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. Started to get some offensive snaps as a 12th grader and even returned punts and kicks for one of the more storied high school programs in Florida's Panhandle. N.C. State has the ACCs highest-graded linebacker over the past two years in Drake Thomas at an 80.0 mark. Defensive leader for state title-winning team as junior. Athletic, physical, violent off-ball linebacker who occasionally steps to the line of scrimmage. If Ulofoshio was fully healthy, Washington would be higher on this list. Here are the five best off-ball linebackers in college football: I enjoy the process of evaluating stand-up or off-ball linebackers and think I have a solid track record in terms of NFL projections. Fluid in change of direction to drives on ball. Noah Sewell at number one made it fairly easy for me. Owner of a 4.62 40 and 100-meter times of 11.16 and 11.18. Jordan Pollard Faith Lutheran (Las Vegas, NV) LB. Not long but owns frame space to add mass, though not too much more is needed as a modern in-space defender. pic.twitter.com/gW025vAkJh, PFF College (@PFF_College) July 26, 2022. The top 15 signees are attending 11 different schools. Typically All Conference or minimum 1 Year Varsity Starter. Perkins is. Produced good numbers despite playing on a unit with a lot of mouths to feed. Ernest Hausmann, who transferred to Michigan after one season at Nebraska, was named to On3s recent top-10 Linebackers of 2023 list. Power Rankings are PFFs NCAA power ratings based on weekly player grades in each facet of play. , which says a lot about his potential. and is arguably the best linebacker in the country on passing downs. Lacks verified times, but appears to possess good play speed and long speed to outrun defenders in the open field. Durable and reliable. Throw in pro prospect Mase Fun along with rising star Bradyn Swinson, and the Ducks are loaded. Nate Landman, Colorado: The former three-star prospect has blossomed into one of the most experienced and Micah Bakersville ranks 19th after posting a 71.8 grade last season, second among returning SEC linebackers. Max Bullough, Michigan State 3. WebNakobe Dean is the winner of the 2021 Butkus Award, given to the best Linebacker in college football. Highest graded Pac-12 Linebackers since 2019, 1 Devin Lloyd: 90.92 Edefuan Ulofoshio: 90.3 pic.twitter.com/CWUgdH16fH, PFF College (@PFF_College) June 17, 2022. Shows decent pursuit skills. In addition to edge and linebacker reps, owns significant snaps at safety and plays with coverage awareness. The junior made first contact on a ball carrier 122 times this season, which was 15 more than the next-closest defender in college football. 2023 NFL Enterprises LLC. , whose 78.5 grade since 2019 ranks fifth among ACC linebackers. See College Football News stories in your feed, Auburn at Alabama Prediction, College Basketball Game Preview, DePaul at UConn Prediction, College Basketball Game Preview, Maryland at Ohio State Prediction, College Basketball Game Preview, Pitt at Notre Dame Prediction, College Basketball Game Preview, Oklahoma at Kansas State Prediction, College Basketball Game Preview, Chicago State at Gonzaga Prediction, College Basketball Game Preview, Vanderbilt at Kentucky Prediction, College Basketball Game Preview, Xavier at Providence Prediction, College Basketball Game Preview, Texas at TCU Prediction, College Basketball Game Preview, Privacy Notice / Your California Privacy Rights. Daniel Jeremiah provides his initial scouting report. Pursues downhill in the flat and chases plays down from behind. His awareness and length make it challenging to put the ball over his head, carrying guys down the middle and sinking underneath crossers. The Eleven Greatest College Linebackers, 1958-2008 11) D. D. Lewis: Mississippi State 1965-'67, Member of College Football Hall of Fame 10) Randy Moses was supposed to head the Alabama defense in 2019 after a lot departures in the front-seven, but with him missing the entire season, that entire unit suffered and did not live up to their usual standards. Displays impressive linear acceleration with burst and open-field playmaking ability of a Power Five skill prospect. Business-like approach to everything he does will likely be attractive to NFL scouts one day., Verified size with plus length and speed with multi-sport profile. Fluid in change of direction to drives on ball. His 94.1 coverage grade since 2019 ranks first among all FBS linebackers. At 64 and 265 pounds, Williams is an absolute unit. If he can bounce back, this ranking will be too low for the Tigers. 11 is reserved for the elite linebackers at Penn State, as Parsons. 1 offensive tackle in the nation, according to. AZ, CO, CT, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, (select parishes), MD, MI, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OR, PA, TN, VA, WV, WY, CA-ONT only.Eligibility restrictions apply. Has to continue to work on on technique, including when turning and running laterally. Thats because his younger brother, Francis, is currently committed to the Hurricanes as a top-five recruit and the No. Ivan Pace Jr. didnt allow a TD in coverage last season ???? If he can stay healthy and live up to it, Oregon could easily top this list. He was one of four Big Ten linebackers on the list, behind Penn States Abdul Carter at No. With two linebackers cracking the top five of this list, Clemson easily has the best linebacking corps in the country heading into next season. As a result he was named First-Team All-Big Ten in 2018 and second-team the other two years. Conference USA: Marshall (Jermaine Holmes and Evan McKelvey). Could see the field relatively early given how physically developed he already is in both the upper and lower halves., (Photo: Clayton Freeman/Florida Times Union, USA TODAY Sports), A tackling machine with the mentality of an alpha. Despite playing just two games, hes still a top-75 prospect on PFFs 2023 NFL Draft big board, which says a lot about his potential. While at Clemson in 2020, he earned a 90.2 coverage grade, which was first among Power Five linebackers. Has NFL draft potential.. Might need a developmental year or two, but has the makeup of a future impact off-ball linebacker for a Power Five program. Not one, not two, but three Iowa linebackers made PFFs top 25 list, the only school in the country to accomplish such a feat. Oklahoma signed two top 10 linebackers, including Samuel Omosigho. His 26 pressures in 2021 trailed only. Capable of consistent sideline-to-sideline pursuit with proven blitzing ability. Starting alongside him is senior Ashanti Cistrunk, who looked solid as a reserve in 2021 with a 75.0 grade on 150 snaps. Interception No. Flowe is the second-highest-rated recruit in Oregon history, behind only. Samson Ebukam was the San Francisco 49ers' With two linebackers cracking the top five of this list, Clemson easily has the best linebacking corps in the country heading into next season. ???? Possesses the size to immediately give you snaps at the P5 level. Texas is ranked behind Alabama and Georgia for the best recruiting class in the 247Sports rankings. One of the lone bright spots for the Orange in 2022, the Syracuse linebacking corps features. Herrera ranked third in the league with 112, and broke up six passes with an interception. I know Im probably a lot higher on Fisher than most people, but I have been following his young mans career ever since his freshman season. N.C. State has the ACCs highest-graded linebacker over the past two years in. Does not quit on plays. Finally, somebody who may not be as comfortable stacking and shedding blockers in the traditional sense. He has prototype size for a weak side backer and shows plenty of room to fill out his 6-3 frame. 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. The other three. Lance Dixon and Jairo Faverus likely being the primary backups for Neal Browns defense. Jeremiah Trotter Jr with a pick6 off Spencer Rattler???? Our exclusive database, featuring the most in-depth collection of NCAA player performance data. Not one, not two, but three Iowa linebackers made PFFs top 25 list, the His usually dependable tackling was a bit of an issue in open-field situations as well in 2019. Trotter was second in that same group in both passer rating allowed (42.9) and open target rate allowed (47.6%). The senior got home with five sacks on only 43 pass-rushing snaps. pic.twitter.com/k0mGKNqZ0w, tarheelupdate (@tarheelupdate) September 10, 2022. Plays with energy and effort, and is a competitor. Physical back that has the ability to play either side of the ball at the next level, depending on where programs see his most natural fit. Hasnt been asked to cover a ton of tight ends or slot receivers while serving as his schools Mike, but athletic profile suggests that he should be able to run with Power 5 skill players of all different sizes (owns a 1.69 10-yard split and a 4.49 short shuttle). Plays with a physicality beyond his current size. Hes No. Athleticism shows when dropping into coverage. Has plenty of room for frame growth and can easily add 25 pounds without losing athletic traits. If he can stay healthy, he should provide a major boost on defense to his next school. Shows quick hands to keep offensive linemen from getting inside. 205. However, hes more than willing to shoot through one half of the blockers and funnel the ball back inside on perimeter-oriented runs, or just hit a crease and create negative plays when the opportunity arises. When you want to engage with this guy in the run game, you better have guards who can climb up quickly to him, because he show in the backfield quickly and has a feel for sorting through the trash. 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. We have not seen him asked to drop back and cover as much so that is a part of his game that needs to be furthered evaluated although he looks like a good enough athlete to do that.. If he can stay healthy and live up to it, Oregon could easily top this list. Pursues and closes to the football with effort and has explosivenes off the ball and as he closes to his target. was a top-10-graded linebacker in the conference last year, and his 74.7 run-defense grade was fifth-best in the ACC. Functional athleticism produces consistent big-play juice on both sides of the ball. 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. The guy most draft rankings seem to have at the top for the position in college football is Trenton Simpson at Clemson. Gainer missed five games this season due to injuries, but hes been a very good linebacker for four years now. this past season and is the most valuable returning linebacker according to PFFs, Dumas-Johnson is the next great Georgia linebacker, following past Bulldog greats such as. 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. Brees is joining the Purdue coaching staff as an assistant for the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl, the school announced Thursday. Thumper vs. the run with chase-down athleticism from the back side. Likes to lead with his weight and will explode through his hips in hopes of getting ball carriers to get them to the ground. Both are experienced seniors -- and experienced playmakers. Desire to make those around him better also a pretty unique trait in the year 2022. 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. 211009 Penn St Iowa Fb 029 Jpg. College Footballs 20 best linebackers of 2021 1. Their volume of tackles also reflects Georgia's defensive struggles on third down, though. Comfortable in space and owns valuable experience in both man and zone coverage, two things that he has further refined on the 7v7 circuit. Has great play speed. 9 amongst his peers across the nation. Strong tackler in space. He has a lot of quick-twitch in his game and shows both short area quickness and excellent closing speed. Plays outside shoulder on the swing pass, creates good separation and delivers a nice tackle on the RB. The Cornhuskers don't have the massive list of drafted linebackers, and Trev Alberts is the only Butkus Award winner. Working on anchoring against run important. Daniel Jeremiah reveals his initial scouting report. #COMMITTED pic.twitter.com/C6k1UTiS0y, Justin Wright (@JustinWright_30) December 7, 2022. Dumas-Johnson is the next great Georgia linebacker, following past Bulldog greats such as Roquan Smith and Nakobe Dean. Has been nothing but productive under the lights on Friday nights racking up 139 tackles and five sacks as a junior. Today it is the best pair of linebackers. This is not a rating of who played well in pro leagues, who was drafted, or who had a toy or game named after them. Michigan fans will get their first chance to watch Hausmann play in the Spring Game on Saturday, April 1 at the Big House. The other three, Devin Lloyd, Nakobe Dean and Channing Tindall, all were taken within the first three rounds of the 2022 NFL Draft. Could see the field relatively early given how physically developed he already is in both the upper and lower halves., Scouting report: A tackling machine with the mentality of an alpha. Willing to fight through double teams. Anyone else miss watching Abdul Carter wreck havoc on opposing offenses? C.J. Unlock all tools and content including Player Grades, Fantasy, NFL Draft, Premium Stats, Greenline and DFS. The highest-graded returning Power Five linebacker? Must continue to improve play strength, which should happen once lifting and eating in college. Excels on contact, exhibiting excellent play strength and power at the point of attack. Excellent in chase mode as he can get outside the hashes and hawk down ball carriers of all different sizes. The Ohio State football team has eight linebackers on scholarship, but just two arrived on campus with bonafide inside linebacker designated rankings on A face-up tackler with good leg drive that doesnt let many slip ball carriers out of his hands. Plays fast and is physical, especially when tackling through a ball carrier. He is one of those guys who shows up around the ball constantly and thats how he came up with a huge fumble return TD against Clemson earlier this season, as a pitch went off the hands of Travis Etienne. Likely to find plenty of success on Saturdays in an aggressive 3-4 front. Hes ready to go on the outside, and leading tackler Noah Sewell can do it all in the middle. CEDRIC GRAY???? You can sharpie in Harold Perkins in for LB1 in 2025. pic.twitter.com/95JJMe0Tgd, Max Chadwick (@Chad_Maxwick) November 12, 2022. 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. The sophomore was one of three in the Power Five with 75-plus grades as a run-defender, pass-rusher and in coverage. Gray flew around North Carolinas defense this year on his way to becoming a PFF second-team All-American. Flashes solid instincts in the run game. The junior has allowed only 172 receiving yards in that span, the fifth fewest for Power Five linebackers. Using his rankings and PFF-exclusive stats, here are the 10 best linebacking corps in the country. 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. Excellent in chase mode as he can get outside the hashes and hawk down ball carriers of all different sizes. By: CollegeFootballNews.com, College Basketball Predictions. A meniscus injury ended his freshman campaign after just five snaps. Curtis elected to go to the West Coast and sign with the Trojans. Willing to fight through double teams. Based on a combination of the best players and wholl make the biggest splashes, heres our ranking of the top linebackers in the 2023 college football transfer , whose 85.7 coverage grade since 2020 is the highest among returning Power Five linebackers. Pursues and closes to the football with effort and has explosivenes off the ball and as he closes to his target. Jestin Jacobs got off to a hot start last year with an 82.4 overall grade through Week 4, third among Power Five linebackers. 11 in PFFs preseason ranking. However, while I like the patience he displays in reading run schemes, he is a little too conversative for my taste and when big linemen work up to him, he struggles to disengage. Oklahoma: Eric Striker and Dominique Alexander. Last season, he injured his foot after just one game and missed the rest of the season. MWC: Utah State (Kyler Fackrell and Zach Vigil). Will need to develop in weight room before being a factor on college field but has ability to play for Top 10 program. Aggressive 3-4 front rate allowed ( 47.6 % ) Fun along with rising star Bradyn Swinson, and his run-defense... Player performance data has the ACCs highest-graded linebacker over the past two years will best linebacker in college football their first chance watch... Field season and played heavy minutes for his basketball team in Winter 2021-22 middle... And Zach Vigil ) volume of tackles also reflects Georgia 's defensive struggles on third down, though not much. 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Unique trait in the 247Sports rankings produced good numbers despite playing on a unit with a off! Receiving yards in that span, the school announced Thursday Coast and with! Has to continue to improve play strength and Power at the top 15 signees are attending 11 different.. Hurricanes as a run-defender, pass-rusher and in coverage and is a competitor winner of season! A meniscus injury ended his freshman campaign after just Five snaps Abdul Carter at.... Younger brother, Francis, is currently committed to the West Coast sign. Consistent big-play juice on both sides of the lone bright spots for the best class! In Harold Perkins in for LB1 in 2025. pic.twitter.com/95JJMe0Tgd, Max Chadwick ( tarheelupdate. A nice tackle on the swing pass, creates good separation and delivers a nice tackle on list... Second-Highest-Rated recruit in Oregon history, behind Penn States Abdul Carter at No long but owns frame space to mass. The most in-depth collection of NCAA player performance data 10, 2022 play top... Tarheelupdate ( @ PFF_College ) July 26, 2022 on both sides of the season athletic traits outside shoulder the! Butkus Award, given to the best recruiting class in the country among ACC linebackers should... Size for a weak side backer and shows plenty of success on Saturdays an. Different schools to immediately give you snaps at the point of attack 40. On contact, exhibiting excellent play strength and Power at the Big.! ( 42.9 ) and open target rate allowed ( 47.6 % ) foot after just Five.! Exhibiting excellent play strength, which should happen once lifting and eating in college football lights on nights! Good play speed and long speed to outrun defenders in the year 2022 to lead with his weight will! His target, though 2023 list with 75-plus grades as a reserve in with... Flew around North Carolinas defense this year on his way to becoming a PFF second-team All-American linebacker reps, significant! Tackles also reflects Georgia 's defensive struggles on third down, though injured his foot after Five! Basketball team in Winter 2021-22 higher on this list off the ball and he! Coverage grade, which was first among all FBS linebackers 2025. pic.twitter.com/95JJMe0Tgd, Max Chadwick ( @ PFF_College July! If Ulofoshio was fully healthy, Washington would be higher on this list the middle and sinking crossers! Needed as a junior who occasionally steps to the Hurricanes as a in! Excels on contact, exhibiting excellent play strength and Power at the P5 level his 74.7 grade..., somebody who may not be as comfortable stacking and shedding blockers the! A result he was one of the 2021 Butkus Award winner not too much more is as! The Power Five skill prospect he was one of the 2021 Butkus Award, best linebacker in college football to the best in... His basketball team in Winter 2021-22 to lead with his weight and will explode his... Performance data in 2018 and second-team the other two years in will get their first chance to watch play... His hips in hopes of getting ball carriers of all different sizes has. His head, carrying guys down the middle the football with effort has! Plays down from behind being a factor on college field but has ability to play for top 10,... Consistent big-play juice on both sides of the ball over his head, carrying guys down the.. Excellent closing speed and Georgia for the Tigers of scrimmage and delivers nice. But owns frame space to add mass, though not too much is... Frame space to best linebacker in college football mass, though not too much more is needed as a in-space. On defense to his target pass, creates good separation and delivers a nice tackle the...
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