Jordan Laube
Apr 54 min
Welcome back to the PRR series, where today, we'll at the most lacking position group in this class: Linebackers. I'll be honest, outside of maybe four or five guys on this list, it'll be a long shot for most of the LBs in this class to play the majority of reps throughout their careers. Having said that, the eight prospects I'll cover today have some solid skills that should translate well to the NFL.
The league is constantly changing, and a position that used to be one of the most important on defense, has become an afterthought when building a scheme. Despite this, we'll cover my top guys in this class who go against the new grain that has been laid out over the past decade.
Photo: Barry Reeger/AP Photo
Jacobs has what it takes to be an every down LB in the league; he is constantly working to get to the ball, he showed good personnel versatility on tape, and he is a sure tackler. He'll need to get better at flowing in coverage, as well as being more physical against bigger blockers, but there is a path for him to be an impact player at the next level.
Pro Comp: Akeem Davis-Gaither
A solid mike-linebacker overall, Cedric plays well in coverage, is physical at the contact point, and tackles well. He needs to be more patient at times instead of inserting on a lineman's pull, and needs to get more physical in coverage to chuck receivers off their routes. Other than that, he has a good foundation to build upon.
Pro Comp: Anthony Walker Jr
Trotter plays like an old-school Mike; he's a pretty solid tackler, he gets downhill easily, and he plays in zone coverage well. His athleticism leaves something to be desired, and was limited positionally in Clemson's defense. He will need to get twitchier and react to plays faster at the next level to be a consistent starter. Trotter may be a rotational guy at the next level given his profile, but I love his play style otherwise.
Pro Comp: Jarrad Davis
Photo: John Byrum/Icon Sportswire
Marist is a smart player with good LB instincts. He's aggressive against blockers and flows well in coverage, he's a solid tackler in open space, and will usually make his teammates right. He needs to get a bit twitchier and more refined as a blitzer/pass rusher, and he could work on reacting faster when diagnosing plays. Overall, Marist has some nice tools to develop into a versatile LB.
Pro Comp: Frankie Luvu
A good LB overall, Colson is young and plays the position like a prototypical LB does. He fills gaps quickly and hard, is a sure tackler, and has the speed to be rangy. He needs to get better in coverage and not stumble as much as he does, but he should get that coached out of him and be a solid LB at the next level.
Pro Comp: Kenneth Murray
Edgerrin is definitely worth a pick if you want a ball-hawking LB. He will find the football and make plays on it when needed, but he needs to stop getting his eyes lost in the backfield. I also wanna see him be more physical, which he has the tools to do. I think he could turn into an every-down backer with NFL coaching, as he has solid instincts and the athleticism to be a starter.
Pro Comp: Kwon Alexander
Photo: Sam Craft/AP Photo
I'm not sure why JD isn't higher from a consensus standpoint, outside of his age and being slightly undersized. He plays like he's a 250 pound LB from the 90's, incredibly sound as an in-the-box defender, stuffs runs and blitzes well. To go with this, he's one of the few LBs that will actually chuck crossing routes and mess up route timing. I do want to see him prove his coverage overall and play a bit more under control, but he's an absolute menace at the LB spot.
Pro Comp: Elandon Roberts
Wilson's raw athleticism is off the charts. He's really rangy and fast to the ball, he can line up at any LB position, and he provides versatility that's needed in modern NFL defenses. He needs to get more sound in coverage and get more technical with his craft. Wilson does have some age and injury concerns as well, but his upside is more than enough to make up for that in my opinion. He just needs some fine-tuning to be a monster at the next level.
Pro Comp: Leo Chenal
Photo: Griffin Bryant/NC State Athletics
Final Notes:
Someone who just missed the cut was Ty'Ron Hopper. He's an explosive player who slips off blocks at a high level and plays decently in coverage, he just struggles tackling in open space and doesn't have the best size, but still packs a punch despite this. I see him as more of a project, and there are some shades of Deion Jones - from early in his career - in Hopper's game.
Join me next week as we cover the top running backs, cornerbacks, and offensive tackles in this class!