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- Barryn Sorrell – Texas
Sorrell is a true 3-4 outside linebacker with a punishing hand strike, solid awareness and dense frame. His second effort is excellent, while his stunt execution and finishing ability are top-tier qualities. Sorrell has the instincts and versatility to do well in the NFL. He lacks explosiveness for an outside linebacker, showcases a small wingspan and lacks the desired discipline on the edge. He doesn’t have much bend, so will try to work inside most of the time.
Player Comparisons: Brenton Cox Jr. / Durell Nchami
Projection: 4th – 6th Round
Best Fits: Patriots, Packers, Falcons (Wild Card – Panthers)
- Que Robinson – Alabama
Robinson is another true 3-4 outside linebacker. His length, great frame and bend around the edge make for a dangerous pass rusher. As a former safety, he is a strong special teamer and his athleticism is evident. Despite being explosive, Robinson is actually fairly disciplined and makes a big contribution in numerous phases of the game. He needs to develop more play strength, develop a less predictable pass rush arsenal and learn to disengage from blockers. If he can clean up his injury history and become more consistent as a run blocker, then he should be a solid rotational piece. His limited starting reps in college likely mean limited starting reps in the NFL.
Player Comparisons: Oshane Ximines / Tyreke Smith
Projection: 5th – 6th Round
Best Fits: Titans, Cardinals, Chargers (Wild Card – Jaguars)
- Jack Kiser – Notre Dame
Kiser is a box linebacker with 4-3 Will or 3-4 inside linebacker ability. His tackling technique is admirable which pairs well with his savvy run stopping ability as well. Kiser is a tough player with gap discipline and blitzing potential. He also has active hands and would make a great special teams player. Kiser has some dog in him which NFL team will love. His athletic traits are limited and he can get engulfed by big offensive linemen. Kiser is an older prospect who might struggle in coverage versus shifty running backs. This will limit his ceiling a bit.
Player Comparisons: Ben Niemann / Robert Spillane
Projection: 5th – 6th Round
Best Fits: Cowboys, Buccaneers, Jets (Wild Card – Bills)
- Chris Paul Jr. – Ole Miss
Paul is best as a box linebacker at either Will in a 4-3 or inside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme. His instincts and recognition skills are strong, while his movements are pretty fluid. Paul has excellent processing skills pre-snap and can change direction quickly when on the move. Not only is he a rangy linebacker, but Paul brings some juice as a blitzer or even playing on special teams. In coverage, he has enough route recognition skills to hold his own. Paul is undersized, sometimes over pursues and has just a limited tackle radius. He will need to maintain more discipline and clean up his tackling technique in his rookie year.
Player Comparisons: Brian Asamoah / Winston Reid
Projection: 3rd – 5th Round
Best Fits: Rams, Panthers, Cowboys (Wild Card – Dolphins)
- Jeffrey Bassa – Oregon
Bassa is a smaller, shifty linebacker with 4-3 Will or Sam potential. His instincts in coverage are elite as a former safety. Bassa knows how to time his blitzes and his speed plus fluid lower body mechanics get him through traffic in a hurry. Whenever he wraps up, he drives through his tackles, making him a special teams ace. His processing skills are also a key component to his game. Bassa lacks the length and strength of most linebackers causing leverage issues. He will tend to overrun some plays and his lack of ball production is a bit surprising. His recovery from an ankle injury in 2024 does not come at the most ideal time.
Player Comparisons: Dorian Williams / Monty Rice
Projection: 4th – 5th Round
Best Fits: Commanders, Lions, Colts (Wild Card – Browns)
- Smael Mondon Jr. – Georgia
Mondon is a great athlete with the versatility to play 3-4 outside linebacker or 4-3 Sam. He has some burst and his long strides help him cover ground in a hurry. He is a fluid mover, knows how to drop in zone coverage and takes great angles to get to the ball carrier before wrapping up with reliable form. Mondon is a creative blitzer who can work through traffic to get to the quarterback. At Georgia, he was battle tested when on the field. There are some durability concerns, a lack of strength and his frame is already probably maxed out. He has had some struggles tackling big running backs and his processing speed could use some improvement.
Player Comparisons: Curtis Jacobs / Dee Winters
Projection: 3rd – 5th Round
Best Fits: Eagles, Bills, Ravens (Wild Card – Chargers)
- Cody Lindenberg – Minnesota
Lindenberg is an old school 4-3 Mike linebacker. He displays elite recognition, some decent speed for his size, toughness and reliable tackling ability. He knows how to stack and shed, while also reacting quickly to the play. There are some injury concerns and his change of direction skills are average. Lindenberg doesn’t offer a whole lot in man coverage and he gets overaggressive downhill at times. There are some traits here that resemble the type of linebacker that some rosters are missing completely in the current era.
Player Comparisons: Henry To’oto’o / Chad Muma
Projection: 5th – 7th Round
Best Fits: 49ers, Titans, Buccaneers (Wild Card – Commanders)
- Jay Higgins – Iowa
Higgins was a star linebacker at Iowa and could fit in with most base schemes. In a 4-3, he best translates to Will, in a 3-4, he could be an inside linebacker and in a 4-2-5, he would be a Will once again. Higgins has the athleticism to get sideline to sideline. He is a natural wrap up tackler with a stout delivery at the point of attack. Higgins is also decent in coverage thanks to his high IQ. He is a natural field general with special teams skills and a high ceiling. He lacks the ideal bulk to be a Mike and his speed is average. His blitz production in college was minimal and he will likely need some time adjusting to NFL speed. Can he replicate the same success that he did at Iowa? That will be seen over time, but it is hard to bet against Higgins at least making an impact as depth.
Player Comparisons: Ty’Ron Hopper / Ivan Pace Jr.
Projection: 4th – 6th Round
Best Fits: Seahawks, Rams, Broncos (Wild Card – Colts)
- Kobe King – Penn State
King is a box linebacker with Mike or Will versatility in either a 4-3 or 3-4 scheme. He is an excellent run stopper with downhill thumper qualities and the ability to stack and shed versus the run. He was the quarterback of the defense at Penn State and set an example as a reliable tackler. His controlled aggression proves his intelligence. King is an old school linebacker. His coverage skills are not developed to this point and his limited speed plus poor change of direction skills slow him down. King is a shorter linebacker who needs to refine his pass rush skills because he won’t win with length.
Player Comparisons: Tommy Eichenberg / D’Marco Jackson
Projection: 4th – 5th Round
Best Fits: Cowboys, Jets, Ravens (Wild Card – Lions)
- Oluwafemi Oladejo – UCLA
Oladejo is a 3-4 outside linebacker with good mobility, bend around the edge and true linebacker trained vision, not that of a typical edge rusher. He packs some violent hands, closes space quickly and has a history of some devastating plays. Oladejo is relentless, plays with a nasty demeanor and his instincts in coverage only boost his draft stock. Oladejo plays too high in his stance at the moment and is learning pass rush moves. He is a work in progress with peripheral vision and anchor strength also needing to improve.
Player Comparisons: Azeez Ojulari / Zaven Collins
Projection: 3rd – 4th Round
Best Fits: Packers, Panthers, Buccaneers (Wild Card – Cardinals)
- David Walker – Central Arkansas
Walker is a 3-4 outside linebacker with athletic freak tendencies and a strong, stout frame. His hands and power are ferocious, yet his twitch is also admirable. Walker plays angry in pursuit and finishes plays consistently. He turns his speed to power upon contact and when he sees the football, Walker tends to rip at it. His arm length is only limited and his pass rush plan has been inconsistent in the past because he was so dominant. Walker lacks the ideal bend of an outside linebacker and his frame does appear to be maxed out. It will be interesting to see how he adapts to the step up in competition. His ceiling is high but his floor could also be potentially low.
Player Comparisons: Khalil Mack / Thomas Incoom
Projection: 3rd – 5th Round
Best Fits: Eagles, Falcons, Chargers (Wild Card – Patriots)
- Demetrius Knight Jr. – South Carolina
Knight is a natural Mike linebacker with elite patience and a physical nature when crashing downhill. He has the instincts to know where a play is going and then flashes some good speed for his size. Knight can be an effective blitzer and shows some power when necessary. He can hold his own in zone coverage. Not only can he stack and shed blockers, but his special teams ability and mature approach add to his list of positive traits. Sometimes Knight can be way too patient though, making him look slower than what he actually is when decisive. His hip tightness and limited change of direction ability leads to issues in man coverage.
Player Comparisons: Channing Tindall / Devin White
Projection: 2nd – 3rd Round
Best Fits: Colts, Panthers, Dolphins (Wild Card – Rams)
- Carson Schwesinger – UCLA
Schwesinger has the ability to either be a 4-3 Will or 3-4 inside linebacker. He plays with a hot motor, a quick trigger to attack and excellent route recognition. He is a special breed of linebacker with his sideline-to-sideline speed, loose hips, quick feet and high football IQ. Schwesinger is a dangerous blitzer and has the body control to weave in and out of traffic. His leadership is also an added benefit. He has a fairly thin frame, struggles to disengage from blockers and sometimes gets downhill too fast, taking himself out of position. Although his starting experience in college was limited, the potential is there for NFL starting experience quickly.
Player Comparisons: Drue Tranquill / Jack Sanborn
Projection: 3rd – 4th Round
Best Fits: Browns, Broncos, Seahawks (Wild Card – Panthers)
- Cody Simon – Ohio State
Simon has the versatility to play Mike linebacker in really any defensive scheme, whether that be a 4-3, 4-2-5, or 3-4. He has excellent range and speed for a middle linebacker, flashes natural run defender instincts and displays controlled violence on the blitz. Simon is a disruptor consistently, brings the hammer as a tackler and rarely misses in space. He is also athletic enough to hold his own in coverage, partially thanks to his natural instincts. Simon is a true leader and will make a great quarterback of a defense in the league. He is slightly undersized for a traditional Mike but fits the new era well. His starting experience at Ohio State was limited and he needs to consistently wrap up.
Player Comparisons: Edgerrin Cooper / Micah McFadden
Projection: 3rd – 5th Round
Best Fits: Titans, Cowboys, 49ers (Wild Card – Lions)
- Danny Stutsman – Oklahoma
Stutsman is an exceptional run defender with a 4-3 Mike/3-4 inside linebacker style. He is an electric blitzer with natural navigator skills in traffic and he brings some boom as a tackler. Stutsman is fairly fluid in coverage, displays a high football IQ and happens to be a natural leader on the field. Not only will he be effective on defense, but Stutsman is also a special teams ace. As a taller linebacker, his change of direction ability is a bit slow and he could get better at taking on blocks. There is some stiffness in his hips and Stutsman does need to drive through tackles in space. If his spatial awareness can improve, then he should be in good shape as a rookie in the league.
Player Comparisons: Drew Sanders / Pete Werner
Projection: 2nd – 4th Round
Best Fits: Buccaneers, Colts, Jets (Wild Card – Bills)
Watch as Cole unveils the top 3 – highlights included!
