2026 NFL Draft: IDP Rookie Class Review

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We have had some time since the NFL Draft to break down the IDP side of the draft. This is an exciting group that can be fantasy relevant for years to come. Unlike some of the awful landing spots for some of the offensive rookies, the defensive rookies’ landing spots were pretty nice. Let’s break down these IDP positions by tiers. Here I am going to mention players who should probably be drafted in most dynasty IDP leagues that are six or seven rounds. Defensive End/Edge Rusher Tier 1 David Bailey , EDGE NYJ Rueben Bain Jr , EDGE TB The top tier of edge rushers in this class are Bailey and Bain. Bailey went second overall and Bain went 15th. They should be the top two edge rushers off the board. Both players should immediately start for the Jets and Buccaneers. Both teams needed an improved pass rush, and these players should help remedy that. Tier 2 Akheem Mesidor , EDGE LAC Malachi Lawrence , EDGE DAL Keldric Faulk , EDGE TEN Derrick Moore , EDGE DET The second tier of edge rushers is still really good, so don’t be fooled. All of these players should contend for immediately playing time. Mesidor, Lawrence, and Faulk were all taken in the first round of the NFL Draft. Moore was a second-round pick of the Lions, but he is in a great position to earn the starting edge rusher opposite superstar Aidan Hutchinson . Tier 3 R Mason Thomas , EDGE KC Cashius Howell , EDGE CIN TJ Parker , EDGE BUF Gabe Jacas , EDGE NE Zion Young , EDGE BAL Tier three is made of players who will have to earn their way onto the field but have extremely high upside. Thomas and Howell are pass-rushing specialists. Parker was a big-time recruit who hasn’t shown the production on the field scouts wanted to see in college. Jacas and Young are two players who dominated in the Big 10 and SEC and then moved up draft boards after showing out during the draft process. Linebacker Tier 1 Sonny Styles , LB WAS Arvell Reese , LB NYG Jacob Rodriguez , LB MIA CJ Allen , LB IND Josiah Trotter , LB TB This is an extremely large tier at the top, which makes this IDP draft so exciting. It’s rare we see this many off-ball linebackers get high draft capital or land in a prime spot for playing time. Styles, Allen, and Trotter are players who are getting consideration to wear the green dot on defense as the main defensive play caller, which is absolutely huge for a rookie, because those players don’t leave the field. All three of these guys should be stat fillers with high-tackle outputs right from the outset. Rodriquez is currently behind two veterans, Jordyn Brooks and Tyrel Dodson in Miami, but I would not be surprised if they make a move with one of those players or if Rodriguez jumps someone into the starting lineup at some point this season. Reese is an interesting prospect. He played some off-ball linebacker and some edge at Ohio State. The Giants selected him with the fifth overall pick, but New York already has Abdul Carter and Brian Burns on the edge, so it looks like Reece is going to slot in at Weak Side LB next to Tremaine Edmonds. Tier 2 Anthony Hill Jr , LB TEN Jake Golday , LB MIN Kyle Louis , LB MIA Kaleb Elarms-Orr , LB BUF Bryce Boettcher , LB IND This Tier 3 group has a lot of promise, but they might not all get the same opportunity at the same time. Hill should get a shot at the starting spot next to Cedric Gray for the Titans, and there is an argument that he should be in Tier 1. I can see that. Golday might have to wait for an injury or until next season to see si…