Tristian Givens

Physical Profile

Listed at 6-3, 232 lbs. Taller than 21% and heavier than 48% of 2026 Edge Rusher prospects in the SEC Scouts database (169 with a listed size).

Play Style

Givens is a speed-first rusher who plays like a skill player. He times the snap well, gets up the field fast, and uses his lateral quickness to punish bad blocking angles. From a wide alignment he takes a tight path to the quarterback. When a tackle overplays the edge, he spins or cuts inside. Lined up inside at three-technique on passing downs, he slips blocks sideways while still moving forward. Against the run he is a pursuer who makes plays from the back side and on the perimeter. The receiver in him shows up in how he reacts to the ball once it's out.

Strengths

• Explosive get-off in any stance: 247Sports notes he 'starts fast out of the blocks' from a two-, three- or four-point stance, so he can be moved around without losing his jump
• Rare closing speed and nonstop pursuit: he chases plays from across the formation, which shows in his senior line of 96 tackles and 29 TFL on top of 11 sacks and 20 QB hits
• He turns speed into power, so his rush doesn't depend only on winning around the corner. He flattens toward the quarterback off the edge and counters with an inside spin when tackles overset
• Versatile: he won as a stand-up edge and also as an interior three-technique on passing downs, and he is quick enough to beat down blocks and combo blocks and to hit pulling linemen
• He creates turnovers: 4 forced fumbles, 3 fumble recoveries and 2 interceptions as a senior, a sign of ball skills carried over from playing receiver

Areas to Improve

• Mass and anchor: at about 232 pounds he needs another 10 to 15 good pounds to set the edge against 310-plus-pound SEC tackles on early downs. 247Sports flags heavier tackles as the main test of his transition
• Technique as a relatively new defender: his hand usage, a planned rush plan and a reliable power counter need to be built up so he doesn't rely on athleticism alone the way he could in Class AA
• Run defense at the point of attack: he needs to take on blocks and control the C-gap against gap-scheme runs and double teams rather than just chasing from the back side

College Projection

Enrolling early gave him a spring of strength and conditioning and a head start on the playbook. For 2026, expect him to rotate as a situational pass rusher in Mike Elko's scheme and play special teams, with most of his snaps coming on third down. He was the 19th commit in a top-5 class, so he'll face veteran competition up front. Defensive line coach Sean Spencer, who recruited him, will be in charge of adding weight and refining his technique. A realistic timeline is a rotational role in year one, a starting-level role in year two once he is around 245, and a chance to be a top SEC pass rusher by year three.

NFL Outlook

247Sports' Andrew Ivins projects him as a Day 2 pick (rounds 2 to 3) and compares him to Suntarine Perkins, the hybrid linebacker/edge who transferred from Ole Miss to Texas A&M. His first step, closing speed and scheme flexibility are traits NFL teams value in a 3-4 outside linebacker or wide-9 rusher. How high he goes depends on his weight. If he reaches 245 to 250 with his speed intact and produces 8 or more sacks in a season in the SEC, he could climb into first-round discussion. If his frame tops out closer to 235, he projects as a designated pass rusher or off-ball/SAM linebacker.

Best Fit

An aggressive, attacking front that moves its rushers around and lines them up wide: a 3-4 or multiple scheme where he stands up as an outside linebacker on early downs and slides inside to rush on passing downs. Texas A&M's multiple front under Elko fits him well because it values rushers who can win from different spots, and its strength program can handle his weight gain without making him a pure hand-in-the-dirt end too early.