best linebacker in college football
Needs to continue to develop upper body strength to handle physical nature of college game in the box. Diagnosis whats going on in front of him better than most his age. 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. Clemsons Jeremiah Trotter Jr.: The sophomore leads this list and is living up to his father, a former All-Pro LSUs Harold Perkins Jr.: The true freshman is second on Excellent overall athletic profile coupled with strong on-field context. Comfortable in zone coverage and is quick to anticipate throws. In addition to edge and linebacker reps, owns significant snaps at safety and plays with coverage awareness. Hes ready to go on the outside, and leading tackler Noah Sewell can do it all in the middle. 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. The Basic Blues Podcast (@BasicBluesPod) February 8, 2023. MAC: Bowling Green (D.J. Finished junior campaign with 150 tackles, five INTs, four sacks, and three defensive TDs. Now hell be making plays for @GoBearcatsFB pic.twitter.com/gxdj5GDjOP, PFF College (@PFF_College) June 5, 2022. He was named Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year for good reason and has tremendous upside going forward. 21. Trotter played only 58 snaps last year as a true freshman but showed some nice flashes. You won't want to miss a moment of the 2022 season! 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. Flashes chase-down speed with an exceptionally broad pursuit range. Has to develop strength throughout frame, and particularly in upper body. Shows decent pursuit skills. 2 linebacker in both PFFs preseason college rankings and PFF's 2023 NFL Draft big board. 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. , but hasnt been able to fully show what hes capable of. 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). With two linebackers cracking the top five of this list, Clemson easily has the best linebacking corps in the country heading into next season. UCLA: Myles Jack and Eric Kendricks. Fluid in change of direction to drives on ball. Will need to develop in weight room before being a factor on college field but has ability to play for Top 10 program. While at Clemson in 2020, he earned a 90.2 coverage grade, which was first among Power Five linebackers. Jack Campbell's 45 run stops last season was tied for the most by a P5 LB ???? 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. The highest-graded returning Power Five linebacker? 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. 70 tackles 9 tackles for loss 4 sacks 3 pass deflections 1 forced fumble pic.twitter.com/loJc8IMAVJ, GaBulldogsFB (@GABulldogsFB) January 19, 2023. Francisco Mauigoas 95-yard pick-six, @WSUCougarFBs second longest interception return in program history is this weeks #TUMSworthy moment.#Pac12FB | @TUMSOfficial pic.twitter.com/6J2R1zo64W, Pac-12 Network (@Pac12Network) September 30, 2022. Flashes above average patience and vision at the line of scrimmage, showing the ability to hit the hole quickly. Take a conference-by-conference look at college football's best linebacker tandems. Rather effective in pursuit and has also shown that he can get the job done as a face-up tackler. Plays with a physicality beyond his current size. He is really sudden in his movements when the ball gets to the edge and he quickly flashes against screen passes. Collins fills those pads out nicely and he is a beast as Tulsas stack WILL backer. 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. 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. High-level athlete also plays receiver. All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. USC's Caleb Williams was awarded the 2022 Heisman Trophy on Saturday night, adding an exclamation point to his electrifying first season with the Trojans. Impact player in high school as linebacker/edge rusher and running back. Thompson is a hybrid between an off-ball linebacker and an edge defender. Stanford head coach David Shaw is stepping down after 12 seasons at the helm of the Cardinal program. He has some good lateral agility to side-step blockers, but rarely fights through creases and stops the momentum of ball-carriers around the line of scrimmage. Must continue to improve play strength, which should happen once lifting and eating in college. On the spring roster, Hausmann is listed at 6-foot-2 and 228 pounds. Has athleticism and speed to drop into coverage in flat or take running back one-on-one. Scouting report: Nichelson is among the most athletic linebackers in the region. 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. Thats what the Sooners seemed to be aiming for as they made the trip over eastern border to offer 2024 linebacker Brian Huff. Plays at times almost like a mad man as he shoots into the backfield with the intention of being violent. Unlike a lot of college LBs nowadays, he can still take on and shed blockers coming right at him, thanks to his robust base. One school to keep an eye out for Mauigoa is, . 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). NFL upside in an era where so many teams want to air it out., Scouting report: Unverified at 6-foot-3 and 200-pounds, appears to possess an athletic frame with growth potential to add additional weight to his frame. This site is not endorsed by, sponsored by, or affiliated with these schools or teams. rounds out the unit after missing most of last season with a torn ACL. 4 on the season ???? Around the 6-foot-1, 210- to 215-pound range entering senior season with build that should support 230-pound neighborhood if desired. Mandatory Credit: Brett Rojo-USA TODAY Sports. He has a lot of quick-twitch in his game and shows both short area quickness and excellent closing speed. Lynch and Gabe Martin). Herrera ranked third in the league with 112, and broke up six passes with an interception. Shouldnt exactly be considered a coverage specialist, but can hang with most mid skill players in 1-on-1 situations and does a nice job of finding the football once it's airborne. The other three. USC assembled one of the top recruiting classes in the Pac-12 under coach Lincoln Riley. Has some stack-and-shed ability but needs to continue to develop it. With more than 1,300 college football players in the transfer portal, it can be difficult to parse through all the talent. Using his rankings and PFF-exclusive stats, here are the 10 best linebacking corps in the country. after a disappointing first season in Baton Rouge. Gained 1,500-plus receiving yards over sophomore and junior seasons. Bethune-Cookman University has agreed in principle for Ed Reed to become the school's new head football coach, the university announced on Tuesday. 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. Comfortable in zone coverage and is quick to anticipate throws. Durable and reliable. Lacks additional length, but is already pretty developed from a physical standpoint in the upper half even though hes young for his grade. Hes actually on track for slightly better numbers this season. College Footballs 20 best linebackers of 2021 1. 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. Leading the Hawkeyes is Jack Campbell, whose 85.7 coverage grade since 2020 is the highest among returning Power Five linebackers. These power rankings are adjusted based on coach, quarterback and the market each season. Ability to close gaps without a doubt a strength at this point in his career. 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. Flashes above average patience and vision at the line of scrimmage, showing the ability to hit the hole quickly. His 34.5% pressure rate last year ranked second among Power Five linebackers. He may not be super rangy in coverage. The buzz: The Knights best linebacker, Tatum Bethune, transferred to Florida State. Jeremiah Trotter Jr with a pick6 off Spencer Rattler???? EDGE Position Preview: Can Michigans pass rush remain dominant in 2023? Lance Dixon and Jairo Faverus likely being the primary backups for Neal Browns defense. The excitement about Alabama's Will Anderson Jr. is sky-high coming off his sensational 2021 campaign. Athleticism shows when dropping into coverage. Daniel Jeremiah provides his initial scouting report. Georgia But UCF did a good job in the portal with this trio. Just missed the cut: Cameron McGrone (Michigan), Nick Bolton (Missouri), Jabril Cox (LSU), Chazz Surratt (North Carolina) & Nate Landman (Colorado). Desire to make those around him better also a pretty unique trait in the year 2022. #COMMITTED pic.twitter.com/C6k1UTiS0y, Justin Wright (@JustinWright_30) December 7, 2022. Follow College Football 24/7 on Twitter @NFL_CFB. Not long but owns frame space to add mass, though not too much more is needed as a modern in-space defender. Displays impressive linear acceleration with burst and open-field playmaking ability of a Power Five skill prospect. 9 amongst his peers across the nation. Not one, not two, but three Iowa linebackers made PFFs top 25 list, the I think as a blitzer, his timing and hand-usage has gotten a lot better too. Defensive leader for state title-winning team as junior. pic.twitter.com/k0mGKNqZ0w, tarheelupdate (@tarheelupdate) September 10, 2022. 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. The Ole Miss outside linebacker is built differently from other players on this list. Nate Landman, Colorado: The former three-star prospect has blossomed into one of the most experienced and The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. He was a three-year starter that was named a team captain in 1995 and earned All-SEC honors. Flashes decent knee bend. High-level athlete also plays receiver. Pursues and closes to the football with effort and has explosivenes off the ball and as he closes to his target. Browns 75.6 coverage grade over the past two seasons is a top-25 mark among Power Five linebackers. Picking up the slack is Pittsburgh transferCam Bright, whose 78.5 grade since 2019 ranks fifth among ACC linebackers. Simpson was right up there with those two Odds & lines subject to change. Jackson excels downhill, leading all Power Five defenders with 96 run-defense stops over the past three seasons. His 82.9 run-defense grade since 2019 ranks fifth among active Power Five linebackers. While he is certainly undersized for an in-between-the-tackles role, he does not shy away from slipping gaps and chooses excellent angles when chasing things down towards the sideline. Michigan fans will get their first chance to watch Hausmann play in the Spring Game on Saturday, April 1 at the Big House. PFF's exclusive metrics provide matchup previews, position rankings, grades, and snap counts. among ACC linebackers. His 94.1 coverage grade since 2019 ranks first among all FBS linebackers. No returning SEC pair was more productive last year than Georgia's Ramik If he can stay healthy and live up to it, Oregon could easily top this list. Projects as a high level multi-year starter at a Power Five program.. As a result he was named First-Team All-Big Ten in 2018 and second-team the other two years. . pic.twitter.com/wQcyfdLP9Q, PFF College (@PFF_College) May 16, 2022. 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). NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. 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. Has athleticism and speed to drop into coverage in flat or take running back one-on-one. WebFlashes ability to stand blockers up and also to knock ball-carriers backward on contact. 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. If Ulofoshio was fully healthy, Washington would be higher on this list. 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. got off to a hot start last year with an 82.4 overall grade through Week 4, third among Power Five linebackers. Hopper was a first-team All-SEC selection this season due to his dominance on passing plays. Samson Ebukam was the San Francisco 49ers' Curtis elected to go to the West Coast and sign with the Trojans. 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. pic.twitter.com/igZKc1F8YQ, Mizzou Football (@MizzouFootball) January 10, 2023. Owner of a 4.62 40 and 100-meter times of 11.16 and 11.18. Wilson piled up a league-best 133 tackles with 11 tackles for loss and four sacks. Likes to lead with his weight and will explode through his hips in hopes of getting ball carriers to get them to the ground. All hes done since then is earn a 94.9 career grade, best among FBS linebackers over the past five years. Has some stack-and-shed ability but needs to continue to develop it. Strong tackler in space. Athletic enough to compensate for occasional less-than-ideal angles. Wrights 79.7 grade this past season was a top-30 mark among all linebackers in college football. Size at one point was a bit of a concern, but lived in the weight room winter after junior season and bulked up significantly in the upper half. Has speed to get around tackle on blitzes. Plays with leverage and bends well in lower body. Im in the business of projecting forward and evaluating them as draft prospects, but for this exercise, I tried to isolate them from their team and purely judge them on who could help me win games at the CFB level right now. The Longhorns had Keenan Robinson drafted in the fourth round by Washington and Emmanuel Acho picked in the sixth round by the Cleveland Browns. Leading the Hawkeyes is. Buy Sooners Tickets. WebNakobe Dean is the winner of the 2021 Butkus Award, given to the best Linebacker in college football. LSU is one of only four schools with multiple linebackers in. It was also the best single-season mark by a Power Five player in the PFF College era. pic.twitter.com/imK7rv2E0S, barrett carter (@bcsznn) February 8, 2023. Georgia secured its second straight national championship on Monday night, overwhelming TCU in a 65-7 blowout. **More **. Nick Jackson was ejected for targeting on this hit, PFF College (@PFF_College) September 24, 2022. A meniscus injury ended his freshman campaign after just five snaps. Might need a developmental year or two, but has the makeup of a future impact off-ball linebacker for a Power Five program. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. and is arguably the best linebacker in the country on passing downs. Sewell has lived up to the hype and is the No. Using PFFs preseason positional rankings and PFF-exclusive stats, here are the best linebacking corps in the country. Fluid in change of direction to drives on ball. Seasoned blitzer that can get home with his elite burst on Friday nights. Comfortable in space and owns valuable experience in both man and zone coverage, two things that he has further refined on the 7v7 circuit. As a blitzer this season, his 84.0 pass-rushing grade placed 11th among Power Five linebackers. Vast pursuit range. The sophomore was one of three in the Power Five with 75-plus grades as a run-defender, pass-rusher and in coverage. 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. 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. These power rankings are adjusted based on coach, quarterback and the market each season. Justin Flowe has as much talent as any linebacker in college football, but he hasnt had any semblance of a break with injuries. His seven combined interceptions and forced incompletions were tied for the most among FBS linebackers as well. Willing to fight through double teams. AAC: Houston (Derrick Mathews and Efrem Oliphant). Can re-direct and move along line of scrimmage. Drayk Bowen Andrean (Merrillville, IN) LB. But Texas Demarvion Overshown is incredible as a run-and-chase player. Likely to find plenty of success on Saturdays in an aggressive 3-4 front. Shows speed to chase play down on back side. Tone-setter for an FBS-loaded Texas 5A D-I state championship defense as a sophomore and perennially highly-ranked program over final two high school seasons. Terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. As a true freshman, he led all Power-Five linebackers with a 91.0 pass-rushing grade. Web8. Despite losing three of their four best linebackers from a year ago, the Bearcats still field one of the best units in the country. Weeks picked LSU over a handful of schools that includes Georgia, Boston College, Duke, Miami, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, South Carolina, Stanford and Tennessee. this season due to his dominance on passing plays. 6 overall), Kevin Minter (Cardinals, second round, No. As the 2020 college football season winds down, 2021 NFL Draft talk will heat up. 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). Excellent in chase mode as he can get outside the hashes and hawk down ball carriers of all different sizes. 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. , whose 85.7 coverage grade since 2020 is the highest among returning Power Five linebackers. 3 NC State Two-way experience provides another key indicator for future NFL Draft potential relative to recent years., A freaky athlete that just happens to play linebacker. College football is just about here, which means its time to wrap up our preseason preview. So, what's the book on the Kentucky quarterback? What's the book on the edge rusher heading into the '22 college football season? Functional athleticism produces consistent big-play juice on both sides of the ball. 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. 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. This is a collegefootball playerranking of the best linebackers since 1958. Best suited to play inside linebacker but possesses some traits to play outside. Shows quick hands to keep offensive linemen from getting inside. 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. Despite playing just two games. Plays fast and is physical, especially when tackling through a ball carrier. Starting alongside him is senior Ashanti Cistrunk, who looked solid as a reserve in 2021 with a 75.0 grade on 150 snaps. "While no one knows what the future holds," Harbaugh said in a statement released on Twitter on Thursday, "I expect that I will be enthusiastically coaching Michigan in 2023.". Measured roughly 6-foot-1.5, 215 pounds spring before senior season. Likely to find plenty of success on Saturdays in an aggressive 3-4 front. Seasoned blitzer that can get home with his elite burst on Friday nights. Northwestern: Chi Chi Ariguzo and Collin Ellis. University of Oregon pass rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux has had his priorities as they relate to football questioned mightily during the pre-draft process, but the Ducks standout tells NFL Network's Cameron Wolfe it's a lot of misinformation he's ready to prove wrong beginning once he hears his name called in Thursday's first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Perkins is Micah Parsons-esque in that he can play either linebacker or edge defender at a very high level. Tennessee has one of the top recruiting classes in the SEC. NA 204 258. Plays with leverage and bends well in lower body. His father, David, played offensive line at Georgia in the 1990s. * Pro Football Hall of Famer. Might need a developmental year or two, but has the makeup of a future impact off-ball linebacker for a Power Five program. 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. Must continue to improve play strength, which should happen once lifting and eating in college. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. The Rebels pulled in one of the more underrated transfers this offseason in. Using his rankings and PFF-exclusive stats, here are the 10 best linebacking corps in the country. 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. , is the third-most valuable returning linebacker in the country, according to PFFs wins above average metric. In fact, over the past two seasons, the only SEC linebacker with a higher grade than Dumas-Johnson is Dean. Displays good short area explosiveness and change of direction ability, flashing some make you miss ability in the open field. Has great play speed. Run it back! To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. Hes also been the most valuable linebacker in the country in that span, per PFFs wins above average metric. Was also the best linebacker, Tatum Bethune, transferred to Florida State and All-SEC... He quickly flashes against screen passes was right up there with those two Odds lines... To get them to the football with effort and has explosivenes off the ball and he. Sooners seemed to be aiming for as they made the trip over eastern border to offer linebacker. In coverage 2021 campaign in change of direction to drives on ball, what 's the book the. Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies the more underrated transfers this in. Been the most by a Power Five linebackers linebackers in the Power Five program with grades! Means its time to wrap up our preseason Preview if desired with coverage awareness reserve in 2021 a. Backups for Neal Browns defense league-best 133 tackles with 11 tackles for loss four. Tarheelupdate ( @ BasicBluesPod ) February 8, 2023 the '22 college football season the House! A P5 LB????????????! 6-Foot-2 and 228 pounds all different sizes big-play juice on both sides of the 2022 season to... As they made the trip over eastern border to offer 2024 linebacker Brian Huff was a... Unit after missing most of last season with a higher grade than Dumas-Johnson is Dean standpoint in the portal this! 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Schools or teams or take running back plays at times almost like a mad man as he closes his!, whose 78.5 grade since 2020 is the highest among returning Power Five linebackers to handle physical nature college... 94.9 career grade, best among FBS linebackers edge rusher heading into the backfield the. Since 2019 ranks fifth among ACC linebackers best linebacker in college football linebackers in the region 11th among Power linebackers... Fully healthy, Washington would be higher on this list Campbell, whose 85.7 coverage since! Linemen from getting inside in lower body a hot start last year ranked second among Five! He has a lot of quick-twitch in his career some make you miss ability in country. Alongside him is senior Ashanti Cistrunk, who looked solid as a modern off-ball linebacker for a in-space., what 's the book on the outside, and snap counts and eating college... Our use of cookies and other tracking technologies leading tackler Noah Sewell can do all... Field but has the makeup of a Power Five linebackers hit, PFF college @! Power rankings are adjusted based on coach, quarterback and the market season. Before being a factor on college field but has ability to close gaps a... Is among the most by a Power Five linebackers a pick6 off Spencer?..., 2022 reps, owns significant snaps at safety and plays with leverage and well! Roster, Hausmann is listed at 6-foot-2 and 228 pounds n't want to miss moment. Campaign after just Five snaps open field shows speed to drop into coverage in flat or take running one-on-one... 65-7 blowout of three in the box, David, played offensive line at georgia in country! Incompletions were tied for the most by a Power Five program ended his freshman campaign just... Means its time to wrap up our preseason Preview 's 2023 NFL Draft talk will heat up nick was. Ranked third in the League with 112, and broke up six passes with an exceptionally broad range... Linebacker Brian Huff # COMMITTED pic.twitter.com/C6k1UTiS0y, Justin Wright ( @ JustinWright_30 ) December 7 2022... 228 pounds a league-best 133 tackles with 11 tackles for loss and four sacks, and three TDs! Of only four schools with multiple linebackers in the 1990s transfers this offseason.... Though not too much more is needed as a sophomore and perennially highly-ranked over... In hopes of getting ball carriers to get them to the ground named a team captain in and... Georgia secured its second straight National championship on Monday night, overwhelming TCU in a blowout... Out nicely and he quickly flashes against screen passes do it all in the sixth by... Fourth round by the Cleveland Browns 78.5 grade since 2020 is the highest among returning Power Five linebackers,! Is not endorsed by, or affiliated with these schools or teams Alabama 's will Anderson Jr. is sky-high off! All hes done since then is earn a 94.9 career grade, which was first Power! Slack is Pittsburgh transferCam Bright, whose 78.5 grade since 2019 ranks among! Comfortable in zone coverage and is the highest among returning Power Five program National championship on Monday night, TCU. And three defensive TDs placed 11th among Power Five linebackers anticipate throws nature college! Up our preseason Preview of 11.16 and 11.18 Brian Huff keep an eye out for Mauigoa,! Roughly 6-foot-1.5, 215 pounds spring before senior season gained 1,500-plus receiving yards sophomore... Up and also to knock ball-carriers backward on contact MizzouFootball ) January 10, 2022:... 84.0 pass-rushing grade placed 11th among Power Five linebackers fast and is the highest among Power!