Top committed edge rushers in the 2026 Rivals Industry Ranking

June and July saw hundreds of Power 4 commitments across the country, including multiple top edge rushers announcing their college destinations.

As it stands after three weeks of July, 8 of the top 10 — and 30 of the top 32 — EDGE prospects in the class are now committed. The only two not only that list are five-star Anthony Jones and high four-star Jake Kreul, both of whom could come of the board between now and the start of high school football next month.

Below are the top committed edge rushers in the class and what school they’re currently pledged to play their college football at:

Zion Elee — Maryland

School: Baltimore St. Frances Academy
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 1 NATL.

Scouting Summary: “Electric speed rusher with an elite combination of athleticism and length off the edge. Measured around 6-foot-3, 220 pounds prior to his junior season. Has truly elite length, with arms that measure 35.5 inches. Pairs the rare length with top-shelf athleticism. A standout in the combine setting who transfers the speed over to the field. Plays with an eye-popping burst, dating back to his sophomore year at Joppatowne (Md.) High. Explodes into the backfield with high-end first-step quickness. Transferred to Baltimore power St. Frances Academy for his junior season and turned in a strong campaign, racking up 28 tackles for loss and 10 sacks against top competition. Showed game-wrecking tendencies in showcase games. Often plays as a standup pass rusher. Has blow-by speed off the edge. Play strength and ability to set the edge is solid but will need to continue improving. Rare athletic and physical traits combined with consecutive years of high-level production make him the top EDGE prospect in the 2026 cycle entering his senior season.”

Rodney Dunham — Notre Dame

School: Charlotte Myers Park
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 13 NATL.

Scouting Summary: “Athletic pass rusher with the skill set and functional movement skills that point to a high upside. Measured at around 6-foot-4, 215 pounds with good length as a junior. Lines up on the edge for his high school team, rushing the passer out of two and three-point stances. Limber athlete who has very smooth movements. Displays outstanding get-off, bursting off the snap. Has excellent curvilinear movement skills, showing the ability to accelerate while rounding the edge. Dips his shoulder to shirk contact with offensive tackles. Closes quickly on ball carriers once in the backfield. Play speed is evident as he stalks down ball carriers from behind. Shows burgeoning power at the point of attack, shedding offensive linemen once engaged. Will need to continue developing from a physical and technical standpoint. Could stand to improve his production. A younger prospect for the cycle, turning 18 years old in July before his freshman season of college football.”

Richard Wesley — Texas

School: Sierra Canyon
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 19 NATL.

Scout’s Take: “Richard Wesley is the top pass rusher on the West Coast this cycle. Was the No. 1 edge prospect in the 2027 cycle before reclassifying. He reclassified into a really, really strong EDGE group nationally in 2026. For a 16-year old, very advanced physically. Muscled up, filled out build. He has been a really good player at Sierra Canyon to this point. Had a very productive season last fall: 16 tackles for loss, nine sacks and I think considering that was really technically his sophomore season, second varsity season, I think that’s encouraging and looking for him to take a step this year.”

Carter Meadows — Michigan

School: Washington D.C. Gonzaga
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 30 NATL.

Scouting Summary: Rangy EDGE prospect with a rare combination of frame and movement skills. One of the most physically impressive prospects in the 2026 cycle. Measured in at around 6-foot-6, 225 pounds as a junior. Has vines for arms that measure around 35 inches to go with large hands. Could easily be a 280-pounder before it’s all said and done. Pairs the great frame with impressive functional athleticism A fluid, flexible athlete who has excellent bend. Has the natural tools to develop into a dangerous pass rusher down the line. Length pairs with good play strength to result in an effective edge setter. Also shows his athleticism in tracking down plays in pursuit. Doubles as a good high school basketball player while playing top competition on the hardwood. Will need to continue progressing as a pass rusher while upping his production. Pure physical upside is among the highest in the 2026 cycle.

Trenton Henderson — LSU

School: Pensacola (Fla.) Catholic
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 36 NATL.

About: Despite not playing in one of the state’s most talent-rich areas of Florida, Henderson has proven himself time and time again to be one of the Sunshine State’s best. Following a solid sophomore campaign, he racked up 50 tackles, including 18 TFLs, 20 hurries, 10 sacks and six pass breakups as a junior. Similar to others on this list, he had opportunities to stay home and play in-state, but opted to pledge to LSU at the beginning of July.

Bryce Perry-Wright — Texas A&M

School: Buford (Buford, GA)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 39 NATL.

About: Playing for state and national powerhouse Buford, Perry-Wright has developed a reputation as an elite defensive line prospect. He was extremely disruptive to opposing offenses in 2024, collecting 57 total tackles, 13 TFLs, nine sacks and 17 quarterback hurries. 

Luke Wafle — USC

School: Middletown (N.J.) Hun School
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 45 NATL.

Scouting Summary: “The most ready-to-play top EDGE prospect in the 2026 cycle. Measured over 6-foot-5, 255 pounds with arms over 33 inches and big hands prior to his senior season. More physically mature than many of his highly-rated peers. Combines play strength and motor with functional athleticism. Wins at the point of attack with a powerful punch and the ability to convert speed to power. Uses quick power swipes to disengage from offensive linemen. Shows multiple pass-rush pathways and closing speed to finish behind the line of scrimmage. Nimble mover who breaks down well in space. A violent finisher who drives ball carriers into the ground. Strong, consistent run defender due to physicality and effort. Logged 18 TFLs and 8 sacks in nine games as a junior. Best fit as a true defensive end in a four-man front at the college level. First-step quickness remains an area for improvement. Touts a strong multi-sport background with above-the-rim bounce on the basketball court and a 45-6 foot shot put mark. Slightly older for the grade, common for northeastern prep school prospects. Could be primed for an impact as a true freshman given his level of development and physical maturity.”

Tristian Givens — Texas A&M

School: Carver (Columbus, GA)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 59 NATL.

About: Givens is one of the country’s most impressive two-way athletes, playing wide receiver and defensive end while checking in at 6’4 and over 200 pounds. He is primarily projected to play the latter at the college level. As a junior, he helped lead Carver to a Georgia AA championship and finished the year with 29 tackles for loss and 12 sacks, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Jamarion Carlton — Baylor

School: Temple (Texas)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 62 NATL.

Carlton on his commitment: “It’s family down there. They make you feel love. Everything about it is love,” he told Rivals about the Bears. “I love how they communicate. Every Monday morning I get a big text from the whole coaching staff. They have been consistent with contact a lot … I love how they practice. They’re gonna have a good year this year … they’re gonna be up there in the Big 12.”

Jamarion Matthews — Alabama

School: Gainesville (Gainesville, GA)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 77 NATL.

Scout’s Take: “We’ve had him ranked pretty highly most of the cycle. I think what he showed in Nashville was super impressive. He’s continued to add size (6-2, 250+) and can really move at that size. He has an elite production level on Friday nights. He showed he’s even more advanced technically, than we thought. I liked his arsenal of pass rush moves. He has a deep bag of of counter spin moves in addition to the quick first step and speed to power. He was dominating one-on-ones I think when you look at him in the edge group, which in my opinion, is the strongest position group to this point in 2026, I think he stacks up well.” — Charles Power, Rivals Director of Scouting and Rankings