Few positions are more coveted in college football than edge rushers, and the recruiting process for those players is evidence of it. Not only are they typically some of the highest-paid players — both in college and the NFL — but at the high school level, they often have some of the most fiercely contested recruitments.
The 2026 class was exceptionally deep at the position, and 2027 should be another strong year across the country. Some of the top EDGE prospects will take their process deep into the fall and potentially even to signing day, but 10 blue-chippers are already committed to a program.
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Rivals breaks them down below:
School: Blessed Trinity Catholic (Ga.)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 10 NATL. (No. 2 EDGE)
On his commitment: “I love everything about Ohio State,” Jacobs told Rivals’ Chad Simmons. “I was there for the Rutgers game and that visit really blew me away. The coaches, the players, and the atmosphere made a big impact on me. I knew about Ohio State and had been following them for a long time, but that visit showed me a lot.”
School: Irmo (S.C.)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 34 NATL. (No. 5 EDGE)
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On his commitment: “Coach (Sterling) Lucas is a coach I trust and believe in,” Bryant told Rivals’ Chad Simmons. “South Carolina wasn’t one of my first offers, but he was recruiting me before that. He started recruiting me early, and he’s like family. He’s easy to talk to, we have a nice relationship, and he’s always been a coach I knew I would love to play for … LSU has a storied history. They’ve always developed players, and it’s a good school with a lot of success.”
School: Vigor (Ala.)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 88 NATL. (No. 10 EDGE)
About: The 6-foot-2, 220-pounder was a menace for the Wolves during his junior season, with 106 tackles, 21 sacks, 32.5 tackles for loss, 18 QB pressures, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery. He has been committed to the Tide since July 2024, but other schools are continuing to push for a flip. According to Rivals’ Adam Gorney, “There are three main contenders working to flip the Mobile Vigor standout are Auburn, Florida State and Texas A&M.”
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School: Tustin (Tustin, CA)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 103 (#14 EDGE)
Notable Quote: “Coach Stacey I’m really close to him because he was at UCLA and now he’s at Oklahoma so he told everybody at Oklahoma, ‘I’m really close with this kid,’ and they all want me to go over there. Even the offensive coaches are recruiting me. It’s a big thing. Me and (Ford) have a really good connection. It’s like he was my coach and he went to OU and they’re all trying to get me.”
School: Cy Falls (Texas)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 115 NATL. (No. 17 EDGE)
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On his commitment: “After the first and second visits, I got to really talk to Coach Elko and the whole staff and they really expressed how much they wanted me,” McCarty told Rivals’ Sam Spiegelman. “Coach (Jay) Bateman, Coach (Sean) Spencer and Coach Tony (Jerod-Eddie) all played roles. They just pushed the hardest and they know that I’m a family person — and they got the closest with my family.”
School: Wayzata (Minn.)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 119 NATL. (No. 18 EDGE)
Scout’s Take: “Eli Diane is one that we really ranked high in our initial rankings and we continue to like what we see from the Minnesota commit. A lot of the tools we like to see from prospects at his position, we could see where he could continue to grow and become a defensive lineman long-term. A ton of developmental upside there, we like the film and feel like he’s just scratching the surface on his potential.” — Charles Power, Rivals Director of Scouting and Rankings
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School: Muskegon (Mich.)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 126 NATL. (No. 19 EDGE)
On Michigan: “We went to a lot of colleges and, when we got there, it was different,” Kitchen told The Wolverine’s Ethan McDowell in September. “Everybody was huge. They were really hitting out there, really putting in work and it was just different.”
School: Ridgeline (Utah)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 135 NATL. (No. 20 EDGE)
On his commitment: “It was in the back of my head for the last month-and-a-half with the communication they’ve had and just seeing their defense and how crazy it is these past few years,” Jones told Rivals’ Adam Gorney. “Looking back on the coaches and how they develop kids and how I could trust myself in their hands to get me to where I want to be.”
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School: Mansfield Summit (Arlington, TX)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 242
On his commitment: “Me and Coach Clark, our relationship is really great. That’s my dawg. We share a lot of things in common. He helps me with my game already, and I’m not even committed there. He already shows a genuine interest in me, thinks I can be good, loves the way I play the game and I feel like he can enhance my game even more.” — Hall to InsideTexas.com
School: Grimsley (N.C.)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 282 NATL. (No. 28 EDGE)
Rogers on new VT head coach James Franklin: “It changes some things for me,” he told Rivals. “I’m sure they will reach back out and Blacksburg is still my first love. I would love it make it work again with them if possible … “It’s definitely a great hire. I’ve heard nothing but great things about him.”
