The sophomore was one of three in the Power Five with 75-plus grades as a run-defender, pass-rusher and in coverage. Hes ready to go on the outside, and leading tackler Noah Sewell can do it all in the middle. The son of former All-Pro linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Sr., the sophomore linebacker has lived up to his fathers name and then some. Uses length well when breaking down. Gambling problem? Unfortunately he is overshoots his run fits at times, creating cutback opportunities, and while they bring him off the edge quite a bit, he doesnt bring a whole lot as a pass-rusher, while aiming at the wrong hip of the QB at times. The guy most draft rankings seem to have at the top for the position in college football is Trenton Simpson at Clemson. Has been nothing but productive under the lights on Friday nights racking up 139 tackles and five sacks as a junior. Drew Brees' next step in his post-playing career will put him back on a field. 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. Hes a menace as a blitzer, with his 30.6% pass-rush win rate last year leading all FBS linebackers. Measured roughly 6-foot-1.5, 215 pounds spring before senior season. Iowa Hawkeyes First things first, this is not meant to disparage Iowa linebacker Jack Campbell. PFF's exclusive metrics provide matchup previews, position rankings, grades, and snap counts. He meets ball-carriers head-on in the hole and even when he doesnt get that clear shot, he has strong arms to still bring those guys to the ground, making him a very reliable tackler. More than likely projects to an off-ball weak side backer role at the next level on the defensive side of the ball. Has done nothing but produce since he was a freshman at one of the Sunshine States more tradition-rich high school programs totaling over 250 tackles, 12 sacks and 5 interceptions his first three years on varsity. Thumper vs. the run with chase-down athleticism from the back side. Has speed to get around tackle on blitzes. 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. 45 overall) and Sam Montgomery (Texans, third round, No. Has NFL draft potential.. Can engage and still drive legs to get around corner on blitz. Wilson piled up a league-best 133 tackles with 11 tackles for loss and four sacks. 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 Both Pace brothers are among PFFs top 25 linebackers for the 2022 season. His seven combined interceptions and forced incompletions were tied for the most among FBS linebackers as well. Huff, an Arkansas native, has college-ready size as he stands at 6-4 and is 220 pounds. Adequate in-space athleticism appeared to take the next step during senior campaign. Multi-year starter with possible early-impact ability for Top 20 program. Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA; Tulsa Golden Hurricane linebacker Justin Wright (30) runs back an Will need to develop in weight room before being a factor on college field but has ability to play for Top 10 program. 2023 NFL Enterprises LLC. For clarification, these lists are based on where these young men are today as college football players. Ernest Hausmann, who transferred to Michigan after one season at Nebraska, was named to On3s recent top-10 Linebackers of 2023 list. Hes a physical kid and was one of the a, reas top running backs last season as well, but we think his upside is highest on the defensive side of the ball., A plus athlete for the linebacker position. More importantly, isnt afraid to crash the A or B gap, which is important for someone thats only 225 pounds. Still, remains at his best playing downhill.. 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. Trotter played only 58 snaps last year as a true freshman but showed some nice flashes. Ulofoshio has missed 10 games over the past three years and will miss at least half of the 2022 season with a knee injury. Drayk Bowen Andrean (Merrillville, IN) LB. NA 204 258. He also only missed 4.9% of his tackle attempts last year, the fifth-lowest rate among Power Five linebackers. Jestin Jacobs got off to a hot start last year with an 82.4 overall grade through Week 4, third among Power Five linebackers. Subscribe to 247Sports YouTube for the latest college football, basketball and recruiting news including live college commitments. Go Pokes???? If you enjoyed this content, I would really appreciate if you could check out the original full piece - https://halilsrealfootballtalk.com/2020/12/12/top-five-college-players-at-every-position-defense-edition/, Be the first one to comment on this story. 2 and Ohio States Tommy Eichenberg at No. N.C. State has the ACCs highest-graded linebacker over the past two years in. The Ohio State football team has eight linebackers on scholarship, but just two arrived on campus with bonafide inside linebacker designated rankings on 247Sports.Now the Ohio State scheme only has two linebackers and the rotation for both is likely going to be fluid, but to keep things simple I just wanted to recap the two that were Defensive leader for state title-winning team as junior. The guy most draft rankings seem to have at the top for the position in college football is Trenton Simpson at Clemson. High upside athlete that can potentially provide value on either side of the ball and on multiple special teams units. Does not quit on plays. 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. One of the biggest risers from this 2020 season has been this 64, 260 pound-listed linebacker that is the heart of a Hurricanes 21st-ranked scoring defense. His 26 pressures in 2021 trailed only. Desire to make those around him better also a pretty unique trait in the year 2022. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. Northwestern: Chi Chi Ariguzo and Collin Ellis. The former top-40 recruit earned a 71.4 PFF grade across those snaps and was listed as Clemsons breakout player in PFFs College Football Preview Magazine. College football is just about here, which means its time to wrap up our preseason preview. Note: This ranking only includes off-ball linebackers. Texas is ranked behind Alabama and Georgia for the best recruiting class in the 247Sports rankings. Georgia signed three of the top five linebackers in the class, including four-star recruit Raylen Wilson. got off to a hot start last year with an 82.4 overall grade through Week 4, third among Power Five linebackers. Uses quick hands well to stay off blocks. Willing to fight through double teams. 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 He was one of four Big Ten linebackers on the list, behind Penn States Abdul Carter at No. 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. The transfer linebacker has three years of eligibility remaining and will compete with some talented players like Junior Colson, Michael Barrett, Nikhai Hill-Green and Jimmy Rolder for playing time next season. Plays with energy and effort, and is a competitor. Rather effective in pursuit and has also shown that he can get the job done as a face-up tackler. Georgia secured its second straight national championship on Monday night, overwhelming TCU in a 65-7 blowout. Perkins is Micah Parsons-esque in that he can play either linebacker or edge defender at a very high level. Fluid in change of direction to drives on ball. High upside athlete that can potentially provide value on either side of the ball and on multiple special teams units. Collins fills those pads out nicely and he is a beast as Tulsas stack WILL backer. Might need a developmental year or two, but has the makeup of a future impact off-ball linebacker for a Power Five program. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. pic.twitter.com/k0mGKNqZ0w, tarheelupdate (@tarheelupdate) September 10, 2022. 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. Last time an SEC linebacker duo was selected in the same draft:LSU, Florida and Georgia all had multiple linebackers chosen in the 2013 draft. Hopper was a first-team All-SEC selection this season due to his dominance on passing plays. Just separating what makes a great college LB versus what translates to the next level isn't easy. Excels on contact, exhibiting excellent play strength and power at the point of attack. He has a lot of quick-twitch in his game and shows both short area quickness and excellent closing speed. Excellent in chase mode as he can get outside the hashes and hawk down ball carriers of all different sizes. Gets off quickly at snap. pic.twitter.com/igZKc1F8YQ, Mizzou Football (@MizzouFootball) January 10, 2023. Along with senior S Ibraheim Campbell, they head a strong defensive back seven for the Wildcats. Rather instinctive in the box as a run defender and is quick to read and react. One of the lone bright spots for the Orange in 2022, the Syracuse linebacking corps features. 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. Body control shines as a receiver when he adjusts to the ball and uses his size to shield defenders. 2005-2023 CBS INTERACTIVE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Can engage and still drive legs to get around corner on blitz. pic.twitter.com/gW025vAkJh, PFF College (@PFF_College) July 26, 2022. looked strong in coverage last year with a 79.3 grade that ranked 11th in the Power Five. 92. 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. A meniscus injury ended his freshman campaign after just five snaps. 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 true freshman is second on this list after a dominant season as a pass-rusher. Displays good short area explosiveness and change of direction ability, flashing some make you miss ability in the open field. Likes to lead with his weight and will explode through his hips in hopes of getting ball carriers to get them to the ground. Seasoned blitzer that can get home with his elite burst on Friday nights.