1. Isaiah Simmons, Clemson
Pros: Versatile is an understatement. Simmons played linebacker, safety, slot corner, and even edge rusher at times at Clemson. His ability to do all of them to an elite level is what truly makes him special, posting a coverage grade of 88.2 and a run-defense grade of 84.4 per PFF. Seriously athletic with blazing speed, running a 4.39 40-yard dash at the Combine. Has great length and can easily match up against receivers downfield.
Cons: Very few. If he is going to play primarily as a linebacker in the NFL he could do with adding some weight to his frame and this may come at the expense of his athleticism. Not strictly a knock on him, but he will need to go to a team that utilise his versatility, rather than simply treat him as a linebacker and this might put a few teams off. This is really splitting hairs though.
Projection: 1st round
2. Patrick Queen, LSU
Pros: Elite coverage ability with great burst and speed. Processes plays quickly and reacts accordingly. Despite his lack of size he plays the game with real physicality and packs a real punch in his tackles. Came up big down the stretch in LSU’s National Championship run and at only 20 years old he is still very young.
Cons: Somewhat undersized for the position and is built more like a safety. Definitely raw in certain aspects of his game and his enthusiasm to play downhill can sometimes see him getting fooled by play-action. Relatively inexperienced, with just 255 career snaps prior to 2019.
Projection: 1st round
3. Willie Gay Jr., Mississippi State
Pros: A natural athlete and one of the fastest linebackers in the nation. Projects as a fantastic coverage linebacker, easily holding his own when tasked to cover receivers. Plays the game with aggression and would be a great blitzer in the NFL. When he has been on the field he has consistently impressed and performed to a really high level.
Cons: Off-field issues are a concern. Punched his starting quarterback and was suspended for academic misconduct in 2019. On the field he has been ejected on several occasions and both of these things will impact his draft stock. He doesn’t process the game particularly fast and had relatively limited playing time in college, with 846 career snaps.
Projection: 1st round
4. Kenneth Murray, Oklahoma
Pros: Plays the game with real physicality and has excellent athleticism for the position. A hard hitter who is at his best playing downhill, Murray plays with a real high motor and is a solid tackler. Has the traits that you love to see at the position and has room to develop into a quality three-down linebacker with coverage potential.
Cons: Right now he is not particularly adept in coverage and was pretty inconsistent from game to game. His football intelligence can let him down at times and there were multiple examples of him misreading plays and taking the wrong approach. Not particularly powerful and can struggle to get off blocks.
Projection: 1st round
5. Zack Baun, Wisconsin
Pros: Played primarily off the edge in college and was seriously productive, with 94 pressures since 2018. He looks set to move inside to linebacker at the next level due to his size and he showed he could perform well in coverage at Wisconsin. Posted a PFF coverage grade of 86.9 in 2019 and has the size and athleticism to play the position to a high level. A real powerful tackler as you would expect given his edge rushing background.
Cons: Still pretty raw as an off-ball linebacker and would need time to develop the nuances of the position. Doesn’t have amazing length but that will be less of an issue playing linebacker. Production spiked massively in 2019 and wasn’t really seen as a first round talent until then.
Projection: 1st round
6. Troy Dye, Oregon
Pros: Super athletic, with great speed and burst, who has no problem covering tight ends up the seam. Great lateral agility and can change direction fast. Coverage is his strong point and should translate well to the NFL. Four years of consistent production at Oregon, playing at least 700 snaps every season and having 391 career tackles.
Cons: Pretty lean and is undersized for the position. Not the most physical linebacker in the class and isn’t going to be a great run-defender off the bat. Can be slow at times to process plays and read the offense, often playing re-actively rather than with anticipation.
Projection: 2nd round
7. Jordyn Brooks, Texas Tech
Pros: If you want a run-stuffing linebacker, Brooks is your guy. A big, physical presence, his 48 run-stops ranked fifth in the nation in 2019 and he posted a PFF run-defense grade of 91.5. Has great burst off the line and good sideline-to-sideline speed. A really sure tackler, he didn’t miss a tackle in coverage all season.
Cons: Doesn’t offer much in coverage and this could be a problem in the NFL. Not particularly anticipatory and can struggle if asked to play in space. Doesn’t have great length or athleticism either and often gets stuck on blocks.
Projection: 2nd round
8. Akeem Davis-Gaither, Appalachian State
Pros: Really smooth and versatile player, who split his time playing linebacker, slot corner, and edge rusher. A solid pass-rusher and will be a great blitzer at the next level. Good burst off the line with great instincts and football intelligence. Despite his lack of size he plays the game with physicality and has produced consistently in college.
Cons: Might want to add a bit more weight at the next level. Can sometimes take the wrong angles and has an issue with missed tackles, with 15+ in each of the last two seasons. Will need to develop his zone skills as he sometimes struggled in coverage in college.
Projection: 3rd round
9. Malik Harrison, Ohio State
Pros: A great blitzer with size and length to cause problems in the running game. Good power in his hands and excellent placement to get through blockers. A secure tackler who plays with real effort on every single snap. Showed good football intelligence and is coming off an impressive 2019, posting a PFF grade of 82.6.
Cons: Not the best in coverage and had limited responsibility in this regard in college. Won’t be the kind of prospect you want to leave covering tight ends. Doesn’t have top-end athleticism and is sometimes slow with his play recognition.
Projection: 3rd round
10. Logan Wilson, Wyoming
Pros: A tonne of experience, with over 3,500 career snaps. At 6-2 and 250 pounds he is an old-school style linebacker and comes with the physicality you would expect at his size. He is a beast playing downhill and earned a 91.6 PFF run-defense grade in 2019. Surprisingly quick for his size and has good football intelligence.
Cons: Not tremendously athletic and doesn’t have the best sideline-to-sideline speed. Won’t offer much in coverage and was only given pretty simple roles at Wyoming. Playing in the Mountain West there will be concerns about the level of competition he faced.
Projection: 4th round
