite the power generated, he remained surprisingly light on his feet and did well to marry them with his heavy hands. His bend can get tight at times, but he has a controlled spin and flattens quickly out of his turns.
Keldric Faulk, Auburn (6-foot-6, 276)
Faulk didn’t participate in the measured testing at the Combine; instead elected to only participate in on-field drills.
Faulk’s length immediately stands out, as does his body control. He has a smooth, controlled lean that was best on display during the “hoop drill,” illustrating his pass-rushing bend. Not only did he snag the towels off the ground, but he gave them an extra half-second of showmanship, holding them up a tick longer than others, demonstrating his control. In other pass-rushing drills, he could look stiff at times and even had a bit of a hitch in his gate early in the process, but he has natural, translatable skills, including keeping his head up and eyes in the proper position, as well as a strong initial punch in bag drills. He also looked very natural dropping in LB drills, showing surprisingly soft hands.
Dani Dennis-Sutton, Penn State (6-foot-5 1/2, 256)
Dennis-Sutton dropped 12 pounds from his Senior Bowl weight, and it paid off with his ability to test in measure drills. His 1.63/4.64 split, 39.5-inch vertical jump, 10-foot-11 broad jump, and remarkable 6.9-second 3-cone drill earned him the second-highest athleticism score in this position group.
In drills, he was an impressively smooth mover for a player expected to play a “base end” role at the next level. His strong punch was noisy, showing off his violent hands, and while he was explosive with his initial step, his bend and spin were slower than many of the others in this group. It was tough for him to get low in his dip, but there was little wasted movement, and he showed promise. Linebacker drills are not his jam, but as a base end, that’s not at all surprising.
Malachi Lawrence, UCF (6-foot-4, 253)
Lawrence wasn’t on my pre-Combine scouting watchlist, but he had a remarkable day showcasing his measurables and on-field skills. With a 1.58/4.52 split, 40-inch vertical jump, 10-foot-10 broad jump, Lawrence walked away with the No. 1 athleticism score amongst the edge rushers.
Lawrence started off strong and got better and better as the day went on. He showed off smooth feet, great change-of-direction skills, planting stiffly, and exploding off the stick. His ability to bend was shown off in the “Hoop drill,” with control and speed, though he did get high at times when bending in other drills. He displayed a lot of power in his hands, drop skills in linebacker drills, further highlighting his range.
Final Note
There were a handful of smaller edge rushers who had very good performances—like Keyron Crawford (Auburn), Romello Height (Texas Tech), and Cashius Howell (Texas A&M)—but I view them as players unlikely to fit the Lions’ scheme in a starting role. With them all projected to be Day 2 picks or higher, I’m not sure the Lions would spend that level of capital on a player who may only be a part-time player, unless there is an unexpected scheme change.
