Former NFL player and scout Bucky Brooks knows the ins and outs of this league, providing keen insight in his notebook. In today's installment, he spotlights 11 defensive players poised to make noise in 2026.
In NFL scouting circles, evaluators pay close attention to second- and third-year pros who finished the previous season with impressive play down the stretch. While it is hard to sustain momentum from one year to the next, some young players are able to maintain their focus on established fundamentals while adding a few more wrinkles to the repertoire, allowing them to dramatically rise up league ranks.
With NFL training camps opening later this month, it's a perfect time to survey the landscape and identify youngsters who are set up to become star-level players for their respective teams. Here are 11 defensive players with serious breakout potential in 2026.
Abdul Carter
New York Giants · Age 22
The third overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft was expected to take the league by storm as a freakishly athletic pass rusher with disruptive skills. While Next Gen Stats credited Carter with 72 QB pressures -- including a league-best 48 quick pressures (occurring in under 2.5 seconds) -- his sack production was underwhelming, with just four on the season. I expect him to get home more often in 2026. Under new defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson, the Giants are preparing to unleash "organized chaos" via a quintet of rare athletes in the front seven: Carter, Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux, Arvell Reese and Tremaine Edmunds. Carter should see his numbers explode in Year 2 with plenty of one-on-one opportunities.
Mike Green
Baltimore Ravens · Age 22
Jesse Minter's return to Baltimore -- and Trey Hendrickson's arrival inCharm City -- should lead to a monstrous season for the second-year pro. Green is a twitchy edge defender with the first-step quickness and burst to create problems for lumbering tackles unable to match his energy. Moreover, he gets a chance to showcase his skills in an attack-style scheme that will force opponents to deal with the ultra-feisty Hendrickson on one side, leading to plenty of isolated matchups for the 6-3, 250-pounder. After tallying 3.5 sacks, 14 quarterback hits and 41 total tackles in his debut season, Green could notch 10-plus sacks as a designated pass rusher on a defense that is transitioning from a conservative approach to an aggressive style that should produce more sacks.
Walter Nolen
Arizona Cardinals · Age 22
Nolen teased the football world with game-wrecking ability as a rookie, but injuries limited him to just six games. With better health, the No. 16 overall pick from last year's draft should wreak havoc as a full-time starter on the interior. Nolen's explosiveness, strength and power overwhelm opponents unable to deal with his disruptive skills at the point of attack. Despite being limited to 160 defensive snaps last season, per NGS, he amassed a pair of sacks, five tackles for loss, five quarterback hits and a fumble recovery. Given his flashes as an interior monster, Nolen's second-year jump could catapult him into Pro Bowl consideration in 2026.
Darius Alexander
New York Giants · Age 25
New York's trade of decorated defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence to Cincinnati creates a huge opportunity for Alexander to flex his muscles as a disruptive force between the tackles. The 2025 third-round pick not only has a clear path to a starting role, but Roy Robertson-Harris' season-ending injury will lead to more playmaking opportunities for the youngster on a sack-obsessed front line. After notching three sacks and three tackles for loss over his final six games in 2025, the 6-4, 310-pounder is primed for a breakout season as a key piece of the Giants' rejiggered defensive puzzle.
Jihaad Campbell
Philadelphia Eagles · Age 22
After serving an apprenticeship under Nakobe Dean during his rookie season, Campbell is ready to take the full-time reins as Philadelphia's man in the middle following Dean's free-agent departure to Las Vegas. The athletic linebacker will enhance defensive coordinator Vic Fangio's scheme with his length and range. Moreover, he will add a new dimension to the Eagles' defense with his playmaking ability at the second level, shining as a run-and-chase defender with pass-rush ability. With the former first-rounder installed in a premium position in Fangio's D, Campbell could quickly emerge as a star in his second season.
Cedric Gray
Tennessee Titans · Age 23
The unheralded tackling machine could become a household name as the centerpiece of a defense birthed by Robert Saleh and Gus Bradley to terrorize opponents with various zone-based concepts. The "see ball, get ball" philosophy meshes well with Gray's instincts and diagnostic skills, which should lead to a spike in playmaking from the third-year pro. Considering he finished fifth in total tackles (160) as a first-time starter in 2025, the linebacker could rack up jaw-dropping numbers behind a salty defensive front led by Jeffery Simmons.
Travis Hunter
Jacksonville Jaguars · Age 23
The No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 draft was expected to revolutionize the modern NFL as a two-way player, but his debut campaign came to an abrupt end with a knee injury in October. In Year 2, the Jaguars are expected to utilize Hunter as a full-time cornerback and part-time offensive playmaker, giving him a major role for a Jacksonville team that just went 13-4. As a natural ballhawk with outstanding instincts, vision and ball skills, Hunter's presence on the island for a turnover-obsessed unit could be the difference between another early exit from the playoffs and a deep postseason run.
Kool-Aid McKinstry
New Orleans Saints · Age 23
The former second-round pick could be on the verge of establishing himself as a true CB1 in New Orleans. Although his inconsistencies in coverage have made him a target for quarterbacks hunting completions (101.3 passer rating and eight touchdowns allowed in 2025, per NGS), I believe the third-year pro is ready to take the next step in defensive coordinator Brandon Staley's "vision and break" scheme. He exhibited strong playmaking ability on the island last season with 17 pass breakups and three interceptions (not to mention 76 tackles). Now, he just needs to even out his play -- and I think he will.
Upton Stout
San Francisco 49ers · Age 24
Old-school players will tell you the nickel position is reserved for defenders with a supreme combination of instincts and athleticism that enables them to create big plays in various ways. Stout certainly fit the bill as a rookie in 2025. Whether swatting passes away, punching the ball out or blitzing off the edge, Stout flashed star qualities manning the slot. He finished third on the 49ers with 82 tackles, excelling as a "see ball, get ball" playmaker. He could further develop into a true difference-maker for a San Francisco squad with championship aspirations.
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Kevin Winston Jr.
Tennessee Titans · Age 22
The versatile defender should thrive in the Titans' new scheme, which frequently deploys safeties near the line of scrimmage to make more plays on the ball. While Winston will handle some deep-safety duties in the team's quarters looks, the selective use of three-deep coverage could lead to more action for Winston in the box, where he shines. Given the simplicity of the scheme and emphasis on playing fast and free between the lines, the former Penn State standout could make his mark as a full-time starter playing for a pair of defensive coaches (Robert Saleh and Gus Bradley) intent on creating opportunities for top playmakers.
Craig Woodson
New England Patriots · Age 25
The underrated safety is a bit of "glue guy" for the Patriots as a back-end defender with outstanding instincts, awareness and communication skills. Woodson is always in the right spot at the right time, with impeccable timing as a playmaker between the numbers. Although his modest production as a rookie does not jump off the stat sheet (79 tackles, three passes defended, and two fumble recoveries), Woodson's positive impact as a role player could earn him high marks from coaches and executives when they privately discuss hidden gems in league circles.