John Henry Daley DE/EDGE Michigan |
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| Jersey: #90 SUB-POSITION: EDGE RUSHER | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 11/03/2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2027 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FORTY time: 4.78 seconds (61%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Jersey: #90 | |
| SUB-POSITION: EDGE RUSHER | |
| Last Updated: 11/03/2026 | |
| Draft Year: 2027 | |
| Forty time: 4.78 seconds (61%*) | |
| Overall Rating: |
85.5 / 100
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| Average rating of opposition Offense player has faced | ||
| Offense Rating: |
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75% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| Tackling: |
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65% |
| Pass Rush: |
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87% |
| Run Defense: |
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84% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
2nd - Mid
Overall Rank:
#45
Position rank:
#8 (DL)
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| College Games: 27 College Snaps: 921 | ||
ESPN RATING: 76/100
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247 RATING: 87/100
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RIVALS RATING: 5.7 (93%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Austin Booker - Kansas |
|
96% |
| Kyle Kennard - South Carolina |
|
96% |
| Patrick Jones II - Pittsburgh |
|
91% |
Draft Profile: Bio
John Henry Daley posted 82 tackles and 22 sacks as a senior at Lone Peak High School in Utah, earning first-team All-State honors as Lone Peak won the 6A state title. Football runs through his family: his father Neal played linebacker at BYU, his brother Michael played at BYU and Rice, and his uncles include former BYU players David Nixon, Craig Bills and Taysom Hill.A three-star recruit, Daley signed with BYU and served a two-year church mission before playing three games for the Cougars in 2023. He transferred to Utah, played sparingly in 2024 and broke out as a starter in 2025, leading the nation with 17.5 tackles for loss and adding 51 pressures and two forced fumbles in 11 games. He was a first-team All-American by the Walter Camp Foundation and a Bednarik Award semifinalist, but he ruptured his left Achilles tendon in a non-contact injury against Kansas State in November.
Daley followed Kyle Whittingham to Michigan in January 2026 and was cleared for all team activities in June, with Whittingham saying he was right on schedule, if not ahead of it. He has four sacks in seven games for a 5-3 team, with one each against Oklahoma, UTEP, Iowa and Penn State. He picked up a lower-body injury late in the loss to Iowa and was listed as questionable for Minnesota but played. Daley has said he will be better than he has ever been.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Led the nation with 17.5 tackles for loss at Utah in 2025
- Generated 51 pressures in 11 games before his Achilles injury
- Back on the field within 10 months of the rupture, with four sacks this fall
- Converts speed to power and finishes once he gets to the quarterback
- Holds up against the run, with 14 stops in seven games this season
- Walter Camp first-team All-American and Bednarik Award semifinalist in 2025
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Ruptured his left Achilles in November 2025, a major item on the medical review
- Pressure numbers are down, with 15 in seven games after 51 in 2025
- Light frame for an every-down end against NFL power
- Three schools in four seasons, plus a two-year mission before college
Scouting Report: Summary
Daley turned in one of the best pass-rush seasons in the country in 2025, leading the nation with 17.5 tackles for loss, generating 51 pressures and earning first-team All-America honors from the Walter Camp Foundation before an Achilles rupture ended his year. He bends the corner, converts speed to power and finishes once he gets home, and he holds up against the run better than most rushers his size. He also forced two fumbles in 2025.His return has been impressive on its own terms. He was cleared in June, followed Kyle Whittingham to Michigan and has four sacks in seven games, with one each against Oklahoma, UTEP, Iowa and Penn State. He also has 14 run stops, and Whittingham said during the rehab that he was right on schedule, if not ahead of it. He has missed three tackles and has played between 41 and 65 snaps in most games, a sign he is handling a full load.
However, the 2026 tape is not yet the 2025 tape. His pressures are down to 15 in seven games, and the explosive wins off the edge have been less frequent than they were at Utah. The Achilles will be the first item on every medical review, and he also picked up a lower-body injury against Iowa. His frame is light for an every-down end, and his path has included a two-year mission and stops at three schools.
Overall, Daley is a productive, well-rounded edge whose 2025 season showed starter-level talent, and the question is how much of that burst returns before the draft. He projects as a second-round edge rusher with the upside of a quality starter if he returns to his Utah form. Michigan has leaned on him in big games, including 65 snaps in the win over Penn State.
How other scouting services rate John Henry Daley (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
64.3
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
13.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.