BEST RATED DEFENSIVE LINEMEN IN COVERAGE 2026 NFL Draft

2026 BEST RATED DEFENSIVE LINEMEN IN COVERAGE

Defensive linemen with the ability to drop back and be effective in coverage have become a multifaceted weapon on defense. In the college scene, individuals like Isaiah Simmons (Clemson), albeit more of a hybrid player, and Chase Winovich (Michigan) have exhibited that defensive linemen can, indeed, be potent in pass coverage, providing that unexpected layer of defensive intricacy.

Delve into the data below to identify current college defensive linemen making waves with their noteworthy skills in pass coverage. Engage with various statistics, including passes defended, interceptions, and coverage grades, to appreciate the strategic depth these versatile linemen bring to their defensive units, blurring traditional positional expectations.

2026 Defensive linemen ranked by COVERAGE

RANK Player Pos Team TACKLING PASS RUSH RUN DEFENSE Rating
1

David
Bailey

LB
/ED
Stanford   Mascot
Stanford Mascot
73 100 65
85.1
2

Trey
Moore

LB
/ED
Texas   Mascot
Texas Mascot
62 85 68
78.8
3

Suntarine
Perkins

LB
/ED
Ole Miss   Mascot
Ole Miss Mascot
73 68 63
85.5
4

Kalil
Alexander

LB
/ED
Texas State   Mascot
Texas State Mascot
50 86 64
82.5
5

Keanu
Koht

LB
/ED
Vanderbilt   Mascot
Vanderbilt Mascot
67 60 57
66.0
6

Mitchell
Melton

LB
/ED
Ohio State   Mascot
Ohio State Mascot
58 79 78
74.0
7

Rara
Dillworth

LB
/ED
Troy   Mascot
Troy Mascot
58 55 60
73.0
8

Princewill
Umanmielen

LB
/ED
Ole Miss   Mascot
Ole Miss Mascot
42 76 62
79.5
9

Gabe
Jacas

LB
/ED
Illinois   Mascot
Illinois Mascot
67 80 65
84.4
10

Samuel
M'Pemba

LB
/ED
Georgia   Mascot
Georgia Mascot
78 60 46
70.0
11

Lee
Hunter

DT
Texas Tech   Mascot
Texas Tech Mascot
64 74 80
82.1
12

Korey
Foreman

DL
/ED
Fresno State   Mascot
Fresno State Mascot
53 61 79
75.2
13

Tyler
Johnson

DL
Colorado   Mascot
Colorado Mascot
79 72 79
74.0
14

Kelvin
Gilliam Jr.

DL
Virginia Tech   Mascot
Virginia Tech Mascot
67 55 64
68.3
15

Tunmise
Adeleye

DE
Texas State   Mascot
Texas State Mascot
72 62 59
74.0
16

Rayshaun
Benny

DL
Michigan   Mascot
Michigan Mascot
88 73 89
85.6
17

Tywone
Malone Jr.

DT
Ohio State   Mascot
Ohio State Mascot
45 56 58
67.3
18

Keeshawn
Silver

DL
USC   Mascot
USC Mascot
79 71 61
72.5
19

Clayton
Smith

DL
/ED
Arizona State   Mascot
Arizona State Mascot
52 61 68
74.0
20

Jonathan
Jefferson

DT
SMU   Mascot
SMU Mascot
38 65 73
74.0