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18. Dallas Gant – Toledo 
Gant is a player that isn’t on the radar for most people in this upcoming draft. He may sneak into the draft late or will simply just be an undrafted free agent. Gant deserves some more respect and appreciation. He has the ideal size of an NFL linebacker and he was a tackling machine at Toledo following a spell at Ohio State with a bit of playing time. He has excellent athleticism for a middle linebacker and is tough against the run. He is not only a smart player but a good leader and very well spoken. This is a guy to take a chance on and get in your locker room. He would best succeed in a 3-4 as a middle linebacker but could play some MIKE in a 4-3.
Player Comparison: Jake Hansen
Projection: 7th Round – UDFA
Best Fits: Cleveland, Denver, Pittsburgh (Wild Card – Los Angeles Chargers)
17. Dorian Williams – Tulane 
Williams has a good frame and a nice build but he could benefit from adding some muscle and functional strength. He is a fast sideline to sideline and put together some good production in college. Williams does have a special teams resume which gives him some additional value in the league. He lacks a bit of contact balance and is still a bit on the slow side with read and reaction skills. Initially he will add special teams value and some depth at either WILL or SAM.
Player Comparison: Chazz Surratt
Projection: 5th – 7th Round
Best Fits: New York Jets, New York Giants, Denver (Wild Card – Arizona)
16. Durell Nchami – Maryland 
Nchami is a player with plenty of length and strength which allows him to stand up tackles. He can chase down from the backside on run plays and also turns his hips well when dropping into coverage. He is a long strider that covers ground quickly as well. Nchami does have a history of injury issues. There is plenty of upside but plenty of questions/concerns additionally. Nchami would be best suited as a 3-4 outside linebacker.
Player Comparison: Ochuan Mathis
Projection: 5th – 6th Round
Best Fits: Miami, Minnesota, Seattle (Wild Card – Green Bay)
15. Owen Pappoe – Auburn 
Pappoe has some of the best range and athleticism in this group. Not only does he have the speed and quickness, but he is excellent in zone coverage and is patient as a run defender. He may be undersized but his work ethic and upside may result in him being a steal in this draft. His smaller size makes it hard to disengage from blocks and he is not super aggressive downhill against the run. If Pappoe finds himself in a 4-3 system then he will likely be playing some WILL but if he is in a 3-4 then expect Pappoe to be placed inside.
Player Comparison: J.J. Russell
Projection: 4th – 5th Round
Best Fits: Minnesota, Pittsburgh, Los Angeles Chargers (Wild Card – Tampa Bay)
14. Carlton Martial – Troy 
Martial is the smallest linebacker at 5’7” yet he found a way to be productive over the course of his college career. He plays bigger than his size and is quite tough against the run. He covers ground sideline to sideline well with his excellent acceleration and quick burst. Martial has the natural instincts to make plays on defense and even on special teams as well. There are certainly size concerns and uncertainty on how he will fit into a team’s scheme. Perhaps he can be a subpackage linebacker or even play some SAM in a 4-3 base defense. Regardless, he is a natural football player.
Player Comparison: Sincere McCormick (just the linebacker version instead of running back)
Projection: 4th – 7th Round
Best Fits: Washington, Philadelphia, Dallas (Wild Card – New York Giants)
13. SirVocea Dennis – Pittsburgh 
Dennis, like Martial, is a smaller linebacker who plays big. He moves like a safety in the box and manages to be highly productive. Dennis is quick, rangy and closes distance in a hurry when locked onto a target. He is quick to diagnose a play and has the ability to finish off the play as a secure tackler. He does have special teams experience which is another benefit. Due to his smaller frame he also struggles getting off blocks. Dennis may be a bit of a project and will have a transition period moving away from MIKE linebacker. In the NFL he will likely play some SAM in a 4-3 or some subpackage linebacker.
Comparison: Tanner Vallejo
Projection: 4th – 7th Round
Best Fits: Carolina, Chicago, Detroit (Wild Card – Minnesota)
12. Aubrey Miller Jr. – Jackson State 
Miller is a fluid, smooth athlete with a nasty demeanor. When running downhill at a ball carrier he is a force and a hard hitter. As a blitzer he works to find angles and small open gaps up the middle. In addition to being aggressive, he is also serviceable in coverage. His IQ in the run game needs some improvement because he does get taken out of plays at the second level from time to time. If he is slow to make a decision, he gets swallowed up by the offensive line. Miller might be a developmental prospect but he does offer value as a MIKE linebacker in a blitz heavy scheme.
Comparison: Markus Bailey / Jabril Cox
Projection: 5th – 7th Round
Best Fits: San Francisco, Tampa Bay, Seattle (Wild Card – Houston)
11. Cam Jones – Indiana 
Jones is a leaner/lighter linebacker but does not play that way at all. He is one of the most physical linebackers and will thump ball carriers when given the chance. Not only is he a hard hitting run defender but he is also fairly athletic and long. His instincts are still developing but his explosiveness makes up for any lost ground or time. Jones is limited on passing down and also coming off a foot injury which hurts his stock. Jones is the perfect fit in a 3-4 as a MIKE linebacker.
Comparison: Kenneth Murray Jr. / Nick Bolton
Projection: 4th – 6th Round
Best Fits: Pittsburgh, Miami, Los Angeles Chargers (Wild Card – Tampa Bay)
10. Mohamoud Diabate – Utah 
Diabate is a very rangy and athletic player who thrives working sideline to sideline while closing down space quickly. He can cover tight ends and running backs comfortably, offers speed rush value on the blitz and happens to be a stout tackler. He has fairly good length and has some versatility. Diabate could still become a more consistent player and could be a better processor of angles. At Florida, Diabate was an edge rusher and is still settling in at linebacker. There is room for growth as he develops but this past season was impressive considering the recent position change. Diabate might actually be best suited to play in a 4-2-5 scheme in order to have some open space to work with each snap. In a 4-3 defense Diabate would most likely be the WILL.
Player Comparison: Braylon Spector / Quay Walker
Projection: 3rd – 5th Round
Best Fits: Houston, New York Jets, Washington (Wild Card – Philadelphia)
9. Dee Winters – TCU 
Winters is a fast, explosive linebacker who plays like he was shot out of a cannon. Most people know Winters as the linebacker that had the pick six against Michigan in the CFP Semifinal. He is dangerous on the blitz but also solid in zone coverage. As a tackler he is a strong finisher and covers a lot of ground on the move. Winters lacks length and because of his compact build struggles to deconstruct blocks. He is not as successful against the run but not a liability. He will make a good 4-3 WILL or even a nickel linebacker.
Player Comparison: Devin Bush (build) / Nakobe Dean (play style)
Projection: 3rd – 4th Round
Best Fits: New York Jets, Dallas, Philadelphia (Wild Card – Chicago)
8. DeMarvion Overshown – Texas 
Overshown is a very mobile linebacker with excellent range. He does an awesome job of keeping his head and chest up when tackling which allows him to finish cleanly and not miss on many tackles. As a former safety he is a solid tackler in space, versatile and has fast acceleration in open field. Overshown has some burst through the line of scrimmage on the blitz and is one of the best linebackers in coverage as well. Even though Overshown is a violent tackler, he is sometimes questionable in the box against the run because of his lack of mass. Bigger, more physical running backs will give him some headaches. Honestly Overshown could probably be a plug and play guy as depth and slot in at most linebacker spots.
Player Comparison: Hamsah Nasirildeen / Tony Fields II
Projection: 3rd – 4th Round
Best Fits: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Carolina (Wild Card – Seattle)
7. Ivan Pace Jr. – Cincinnati 
Pace is an underrated linebacker in this class because he is truly scary and highly disruptive. He is a productive linebacker with a nose for the football and a straight line bullet as a tackler. He displays some amazing instincts and exceptional short area quickness. Pace shoots gaps as a blitzer and delivers hard hits to opposing quarterbacks. Pace is not super long and is average when it comes to separating from blocks. He does fine in zone coverage but is limited in man coverage. Lastly, he is a tough linebacker that could make an immediate impact at either MIKE or WILL.
Player Comparison: Denzel Perryman
Projection: 3rd – 5th Round
Best Fits: New York Jets, Chicago, Detroit (Wild Card – Cleveland)
6. Daiyan Henley – Washington State 
Henley is naturally blessed with the combination of quickness and comfortability in open space while still having adequate linebacker size. As a former wide receiver and defensive back he has excellent ball skills and has no issues dropping in coverage. The hybrid playmaker is not only explosive but offers lots of late down value and plenty of potential. He is a bit of a tweener and still raw at the position. He cannot be used as a stack linebacker in the NFL. Henley will be most successful as a SAM linebacker in a 4-3 base defense. He could play some WILL if necessary as well.
Player Comparison: Isaiah Simmons
Projection: 2nd – 4th Round
Best Fits: Detroit, Chicago, Carolina (Wild Card – New England)
5. Noah Sewell – Oregon 
Sewell is a much bigger linebacker than the vast majority of this year’s draft class at 250 pounds. He is patient yet physical and a hard nosed tackler when moving north to south. Sewell thrives in the box against the run and defeats blocks with heavy hands and strength. He is a decent pass rusher but finishes the play with big hits. He does get fooled on misdirections/pullers and gets taken out of plays. He has a smaller range and due to lower body stiffness plus size, struggles changing directions quickly. Sewell is strictly a MIKE linebacker in a 4-3 or 3-4.
Player Comparison: Reggie Ragland / Bobby Wagner
Projection: 2nd – 3rd Round
Best Fits: Cleveland, Minnesota, Detroit (Wild Card – Washington)
4. Henry To’oTo’o – Alabama 
To’oTo’o was a tackling machine at Alabama and it is evident he has a very high football IQ. His head is always on a swivel as he reads the field and his excellent awareness then coincides with his mobility and ability to maneuver through traffic. He does well dropping into coverage and reads the QBs eyes. To’oTo’o is disruptive in all aspects of the game with his sideline to sideline speed and excellent range. He lacks size for a middle linebacker and does struggle getting free of initial blocks. Against downhill running teams he can be very limited because he needs space to operate. He is also not a thumper as a tackler. To’oTo’o is a true middle linebacker who can fit into a 4-3 or 3-4 scheme.
Player Comparison: Jerome Baker
Projection: 2nd – 3rd Round
Best Fits: Pittsburgh, Miami, New England (Wild Card – Los Angeles Chargers)
Watch as Cole unveils the top 3 – highlights included!
