2026 CBS Sports NFL All-Breakout Team: Abdul Carter, Travis Hunter headline defensive rising stars

Immediate NFL stardom is a rarity. Except for the most extreme cases, it generally takes years for young standouts to etch their names next to the league’s greats. After they flashed elite potential in their rookie seasons, rising stars like Abdul Carter and Travis Hunter could be in for that step forward in 2026 that launches them into the premier tier at their respective positions.

Thirteen voters, made up of CBS Sports NFL writers and analysts, voted on their All-Breakout Team for 2026. Earlier this week, we unveiled the results for the offensive side of the ball. Below are the selections for the defense.

Voters: JP Acosta, Carter Bahns, John Breech, Doug Clawson, Jordan Dajani, Jared Dubin, Josh Edwards, Zach Pereles, Garrett Podell, Mike Renner, Tyler Sullivan, Ryan Wilson, R.J. White

Edge rusher

A competition for playing time still exists with Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux also occupying the Giants’ edge rusher room, but Abdul Carter will force his way onto the field after his excellent rookie season. Despite starting only six of his 17 games in 2025, Carter led the NFL in quick pressures with 48, per Next Gen Stats. That was more than Nik Bonitto (44), Will Anderson Jr. (35) and even Myles Garrett (31). It feels like a lock that the fifth-place finisher in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting will finish this season with more than the four sacks he logged in his debut campaign.

The games Jonathan Greenard missed in 2025 offered Dallas Turner the opportunity to shine. With Greenard out of the picture, Turner can be expected to fill a larger role on the Vikings’ defensive front. The former No. 17 overall pick accumulated 42 pressures in what was a step-forward second season in Minnesota and logged career highs in every major defensive category. He is on an obvious upward trajectory and now has a path to an every-week starting job, which should take him to even greater heights. Double-digit sacks are well within the realm of possibility for Turner.

Others receiving votes: Mike Green, Laiatu Latu (3 each), Jalyx Hunt, Austin Booker (2 each), Myles Murphy, Josaiah Stewart, Jonah Elliss, Odafe Oweh, Donovan Ezeiruaku, Alex Wright (1 each)

Defensive tackle

A calf strain delayed Walter Nolen III’s debut until Week 9, and a torn meniscus brought his rookie year to a premature close in Week 16. With those injuries behind him, the 2025 first-round pick seeks to put together a full second season with the Cardinals. The sample size on Nolen is small at just six games, but in that span, he displayed the interior pass-rushing ability that made him a college star and a highly renowned prospect. Nolen logged two sacks and an impressive 15.2% pressure rate in his limited action as a rookie.

Two separate knee injuries were hiccups in an up-and-down rookie year for Derrick Harmon. So long as he stays healthy in 2026, he can put that bumpy debut behind him and solidify a role in one of the NFL’s most fearsome defensive fronts. Harmon is a terrific run defender, which makes him an ideal complement to the host of standout pass rushers that line up on the Steelers’ edge. Any improvement he shows in pressuring the quarterback would be the cherry on top of an already strong profile as a run stopper.

Others receiving votes: Jalen Redmond, Deone Walker, Jordan Phillips, Kayden McDonald (2 each), Zach Harrison, Mason Graham, Jowon Briggs, Yahya Black, Brandon Dorlus, Osa Odighizuwa, Jamaree Caldwell, Cory Durden (1 each)

Linebacker

Jihaad Campbell developed as the understudy to Nakobe Dean in 2025, so with Dean off to the Raiders, the chance for him to shine in a larger role is upon him. Campbell was excellent in coverage during his full rookie season, in which he tallied 10 starts. He racked up 80 tackles while hauling in an interception and defending three passes. It was a quietly very promising first year for Campbell, and the Eagles’ decision not to re-sign Dean should be telling about what they think of his chances of excelling as a full-time starter.

Concerns about his history of knee injuries led Payton Wilson to fall all the way to the third round of the 2024 draft, where the Steelers scooped him up. Across two seasons, he has yet to miss a game. He did not establish himself as an every-down linebacker in either of those campaigns and still needs to show progress against the run, but in upping his tackle total from 78 to 126 and becoming more of a threat in the backfield with two sacks and six tackles for loss, he took a leap as a second-year player. A breakthrough 2026 could keep Wilson on the top line of Pittsburgh’s depth chart for the long term.

There is an argument to be made that Edgerrin Cooper already broke out. He locked in a full-time starting job on the heels of his stellar rookie year and amassed 118 tackles in the middle of the Packers’ defense. With that came regression in his pass-rushing production, though, so there is still room for Cooper to grow into a more well-rounded defender. He was a backfield threat in 2024 with 3.5 sacks and 13 tackles for loss, but that part of his game receded in 2025 as he settled in as an excellent coverage defender. Putting it all together would make Cooper a top-flight linebacker.

Others receiving votes: DeMarvion Overshown, Cedric Gray (3 each), Jeremiah Trotter Jr. (2), Ventrell Miller, Dorian Williams, Tyrice Knight, Trenton Simpson, Barrett Carter, Sonny Styles, Demetrius Knight, Leo Chenal, Danny Stutsman, Nate Landman, Nakobe Dean, Daiyan Henley, Drake Thomas (1 each)

Cornerback

The Chiefs parted with both of their starting cornerbacks this offseason with the Trent McDuffie trade and Jaylen Watson leaving in free agency. Nohl Williams is the next man up in the defensive backfield and should lock down a starting job next to rookie Mansoor Delane. There were strong signs in his rookie year but also bumps in the road, like the 83.4 passer rating allowed (which ranked 81st in the league) and the 19 receptions he surrendered (98th). Renowned defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo ought to know how to press the right buttons with the promising former third-rounder.

Travis Hunter was just starting to find his footing in the NFL when he tore his LCL in practice last October. Now that he is recovered, he will settle in as the Jaguars’ No. 1 cornerback. While the team still plans to use him at wide receiver to an extent, defense is his top priority. He graded out better on that side of the ball in his seven games as a rookie (73.2 PFF defensive grade vs. 62.2 on offense) and should benefit from having a clearly defined role. Hunter is a rare talent who can play offense without missing a beat at cornerback, but having a full offseason to hone in on his pass defense should go a long way in fueling his second-year breakout.

Others receiving votes: Will Johnson, Jacob Parrish, Upton Stout (2 each), Maxwell Hairston, Justin Walley, Kool-Aid McKinstry

Safety

The partially torn ACL Kevin Winston Jr. sustained at Penn State delayed his debut until Week 5, but he still managed to accumulate five starts as a rookie. Winston had to learn on the fly last year, so now that he has finally completed an offseason of development, it does not take much imagination to see him take his game to another level. The front office cleared his path to the lineup, and he now gets to play for a renowned defensive coach in Robert Saleh. Winston will be at his best when he plays up toward the line of scrimmage, as coverage is the weak spot in his skill set. He ranked 90th among 98 qualified safeties, per PFF, in coverage last year. His run defense, however, was the best at the position.

The Ravens’ safety duo might be the best in the NFL. Kyle Hamilton is already one of the top players at his position, and Malaki Starks is headed in that direction, too. He started 15 games as a rookie and held his own, ranking 36th at the position by PFF grade. His production included a pair of interceptions, nine passes defended and 84 tackles. That is not half bad for a first-rounder in his debut campaign. Playing so many snaps early on fast-tracks Starks’ development, and playing alongside an All-Pro does not hurt, either.

Others receiving votes: Kamren Kinchens (4), Cole Bishop (2), Craig Woodson, Isaiah Pola-Mao, Caleb Downs, Jonas Sanker, Tykee Smith, Calen Bullock (1 each)