The 2026 NFL Draft edge class has three names dominating the conversation: Ohio State’s Arvell Reese, Texas Tech’s David Bailey, and Miami’s Rueben Bain. All three will be selected early on Day 1 of the draft, but each comes with a unique risk-versus-reward profile. Their obvious athleticism combined with production suggests their high-level play should transition well to the professional ranks.
Reese, Bailey, and Bain each flash elite traits on tape, but their leverage, hand usage, and ability to set up their attack tell three different stories about floor, ceiling, and scheme fit. Getting the right player to the right team to maximize those abilities isn’t guaranteed, so let’s take a look at how they stack up against each other.
Arvell Reese (Ohio State)
At 6’-4”, 241 pounds, with 32.5” arms, Reese showed solid straight-line speed at the combine, posting a 4.46 in the forty. Arvell displayed high-level athletic traits while playing hybrid linebacker/edge for Ohio State in 2025 (69 tackles, 10 TFL, 6.5 sacks). Reese’s hand usage consists of violent strikes that can jolt blockers off balance and keep his frame clean in the run game. He diagnoses quickly, sheds with power, and has the length to make plays in space.
When it comes to rushing the passer, Arvell is a work in progress. Reese relies heavily on his first-step quickness and bend, but he doesn’t yet possess a group of moves that he can string together. When the immediate burst fails to set up his next move, allowing the tackle to respond, his rush is too often negated and consumed. There are obvious physical traits here, but the idea that he will become a standout rusher in the NFL is still just an idea.
Arvell Reese profiles similarly to Bruce Irvin of West Virginia, though a touch lighter and not as refined a rush artist entering the draft. There’s a lot of projection involved when placing him within an NFL defense, and I’m not sold that he will become a full-time EDR in an odd front or a solid off-ball LB in an even front. At times, Reese lined up at ILB in subpackages and appeared extremely comfortable, so finding his permanent spot as a pro may take a bit of trial and error.
Gridiron Heroics Christian Lance currently ranks Arvell Reese at N0. 2 overall.
David Bailey (Texas Tech)
Texas Tech’s David Bailey checks in at 6’-4”, 251 pounds and represents the most explosive pure pass rusher of the three. His first step is elite, and he pairs it with advanced hand placement, showing speed-to-power, long-arm stabs, and a quick inside counter that pigeonholes tackles into a rigid box. He generated solid pressure in 2025 and projects as an immediate contributor in obvious passing situations.
What stands out on tape is how well Bailey uses his hands to create angles when his bend doesn’t immediately win. He’s slight of frame but explosive off the ball, and his punch timing achieves leverage where weight discrepancies tilt the odds against him. There’s some concern about making the next step in competition when it comes to getting washed under by more physical tackles, but his explosive traits are worthy of top-10 consideration.
Locking Bailey into a Wide-9 or OLB in a base 3-4 will give him the separation he needs to win on more downs than not. He’s an obvious subpackage “plug-and-play” option, but he may need to bulk up to become a three-down contributor on Sundays, as his run support will need work. He’s willing to put his nose in the pile, but he doesn’t recognize quickly enough to utilize his burst, so his linear frame gets caught too often in the undertow. If the OL gets its hands on him early in the rush rep, David can sometimes just be taken along for the ride.
David Bailey athletically profiles similarly to Lorenzo Carter of Georgia. There’s an obvious upside in David’s game that is limited only by his physical stature. That physical downside clearly shows up more in the run game, and it’s this deficiency that lowers his floor. The upside of a game-changing pass rusher shows on film, but until he can add the elements (or the weight) needed to succeed against the ground game, Bailey may always remain a situational pass rusher as a professional.
Gridiron Heroics Christian Lance currently ranks David Bailey at N0. 5 overall.
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