• Colin Simmons is once again at the top: The Texas star has led this list in back-to-back seasons, the first edge defender to do so in the PFF College era.

• Oregon has two in the top 10: The Ducks have two top-10 edge defenders — Teitum Tuioti and Matayo Uiagelelei — giving them arguably the best defensive line in college football

• 2026 NFL Draft season is here: Try the best-in-class PFF Mock Draft Simulator and learn about 2026’s top prospects while trading and drafting for your favorite NFL team.

The 2026 college football offseason is in full swing. With that, it’s time to start ranking the top 10 returning players at every single position.

Next up is edge defender. While the 2026 NFL Draft features a strong edge class, there are still plenty of returning stars. In fact, the two top players from last year’s list are still in school. 

Below are PFF’s top 10 returning edge defenders in college football, along with an honorable mention nominee. Please note that NFL projection was not taken into account in these rankings.

Click below to view other position rankings:

QB | RB | WR | TE | OT | OG | C | DI

1. Colin Simmons, Texas

Simmons tops this list for the second straight year, joining an exclusive group of players who have accomplished that feat.

Top Returning Players at a Position for Multiple Years in PFF’s Rankings

No returning FBS edge rusher has been more valuable than Simmons over the past two years, according to PFF Wins Above Average. Simmons ranks second among all returning edge defenders in pressures during that span (105) while posting a very solid career 78.7 PFF run-defense grade. He enters his junior year as the clear best edge rusher in college football and projects as a top-10 pick in the loaded 2027 NFL Draft. 

2. Clev Lubin, Louisville

Lubin has taken a winding road in his college career, playing for four schools in his first four seasons (Army, Iowa Western, Coastal Carolina and Louisville). What’s remained a constant over the past three years is his dominance.

Lubin’s 92.8 PFF overall grade since 2024 is the best of any returning FBS edge defender, while his 110 pressures are the most. His 64 pressures with the Cardinals this past year ranked sixth, and his 24% pass-rush win rate was the highest in the Power Four.

3. Dylan Stewart, South Carolina

Stewart placed second on this list last year but drops one spot after just an OK sophomore campaign. Still, his body of work over his first two seasons and freaky tools deserve a spot in the top three.

His 88 pressures since 2024 are second to only Colin Simmons among players who have played in the Power Four in each of the past two years. Stewart owns an elite 90.2 PFF pass-rush grade in that span and improved his PFF run-defense grade to a 79.0 in 2025 after logging a 61.9 mark as a true freshman. He has all the makings of a top-10 draft pick if he can bounce back as a junior. 

4. John Henry Daley, Michigan

The first of three transfers on this list, Daley followed head coach Kyle Whittingham from Utah to Michigan. After two years on the bench at BYU and with the Utes, he finally started as a redshirt sophomore and was one of the best pass rushers in the sport. 

Daley’s 93.4 PFF pass-rush grade ranked second in the FBS to David Bailey, a projected top-five pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. His 23% pass-rush win rate placed third in the Power Four, behind only Clev Lubin and Rueben Bain Jr., another projected top-10 pick. Daley also earned a very solid 77.6 PFF run-defense grade and should be the next star off the edge for the Wolverines. 

5. Teitum Tuioti, Oregon

Tuioti is back for his senior year with the Ducks and is entering his third season as one of their starting edge defenders. He posted 80.0-plus PFF grades as both a pass rusher and a run defender in 2025, the only returning Power Four edge rusher to do so. Tuioti’s 47 defensive stops were the most in the Power Four, while his 11 sacks tied for 11th in the FBS. 

He is the fourth-most-valuable returning Power Four edge defender, according to PFF Wins Above Average. 

6. Matayo Uiagalelei, Oregon

With two players in PFF’s top-10 interior defenders and top-10 edge defenders lists, it’s fair to say the Ducks have the best defensive line in college football entering the 2026 season. 

Uiagalelei’s third season was his best one, as he posted a career-high 82.4 PFF overall grade in 2025. His 52 pressures were the 11th most in the Power Four, and he earned a career-best 74.2 PFF run-defense grade. In 2024, Uiagalelei’s nine sacks ranked 15th in the Power Four.

7. Suntarine Perkins, Ole Miss

Perkins would be small even for a linebacker at 6-foot-2 and 220 pounds, but he has still stuffed the stat sheet as a standup edge rusher in the Rebels’ defense. 

The rising senior’s 79 defensive stops since 2024 are the second most among players on this list, behind only Teitum Tuioti. His 16 sacks in that span are tied for the fourth most. Only Colin Simmons and Clev Lubin have been more valuable than Perkins over the past two seasons, according to PFF Wins Above Average.

8. Will Heldt, Clemson

Clemson is losing two projected first-round picks from its defensive line in Peter Woods and T.J. Parker, but the Tigers still have a star returning in Heldt. The Purdue transfer made an immediate impact in 2025, placing third among returning Power Four edge defenders with an 84.4 PFF overall grade. His 87.8 PFF pass-rush grade on true pass sets ranked 14th in the Power Four, and he also logged a very solid 77.9 PFF run-defense grade. 

Heldt is tied as the sixth-most-valuable returning Power Four edge defender since 2024, according to PFF Wins Above Average.

9. Damon Wilson II, Miami (FL)

Wilson will play for his third school in three years after previous stops at Georgia and Missouri. He has big shoes to fill at Miami, as both Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor are projected top-20 picks in the 2026 NFL Draft. Wilson has the talent to do so.

His 54 pressures in 2025 with the Tigers were the third most in the SEC, while his 78.5 PFF grade ranked eighth. Wilson must improve as a run defender (career 59.5 PFF run-defense grade), but some coaching from Hall of Famer Jason Taylor should help.

10. Princewill Umanmielen, LSU

Umanmielen will feature for his third school in three years after stops at Nebraska and Ole Miss. He followed head coach Lane Kiffin to Baton Rouge after a productive season with the Rebels. 

His 11 sacks were the second most in the SEC, behind only Cashius Howell, while his 51 pressures were the fourth most. The younger brother of Carolina Panthers edge rusher Princely Umanmielen was also solid as a run defender, placing seventh in the conference with 26 defensive stops.

Honorable Mention: Boubacar Traore, Notre Dame

Traore became one of the Fighting Irish’s starting edge rushers as a redshirt sophomore and enjoyed a breakout campaign. 

His 10 sacks were tied for 13th most in the Power Four, and his 79.4 PFF overall grade was a top-30 mark. Traore also notched a solid 75.2 PFF run-defense grade and seems to be only scratching the surface of his potential.