The 2026 NFL season is here, and we have updated our Pre-Season Football Monitor.

As we have expanded our projects, we can’t say we've expanded the team behind the scenes!  As a result, we are a little behind on this one, and we could only post the top 50 of the Pre-Season Monitor at this time.

We will add more during the season (and yes, we know that defeats the purpose of pre-season), but thank you for your patience.

We have unveiled the Quarterbacks, Running Backs, Wide Receivers, Tight Ends, and Offensive Linemen.  Now we have Defensive Linemen/Linebackers/Pass Rushers/EDGE.

Note that we will separate this group next year into pure pass rushers and disruptors. We hoped to do that this year, but our work on the United States Athletic Hall of Fame took over our time!

As you will see, the 12 in this category should be split into two groups in the future.

They are:

#1 DL/LB/EDGE, #1 Overall: Aaron Donald, Los Angeles Rams, Not Ranked Last Year.

#2 DL/LB/EDGE, #7 Overall: Myles Garrett, Los Angeles Rams, #9 Overall Last Year.

#3 DL/LB/EDGE, #9 Overall: Von Miller, Dallas Cowboys, #6 Overall Last Year.

#4 DL/LB/EDGE, #10 Overall: T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh Steelers, #7 Overall Last Year.

#5 DL/LB/EDGE, #13 Overall: Khalil Mack, Los Angeles Chargers, #8 Overall Last Year.

#6 DL/LB/EDGE, #14 Overall: Calais Campbell, Baltimore Ravens, #12 Overall Last Year.

#7 DL/LB/EDGE, #15 Overall: Cameron Jordan, New Orleans Saints, #14 Overall Last Year.

#8 DL/LB/EDGE, #19 Overall: Chris Jones, Kansas City Chiefs, #15 Overall Last Year.

#9 DL/LB/EDGE, #20 Overall: Cameron Heyward, Pittsburgh Steelers, #19 Overall Last Year.

#10 DL/LB/EDGE, #29 Overall, Micah Parsons, Green Bay Packers, #54 Overall Last Year.

#11 DL/LB/EDGE, #36 Overall, Danielle Hunter, Houston Texans, #44 Overall Last Year.

#12 DL/LB/EDGE, #39 Overall, Nick Bosa, San Francisco 49ers, #42 Overall Last Year.

Look for more updates soon!

2025 Pre-Season Rank #8, 2024 Pre-Season Rank #12, 2023 Pre-Season Rank #14, 2022 Pre-Season Rank #19, 2021 Pre-Season Rank #26, 2020 Pre-Season Rank #29.  Peak Period: 2015-19.

Oakland.  Chicago.  Los Angeles.

Everywhere Khalil Mack goes, Khalil Mack dominates.

The Outside Linebacker made history last season as the first player to secure three Pro Bowls on three different teams, when he added Pro Bowl number nine in year three with the Chargers.  The celebrated pass-rusher has 113 career Sacks, a Defensive Player of the Year Award (2016 with the Raiders), the longevity, the consistency, and the dominance that the PFHOF would want.

He may not dominate the defensive headlines like he used to, but Mack remains the “Mack.”