While GM Mike Borgonzi and the Tennessee Titans have continued to build elsewhere, adding a few youth-infused playmakers on the edge continues to look like a position of focus in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Things will undoubtedly change as boards adjust, sources share news, and the college football season concludes, but here are three early names — on each day of the selection process — Titans fans should keep on their radar as the campaign progresses.
2026 NFL Draft edge rushers to know for the Titans
Day 1: Rueben Bain Jr, Miami
Through four weeks of the 2025 season, the Tennessee Titans sit at 0-4 and currently hold the No. 2 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft next spring.
With a roster lacking difference-makers on defense and a pass rush that’s failed to consistently impact games, a player like Miami’s Reuben Bain Jr. would make immediate sense on day one of the selection process.
Bain brings a blend of burst, power, and technical refinement that translates cleanly to the NFL. At Miami, he’s been a tone-setter off the edge -- winning with heavy hands, low pad level, and the short-area quickness to collapse pockets or chase plays down from the backside. He's not just a speed threat; he converts power with natural leverage and plays with a motor that doesn’t stall.
For Tennessee, the need is obvious. Their front has struggled to generate pressure without blitzing, and they lack a young cornerstone at the position to build around.
Bain profiles as the kind of foundational defender who can immediately upgrade their pass rush while offering three-down value. Pairing a face of the franchise in QB Cam Ward with a defensive game-wrecker like Bain could give the Titans a much-needed identity on that side of the ball.
Day 2: Quincy Rhodes Jr, Arkansas
If the Titans look beyond round one for pass-rush help, Rhodes Jr. is the kind of day-two talent who fits their situation. At 0-4, they need more than just one premium addition -- they need depth, youth, and flat out juice off the edge.
Rhodes offers an intriguing developmental profile with traits that translate. He’s long, fluid, and shows natural bend for his size. At Arkansas, he's flashed the ability to win with length and timing, using his wingspan to keep tackles off his frame and affect passing lanes. He’s still refining his counters and overall pass-rush sequencing, but his first step and frame give him a real ceiling.
For a Titans team that lacks rotational edge talent and long-term upside behind its starters, Rhodes can immediately contribute in sub-packages while developing into a larger role.
His motor and physical tools would pair well with a defense in need of fresh legs and disruption, and should Tennessee spend its top pick on offense or another defensive cornerstone, landing someone like Rhodes on day two gives them another swing at rebuilding the pass rush without sacrificing value.
Day 3: Will Heldt, Clemson
Heldt brings the kind of length and range that defensive coordinators covet at 6-foot-6, 260 pounds.
He’s built to play on the edge with long levers, a disruptive wingspan, and the ability to affect throwing lanes even when he doesn’t reach the quarterback. While he’s not as polished or explosive as day-one prospects, he extends well at the point of attack, and flashes closing speed in pursuit.
His frame suggests he can continue to add functional strength without losing movement skills, as well.
For Tennessee, Heldt fits as a rotational edge with special teams value early while he develops behind veterans. He gives the Titans another body who can set the edge, rush with length, and offer versatility in multiple fronts. On day three, you’re betting on traits and motor -- and Heldt checks both boxes for a team desperate to build a deeper, younger front seven.