It’s time for the second part of my “my guys” series for the 2026 NFL Draft. After diving into the offensive side of the ball last time, this week we’ll be diving into a “my guy” I have at each defensive position.
To reiterate, my criteria for someone to be a “my guy” is that I either have them significantly higher on my big board than the consensus big board, or I have them significantly higher on my positional ranking than the consensus positional rankings. Now, let’s get started!
EDGE
Anthony Lucas - USC
USC Trojans EDGE Anthony Lucas begins this list. Per the consensus board, Lucas comes in as EDGE15 and their 90th overall player. But on my board, he’s EDGE5 and 27th overall.
Lucas is more athletic than anyone should be at his listed size of 6’5” and 285 pounds. His get-off and ability to bend the corner with that frame make him a very desirable EDGE prospect.
He has also shown many flashes with his pass rush plan; he just needs to finish at the quarterback more often in 2025. He flashes a ghost move, swim move, swipes, and a bull rush, all of which proved effective. His frame also gives him a solid projection as a run defender, and he’s already shown some nice reps in that phase of the game.
Lucas had a solid week one for USC, logging 2 pressures, a hurry, and a QB hit against Missouri State. I also mocked him at 27th overall to the Detroit Lions in my mock draft 1.0. He’s already been productive in affecting the quarterback, but if he can start finishing those reps with drive-killing sacks, he could hear his name called in the top half of April’s first round.
Interior Defensive Line
Domonique Orange - Iowa State
Iowa State Cyclones interior defensive lineman Domonique Orange, a.k.a. Big Citrus (the best nickname in college football), continues this list. Orange is the consensus IDL8 and ranked 103rd overall. On my board, he’s IDL3 and my 39th overall player.
Orange, like Lucas, is very athletic for his frame (6’4” and 325 pounds). He plays the nose alignment in Iowa State’s 3-3-5 defensive scheme, and his lateral athleticism is extremely noticeable.
He has high-end pass-rush upside, but he’s still piecing that part of his game together. His calling card is in the run game, where he’s a brickhouse against double teams and makes a lot of plays in the backfield.
Orange had a monster day in week zero against Kansas State, recording two defensive stops (a PFF statistic that accounts for tackles at or behind the line of scrimmage), which, for a nose tackle, is very impressive. The more his pass-rush skillset grows, the higher his chances of being a first-round pick rise.
Linebacker
Whit Weeks - LSU
LSU Tigers linebacker Whit Weeks marks the halfway point of this list. On the consensus big board, Weeks is LB7 and the 83rd-ranked player. However, I have him as LB1 and my 41st overall player.
Weeks is probably one of my five favorite players in this entire draft class. If you love football, you’ll love watching Weeks. He’s as passionate a player on the field as anyone in the country.
He’s also a fantastic athlete and a Swiss Army knife for Blake Baker’s defense. He’s an effective coverage player (able to get depth in a hurry and plays with great zone IQ), an elite blitzer, and a crafty run defender. Weeks can make a play from any alignment on the field.
Weeks was dominant against Clemson in week 1, even though he logged just two tackles. He allowed just a 50% reception percentage on four targets, allowed a 60.4 NFL passer rating, and logged six, yes six, pressures as a pass rusher along with four QB hits and two QB hurries. That was also his first game back from a gruesome ankle injury in LSU’s bowl game against Baylor. If he can continue to perform anywhere close to that level, he’ll be an easy top 32 player on my board.
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Cornerback
Keith Abney II - Arizona State
Arizona State Sun Devils cornerback Keith Abney II is next up. He is CB9 and 68th overall on the consensus board, though I have him as CB2 and 17th overall.
Abney II was quite the surprise when I came across his film over the summer. Some other draft analysts on Twitter had mentioned him, but I was blown away by what I saw.
He’s a twitchy, quick coverage player with great ball skills. His ability to stay attached in man coverage, along with his diagnostics and discipline in zone coverage, jumped off his film.
Abney II is also an effective tackler, missing just 8.6% of his tackles so far in his college career. His physicality as a tackler and during the route was also something that popped off his tape. He doesn’t shy away from contact at all.
I mocked Abney II at 21st overall to the Dallas Cowboys in my mock draft 1.0. Whether it’s Dallas or another team, any team needing a true number one corner would be lucky to have the chance to draft Abney. I think he’s a slam-dunk future Pro Bowler.
Safety
Emmanuel McNeil-Warren
Toledo Rockets safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren rounds out this list. He is the consensus S6 and 87th overall. Meanwhile, I have him as S2 and 18th overall.
McNeil-Warren was the last prospect whose film I got to in the summer scouting period, and man, am I glad I watched him. He was the last of 18 first-round grades I gave out.
He is another of these Swiss Army knife types of players. He’s able to play deep safety, play in the box, and play some in the slot, and is effective at all three alignments.
McNeil-Warren is listed at 6’2” and 202 pounds, and looks every bit of that. His range on the backend of the defense is electric as he covers so much ground. His IQ in zone is also impressive, as he’s able to bait quarterbacks into thinking they have an open throwing window.
Perhaps the best part of McNeil-Warren’s game is his ability to make game-changing plays. He’s forced 13 turnovers so far in his career and always seems to be around the football. Combine that with just an 8.3% missed tackle rate, and you have a true do-it-all safety on your hands.
My mock draft 1.0 had McNeil-Warren at 25th overall to the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bengals have been a defensive mess, but adding a talent like McNeil-Warren would mask a decent portion of those issues.
Final Thoughts
As usual, this was a really fun list to dive into, as the “my guy” topic in the draft community has such variety. We all view players and the game in our own way, which is what makes this community fun.
Overall, I’m bought into the stock of all of these guys once next April rolls around. I hope you enjoyed my “my guys” at each defensive position for the 2026 NFL Draft.