Owusu-Koramoah came in as a three-star safety recruit and he stills has that slim buld at 61, 215 pounds, as well as that kind of skill-set with freakish athletic ability. College football is just about here, which means its time to wrap up our preseason preview. The junior made first contact on a ball carrier 122 times this season, which was 15 more than the next-closest defender in college football. The true freshman is second on this list after a dominant season as a pass-rusher. A meniscus injury ended his freshman campaign after just five snaps. More than likely projects to an off-ball weak side backer role at the next level on the defensive side of the ball. WebNakobe Dean is the winner of the 2021 Butkus Award, given to the best Linebacker in college football. The Basic Blues Podcast (@BasicBluesPod) February 8, 2023. Rice is pretty fluid mover in coverage, who can run downfield with flexed out tight-ends and shut down throws into the flats. Multi-year starter with possible early-impact ability for Top 20 program. Rather instinctive in the box as a run defender and is quick to read and react. Telvin Smith, Florida State 4. 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). Using PFFs preseason positional rankings and PFF-exclusive stats, here are the best linebacking corps in the country. Leading the Hawkeyes is Jack Campbell, whose 85.7 coverage grade since 2020 is the highest among returning Power Five linebackers. linebackers heading into next season. 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. Flowe is the second-highest-rated recruit in Oregon history, behind only Kayvon Thibodeaux, but hasnt been able to fully show what hes capable of. As just a true sophomore, Francisco Mauigoa was the Pac-12s second-highest-graded linebacker, earning a 75.8 mark. Ivan Pace Jr. didnt allow a TD in coverage last season ???? Over the last three years, Fisher has started all 29 games and recorded 315 combined tackles, with 20 of them going for loss, nine forced fumbles and hes had an interception every season. 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. 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. Rice quickly attacks downhill against the run, while not being afraid to stick his nose in the face when it comes to countering blockers and working to get their hands off himself. Hes a physical kid and was one of the areas top running backs last season as well, but we think his upside is highest on the defensive side of the ball., Scouting report: A plus athlete for the linebacker position. One of my Top-???? The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. Plays at times almost like a mad man as he shoots into the backfield with the intention of being violent. Injuries are the only thing holding him back. Last time a Big Ten linebacker duo was selected in the same draft: It happened in May, when Iowa had Christian Kirksey (third round) and Anthony Hitchens (fourth round) drafted. Pick-6 for Tommy Eichenberg. Gained 1,500-plus receiving yards over sophomore and junior seasons. Thats because his younger brother, Francis, is currently committed to the Hurricanes as a top-five recruit and the No. 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. Functional athleticism produces consistent big-play juice on both sides of the ball. 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. Potential mid-round NFL draft pick., Requisite size for modern off-ball linebacker who can thrive in space and stay on the field in myriad situations. Displays good athleticism in multiple phases of the game with the majority of his snaps coming at the running back position. All hes done since then is earn a 94.9 career grade, best among FBS linebackers over the past five years. 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. Ran for more than 1,000 yards on almost 10 yards per carry while recording 91 tackles as a junior. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. couldnt make you understand even if i tried to explain.. Oklahoma signed two top 10 linebackers, including Samuel Omosigho. Just missed the cut: Cameron McGrone (Michigan), Nick Bolton (Missouri), Jabril Cox (LSU), Chazz Surratt (North Carolina) & Nate Landman (Colorado). Ivan Pace Jr. transfers in from Miami (Ohio) and is arguably the best linebacker in the country on passing downs. 1 offensive tackle in the nation, according to On3s consensus ratings. By: CollegeFootballNews.com, College Basketball Predictions. Flowe is the second-highest-rated recruit in Oregon history, behind only. However, hes more than willing to shoot through one half of the blockers and funnel the ball back inside on perimeter-oriented runs, or just hit a crease and create negative plays when the opportunity arises. Excellent in chase mode as he can get outside the hashes and hawk down ball carriers of all different sizes. Shows quick hands to keep offensive linemen from getting inside. With that being said, you see him get shielded by slot receivers even on plenty of occasions (see USCs Amon-Ra St. Brown in 2019) and he leaves his feet too much as a tackler for my list in part because his play-strength isnt at the level of those 250-pound inside backers. Theyre the 15 linebackers in the transfer portal you need to know. Power Rankings are PFFs NCAA power ratings based on weekly player grades in each facet of play. 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. Perkins is. Here are the top five linebackers in college football, a group of future NFL Draft prospects. 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. Pursues and closes to the football with effort and has explosivenes off the ball and as he closes to his target. 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. Incredibly quick in shooting gaps. Ridiculously productive with 1,700 yards of total offense and 27 touchdowns and 40 tackles, including seven sacks. Interception No. Please logout and login again. Defensive leader for state title-winning team as junior. Just separating what makes a great college LB versus what translates to the next level isn't easy. . Also well-rounded basketball player. Strong tackler in space. Here are the top five linebackers in college football, a group of future NFL Draft prospects. 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. He joined Troy as an undersized walk-on in 2017 at just 5-foot-9, 210 pounds. The other three. A face-up tackler with good leg drive that doesnt let many slip ball carriers out of his hands. Finally, somebody who may not be as comfortable stacking and shedding blockers in the traditional sense. Ulofoshio has missed 10 games over the past three years and will miss at least half of the 2022 season with a knee injury. pic.twitter.com/b5jXmoItKO, Russell Brown (@RussNFLDraft) January 5, 2022. Not one, not two, but three Iowa linebackers made PFFs top 25 list, the only school in the country to accomplish such a feat. Has athleticism and speed to drop into coverage in flat or take running back one-on-one. His 17 tackles for loss/no gain were fifth in that same group as well. "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.". Plays with a physicality beyond his current size. Still, remains at his best playing downhill.. 11 is reserved for the elite linebackers at Penn State, as Parsons. In addition to edge and linebacker reps, owns significant snaps at safety and plays with coverage awareness. The sophomore led the SEC this season with a 79.9 run-defense grade. Today it is the best pair of linebackers. Has NFL draft potential.. 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. Shows surprising hands-catching acumen and big-play speed as a receiver. Requisite height with good length and a big frame to add mass. Collins IDs run schemes quickly and lets pullers lead him to the ball. Unlike a lot of college LBs nowadays, he can still take on and shed blockers coming right at him, thanks to his robust base. 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). Athletic, physical, violent off-ball linebacker who occasionally steps to the line of scrimmage. It was also the best single-season mark by a Power Five player in the PFF College era. Can engage and still drive legs to get around corner on blitz. Thumper vs. the run with chase-down athleticism from the back side. Power Rankings are PFFs NCAA power ratings based on weekly player grades in each facet of play. You want height (61-63) and weight for an Inside Linebacker (ILB) to be around 220-245; to take on guards and h-backs. As a true freshman, he led all Power-Five linebackers with a 91.0 pass-rushing grade. Comfortable in zone coverage and is quick to anticipate throws. Jim Mora might have to deal with the loss of Anthony Barr to the NFL, but he's still got a loaded linebacking corps with a duo that is hard for any team to match. 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. 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). Our exclusive database, featuring the most in-depth collection of NCAA player performance data. Has some stack-and-shed ability but needs to continue to develop it. Stanford head coach David Shaw is stepping down after 12 seasons at the helm of the Cardinal program. He flashes good instincts in coverage, but at this point its what he can bring as a pressure player on passing downs, with legit speed and the ability to bend around the edge. But with Marc Munford, Ed Steward, Jerry He also made 13 coverage stops, which ranked in the top 25 for all linebackers in the country. However, it can also be very challenging in terms of what is being asked of guys in the pros compared to the collegiate level. 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. Can re-direct and move along line of scrimmage. 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. 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. If Ulofoshio was fully healthy, Washington would be higher on this list. His 94.1 coverage grade since 2019 ranks first among all FBS linebackers. 211009 Penn St Iowa Fb 029 Jpg. Georgia: Ramik Wilson and Amarlo Herrera. , who looked solid as a reserve in 2021 with a 75.0 grade on 150 snaps. 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. Flashes above average patience and vision at the line of scrimmage, showing the ability to hit the hole quickly. These power rankings are adjusted based on coach, quarterback and the market each season. I think as a blitzer, his timing and hand-usage has gotten a lot better too. 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. 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. Good athleticism in multiple phases of the ball lets pullers lead him to the football with and. 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