Cole’s Corner: 2024 Linebacker Prospect Rankings

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22. Luke Reimer – Nebraska                                                                 

Reimer could be an undrafted or late round value snag as depth at linebacker due to his versatility in multiple alignments. He could fit in a 4-2-5 or play WILL in a traditional 4-3. In a 3-4 base defense, he would likely spend time at inside linebacker. Reimer is built like a defensive back but plays tough for his size. He has good speed, closing burst and also showed great effort in college. He has some twitch as a blitzer and is one of the better linebackers in coverage. Reimer has no problem chasing down ballcarriers in space. He lacks pure strength and violence as a tackler due to his size. He could be a great practice squad asset at minimum.

Player Comparison: Carlton Martial

Projection: 7^th Round – UDFA

Best Fits: Arizona, Minnesota, Detroit (Wild Card – Denver)

21. Jackson Mitchell – UConn                                                               

Mitchell will ideally slot in as depth at WILL in a 4-3 base defense when he gets to the NFL. He is good at getting underneath the pads when he tackles which makes it tough to break his tackle. He is fluid in pursuit, can turn in coverage and has additional value as an inside blitzer. Mitchell can track sideline to sideline and usually takes good angles to the ball. He has a smaller frame and lacks the pop of other linebackers. His hand usage is a bit sloppy when up against big offensive linemen. Mitchell is a bit of a project but worth a shot.

Player Comparison: SirVocea Dennis

Projection: 7^th Round – UDFA

Best Fits: Cincinnati, Buffalo, Indianapolis (Wild Card – Chicago)

20. Edefuanu Ulofoshio – Washington                                             

Ulofoshio translates to the league as a 4-3 WILL with plenty of special teams value. He has a stout build which allows him to get low leverage against blockers or when tackling. He is actually pretty explosive, displays decent closing speed and shoots gaps. Ulofoshio regularly makes plays in traffic but can hold up in space against tight ends and running backs when in coverage. His sideline-to-sideline ability is one of his best assets. Ulofoshio does get swallowed up by blockers if he can’t avoid them. If he adds some weight then he may be able to hold up against the run better. Lastly, his location of the football is on the slow side at the moment.

Player Comparison: Aubrey Miller Jr.

Projection: 5^th – 7^th Round

Best Fits: Los Angeles Rams, Washington, Houston (Wild Card – New York Jets)

19. Nathaniel Watson – Mississippi State                                       

Watson is a traditional MIKE linebacker with aggression as a hitter, making him tough against the run. He usually takes good angles and shoots gaps effectively. Watson has a thick build with adequate strength, so there is no question on whether he can hold his own in the NFL. He is not very long though and he can be too hesitant when looking to make a move. Watson plays too vertical at times as well. If he can become more decisive then that should improve his game.

Player Comparison: Noah Sewell

Projection: 4^th – 6^th Round

Best Fits: Buffalo, Cleveland, Dallas (Wild Card – Indianapolis)

18. Jordan Magee – Temple                                                                   

Magee is a multi-role linebacker who would most likely align as the SAM in a 4-3 or play OLB in a 3-4. He boasts nice speed, good length and some admirable pass rush skills. Magee is not only disruptive in the backfield, but he actually excels most in coverage. His lean build limits him as a run stopper and as a pass rusher he is still developing his moves at the moment.

Player Comparison: Nick Hampton

Projection: 5^th – 6^th Round

Best Fits: New York Jets, Philadelphia, Chicago (Wild Card – Miami)

17. Steele Chambers – Ohio State                                                     

Chambers was a running back in the early stages of his career at Ohio State. Once he made the jump to the linebacker room, he began seeing action pretty early on. Chambers has more straight-line speed than most other linebackers and is solid in pursuit sideline-to-sideline. He is a tough tackler with short area burst and an awesome motor. Due to his running back experience, Chambers has good hands and awareness when the ball is in the air. In addition to the coverage skills, he does well at sifting through traffic. Chambers could become a better finisher as a tackler and he lacks pass rush moves. Chambers is behind the gun with his natural instincts because he is still raw on the defensive side of the ball. He is best in the box in a 4-2-5 scheme like he played in with the Buckeyes. In a 4-3 he will need to align at WILL.

Player Comparison: Dorian Williams

Projection: 3^rd – 5^th Round

Best Fits: Cleveland, Carolina, Atlanta (Wild Card – New England)

16. Darius Muasau – UCLA                                                                     

Muasau is a traditional MIKE linebacker who excels at reading the quarterback’s eyes and jumping in front of routes over the middle. His anticipation skills, wrap-up tackling ability and intelligence will make him a late round asset. Muasau does well at disengaging from blockers and he reads and reacts well. He can fight through traffic, use his lateral agility to get in front of a ballcarrier and make necessary stops. Muasau is not overly strong and lacks the quick twitch of other linebackers in this class. He can be fooled by misdirections and there are some questions about his value on first and second down. Especially in a zone scheme, he will be used on third down.

Player Comparison: Robert Spillane

Projection: 5^th – 6^th Round

Best Fits: Washington, San Francisco, Los Angeles Rams (Wild Card – Seattle)

15. Tatum Bethune – Florida State                                                   

Bethune should align as a 4-3 WILL in the league. He is solid in coverage and his timing to jump routes is impeccable. As a run stopper he handles misdirection well. Bethune is athletic enough to run with tight ends and running backs, yet he is tough enough to serve as depth at MIKE. Bethune lacks the length and hands to be a strong pass rusher and big running backs can sometimes give him some trouble as a tackler. He is also limited with shooting gaps on the blitz or against the run.

Player Comparison: Terrel Bernard

Projection: 5^th – 6^th Round

Best Fits: Indianapolis, New Orleans, Miami (Wild Card – Houston)

14. Curtis Jacobs – Penn State                                                             

Jacobs is not a traditional linebacker by any means because he is a tweener between linebacker and safety. In the current era of the NFL, there could absolutely be a spot for him due to his coverage ability. He could play as a nickel or in a 4-3 base defense, he could align at SAM. Jacobs is extremely athletic with great speed, leaping ability and lateral agility. He can make tackles in the open field and disrupts plays regularly with his read and react skills. Jacobs has some flexibility coming around the corner which adds to his value as a blitzer. Jacobs can be a liability against the run because he is not a true second level run stopper. In order to improve he needs to locate the ball carrier quicker and add some muscle to his frame. Jacobs does not have many pass rush moves at the moment either which will limit his time on the field immediately.

Player Comparison: JoJo Domann

Projection: 3^rd – 5^th Round

Best Fits: Cleveland, New York Jets, Kansas City (Wild Card – Miami)

13. Omar Speights – LSU                                                                         

Speights is a multi-role linebacker with the ability to slot in at 4-3 WILL, 3-4 ILB or in a 4-2-5. He is a tough tackler with good awareness. Speights doesn’t over pursue and is tough against the run thanks to his ability to drop his hips and drive his legs as a tackler. He has pretty good feel in coverage which also adds to his versatility. Speights does not have the speed to recover on major cutback lanes and is at times a touch slow to react. At the moment he is not a dominant pass rusher either.

Player Comparison: Markus Bailey

Projection: 6^th Round – UDFA

Best Fits: Seattle, Washington, Minnesota (Wild Card – Tennessee)

12. Jaylan Ford – Texas                                                                           

Ford will ideally translate to the NFL as a 3-4 inside linebacker but could also fit in a 4-2-5. He flashes violent hands and plays physical when crashing downhill. Ford is an instinctive run defender, has okay footwork in tight spaces and breaks down when approaching the ballcarrier. He does fine in space when needing to make an open field tackle and can drop in coverage when needed. Ford plays a bit stiff and lacks quickness and speed. He will have major struggles when needed to cover NFL slot receivers. Ford has a grab and drag style of tackle which bigger backs can sometimes break. Overall Ford has enough ability to get early down work in the league.

Player Comparison: Zach Cunningham

Projection: 3^rd – 5^th Round

Best Fits: Los Angeles Rams, Arizona, Philadelphia (Wild Card – New York Giants)

11. Ty’Ron Hopper – Missouri                                                             

Hopper is a quick moving linebacker with fluid hips and top tier agility. This makes him an excellent candidate to be a 4-3 SAM or nickel linebacker. Hopper has long arms and can run with tight ends and running backs which makes him an asset in coverage. He is fairly explosive, has some pass rush instincts and tracks sideline-to-sideline with ease. Hopper needs to improve at wrapping up on his tackles, especially with being undersized when playing inside the box. In coverage his awareness has room to get sharper as well.

Player Comparison: Daiyan Henley

Projection: 3^rd – 5^th Round

Best Fits: Kansas City, Carolina, Arizona (Wild Card – Dallas)

10. JD Bertrand – Notre Dame                                                             

Bertrand is a prototypical box linebacker that will probably fit best as an inside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme. He has a thick build with long arms and above average athleticism. Bertrand is a sideline-to-sideline playmaker with decent ability as a blitzer. He can disengage from blockers and is tough between the tackles. Bertrand is an instinctive tackler and locates the football quickly. Bertrand does have an inconsistent motor and due to his aggressive nature, he overruns the play.

Player Comparison: D’Marco Jackson

Projection: 4^th – 6^th Round

Best Fits: Pittsburgh, New England, Atlanta (Wild Card – Minnesota)

9. Michael Barrett – Michigan                                                           

Barrett could align at WILL in a 4-3 or ILB in a 3-4. He is a rangy linebacker with good speed in pursuit and an ability to diagnose the run. As a pass rusher, Barrett does well at jumping inside and countering. In coverage, he can hold up in space and does well at reading the quarterbacks eyes in zone. Barrett has no wasted motion in his movements and avoid blockers better than most. When he tackles, he needs to keep driving his legs through the hit. Barrett’s lack of length makes it difficult for him to disengage from blocks and he also over anticipates at times on plays. He is not the best in man coverage.

Player Comparison: Sione Takitaki

Projection: 4^th – 6^th Round

Best Fits: Los Angeles Chargers, Jacksonville, Baltimore (Wild Card – Arizona)

8. Cedric Gray – North Carolina                                                       

Gray could align as a 4-3 WILL or may be best suited in a 4-2-5. He is an elite athlete with rangy run defender tendencies and lots of natural power. Gray plays bigger than his listed size but he does have long arms and packs some pop. He can stand his ground against much larger blockers with his natural leverage and craftiness. Gray does well with countering and when close to the ball carrier, he looks to punch the ball out. He’s not super-fast and is inconsistent as a big hitter. Gray does not have much bend around the edge.

Player Comparison: Malik Harrison

Projection: 3^rd – 4^th Round

Best Fits: Indianapolis, Kansas City, Carolina (Wild Card – San Francisco)

7. Tyrice Knight – UTEP                                                                         

Knight could play in multiple roles including WILL in a 4-3, inside linebacker in a 3-4 or in a 4-2-5. He is a consistent heavy hitter with explosiveness and aggressiveness. Knight is instinctive against the run and has great range. He is rarely in the wrong spot and is quick to read and react. Knight’s speed and closing burst makes him a threat on blitzes. Sometimes he gets up field too quickly and gets taken out of the play. Knight does need a bit of work in coverage.

Player Comparison: Dre Greenlaw

Projection: 4^th – 6^th Round

Best Fits: Pittsburgh, Washington, Buffalo (Wild Card – New York Jets)

6. Tommy Eichenberg – Ohio State                                                 

Eichenberg is an old school box linebacker who is best suited at MIKE. He is an instinctive run defender and locates the ballcarrier rather quickly. Eichenberg has a strong frame, understands angles well and can chase in pursuit. He is usually a fairly sure tackler in space, can drop in zone coverage and with some more development there is plenty of potential. Eichenberg isn’t a violent tackler and is not an overwhelming pass rusher. He is not overly athletic but his other traits cover for that the vast majority of the time.

Player Comparison: Jack Sanborn

Projection: 3^rd – 4^th Round

Best Fits: Cleveland, Miami, New Orleans (Wild Card – Los Angeles Chargers)

5. Junior Colson – Michigan                                                               

Colson possesses ideal linebacker size and could align at MIKE or WILL. He has good speed, is quick to find the ballcarrier and counters well when working off blockers. Colson’s best trait is being a very disruptive run defender due to his fearlessness and willingness to plow into piles of bodies. He is a violent tackler that sticks with plays and can track sideline-to-sideline. Sometimes he can be a bit overaggressive and he struggles with blockers that manage to get to the second level. Colson only offers modest blitz production and is average in his coverage skills.

Player Comparison: De’Vondre Campbell

Projection: 2^nd – 3^rd Round

Best Fits: Cleveland, Indianapolis, Las Vegas (Wild Card – Houston)

4. Marist Liufau – Notre Dame                                                           

Liufau is a box linebacker that will be best suited at inside linebacker in a 3-4. He is a high energy player with good feel in coverage and straight-line speed that makes him an effective blitzer. Liufau closes in on his target quickly, gets up field in inside lanes and his long arms help to wrap up the ballcarrier. He is a rangy player with plenty of lateral movement ability and awareness that gets him a few steps ahead. Liufau lacks bend on the edge and sometimes does lose track of ballcarriers when facing the run. He could afford to add some muscle to his frame because he has a lean build.

Player Comparison: Devin Lloyd

Projection: 3^rd – 4^th Round

Best Fits: Los Angeles Chargers, Seattle, Philadelphia (Wild Card – Indianapolis)

Watch as Cole unveils the top 3 – highlights included!