Neither is the most talented linebacker in the league, but as a duo, no returning SEC pair was more productive last year than this one. Samson Ebukam was the San Francisco 49ers' His usually dependable tackling was a bit of an issue in open-field situations as well in 2019. Excels on contact, exhibiting excellent play strength and power at the point of attack. 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. 11 is reserved for the elite linebackers at Penn State, as Parsons, NaVorro Bowman and LaVar Arrington all rocked the stix.. Plus, if you scheme open a lane for him (as Texas does at times) to wrap around, hell arrive at the passer in a hurry and knock that guy down. Will need to develop in weight room before being a factor on college field but has ability to play for Top 10 program. Please logout and login again. In addition to edge and linebacker reps, owns significant snaps at safety and plays with coverage awareness. 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. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. Hes a physical kid and was one of the areas top running backs last season as well, but we think his upside is highest on the defensive side of the ball., Scouting report: A plus athlete for the linebacker position. The top 15 signees are attending 11 different schools. * Pro Football Hall of Famer. Hes a menace as a blitzer, with his 30.6% pass-rush win rate last year leading all FBS linebackers. Excellent overall athletic profile coupled with strong on-field context. With that being said, he needs to play with more extension working against blockers in the run game and there are question about this athleticism as to how it projects to the next level, as weve rarely seen him get tasked with man-coverage duty. 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. His 71.2 pass-rush grade since 2019 is a top-20 mark in the ACC. Note: This ranking only includes off-ball 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. His three forced fumbles were also tied for sixth in the country. Fisher shows good discipline in zone coverage and contests a lot of stick and hook routes. This is the fifth in a series looking at the best positional tandems in college football in each conference, taking into account both college production and pro potential. As we head toward the 2022 college football season, the Will Levis hype train is picking up steam. Not long but owns frame space to add mass, though not too much more is needed as a modern in-space defender. @TexasFootball pic.twitter.com/Fe6qSkJXWz, ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) November 25, 2022, The No. The brother of Detroit Lions stud offensive tackle Penei Sewell, Noah became the crown jewel of Oregon once his brother decided to sit out 2020 and then became a top-ten pick. Jones was the second-highest-graded linebacker in the ACC last season with a 75.6 mark. Power Rankings are PFFs NCAA power ratings based on weekly player grades in each facet of play. Flashes chase-down speed with an exceptionally broad pursuit range. Injuries are the only thing holding him back. Go Pokes???? Defensive leader for state title-winning team as junior. NA 204 258. Gambling problem? More than likely projects to an off-ball weak side backer role at the next level on the defensive side of the ball. Plays with energy and effort, and is a competitor. , but what about the best position groups? EDGE Position Preview: Can Michigans pass rush remain dominant in 2023? Hell wear No. Florida produced Jon Bostic (Bears, second round) and Jelani Jenkins (Dolphins, fourth round), while Georgia had Jarvis Jones and Alec Ogletree both go in the first round to Pittsburgh and St. Louis, respectively. Lacks verified times, but appears to possess good play speed and long speed to outrun defenders in the open field. Plays at times almost like a mad man as he shoots into the backfield with the intention of being violent. * 21+ (19+ CA-ONT) (18+ NH/WY). 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. Ulofoshio has missed 10 games over the past three years and will miss at least half of the 2022 season with a knee injury. Take a look at the top 10 players from Northwestern to play in the NFL. Picking up the slack is Pittsburgh transferCam Bright, whose 78.5 grade since 2019 ranks fifth among ACC linebackers. Trotter was second in that same group in both passer rating allowed (42.9) and open target rate allowed (47.6%). Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA; Tulsa Golden Hurricane linebacker Justin Wright (30) runs back an interception for a touchdown during the second quarter of the game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Boone Pickens Stadium. 3. Check out the top 10 players from Georgia to play in the NFL. Understands how to stack and shed, and can do it at a high level. Top 10 returning off-ball linebackers in college football Watch more top videos, highlights, and B/R original content, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. couldnt make you understand even if i tried to explain.. The Ohio State football team has eight linebackers on scholarship, but just two arrived on campus with bonafide inside linebacker designated rankings on 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! Already established as a hammer, showed violent striking ability during impressive senior season. The younger Trotter excels on passing plays, as he was the only Power Five linebacker with 80-plus grades as a pass-rusher and in coverage. Thompson is a hybrid between an off-ball linebacker and an edge defender. Linebackers: Josh Chandler-Semedo/Exree Loe. Working on anchoring against run important. 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. Martial is listed as, PFFs top 25 linebackers for the 2022 season, hes still a top-75 prospect on PFFs 2023 NFL Draft big board, PFFs best linebacker prospect in the 2023 Draft, PFFs top linebacker heading into next season, PFFs No. Senior season displayed improved in-space competency as a big-bodied traditional off-ball 'backer who could likely stay there in the long term. 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. Isaiah Simmons Highlights (BEST LINEBACKER IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL) clemson lb highlights isaiah simmons. All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. As a result he was named First-Team All-Big Ten in 2018 and second-team the other two years. Hes actually on track for slightly better numbers this season. Who in the NFL, past or present, would you compare Noah Sewells game to? Unlock all tools and content including Player Grades, Fantasy, NFL Draft, Premium Stats, Greenline and DFS. Christian Harris was a highly-regarded recruit for Alabama and had flashes, where hed let that talent flourish, but I thought Henry Too Too cleaned up quite a few things throughout the year for him. He ranked second among all linebackers in the country with 18 quarterback knockdowns (sacks/hits) and was tied for second in the country with four forced fumbles. Starting alongside him is senior Ashanti Cistrunk, who looked solid as a reserve in 2021 with a 75.0 grade on 150 snaps. He joins the Michigan defense after playing 12 games at Nebraska as a true freshman, where he recorded 54 total tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack and a fumble recovery. One of my Top-???? Naturally low center of gravity and impressive core balance allows him to change directions without wasting much, if any, motion. The Ole Miss outside linebacker is built differently from other players on this list. To say the Sooners are loaded at the linebacker spot would be an understatement considering Frank Shannon mans the middle and Geneo Grissom will be more of a hybrid defensive end/linebacker this fall. UCLA: Myles Jack and Eric Kendricks. Diagnosis whats going on in front of him better than most his age. Coming over from Jeremy Pruitts Tennessee offense, the linebacker was familiar with a similar defensive scheme that allowed Nick Saban and company to move Harris to the weak-side, with Too Too fitting in at MIKE. Power Rankings are PFFs NCAA power ratings based on weekly player grades in each facet of play. A downhill inside runner that plays in a triple option offense, Perkins has the ability to project to both a power or zone scheme at the next level. 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. A meniscus injury ended his freshman campaign after just five snaps. Thats what the Sooners seemed to be aiming for as they made the trip over eastern border to offer 2024 linebacker Brian Huff. . The Eleven Greatest College Linebackers, 1958-2008 11) D. D. Lewis: Mississippi State 1965-'67, Member of College Football Hall of Fame 10) Randy He joined Troy as an undersized walk-on in 2017 at just 5-foot-9, 210 pounds. pic.twitter.com/igZKc1F8YQ, Mizzou Football (@MizzouFootball) January 10, 2023. He has prototype size for a weak side backer and shows plenty of room to fill out his 6-3 frame. 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. One of his best games of the season was at the Big House, as in a loss to Wolverines, Hausmann had 10 tackles and a tackle for loss. He has a lot of quick-twitch in his game and shows both short area quickness and excellent closing speed. Weighing in at 220 pounds at best, Overshown may not be built to play squarely against blockers. Naturally low center of gravity and impressive core balance allows him to change directions without wasting much, if any, motion. Flashes chase-down speed with an exceptionally broad pursuit range. Ulofoshio has missed 10 games over the past three years and will miss at least half of the 2022 season with a knee injury. 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. WebNakobe Dean is the winner of the 2021 Butkus Award, given to the best Linebacker in college football. Perkins is. 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. 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., (Photo: @USC_FB, IG: tackett_curtis4, 247Sports), Nichelson is among the most athletic linebackers in the region. Shows surprising hands-catching acumen and big-play speed as a receiver. Has speed to get around tackle on blitzes. Justin Flowe has as much talent as any linebacker in college football, but he hasnt had any semblance of a break with injuries. Adequate in-space athleticism appeared to take the next step during senior campaign. Trotter played only 58 snaps last year as a true freshman but showed some nice flashes. Shows speed to chase play down on back side. Clemson linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr. (54) and defensive end Regan Upshaw (53) tackle Syracuse receiver Trebor Pena (29) during the first quarter at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, New York, Friday, October 15, 2021. Produced good numbers despite playing on a unit with a lot of mouths to feed. Has been nothing but productive under the lights on Friday nights racking up 139 tackles and five sacks as a junior. When you think of a true standout college linebacker, whos consistently a step early with how he sees plays happen and seems to get involved in every single tackle, Jack Campbell comes to mind. Ridiculously productive with 1,700 yards of total offense and 27 touchdowns and 40 tackles, including seven sacks. Functional athleticism produces consistent big-play juice on both sides of the ball. C.J. Physically strong player who is a weight room warrior. 4 on the season ???? Rice is pretty fluid mover in coverage, who can run downfield with flexed out tight-ends and shut down throws into the flats. , which says a lot about his potential. The Rebels pulled in one of the more underrated transfers this offseason in Central Michigans Troy Brown, the sixth-best linebacker in the country according to PFFs preseason rankings. His 82.9 run-defense grade since 2019 ranks fifth among active Power Five linebackers. Wilson piled up a league-best 133 tackles with 11 tackles for loss and four sacks. His short-area explosiveness to beat blockers to the spot and flat-out speed to run down plays all over the field really pops. 11 is reserved for the elite linebackers at Penn State, as Parsons. Already established as a hammer, showed violent striking ability during impressive senior season. The junior was also second among SEC linebackers with a 51.7% open target rate allowed. Shaw announced the news after the team closed out the season with a 36-25 loss to BYU on Saturday night, telling reporters he made the decision within the past week. Will need to develop in weight room before being a factor on college field but has ability to play for Top 10 program. It was the third time in the past nine drafts that the Hawkeyes had two linebackers taken in the same year. Perkins is Micah Parsons-esque in that he can play either linebacker or edge defender at a very high level. Plays fast and is physical, especially when tackling through a ball carrier. Incredibly quick in shooting gaps. Last season, he injured his foot after just one game and missed the rest of the season. Rarely do you see a college football linebacker become a day-two NFL draft pick and you feel like the guy who was lined up next to him (but decided to stay for another year) is significantly better. His 34.5% pressure rate last year ranked second among Power Five linebackers. He can line up at defensive end with his hand in the dirt or play stood up over the tackle. Can engage and still drive legs to get around corner on blitz. 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