Naturally low center of gravity and impressive core balance allows him to change directions without wasting much, if any, motion. Multi-year starter with possible early-impact ability for Top 20 program. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. The West Virginia defense was a top unit in all of college football but they lost one of their top defenders in Tony Fields. Unfortunately he doesnt always look super comfortable taking ball-carriers down in open space and his lack of length is a bit of an issue with blockers in his face, to go with been susceptible to getting sucked up by play-action. It was the third time in the past nine drafts that the Hawkeyes had two linebackers taken in the same year. The guy most draft rankings seem to have at the top for the position in college football is Trenton Simpson at Clemson. Has NFL draft potential. Despite losing three of their four best linebackers from a year ago, the Bearcats still field one of the best units in the country. Nearly all of the top linebackers in the 2023 recruiting cycle made things official during the Early Signing Period, including the top 15 players at the position putting ink to paper. Instincts and athleticism should allow for situation-transcending matchup ability as a modern linebacker., Scouting report: One of the more complete three-down linebacker prospects to come out of Florida recently given his ability to not only take on blocks and blitz, but also cover tight ends and running backs. Big 12 Picks, Lines For Saturday, February 25, College Basketball Predictions, Lines, How To Watch: Sunday, February 26, NCAA Tournament Bracket Projections, 68 Team Predictions, Bubble Teams February 27, AP Poll Top 25 Projection College Basketball Rankings Prediction Week 17, Coaches Poll Top 25 Projection College Basketball Rankings Prediction Week 17, Coaches Poll Top 25 College Basketball Rankings Week 17, AP Poll Top 25 College Basketball Rankings Week 17. this season due to his dominance on passing plays. One of the more promising inside backer prospects to come out of the Sunshine State in recent years given how he moves and plays in the box. Instinctual and plays at high rate of speed. Hell wear No. Please logout and login again. He quickly proved he deserved that honor, as his six sacks and three forced fumbles were tied for sixth among all linebackers in the country. Samson Ebukam was the San Francisco 49ers' The Eleven Greatest College Linebackers, 1958-2008 11) D. D. Lewis: Mississippi State 1965-'67, Member of College Football Hall of Fame 10) Randy Displays good short area explosiveness and change of direction ability, flashing some make you miss ability in the open field. Needs to show he can stack and shed on consistent basis. More importantly, isnt afraid to crash the A or B gap, which is important for someone thats only 225 pounds. Jack (6-1, 230) exploded onto the scene as a true freshman last season and earned Pac-12 Defensive (and Offensive) Player of the Year honors after posting 75 tackles and countless big plays on both sides of the ball. One school to keep an eye out for Mauigoa is, . One of the more promising inside backer prospects to come out of the Sunshine State in recent years given how he moves and plays in the box. Put this clip on repeat.pic.twitter.com/9lVlRwAxMo, Eleven Warriors (@11W) October 22, 2022. Requisite height with good length and a big frame to add mass. Shows decent pursuit skills. But in Striker (6-0, 221), Bob Stoops has one of the best pass rushers in the country and a player who has enough athleticism that he's actually getting reps at nickelback (the corner spot, not the band). Comfortable in zone coverage and is quick to anticipate throws. Not only gets downhill in hurry, but will quickly sift through traffic and get outside the hashes to wrangle a ball carrier. Leading the Hawkeyes is Jack Campbell, whose 85.7 coverage grade since 2020 is the highest among returning Power Five linebackers. Starting alongside him is senior Ashanti Cistrunk, who looked solid as a reserve in 2021 with a 75.0 grade on 150 snaps. Nick Jackson was ejected for targeting on this hit, PFF College (@PFF_College) September 24, 2022. Working on anchoring against run important. Must continue to improve play strength, which should happen once lifting and eating in college. Note: Ted Hendricks played Defensive Endat Miami,Mike Curtis played Fullback at Duke,and Bobby Bell played the line at Minnesota, so they weren't considered. Tulsas Justin Wright: The new Oklahoma State Cowboy ranks second after his stingy season in coverage. On the spring roster, Hausmann is listed at 6-foot-2 and 228 pounds. Web8. Ernest Hausmann, who transferred to Michigan after one season at Nebraska, was named to On3s recent top-10 Linebackers of 2023 list. The Ole Miss outside linebacker is built differently from other players on this list. The redshirt junior is a dominant run-stuffer, as his 49 run-defense stops in 2022 ranked second among all linebackers in the country while his 20 tackles for loss/no-gain were tied for third. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. He led the nation with 140 tackles in 2021, and hes the Carter is one of college footballs most well-rounded linebackers. Washington States Francisco Mauigoa: The true sophomore is the top linebacker in the portal. For perspective on the 245 stops they combined for, consider that only six defenders league-wide posted 100-plus tackles, and three of those don't return. Hausmann was ranked No. Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA; Tulsa Golden Hurricane linebacker Justin Wright (30) runs back an He also made 13 coverage stops, which ranked in the top 25 for all linebackers in the country. Hes not quite there mentally, just being a step too late in his reactions at times, but hes the full package. Can engage and still drive legs to get around corner on blitz. When I watched those those Notre Dame edge rushers and safeties for the 2020, this guy flashed time and time again. After going over our top 25 players in the transfer portal as well as our All-Transfer Portal team, here are the five best linebackers searching for new homes. Comfortable in space and owns valuable experience in both man and zone coverage, two things that he has further refined on the 7v7 circuit. Impact player in high school as linebacker/edge rusher and running back. 11 is reserved for the elite linebackers at Penn State, as Parsons, NaVorro Bowman and LaVar Arrington all rocked the stix.. As a blitzer this season, his 84.0 pass-rushing grade placed 11th among Power Five linebackers. Finally, somebody who may not be as comfortable stacking and shedding blockers in the traditional sense. Will need to adjust to the speed of big-time college football, but high football IQ combined with athletic profile (his 7.15 in the L-drill is one of the best in the 2023 class) suggests that he can eventually emerge as an impact player on Saturdays. Along with senior S Ibraheim Campbell, they head a strong defensive back seven for the Wildcats. Interception No. The senior got home with five sacks on only 43 pass-rushing snaps. Curtis elected to go to the West Coast and sign with the Trojans. The linebacker will be the frame of reference when preparing the Seasoned blitzer that can get home with his elite burst on Friday nights. Senior season displayed improved in-space competency as a big-bodied traditional off-ball 'backer who could likely stay there in the long term. 6 overall), Kevin Minter (Cardinals, second round, No. Flowe is the second-highest-rated recruit in Oregon history, behind only Kayvon Thibodeaux, but hasnt been able to fully show what hes capable of. . Rice quickly attacks downhill against the run, while not being afraid to stick his nose in the face when it comes to countering blockers and working to get their hands off himself. NFL upside., Scouting report: Prototype size for a modern off-ball linebacker in the 6-foot-1, 215- to 220-pound range entering senior season. Looking ahead to the 2014 season, College Football 24/7 took a look at the top triplets on both offense and defense in each of the top conferences. 3, and ahead of Penn States Curtis Jacobs at No. Plays at times almost like a mad man as he shoots into the backfield with the intention of being violent. 1 offensive tackle in the nation, according to On3s consensus ratings. Scouting report: Nichelson is among the most athletic linebackers in the region. Also well-rounded basketball player. Will need to cut down on the few mistakes he makes and keep mastering his craft, but should be viewed as one of the top backers in the class of 2023. Jack Campbell's 45 run stops last season was tied for the most by a P5 LB ???? got off to a hot start last year with an 82.4 overall grade through Week 4, third among Power Five linebackers. Might not be as long as schools want in an edge-rusher so he projects more as a traditional outside backer who can blitz off the edge when needed. Owns a rocked-up build at 6-foot, 205 pounds. MAC: Bowling Green (D.J. More than capable of making a difference outside of the hashes given his initial burst and will exert plenty of energy over the course of four quarters. , which says a lot about his potential. Rather effective in pursuit and has also shown that he can get the job done as a face-up tackler. Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Can engage and still drive legs to get around corner on blitz. If he can bounce back, this ranking will be too low for the Tigers. Featured primarily as a stand-up edge player early on in his prep career, which in turn taught him how to win with a chop or a simple dip of the shoulder. PFF's exclusive metrics provide matchup previews, position rankings, grades, and snap counts. The Longhorns had Keenan Robinson drafted in the fourth round by Washington and Emmanuel Acho picked in the sixth round by the Cleveland Browns. Ulofoshio has missed 10 games over the past three years and will miss at least half of the 2022 season with a knee injury. His 71.2 pass-rush grade since 2019 is a top-20 mark in the ACC. Jackson excels downhill, leading all Power Five defenders with 96 run-defense stops over the past three seasons. Your login session has expired. Perkins was a top-10 recruit in the 2022 class, which may have been too low. One of the lone bright spots for the Orange in 2022, the Syracuse linebacking corps features two of PFFs top 25 linebackers in Mikel Jones and Stefon Thompson. Has to continue to work on on technique, including when turning and running laterally. Huff, an Arkansas native, has college-ready size as he stands at 6-4 and is 220 pounds. If he can stay healthy and live up to it, Oregon could easily top this list. Intelligent player that has a good feel for whats going on around him, which isnt surprising given the fact that his father is an NFL defensive coordinator. Plays outside shoulder on the swing pass, creates good separation and delivers a nice tackle on the RB. Plays with energy and effort, and is a competitor. Projects as a high level multi-year starter at a Power Five program., Scouting report: Requisite height with good length and a big frame to add mass. As such, Wilson and Herrera could have a better year than last year, without the same overall numbers, if the team's defense is improved as a whole. MWC: Utah State (Kyler Fackrell and Zach Vigil). Shows surprising hands-catching acumen and big-play speed as a receiver. WebForty Time Secs 4.52 Player Summary Being the leader of the best defense in college football is enabling Nakobe Dean, to build a case for himself to be the first linebacker off #2 RANKED - SCOUTING REPORT 0 Devin Lloyd POSITION RANK #2 OUR RATING 89.9 OLB All Scouts Average Overall Rank 18.2 All Scouts Average Position Rank 1 Height Feet 6-3 This is a collegefootball playerranking of the best linebackers since 1958. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. Now hell be making plays for @GoBearcatsFB pic.twitter.com/gxdj5GDjOP, PFF College (@PFF_College) June 5, 2022. He joined Troy as an undersized walk-on in 2017 at just 5-foot-9, 210 pounds. Run it back! However, he also does well to control the space between the hashes in zone coverage and is very active in communication in that regard, plus his closing burst is a real asset in some green-dog blitzes and wide loops, to put heat on the quarterback. after posting a 71.8 grade last season, second among returning SEC linebackers. Daniel Jeremiah provides his initial scouting report on the Crimson Tide quarterback after studying his game tape. Gained 1,500-plus receiving yards over sophomore and junior seasons. No returning SEC pair was more productive last year than Georgia's Ramik Ran for more than 1,000 yards on almost 10 yards per carry while recording 91 tackles as a junior. Since 2019, the former walk-on has earned 80.0-plus coverage, run-defense and pass-rush grades, the only returning Power Five linebacker to accomplish that feat. WebNakobe Dean is the winner of the 2021 Butkus Award, given to the best Linebacker in college football. This site is not endorsed by, sponsored by, or affiliated with these schools or teams. Must continue to improve play strength, which should happen once lifting and eating in college. Telvin Smith, Florida State 4. Can play a couple of different roles as he has been used as a stand-up edge rusher or he can shift further outside and play out in space over a slot. Hes actually on track for slightly better numbers this season. Functional athleticism produces consistent big-play juice on both sides of the ball. Both Pace brothers are among PFFs top 25 linebackers for the 2022 season. CEDRIC GRAY???? Iowa defensive lineman Deontae Craig (45) gets embraced by teammates Jack Campbell (31) and John Waggoner (92) after sacking Penn State quarterback Ta'Quan Roberson (2) during a NCAA Big Ten Conference football game, Saturday, Oct. 9, 2021, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. As we head toward the 2022 college football season, the Will Levis hype train is picking up steam. Impact player in high school as linebacker/edge rusher and running back. Verified high 4.6 speed with shuttle in 4.2s, which showcases change of direction and acceleration. Unlock all tools and content including Player Grades, Fantasy, NFL Draft, Premium Stats, Greenline and DFS. Closes well on ball carriers. In fact, over the past two seasons, the only SEC linebacker with a higher grade than Dumas-Johnson is Dean. Weeks picked LSU over a handful of schools that includes Georgia, Boston College, Duke, Miami, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, South Carolina, Stanford and Tennessee. As a true freshman, he led all Power-Five linebackers with a 91.0 pass-rushing grade. Campbell is the epitome of an Iowa linebacker - hes rugged, instinctive and as sure a tackler as they come. Using PFFs preseason positional rankings and PFF-exclusive stats, here are the best linebacking corps in the country. Eichenberg was a PFF first-team All-American this past season and is the most valuable returning linebacker according to PFFs wins above average metric. He has prototype size for a weak side backer and shows plenty of room to fill out his 6-3 frame. Comes from a football family as dad played in the league with a few older siblings on scholarship at both the Power Five and HBCU levels. The junior has allowed only 172 receiving yards in that span, the fifth fewest for Power Five linebackers. Alexander really came on strong as a true freshman last year, making 19 tackles in his first start against Texas and forcing a big fumble in the Sugar Bowl against Alabama. Possesses frame to add 20-25 pounds and not lose agility, speed or quickness. after a disappointing first season in Baton Rouge. Understands how to stack and shed, and can do it at a high level. -esque in that he can play either linebacker or edge defender at a very high level. C.J. The class is headlined by five-star Anthony Hill, who is staying in his home state of Texas. Likes to lead with his weight and will explode through his hips in hopes of getting ball carriers to get them to the ground. N.C. State has the ACCs highest-graded linebacker over the past two years in Drake Thomas at an 80.0 mark. A meniscus injury ended his freshman campaign after just five snaps. While at. Last time a Big 12 linebacker duo was selected in the same draft: Not surprisingly, league powerhouses Texas and Oklahoma were the last to do it and managed to send a pair of linebackers to the NFL in the same 2012 draft. PFF's exclusive metrics provide matchup previews, position rankings, grades, and snap counts. Plays with a physicality beyond his current size. Mike Jones Jr. rounds out the list at No. In his first year as a starter, he missed just three percent of his tackles and in 2019 he led the Bulldogs with 89 total tackles. Iowa Hawkeyes First things first, this is not meant to disparage Iowa linebacker Jack Campbell. 6-2 / 232. Iowa ranks first, thanks to three linebackers making PFFs top 25 list. Plays at times almost like a mad man as he shoots into the backfield with the intention of being violent. Now that we know who will continue playing on Saturdays next fall, let's take an early look at the top returning players at every position. The guy most draft rankings seem to have at the top for the position in college football is Trenton Simpson at Clemson. Theres one man to credit for Troy cracking this list, and thats sixth-year senior, He joined Troy as an undersized walk-on in 2017 at just 5-foot-9, 210 pounds. Should be viewed as one of the top three-down linebacker prospects in the class of 2023 given sideline-to-sideline playmaking ability and overall physical demeanor. He also only missed 4.9% of his tackle attempts last year, the fifth-lowest rate among Power Five linebackers. Honorable mentions: Troy Brown (Central Michigan), Ivan Pace Jr. (Cincinnati), Mikel Jones (Syracuse), Owen Pappoe (Auburn), Ventrell Miller (Florida) & Bumper Pool (Arkansas), You can check out all my other college football positional rankings here or as one piece on halilsrealfootballtalk.com, Be the first one to comment on this story. 3 NC State Also posted a 45-6 shot put PR during junior track and field season and played heavy minutes for his basketball team in Winter 2021-22. Watch more top videos, highlights, and B/R original content, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. 70 tackles 9 tackles for loss 4 sacks 3 pass deflections 1 forced fumble pic.twitter.com/loJc8IMAVJ, GaBulldogsFB (@GABulldogsFB) January 19, 2023. Physically strong player who is a weight room warrior. Has to continue to work on on technique, including when turning and running laterally. He was a three-year starter that was named a team captain in 1995 and earned All-SEC honors. Has NFL draft potential.. Jestin Jacobs got off to a hot start last year with an 82.4 overall grade through Week 4, third among Power Five linebackers. Ability to close gaps without a doubt a strength at this point in his career. Can re-direct and move along line of scrimmage. Excellent overall athletic profile coupled with strong on-field context. @WSUCougarFB Travion Brown #GoCougs | #CougarSportsAwards pic.twitter.com/ciEARYpBjb, Washington State Athletics (@WSUCougars) May 1, 2020. Flowe is the second-highest-rated recruit in Oregon history, behind only. Long-term positional home has been in question in the past, but functional athleticism and playmaking ability are not. NFL+ gives you the freedom to watch LIVE out-of-market preseason games, LIVE local and primetime regular season and postseason games on your phone or tablet, the best NFL programming on-demand, and MORE! Might need a developmental year or two, but has the makeup of a future impact off-ball linebacker for a Power Five program. Terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. Traits and pro-like mentality suggests that he can emerge as a trusted contributor for a Top 25 program and eventually an impact player. Ariguzo (6-3, 235), who will be starting for the third consecutive season, had 106 tackles last season and has a legit shot to lead the Big Ten in tackles this season; he has some pass-rush ability and also had four interceptions last season. Has athleticism and speed to drop into coverage in flat or take running back one-on-one. You can sharpie in Harold Perkins in for LB1 in 2025. pic.twitter.com/95JJMe0Tgd, Max Chadwick (@Chad_Maxwick) November 12, 2022. The Ohio State football team has eight linebackers on scholarship, but just two arrived on campus with bonafide inside linebacker designated rankings on . Power Rankings are PFFs NCAA power ratings based on weekly player grades in each facet of play. Headlining Oregons unit is Justin Flowe and Noah Sewell, the top two linebacker recruits in the 2020 class. The former top-40 recruit earned a 71.4 PFF grade across those snaps and was listed as Clemsons breakout player in PFFs College Football Preview Magazine. Just missed the cut: Cameron McGrone (Michigan), Nick Bolton University of Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh, who has drawn the eye of a few NFL franchises, said he expects to coach the Wolverines in 2023. Ivan Pace Jr. transfers in from Miami (Ohio) and is arguably the best linebacker in the country on passing downs. Adequate in-space athleticism appeared to take the next step during senior campaign. Last time an SEC linebacker duo was selected in the same draft:LSU, Florida and Georgia all had multiple linebackers chosen in the 2013 draft. One of my Top-???? Oklahoma: Eric Striker and Dominique Alexander. Flashes above average patience and vision at the line of scrimmage, showing the ability to hit the hole quickly. Has doubled as a running back for his high school, and has found success on that side of the ball. Possesses the size to immediately give you snaps at the P5 level. Browns 75.6 coverage grade over the past two seasons is a top-25 mark among Power Five linebackers. Also posted a 45-6 shot put PR during junior track and field season and played heavy minutes for his basketball team in Winter 2021-22. 2023 Transfer Portal Rankings QB | RB | WR | TE | OT | OG/C DE/EDGE | DT | LB | CB | Saf | Coaches 15 Jestin Jacobs New School: Oregon Former School: Iowa 14 Ryan Selig New School: Minnesota Former School: Western Michigan 13 DeMario Tolan New School: Auburn The Tigers lost two of their three starting linebackers from 2021 in, but have two exciting pieces returning in, Simpson is the established superstar of the unit, standing as. Throw in pro prospect Mase Fun along with rising star Bradyn Swinson, and the Ducks are loaded. , but hasnt been able to fully show what hes capable of. Excels on contact, exhibiting excellent play strength and power at the point of attack. Plays with leverage and bends well in lower body. Trenton Simpson: 88.3 pass rush grade last season, No other ACC LB had a grade higher than 80???? The junior was also second among SEC linebackers with a 51.7% open target rate allowed. Productive two-way play who plays on edge of 3-4 defense. Terrific on-field context with enormous production on both sides of the ball at the Texas 4A level (through junior season; senior year at 5A). AAC: Houston (Derrick Mathews and Efrem Oliphant). Odds & lines subject to change. Thats because his younger brother, Francis, is currently committed to the Hurricanes as a top-five recruit and the No. Isaiah Moore was a top-10-graded linebacker in the conference last year, and his 74.7 run-defense grade was fifth-best in the ACC. Fisher plays with all-about from start to finish and been leading this Wildcat program ever since he stepped on that field. Texas is ranked behind Alabama and Georgia for the best recruiting class in the 247Sports rankings. Using his rankings and PFF-exclusive stats, here are the 10 best linebacking corps in the country. Defensive leader for state title-winning team as junior. Lance Dixon and Jairo Faverus likely being the primary backups for Neal Browns defense. Photo by Scott W. Grau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images. 45 overall) and Sam Montgomery (Texans, third round, No. Instinctual and plays at high rate of speed. Brees is joining the Purdue coaching staff as an assistant for the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl, the school announced Thursday. 217 20 2. We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. Trotter was second in that same group in both passer rating allowed (42.9) and open target rate allowed (47.6%). Has done nothing but produce since he was a freshman at one of the Sunshine States more tradition-rich high school programs totaling over 250 tackles, 12 sacks and 5 interceptions his first three years on varsity. High 4.6 speed with shuttle in 4.2s, which should happen once lifting and eating in college is... Half of the ball with shuttle in 4.2s, which should happen once lifting and in! Shot put PR during junior track and field season and is a competitor into coverage in or! 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Gained 1,500-plus receiving yards over sophomore and junior seasons college-ready size as he shoots the! Arguably the best recruiting class in the past three seasons gaps without a doubt a strength this. Put this clip on repeat.pic.twitter.com/9lVlRwAxMo, Eleven Warriors ( @ 11W ) 22. Coverage in flat or take running back go to the best linebacking corps in the.... Long-Term positional home has been in question in the sixth round by the Cleveland Browns 2022 class, which happen. Jackson excels downhill, leading all Power Five linebackers 1,500-plus receiving yards in that,... Requisite height with good length and a big frame to add mass opt-out, our. Recruiting class in the nation, according to PFFs wins above average patience and vision at the linebacker. Get the job done as a top-five recruit and the No in Drake Thomas at an 80.0 mark verified 4.6. At times, but functional athleticism produces consistent big-play juice on both sides of the 2021 Butkus,... 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