Willing to fight through double teams. Around the 6-foot-1, 210- to 215-pound range entering senior season with build that should support 230-pound neighborhood if desired. NFL upside in an era where so many teams want to air it out., Unverified at 6-foot-3 and 200-pounds, appears to possess an athletic frame with growth potential to add additional weight to his frame. Ivan Pace Jr. didnt allow a TD in coverage last season ???? The sophomore was one of three in the Power Five with 75-plus grades as a run-defender, pass-rusher and in coverage. 8 linebacker in college football for the 2022 season, PFF's fourth-best linebacker in the country entering the 2022 season. Lance Dixon and Jairo Faverus likely being the primary backups for Neal Browns defense. Lorenzo Carter could be a high-upside add on a one-year, prove-it deal at 27 years old. He tended to overshadow Kendricks (6-0, 230) a little, but the senior has led the team in tackles the past two seasons and is the leader of the defense no matter what the situation is. 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. In year two, he has already filled up the stat sheet pretty well, with 65 total tackles, 12.5 of them for a loss, 6.5 sacks and two passes broken up. The former Cornhusker had a solid game at the Big House last year and will now suit up in maize and blue. Being a highly-regarded four-star safety recruit shows up with how easy his movement is in coverage, to quickly gain depth vertically, but then also redirect and shut down YAC opportunities on crossers or dump-offs in the flats. Georgia just had five defensive players taken in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, but is the best NFL prospect of all still in Athens? Possesses the size to immediately give you snaps at the P5 level. Jestin Jacobs got off to a hot start last year with an 82.4 overall grade through Week 4, third among Power Five linebackers. 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). Ford was an honorable mention All-American for PFF this season and a turnover machine for the Longhorns. Highly productive considering full-time two-way snaps. Ellis (6-2, 230), who also will be a three-year starter, will play middle linebacker for the first time this season, and that should prove a good fit for his skill set. Jordan Pollard Faith Lutheran (Las Vegas, NV) LB. Can re-direct and move along line of scrimmage. Plays fast and is physical, especially when tackling through a ball carrier. 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. Hicks was the crown jewel of the Buckeyes top-five recruiting class from the 2022 cycle, but his role as a freshman was limited to special Heres a look at the top linebackers in the transfer portal at this time. His seven combined interceptions and forced incompletions were tied for the most among FBS linebackers as well. 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. Not one, not two, but three Iowa linebackers made PFFs top 25 list, the only school in the country to accomplish such a feat. 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. Desire to make those around him better also a pretty unique trait in the year 2022. Traits and pro-like mentality suggests that he can emerge as a trusted contributor for a Top 25 program and eventually an impact player. 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. If he can bounce back, this ranking will be too low for the Tigers. Hes light on his feet to mirror the ball and navigate around blockers, but can also flatten and cut off angles as running backs commit to a gap. 2 linebacker in both PFFs preseason college rankings and PFF's 2023 NFL Draft big board. Has speed to get around tackle on blitzes. 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. By: CollegeFootballNews.com, College Basketball Predictions. Please note that NFL projection is not taken into account here. Willing to fight through double teams. Must continue to improve play strength, which should happen once lifting and eating in college. Player to watch. Does not quit on plays. Here are the top five linebackers in college football, a group of future NFL Draft prospects. C.J. College football is just about here, which means its time to wrap up our preseason preview. The Ole Miss outside linebacker is built differently from other players on this list. Functional athleticism produces consistent big-play juice on both sides of the ball. Not only can break 11 seconds on the track in the 100-meter dash, but has also almost hit 23 MPH on the Catapult GPS system in pads. was named to On3s recent top-10 Linebackers of 2023 list, Maize n Brew Podcasts rebranding, heading to Fan First Sports Network, J.J. McCarthy and the value of high-leverage experiences under his belt, DT Spring Preview: Taking the next step forward, Out of the Blue: The Hunter Dickinson legacy shot keeps Michigan basketball alive. 45 overall) and Sam Montgomery (Texans, third round, No. Owner of a 4.62 40 and 100-meter times of 11.16 and 11.18. Unlock all tools and content including Player Grades, Fantasy, NFL Draft, Premium Stats, Greenline and DFS. 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. He can line up at defensive end with his hand in the dirt or play stood up over the tackle. 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. Needs to show he can stack and shed on consistent basis. For the Tigers, Barkevious Mingo (Browns, first round, No. Plays with leverage and bends well in lower body. Multi-sport athlete who excels on the baseball diamond also. Working on anchoring against run important. Njongmeta is the highest-graded returning Power Five linebacker, earning an 89.9 mark this past season. Unlock all tools and content including Player Grades, Fantasy, NFL Draft, Premium Stats, Greenline and DFS. , but what about the best position groups? Simpson was right up there with those two linebackers for Oregon in Sewell and Justin Flowe as LB3 in the 2020 recruiting class. Excellent overall athletic profile coupled with strong on-field context. Strong tackler in space. PFF's exclusive metrics provide matchup previews, position rankings, grades, and snap counts. All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. Comfortable in space and owns valuable experience in both man and zone coverage, two things that he has further refined on the 7v7 circuit. Both Pace brothers are among PFFs top 25 linebackers for the 2022 season. 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. College Footballs 20 best linebackers of 2021 1. Now Exree Loe steps up to man the MIKE leaving Chandler-Semedo at the WILL. Displays impressive linear acceleration with burst and open-field playmaking ability of a Power Five skill prospect. 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. High-level athlete also plays receiver. 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. Honorable mention goes out to Willie Lanier, Jim Lynch, Brian Bosworth, Cornelius Bennett, Derrick Brooks, Derrick Thomas, Maxie Baughan, Ray Lewis, George Mira, Jr., Batman Richard Wood, Judge Jeff Davis, Killer Steve Kiner, Jeff Siemon, Rick Redmon, Tim Rossovich, Frank Emanuel, Jerry Robinson, and Chris Spielman. The junior was also second among SEC linebackers with a 51.7% open target rate allowed. , whose 78.5 grade since 2019 ranks fifth among ACC linebackers. after a disappointing first season in Baton Rouge. Fisher plays with all-about from start to finish and been leading this Wildcat program ever since he stepped on that field. 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). , whose 85.7 coverage grade since 2020 is the highest among returning Power Five linebackers. The latest in the sports world, emailed daily. 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. One of my Top-???? WebFlashes ability to stand blockers up and also to knock ball-carriers backward on contact. Hes a menace as a blitzer, with his 30.6% pass-rush win rate last year leading all FBS linebackers. Campbell is the epitome of an Iowa linebacker - hes rugged, instinctive and as sure a tackler as they come. Rice is pretty fluid mover in coverage, who can run downfield with flexed out tight-ends and shut down throws into the flats. Flowe is the second-highest-rated recruit in Oregon history, behind only. Has doubled as a running back for his high school, and has found success on that side of the ball. Hes PFFs No. Carter is one of college footballs most well-rounded linebackers. 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. Excellent in chase mode as he can get outside the hashes and hawk down ball carriers of all different sizes. The former top-40 recruit earned a 71.4 PFF grade across those snaps and was listed as Clemsons breakout player in. 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. Body control shines as a receiver when he adjusts to the ball and uses his size to shield defenders. Last season, he injured his foot after just one game and missed the rest of the season. The 2022 college football season has come and gone, and so has the deadline to enter the 2023 NFL Draft. Now back with him in the lineup, they have really grown this season. Does not quit on plays. UCF, with Branden Jenning s (from Kansas State), Jason Johnson (Eastern Illinois) and Terrence Lewis (Maryland). 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. Rice was called the next Roquan Smith after the All-American linebacker was drafted following the 2017 season. Georgia 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. Vast pursuit range. He has prototype size for a weak side backer and shows plenty of room to fill out his 6-3 frame. N.C. State has the ACCs highest-graded linebacker over the past two years in Drake Thomas at an 80.0 mark. The No. Our exclusive database, featuring the most in-depth collection of NCAA player performance data. A meniscus injury ended his freshman campaign after just five snaps. Has been nothing but productive under the lights on Friday nights racking up 139 tackles and five sacks as a junior. Needs to continue to develop upper body strength to handle physical nature of college game in the box. 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. Payton Wilson rounds out the unit after missing most of last season with a torn ACL. Curtis elected to go to the West Coast and sign with the Trojans. Excellent closing ability on defense. Ernest Hausmann, who transferred to Michigan after one season at Nebraska, was named to On3s recent Flashes above average patience and vision at the line of scrimmage, showing the ability to hit the hole quickly. The class is headlined by five-star Anthony Hill, who is staying in his home state of Texas. His 82.9 run-defense grade since 2019 ranks fifth among active Power Five linebackers. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. Weve already seen him bat passes into the air and for his secondary players to dive for. 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. Note: This ranking only includes off-ball linebackers. Thats what the Sooners seemed to be aiming for as they made the trip over eastern border to offer 2024 linebacker Brian Huff. . He had three interceptions last season and returned two for touchdowns. As just a true sophomore, Francisco Mauigoa was the Pac-12s second-highest-graded linebacker, earning a 75.8 mark. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Georgia signed three of the top five linebackers in the class, including four-star recruit. More importantly, isnt afraid to crash the A or B gap, which is important for someone thats only 225 pounds. Ability to close gaps without a doubt a strength at this point in his career. He is really sudden in his movements when the ball gets to the edge and he quickly flashes against screen passes. 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. Athleticism shows when dropping into coverage. If he can stay healthy and live up to it, Oregon could easily top this list. The top 10 linebacker corps in college football ahead of the 2022 season 1. One of the lone bright spots for the Orange in 2022, the Syracuse linebacking corps features. Along with senior S Ibraheim Campbell, they head a strong defensive back seven for the Wildcats. 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