The Kansas City Chiefs are in the bottom half of the NFL in sacks generated this year. The defense needs to begin replacing some of its veteran role players with younger, cheaper prospects who offer more long-term upside. The 2026 NFL draft lacks elite edge rushers, but the depth in rounds two through four stands out.

Louisville Cardinals defensive end Clev Lubin is one of the most productive pass rushers in college football. His 50 pressures rank fifth among all FBS edge rushers this season, barely trailing Rueben Bain’s 54. This isn’t Lubin’s first big year. He broke out with Coastal Carolina in 2024, applying pressure on 22.2% of his pass rush attempts. That number is at 21.3% this year despite Lubin facing an uptick in competition.

Lubin lacks outstanding arm length and size (6’3″, 250 lbs.) but uses precise strike placement to weaken the offensive tackle’s shoulders and create favorable rushing angles. He excels at attacking and pinning the lineman’s outside hand to create a free rush lane to the quarterback.  

Lubin’s motor is elite. His relentless pursuit and closing burst make him a threat to generate pressures or sacks on second-effort rushes. Lubin’s pass rush plan includes chops, club-swims, long-arms, rips, swims and two-handed swipes. He deploys counters off his bull rush to redirect into the B-gap.

Lubin’s bend and first step are average, preventing him from ranking among the top edge rushers in the class. He sometimes struggles to drop his hips and flatten his angle at the top of the rush, which results in the offensive tackle driving him up and around the pocket.

Lubin lacks the mass and arm length to consistently stack and shed blocks in the run game, but his effort in pursuit makes him a threat to chase down running backs. He quickly recognizes and redirects to challenge screens.

Louisville goes on the road to face SMU at 11 a.m. CT on Saturday, Nov. 22. The Mustangs are still technically in the mix for the ACC Championship Game. This is Louisville’s opportunity to play spoiler after Clemson dashed their hopes on Friday. The matchup between Lubin and SMU right tackle PJ Williams will be must-see TV for draft fans.