The 'On The Clock' crew of Matt Williamson, Mike Prisuta and Max Starks take a look at the top prospects in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft. Today, they give us their top 10 defensive players.
The opinions expressed here are their own and not those of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Matt's Top 10
- Arvell Reese, EDGE/LB, Ohio State
- Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State
- Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State
- Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU
- Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee
- David Bailey, EDGE, Texas Tech
- Rueben Bain, EDGE, Miami
- Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon
- Kayden McDonald, DT, Ohio State
- Malachi Lawrence, EDGE, Central Florida
Matt's Take: Let's just say that the Ohio State Buckeyes are well represented here. Reese is a rare prospect. His ability is off the charts, but he is also unusually young with a tremendous head for the game. The question is whether he will spend more time rushing off the edge or playing on the second level. His teammate, Styles, is a true off the ball phenom who also is very young and has tremendous potential for today's NFL. Downs isn't the biggest or the fastest as elite safety prospects go. But his tape is very close to flawless. Delane and McCoy are ranked right next to each other on purpose as the clear top two cornerbacks in this draft. Both project as number one corners at the next level-and there are very few number ones in the league currently. Delane got the slight edge for one reason: McCoy didn't play a down of football last season, but he was able to perform very recently at a private workout. This might seem late for Bailey, who could hear his name called only after Fernando Mendoza, but Bailey is a pure pass-rusher and while he is excellent at it, he isn't an elite pass-rushing prospect because of just moderate power. Bain plays with a ton of power and passion. You feel his presence. But Bain has unusually short arms for his position, which could really hinder him at the next level. There isn't much to nitpick with Thieneman. Over his time at Purdue then Oregon, he has shown highly capable of performing whatever safety duties his new defensive coordinator will ask of him. McDonald is a highly one-dimensional old school run stuffer in the middle of a defensive line. He offers very little rushing the quarterback. So, it can be argued that McDonald really isn't a first round player, as he will spend a lot of time watching from the sidelines. But there will be a few teams desperate for what he provides. And he is an awesome run stuffer. Lawrence doesn't get the publicity of the others on this list, probably because he is from a smaller program. He shows a little stiffness when changing directions or going to his second pass-rush move, but Lawrence is one of the best coming off the ball and shows the ability to go right through the middle of his opponent. And he plays hard every snap. Don't be surprised when Lawrence is selected in the first round.
Mike's Top 10
- Arvell Reese, EDGE, Ohio State
- Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State
- Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State
- David Bailey, EDGE, Texas Tech
- Rueben Bain Jr., EDGE, Miami (Fla.)
- Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU
- Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon
- Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo
- Cashius Howell, EDGE, Texas A&M
- Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee
Mike's Take: If these players were taken in a traditional pickup-game type of succession, the picking team would lack defensive linemen entirely but be loaded at EDGE, cornerback and safety. And the lone true inside linebacker might not need any help. Such is the nature of the defensive draft class. Reese played 324 snaps at EDGE, 273 as on off-the-ball linebacker and 34 in the slot in 2025 on the way to earning Associated Press First-Team All-America honors. He's the best defender available, seemingly regardless of scheme or need. Styles has been compared to Fred Warner as a linebacker and to DK Metcalf and Nick Emmanwori when it comes to athletic testing. There's nothing not to like. Downs is the complete package atop a loaded safety class. He told NFL Network reporter Stacey Dales at the NFL Scouting Combine that he believes what separates him as a player is his "football brain." That's helped Downs earn rave reviews for his communication and leadership skills, among other more obvious attributes. Bailey is another above-the-neck player. He graduated Stanford in three years before going to Texas Tech and wants to master the mental approach to the game at the next level. Bailey was an AP First-Team All-America pick in 2025 but he told Dales at the Combine, "I'm not really scratching the surface of what I can become." NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah is already impressed. "Goodness gracious, everything he does is quick and violent," Jeremiah observed. All Bain seemingly lacks is idea arm length but that rarely if ever shows up on tape. Jeremiah has called Bain a "certified junkyard dog" who adheres to the three Ds of defense: Disruption, Destruction, Dominance. Delane's first name Mansoor is Arabic and the translated meaning is "victorious with the help of God," according to NFL Research. Delane doesn't appear to need much if any help either running down the field with speed wide receivers or applying the necessary physicality when dealing with bigger pass-catchers. Jeremiah found a creative way to predict how long Thieneman would have to wait to hear his name called once the draft commences based on the 4.35 40-yard dash Thieneman ran at the Combine in Indianapolis: "That's a one-suit run. You only bring one suit to the draft. You don't need to bring a backup." McNeil-Warren might well be another one-suit safety. He's a "ball-playing machine," in Jeremiah's estimation, whether it has been thrown, caught or handed off to someone the defense needs to tackle. "Just splatter shots in a bunch of games," Jeremiah added regarding McNeil-Warren's tape. Howell isn't a slam-dunk first-round selection because, like, Bain, Howell lacks ideal arm length for the position. But he became the first Texas A&M player with 11-plus sacks in a season since Myles Garrett when Howell registered 11.5 on the way to AP First-Team All-America honors in 2025. "I know he lacks prototypical measurements, but a smart team will set that aside and add an energetic force off the edge," Jeremiah insisted. McCoy has confirmed his return to good health after missing 2025 (ACL). And when healthy, he's comfortable in press-man or zone coverage and can play the ball in either circumstance.
Max's Top 10
- Caleb Downs- OSU
- Sonny Styles- OSU
- David Bailey- Tx. Tech
- Mansoor Delane- LSU
- Ruben Bain Jr.- Miami
- Arvell Reese- OSU
- Jermod McCoy- Tennessee
- Akeem Messidor- Miami
- Jake Golday- Cincinnati
- Aveion Terrell- Clemson
Max's Take: The defensive side of the ball for this year's prospect class is by far and away the best side in this year's draft. It was a completely mind melding, frustrating, two-energy drinks and a sledgehammer decision to come up with a top 10, but as my 2 other colleagues have proven in this article, it can be done! So, here we go: Ohio State reigned supreme as it has three very, very capable players in this top 10 and holding the number one and number two spots, respectfully. Downs and Styles are the best at their positions and you throw in Love on the offensive side of the ball, and this would be the three very best prospects in this entire draft, regardless of positions. Goldie from Cincinnati is the only other linebacker in this top 10 list, but there are others like a CJ Allan, who can go in the first round. I have four pass rushers in this top 10, but there will be a couple more going in the first round, as well. I really like Faulk from Auburn, and Young from Mizzou. Cornerback has the second most in this top 10 with three and they are excellent. These are the cover corner types - set it and forget it type of players. A couple more names to keep your eye out for - Colton Hood, Chris Johnson, and Keionte Scott. These are also very good corners. I mentioned Downs earlier, but I would be remiss if I did not mention two other counterparts that could very well be first day name calls. Dillon Thieneman and Emmanuel McNeil-Warren are great options at the Safety position, and will not wait long to join Downs in the NFL. I know this will read longer than a top 10, but this was how tough it was to come up with this list because there are so many great players.
