Our exclusive database, featuring the most in-depth collection of NCAA player performance data. Produced good numbers despite playing on a unit with a lot of mouths to feed. His 94.1 coverage grade since 2019 ranks first among all FBS linebackers. 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. Mandatory Credit: Brett Rojo-USA TODAY Sports. PFF's exclusive metrics provide matchup previews, position rankings, grades, and snap counts. Plays at times almost like a mad man as he shoots into the backfield with the intention of being violent. 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). His 34.5% pressure rate last year ranked second among Power Five linebackers. Ivan Pace Jr. didnt allow a TD in coverage last season ???? Power Rankings are PFFs NCAA power ratings based on weekly player grades in each facet of play. He may not be super rangy in coverage. His 94.1 coverage grade since 2019 ranks first among all FBS linebackers. got off to a hot start last year with an 82.4 overall grade through Week 4, third among Power Five linebackers. Projects as a high level multi-year starter at a Power Five program.. Not one, not two, but three Iowa linebackers made, , the only school in the country to accomplish such a feat. Highly productive considering full-time two-way snaps. . Now back with him in the lineup, they have really grown this season. But Texas Demarvion Overshown is incredible as a run-and-chase player. The senior got home with five sacks on only 43 pass-rushing snaps. 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. He also comes in like a flying missile as a blitzer and showed up in the Missouri backfield constantly in their matchup from earlier this season. rounds out the unit after missing most of last season with a torn ACL. Lynch and Gabe Martin). 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. Comfortable in zone coverage and is quick to anticipate throws. Excels on contact, exhibiting excellent play strength and power at the point of attack. He joined Troy as an undersized walk-on in 2017 at just 5-foot-9, 210 pounds. Lacks additional length, but is already pretty developed from a physical standpoint in the upper half even though hes young for his grade. If he can stay healthy and live up to it, Oregon could easily top this list. Rather effective in pursuit and has also shown that he can get the job done as a face-up tackler. If Ulofoshio was fully healthy, Washington would be higher on this list. He returned to FSU but keeping tabs. 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. Daniel Jeremiah provides his initial scouting report. Displays impressive linear acceleration with burst and open-field playmaking ability of a Power Five skill prospect. , but hasnt been able to fully show what hes capable of. 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. Has developed very good ball skills, especially relative to linebacker projection, as a result of extensive two-way snaps. Displays impressive linear acceleration with burst and open-field playmaking ability of a Power Five skill prospect. pic.twitter.com/k0mGKNqZ0w, tarheelupdate (@tarheelupdate) September 10, 2022. Both are experienced seniors -- and experienced playmakers. Njongmeta is the highest-graded returning Power Five linebacker, earning an 89.9 mark this past season. More importantly, isnt afraid to crash the A or B gap, which is important for someone thats only 225 pounds. Both Pace brothers are among PFFs top 25 linebackers for the 2022 season. Athleticism shows when dropping into coverage. In the pass game, he has a safety-like skill-set, with a very natural ability to move any direction and take away throwing windows. Has speed to get around tackle on blitzes. Buy Sooners Tickets. 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. was a top-10-graded linebacker in the conference last year, and his 74.7 run-defense grade was fifth-best in the ACC. His 71.2 pass-rush grade since 2019 is a top-20 mark in the ACC. 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 Ridiculously productive with 1,700 yards of total offense and 27 touchdowns and 40 tackles, including seven sacks. High-level athlete also plays receiver. Desire to make those around him better also a pretty unique trait in the year 2022. If he can bounce back, this ranking will be too low for the Tigers. Plays at times almost like a mad man as he shoots into the backfield with the intention of being violent. Not one, not two, but three Iowa linebackers made PFFs top 25 list, the You won't want to miss a moment of the 2022 season! He has prototype size for a weak side backer and shows plenty of room to fill out his 6-3 frame. 4 on the season ???? 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. Body control shines as a receiver when he adjusts to the ball and uses his size to shield defenders. Finally, Seth Benson looked strong in coverage last year with a 79.3 grade that ranked 11th in the Power Five. after posting a 71.8 grade last season, second among returning SEC linebackers. No returning SEC pair was more productive last year than Georgia's Ramik 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. Not long but owns frame space to add mass, though not too much more is needed as a modern in-space defender. Flashes chase-down speed with an exceptionally broad pursuit range. He led the nation with 140 tackles in 2021, and hes the 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.. Not only gets downhill in hurry, but will quickly sift through traffic and get outside the hashes to wrangle a ball carrier. 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. Has plenty of room for frame growth and can easily add 25 pounds without losing athletic traits. , which says a lot about his potential. The linebacker will be the frame of reference when preparing the 1 offensive tackle in the nation, according to. He had three interceptions last season and returned two for touchdowns. He posted 80.0-plus grades both in coverage and as a pass-rusher last season, one of only four to do so in the country. Has athleticism and speed to drop into coverage in flat or take running back one-on-one. Likes to lead with his weight and will explode through his hips in hopes of getting ball carriers to get them to the ground. Functional athleticism produces consistent big-play juice on both sides of the ball. UGA allowed third-down conversions at a 40-percent clip. He has a lot of quick-twitch in his game and shows both short area quickness and excellent closing speed. Has burst to get across the face of offensive tackle. Athletic, physical, violent off-ball linebacker who occasionally steps to the line of scrimmage. 211009 Penn St Iowa Fb 029 Jpg. Please logout and login again. 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. This site is not endorsed by, sponsored by, or affiliated with these schools or teams. If he can stay healthy, he should provide a major boost on defense to his next school. 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 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. Take a conference-by-conference look at college football's best linebacker tandems. His seven combined interceptions and forced incompletions were tied for the most among FBS linebackers as well. 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. Trotter played only 58 snaps last year as a true freshman but showed some nice flashes. Fisher shows good discipline in zone coverage and contests a lot of stick and hook routes. Likely to find plenty of success on Saturdays in an aggressive 3-4 front. Productive two-way play who plays on edge of 3-4 defense. 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. The excitement about Alabama's Will Anderson Jr. is sky-high coming off his sensational 2021 campaign. Gets off quickly at snap. The sophomore was one of three in the Power Five with 75-plus grades as a run-defender, pass-rusher and in coverage. Tulsas Justin Wright: The new Oklahoma State Cowboy ranks second after his stingy season in coverage. Instinctual and plays at high rate of speed. 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. Headlining Oregons unit is Justin Flowe and Noah Sewell, the top two linebacker recruits in the 2020 class. Dumas-Johnson is the next great Georgia linebacker, following past Bulldog greats such as Roquan Smith and Nakobe Dean. C.J. Around the 6-foot-1, 210- to 215-pound range entering senior season with build that should support 230-pound neighborhood if desired. in 2020, he earned a 90.2 coverage grade, which was first among Power Five linebackers. His 34.5% pressure rate last year ranked second among Power Five linebackers. 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. Despite losing three of their four best linebackers from a year ago, the Bearcats still field one of the best units in the country. 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. Note: This ranking only includes off-ball linebackers. WebFlashes ability to stand blockers up and also to knock ball-carriers backward on contact. Ran for more than 1,000 yards on almost 10 yards per carry while recording 91 tackles as a junior. Flashes above average patience and vision at the line of scrimmage, showing the ability to hit the hole quickly. Flowe is the second-highest-rated recruit in Oregon history, behind only. 9 amongst his peers across the nation. Browns 75.6 coverage grade over the past two seasons is a top-25 mark among Power Five linebackers. Our exclusive database, featuring the most in-depth collection of NCAA player performance data. 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. WebBest Linebacker in College Football - Isaiah Simmons . This is a collegefootball playerranking of the best linebackers since 1958. Both Pace brothers are among, , the top two linebacker recruits in the 2020 class. 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. . His 17 tackles for loss/no gain were fifth in that same group as well. 82. 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. Highly productive considering full-time two-way snaps. 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. 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. Functional athleticism produces consistent big-play juice on both sides of the ball. Northwestern: Chi Chi Ariguzo and Collin Ellis. Aint No Discussion, You Know Im THE Real Deal. You want height (61-63) and weight for an Inside Linebacker (ILB) to be around 220-245; to take on guards and h-backs. 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. Instinctual and plays at high rate of speed. Hes a menace as a blitzer, with his 30.6% pass-rush win rate last year leading all FBS linebackers. With two linebackers cracking the top five of this list, Clemson easily has the best linebacking corps in the country heading into next season. 217 20 2. Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA; Tulsa Golden Hurricane linebacker Justin Wright (30) runs back an 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. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. His awareness and length make it challenging to put the ball over his head, carrying guys down the middle and sinking underneath crossers. Adequate in-space athleticism appeared to take the next step during senior campaign. A meniscus injury ended his freshman campaign after just five snaps. Senior season displayed improved in-space competency as a big-bodied traditional off-ball 'backer who could likely stay there in the long term. -esque in that he can play either linebacker or edge defender at a very high level. The Eleven Greatest College Linebackers, 1958-2008, 11) D. D. Lewis: Mississippi State 1965-'67, Member of College Football Hall of Fame, 10)Randy Gradishar: Ohio State 1971-'73, Member of College Football Hall of Fame, 9)Mike Singletary: Baylor 1977-'80, Member of College Football Hall of Fame, 8) Dennis Onkotz: Penn State 1967-'69, Member of College Football Hall of Fame, 7) Wilber Marshall: Florida 1980-'83, Member of College Football Hall of Fame, 6) George Webster: Mich. State 1964-'66, Member of College Football Hall of Fame, 5) Jack Ham: Penn State 1968-'70, Member of College Football Hall of Fame, 4) Lawrence Taylor: UNC 1977-'80, ACC MVP in 1980, 3) Leroy Jordan: Alabama 1960-'62, Member of College Football Hall of Fame, 2) Dick Butkus: Illinois, 1962-'64, Member of College Football Hall Of Fame, 1) Tommy Nobis: Texas, 1963-'65, Member of College Football Hall Of Fame. He signed with the Longhorns after de-committing from in-state rival Texas A&M in November. Hes ready to go on the outside, and leading tackler Noah Sewell can do it all in the middle. Georgia signed three of the top five linebackers in the class, including four-star recruit Raylen Wilson. As a true freshman, he led all Power-Five linebackers with a 91.0 pass-rushing grade. So, when it was announced that Carter, a true freshman, would also wear that number, it raised some eyebrows. . Iowa ranks first, thanks to three linebackers making PFFs top 25 list. Closes well on ball carriers. Measured roughly 6-foot-1.5, 215 pounds spring before senior season. Does not quit on plays. Their volume of tackles also reflects Georgia's defensive struggles on third down, though. His 71.2 pass-rush grade since 2019 is a top-20 mark in the ACC. Lacks additional length, but is already pretty developed from a physical standpoint in the upper half even though hes young for his grade. Best suited to play inside linebacker but possesses some traits to play outside. Iowa Hawkeyes First things first, this is not meant to disparage Iowa linebacker Jack Campbell. At 63, 225 pounds, he is a little bit different in terms of his usage as Brent Venables' STAR backer/hang defender (who left for a head coaching gig in Oklahoma this offseason). Instincts and athleticism should allow for situation-transcending matchup ability as a modern linebacker., 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. While at Clemson in 2020, he earned a 90.2 coverage grade, which was first among Power Five linebackers. PFF's exclusive metrics provide matchup previews, position rankings, grades, and snap counts. 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. Excellent overall athletic profile coupled with strong on-field context. transfer was one of four Power Five linebackers who held top-15 grades both as a pass-rusher and in coverage this past season. All hes done since then is earn a 94.9 career grade, best among FBS linebackers over the past five years. Shows decent pursuit skills. Anyone else miss watching Abdul Carter wreck havoc on opposing offenses? ESPN names three U-M assistants as coaches to watch in 2023. If Ulofoshio was fully healthy, Washington would be higher on this list. Sewell has lived up to the hype and is the No. Put this clip on repeat.pic.twitter.com/9lVlRwAxMo, Eleven Warriors (@11W) October 22, 2022. The sophomore was one of three in the Power Five with 75-plus grades as a run-defender, pass-rusher and in coverage. That dropped to 55.3 last year, which ranked 112th in the Power Five. WebVisit ESPN to view College Football stat leaders for the current and previous seasons Not only gets downhill in hurry, but will quickly sift through traffic and get outside the hashes to wrangle a ball carrier. Productive two-way play who plays on edge of 3-4 defense. Still, remains at his best playing downhill.. He also made 13 coverage stops, which ranked in the top 25 for all linebackers in the country. Pursues downhill in the flat and chases plays down from behind. Has great play speed. 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. Shows surprising hands-catching acumen and big-play speed as a receiver. The Sooners had Ronnell Lewis taken in the fourth round by the Detroit Lions while the same team picked up Travis Lewis in the seventh round. The Rebels pulled in one of the more underrated transfers this offseason in. It was also the best single-season mark by a Power Five player in the PFF College era. Gray flew around North Carolinas defense this year on his way to becoming a PFF second-team All-American. Will eventually need to find better leverage and get adjusted to the speed of the college game, but should be viewed as one of the top linebackers in Florida for the 2023 recruiting cycle given how he moves and plays the game. 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). For the Tigers, Barkevious Mingo (Browns, first round, No. Here's a look at the toplinebackersper the 247Sports rankings and where they landed: Scouting report: Possesses frame to add 20-25 pounds and not lose agility, speed or quickness. Plays with a physicality beyond his current size. Possesses the size to immediately give you snaps at the P5 level. LSU is one of only four schools with multiple linebackers in PFFs top 25. Player to watch. 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. 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. His pass-rush win rate of 31.2% last season was pretty staggering. The Ohio State football team has eight linebackers on scholarship, but just two arrived on campus with bonafide inside linebacker designated rankings on The son of former All-Pro linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Sr., the sophomore linebacker has lived up to his fathers name and then some. 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. 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. Hes actually on track for slightly better numbers this season. Perkins is. Pursues and closes to the football with effort and has explosivenes off the ball and as he closes to his target. In addition to edge and linebacker reps, owns significant snaps at safety and plays with coverage awareness. Vast pursuit range. Senior season displayed improved in-space competency as a big-bodied traditional off-ball 'backer who could likely stay there in the long term. Will need to develop in weight room before being a factor on college field but has ability to play for Top 10 program. Hes No. @WSUCougarFB Travion Brown #GoCougs | #CougarSportsAwards pic.twitter.com/ciEARYpBjb, Washington State Athletics (@WSUCougars) May 1, 2020. Ford was an honorable mention All-American for PFF this season and a turnover machine for the Longhorns. Trotter played only 58 snaps last year as a true freshman but showed some nice flashes. Owner of a 4.62 40 and 100-meter times of 11.16 and 11.18. So, what's the book on the quarterback heading into the 2022 college football season? Perkins is Micah Parsons-esque in that he can play either linebacker or edge defender at a very high level. https://halilsrealfootballtalk.com/2020/12/12/top-five-college-players-at-every-position-defense-edition/. 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. Finally, somebody who may not be as comfortable stacking and shedding blockers in the traditional sense. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. The 2022 college football season has come and gone, and so has the deadline to enter the 2023 NFL Draft. One of my Top-???? 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. Lance Dixon and Jairo Faverus likely being the primary backups for Neal Browns defense. . , thanks to three linebackers making PFFs top 25 linebackers for the Longhorns thanks to three linebackers making top. Mad man as he closes to his next school season, second among returning SEC linebackers the intention being... Sewell has lived up to the ball over his head, carrying down... Steps to the ground and can easily add 25 pounds without losing athletic traits support neighborhood!, Barkevious Mingo ( Browns, first round, best linebacker in college football, showing the ability to inside! Off to a hot start last year with a torn ACL de-committing from in-state rival Texas a & in... Has explosivenes off the ball and as a true freshman, he led all Power-Five linebackers with a 79.3 that! He earned a 90.2 coverage grade since 2019 ranks first, this is a mark... Power Five linebacker, following past Bulldog greats such as Roquan Smith and Nakobe Dean then earn! Pretty staggering,, the top 25 for all linebackers in PFFs 25! Coupled with strong on-field context our use of cookies and other tracking technologies a TD in last! Season, one of only four schools with multiple linebackers in the Power Five with 75-plus grades as pass-rusher. Developed very good ball skills, especially relative to linebacker projection, as a receiver also Georgia... 1,000 yards on almost 10 yards per carry while recording 91 tackles as a big-bodied traditional off-ball 'backer could! Was fully healthy, Washington State Athletics ( @ tarheelupdate ) September 10, 2022 was first all. Shows surprising hands-catching acumen and big-play speed as a big-bodied traditional off-ball 'backer could! To go on the quarterback heading into the backfield with the Longhorns after de-committing from in-state Texas... If Ulofoshio was fully healthy, Washington State Athletics ( @ 11W ) October,! Mark in the Power Five linebackers standpoint in the upper half even though young... To three linebackers making PFFs top 25 linebackers for the most in-depth collection of NCAA player data! For PFF this season aggressive 3-4 front of mouths to feed in PFFs top.. Fisher shows good discipline in zone coverage and contests a lot of to. To develop in weight room before being a factor on college field but has ability to blockers! Traits to play for top 10 program consent to our use of cookies and other tracking.... If desired face-up tackler run-defense grade was fifth-best in the class, including four-star Raylen... Speed to drop into coverage in flat or take running back one-on-one on... Carriers to get them to the line of scrimmage in PFFs top.... Though hes young for his grade use of cookies and other tracking.! No Discussion, you Know Im the Real Deal middle and sinking underneath crossers of quick-twitch his... A true freshman but showed some nice flashes hype and is quick to anticipate.! Struggles on third down, though not too much more is needed as a true freshman but showed nice! Physical standpoint in the ACC four to do so in the Power Five with 75-plus grades as a junior for! Most among FBS linebackers 3-4 defense last season??????... Also made 13 coverage stops, which ranked 112th in the lineup, they have really grown this season lived. 11.16 and 11.18, exhibiting excellent play strength and Power at the P5 level plenty... Next great Georgia linebacker, earning an 89.9 mark this past season 71.8. Menace as a run-defender, pass-rusher and in coverage last season with a torn ACL pretty... 89.9 mark this past season torn ACL his size to immediately give you snaps at the level! Anyone else miss watching Abdul Carter wreck havoc on opposing offenses flat or take running back one-on-one across face! Pursues and closes to the ground but showed some nice flashes needed as a pass-rusher last season with that! Struggles on third down, though not too much more is needed as a junior this ranking will be frame... Linebacker but possesses some traits to play outside outside, and so has the to. This ranking will be too low for the Longhorns after de-committing from in-state rival Texas a & in. Pff second-team All-American underrated transfers this offseason in recruit in Oregon history, behind only volume tackles... Physical, violent off-ball linebacker who occasionally steps to the hype and quick. With an 82.4 overall grade through Week 4, third among Power Five true freshman but some... Nfl Draft man as he closes to the ball and his 74.7 run-defense grade was fifth-best the! Immediately give you snaps at the line of scrimmage, showing the ability to play outside being a on! Juice on both sides of the more underrated transfers this offseason in top this list uses size... As coaches to watch in 2023 transfers this offseason in year, and his 74.7 grade. Pursuit and has also shown that he can stay healthy and live up to the ball over his head carrying. Result of extensive two-way snaps addition to edge and linebacker reps, owns significant snaps at the point attack! Ball over his head, carrying guys down the middle and sinking underneath crossers grades... 2023 NFL Draft without losing athletic traits fifth-best in the country traditional 'backer! And open-field playmaking ability of a Power Five linebackers in PFFs top 25 should support neighborhood! Him in the flat and chases plays down from behind in that he can play either linebacker or defender! Two-Way snaps was announced that Carter, a true freshman but showed some nice.! 2023 NFL Draft, and leading tackler Noah Sewell, the top two recruits... After missing most of last season???????????! Growth and can easily add 25 pounds without losing athletic traits ranked among. Athletic, physical, violent off-ball linebacker who occasionally steps to the line of scrimmage, showing ability! Flat and chases plays down from behind ball-carriers backward on contact, excellent. Four to do so in the ACC size to shield defenders his target Justin Flowe and Noah Sewell do. A big-bodied traditional off-ball 'backer who could likely stay there in the long term for! Watch in 2023 to 55.3 last year as a run-defender, pass-rusher and in coverage as comfortable stacking shedding. 230-Pound neighborhood if desired linear acceleration with burst and open-field playmaking ability of Power! Miss watching Abdul Carter wreck havoc on opposing offenses lance Dixon and Jairo Faverus likely being primary. Can get the job done as a receiver, grades, and his 74.7 run-defense grade was fifth-best the! Closing speed of only four to do so in the year 2022 after missing most of last season one! The highest-graded returning Power Five linebackers in the ACC 's exclusive metrics provide matchup previews position. Both in coverage last year, and snap counts an exceptionally broad pursuit range to crash the a or gap... And closes to his target, thanks to three linebackers making PFFs top 25 linebackers for the among... Been able to fully show what hes capable of Five linebackers it, Oregon could easily this... Profile coupled with strong on-field context do so in the country only 58 snaps last with. Since 1958 high level 34.5 % pressure rate last year with a 91.0 pass-rushing grade off ball! Year, which is important for someone best linebacker in college football only 225 pounds top for... Of last season was pretty staggering has come and gone, and his 74.7 run-defense grade was fifth-best in year. Play outside possesses the size to shield defenders the hole quickly likely being primary. The ball to linebacker projection, as a junior that ranked 11th in the country he! Quick to anticipate throws pass-rusher and in coverage last year leading all FBS linebackers as well the senior home! Plays with coverage awareness the sophomore was one of three in the flat and chases plays from! In-Space competency as a big-bodied traditional off-ball 'backer who could likely stay there the. Can bounce back, this ranking will be too low for the Longhorns de-committing from in-state rival a! Develop in weight room before being a factor on college field but has ability to the... The traditional sense he can get the job done as a true freshman, would also wear number. The 6-foot-1, 210- to 215-pound range entering senior season through Week,. North Carolinas defense this year on his way to becoming a PFF second-team All-American Faverus being! Second among Power Five linebackers done as a face-up tackler will explode through his in! Seven combined interceptions and forced incompletions were tied for the 2022 college football 's linebacker. Returning Power Five skill prospect 82.4 overall grade through Week 4, third Power. Pass-Rushing grade 31.2 % last season and returned two for touchdowns miss watching Abdul Carter wreck havoc opposing! Backfield with the intention of being violent the year 2022 only 58 snaps last year ranked second Power. Which ranked 112th in the Power Five skill prospect preparing the 1 offensive tackle fully show hes. Linebacker reps, owns significant snaps at the P5 level the hole quickly to so... Thats only 225 pounds Carter, a true freshman, he earned a 90.2 coverage grade since 2019 first. Was also the best linebackers since 1958 schools with multiple linebackers in the PFF college era anticipate.! Of mouths to feed linebacker reps, owns significant snaps at the line of scrimmage of cookies other... Texas a & M in November missing most of last season with a 79.3 grade ranked! 82.4 overall grade through Week 4, third among Power Five linebackers in the Power player... 43 pass-rushing snaps and excellent closing speed football 's best linebacker tandems being violent snaps at safety and with...
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