BTSC’s final 2026 NFL Draft positional ranks (Defense)

ARLINGTON, TX - DECEMBER 06: Texas Tech Red Raiders defensive end David Bailey (#31) runs up field during the Big 12 Championship Game between the Texas Tech Red Raiders and BYU Cougars on December 6, 2025 at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, TX. (Photo by Matthew Visinsky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The NFL Draft is almost here! Whether you're doing some last-minute cramming before the draft or using these ranks to follow along over the first two days of the draft, we've got you covered. Below are our positional rankings on defense from our three draft experts, Joey Bray, Ryland Bickley, and Ryan Parish. You can find our offensive rankings here.

Defensive tackle

Rank	Joey Bray	Ryland Bickley	Ryan Parish
1	Kayden McDonald	Peter Woods	Peter Woods
2	Caleb Banks	Lee Hunter	Christen Miller
3	Lee Hunter	Kayden McDonald	Kayden McDonald
4	Peter Woods	Caleb Banks	Lee Hunter
5	Christen Miller	Domonique Orange	Caleb Banks
6	Domonique Orange	Christen Miller	Domonique Orange
7	Dontay Corleone	Darrell Jackson Jr.	Chris McClellan
8	Gracen Halton	Chris McClellan	Tyler Onyedim
9	Rayshaun Benny	Gracen Halton	Gracen Halton
10	Darrell Jackson Jr.	Tyler Onyedim	Darrell Jackson Jr.

JB: This defensive line class is deep, and one of my favorite prospects out of this bunch is Cincinnati's Dontay Corleone. The six-foot, 340-pound defensive lineman was given the nickname The Godfather" during his sophomore year with the Bearcats, in which he recorded 6.5 TFLs in his first season as a full-time starter. He is a physical presence that stands out in the run game. The reason for his ranking as the DT7 on my board is his injury history. This will cause Corleone to slip farther than someone of his talents should. Given a rotational role against the run, Corleone could become an immediate impact player with unlimited room to grow, assuming his medicals hold up.

RB: Caleb Banks is a tough projection. I've seen good arguments for why he should go in the top half of the first round - or the bottom of Day 2. His traits are out of this world good. His 9.94 RAS is obvious on tape, with dangerous quickness, excellent power, and 35-inch arms. The issue is that he doesn't really know how to use them. Banks has just 6.5 career sacks, struggling to finish plays and lacking much of a pass rush plan. Injuries are also a big concern, with Banks missing most of 2025 with a foot injury and then re-injured it at the Combine (still running a 5.05-second 40-yard dash at 327 pounds!). At his best, he has a case for being the DL1 in this class, but there are still more questions than answers regarding his draft profile.

RP: Despite relatively little buzz in the mainstream coverage this cycle, I wouldn't be shocked if Onyedim sneaks into Day 2 in a shallow defensive tackle class. He's a penetrating 3-tech with twitch and ill intent behind his hits on the quarterback. Onyedim has the twitch to shoot gaps, and both his upper and lower halves work in tandem in his movements, which isn't a given for all prospects. He needs to add some more moves to his pass-rush bag, but he's got some of the highest upside in the class without any major flaws in his game.

Edge rushers

Rank	Joey Bray	Ryland Bickley	Ryan Parish
1	Rueben Bain	Rueben Bain	Rueben Bain
2	Arvell Reese	Arvell Reese	Arvell Reese
3	David Bailey	David Bailey	David Bailey
4	Zion Young	Ahkeem Mesidor	Zion Young
5	Ahkeem Mesidor	Zion Young	Malachi Lawrence
6	Cashius Howell	Cashius Howell	Gabe Jacas
7	TJ Parker	Keldrick Faulk	Ahkeem Mesidor
8	Keldrick Faulk	TJ Parker	TJ Parker
9	R Mason Thomas	R Mason Thomas	Derrick Moore
10	Gabe Jacas	Gabe Jacas	Jaishawn Barham

RP: Violence plays at the NFL level, and Jacas packs it in bunches. He isn't the fastest or bendiest, but he has enough to succeed. His defining traits are his explosively heavy hands and his relentless motor. He's a fun watch.

RB: I just can't help being a big R Mason Thomas despite some obvious questions in his profile. He's a short, stocky pass rusher with good burst, solid bend, and surprisingly excellent speed to power. He's disruptive at the line of scrimmage and can win in multiple ways - such a fun watch. The downside of his lack of ideal size and length can lead to problems with bigger offensive tackles. While not a one-to-one pro comparison, he has enough athletic tools to reach a Nik Bonitto/Nick Herbig ceiling in the NFL, but the safer bet is as a rotational pass rusher. I'd also be curious to see him mix in some off-ball linebacker reps.

JB: Miami defensive lineman Ahkeem Mesidor will turn 25 in August, but any team that discounts him because of his age is making a huge mistake. Mesidor played all across the defensive line at Miami, but will almost certainly have to play inside or as an edge in the NFL. His six foot three 265 pound frame gives him similar measurables to those of Myles Garrett. While Mesidor is certainly not Garrett skill-wise, he has fluid movement and uses his hands to win rather than his frame. For someone his size, I came away impressed with the pass rush moves and overall finesse Mesidor showed during Miami's playoff run. A competing team is going to have the opportunity to snag Mesidor in the late first round and be able to add someone with a high ceiling and mature pass-rush moves. Whoever selects him will be very happy that they did.

Linebackers

Rank	Joey Bray	Ryland Bickley	Ryan Parish
1	Sonny Styles	Sonny Styles	Sonny Styles
2	Jacob Rodriguez	CJ Allen	CJ Allen
3	CJ Allen	Jacob Rodriguez	Jacob Rodriguez
4	Kyle Louis	Josiah Trotter	Josiah Trotter
5	Josiah Trotter	Jake Golday	Keyshaun Elliott
6	Jake Golday	Kyle Louis	Jake Golday
7	Anthony Hill Jr.	Anthony Hill Jr.	Anthony Hill Jr.
8	Keyshaun Elliott	Keyron Crawford	Bryce Boettcher
9	Bryce Boettcher	Deontae Lawson	Harold Perkins
10	Deontae Lawson	Harold Perkins	Jack Kelly

JB: Kyle Louis has been one of my guys" in this draft ever since Ryan and I got the chance to see him up close and personal at the Senior Bowl. Louis got early hype in the process as someone who could potentially move to safety at the next level. He has a bit of a lighter and slim build, and the coverage skills speak for themselves. It almost seemed unfair during the backs-on-backers drills, where Louis dominated every running back that ran a route on him. If I were drafting him, Louis likely sticks at linebacker and provides a unique athleticism to my defense. The Steelers have done their homework on him and have shown an affinity for guys with Pittsburgh ties. I would be over the moon to add him to a Pittsburgh linebacker room that needs help.

RP: A green dot wearer who says he models his game after Fred Warner, Keyshaun Elliott is another well-kept secret. He's been lost in this deep linebacker class, but I would not be surprised if he ends up having the longest career. He reminds me of Lavonte David, but with slightly better athletic testing and size.

RB: The Josiah Trotter debate is an interesting one as his weaknesses in coverage reduces his every-down value - and his draft placement as a result. That aside, he's a ferocious downhill force as an old-school thumper, an archetype that's still definitely valuable in a run-focused modern NFL. Trotter is a hard hitter who also stands out as a blitzer. He's a good enough athlete on tape who should definitely find a role in the NFL.

Cornerbacks

Rank	Joey Bray	Ryland Bickley	Ryan Parish
1	Mansoor Delane	Mansoor Delane	Mansoor Delane
2	Jermod McCoy	Jermod McCoy	Jermod McCoy
3	Chris Johnson	Chris Johnson	Chris Johnson
4	Colton Hood	Aveion Terrell	Aveion Terrell
5	Aveion Terrell	Keith Abney II	Colton Hood
6	D'Angelo Ponds	Colton Hood	Treydan Stukes
7	Keionte Scott	Brandon Cisse	D'Angelo Ponds
8	Keith Abney II	D'Angelo Ponds	Keith Abney II
9	Brandon Cisse	Treydan Stukes	Davison Igbinosun
10	Davison Igbinosun	Keionte Scott	Brandon Cisse

RB: I almost listed Treydan Stukes with the safeties, but I would like to see him get a shot in the slot before switching to center field. As an older prospect, Stukes still shows plenty of potential with a 9.95 RAS and 4.33 speed. He's a lightning-quick reactor with excellent ball skills who logged four picks in 2025. His high-cut build and lean frame makes me question how he'll hold up to the physicality of the nickel position, but he's a solid all-around defender who should be a chess piece for whichever team drafts him.

JB: Tennessee corner Jermod McCoy has arguably the best tape out of any corner in the 2026 Draft. However, he missed the entire 2025 season with a torn ACL and now might need another surgery on a different knee, surgery that could cause him to miss some time in training camp and into his rookie season. If Mansoor Deland didn't put together an All-SEC season at LSU, McCoy would probably be the unanimous CB1. McCoy has unbelievable athleticism and jumps out of the stadium to bat balls out of the air. His footwork and patience make him a corner that plays well-rounded in both man and zone coverages. The Steelers seem to like SDSU's Chris Johnson a lot, and for good reason. However, if McCoy does fall all the way to 21, Pittsburgh should heavily consider drafting what could very easily become the biggest steal of the 2026 NFL Draft.

RP: You can't convince me that Joey Porter Jr. and Davison Igbinosun wouldn't have opposing receivers in fits for years if they were to team up. Igbinosun has many of the same skills as Porter Jr., only he tested better athletically and is a more physical tackler on the field. Porter Jr. is more refined in coverage, but I'd be intrigued to see what tricks Igbinosun could learn from the Steelers' vet.

Safeties

Rank	Joey Bray	Ryland Bickley	Ryan Parish
1	Caleb Downs	Caleb Downs	Caleb Downs
2	Dillon Thieneman	Dillon Thieneman	Dillon Thieneman
3	Emmanuel McNeil-Warren	Emmanuel McNeil-Warren	Emmanuel McNeil-Warren
4	AJ Haulcy	AJ Haulcy	VJ Payne
5	Bud Clark	Bud Clark	Bud Clark
6	VJ Payne	Zakee Wheatley	Kyle Louis
7	Zakee Wheatley	Genesis Smith	AJ Haulcy
8	Genesis Smith	VJ Payne	Genesis Smith
9	Jalon Kilgore	Jalon Kilgore	Jalon Kilgore
10	Michael Taafe	Kamari Ramsey	Jalen Huskey

RP: VJ Payne is in the McNeil-Warren mold physically and with how he can enforce the middle of the field, but he's lacking the same prolific turnover numbers (6 for Payne, 16 for EMW). His ADP has been all over the place during this draft cycle, but I think a late third or fourth-round pick would be appropriate. He's one of my guys" this cycle.

RB: Wheatley is a lanky, rangy safety with free/strong versatility. I'm a fan of how he diagnoses and attacks downhill, and in deep coverage, he's plenty smart and fast. Wheatley will need to bulk up a bit to continue to make an impact in the box at the NFL level, and he'll also need to improve his fluidity in man coverage as his long-striding style affects his change of direction. Still, I like the way he plays and see him as excellent safety depth and a likely starter down the road.

JB: If you like ball-hawking safeties, TCU's Bud Clark is your guy. Clark collected 15 interceptions during his collegiate career. Clark plays a very dangerous brand of football, with taking the ball away always in his mind. This can also cause Clark to get burned in coverage and play catch-up often. Clark is also a solid tackler who can make plays all over the field. The risk is very much worth the reward for someone who can change the game in the blink of an eye.

Let us know what you think of our rankings in the comments. Which players do you want to see the Steelers draft?