Inside Linebackers

LB1: Jalon Walker, Georgia

Jalon Walker is an explosive linebacker/edge hybrid with elite athletic traits and high-impact pass-rush potential. His burst off the line, top-tier closing speed, and advanced hand usage allow him to consistently disrupt as a blitzer or looper. Walker thrives as a QB spy, where his reaction quickness and lateral range let him close fast and limit explosive plays. Though often labeled an edge defender, Walker's instincts, effort in pursuit, and ability to slip blocks give him intriguing upside as an off-ball linebacker. He plays smart within run fits, showing discipline and strong processing. However, his play strength is a clear limitation—he can struggle to hold up against linemen and doesn’t consistently finish through contact. In coverage, he’s decent in man with enough speed to move around, though zone coverage remains a work in progress. While he’s best when attacking downhill, Walker’s motor, versatility, and explosiveness give him incredible upside in multiple roles. 

Grade: Round 1

LB2: Jihaad Campbell, Alabama

Jihaad Campbell is an explosive, high-upside linebacker with impressive range, athleticism, and flashes of playmaking ability in both coverage and run defense. He reacts quickly and closes space in a hurry, whether triggering downhill or flying in on a blitz. His speed and burst allow him to fill gaps with urgency, chase down ball carriers sideline to sideline, and finish tackles in space. While not a polished pass rusher, he wins with quickness and timing. In coverage, he’s more than capable—showing solid zone awareness, reliable man reps, and legit ball skills when targeted. That said, play strength is a clear limitation. Campbell struggles to shed blocks consistently and can be knocked off-balance or driven out of plays when trying to hold his gap. His hand usage and leverage need refinement, and he can overcommit or lose his footing when trying to maximize his speed. Still, with his explosiveness, effort, and versatility, Campbell brings starter-caliber upside. With added strength and improved technique, he has the tools to grow into a dynamic every-down linebacker.

Grade: Round 1

LB3: Carson Schwesinger, UCLA

Carson Schwesinger is a high-motor linebacker with ideal size, strong lateral movement, and legitimate flashes in zone coverage and pursuit. He consistently shows effort chasing plays down and has the range to close from the backside, even if he’s not particularly fast. He diagnoses run plays quickly more often than not and is generally reliable as a tackler. In coverage, he’s shown the ability to mirror in man and read quarterbacks well in zone, leading to multiple impact plays, including interceptions. However, Schwesinger’s game still needs refinement. His instincts can be inconsistent—he’ll flash quick recognition one snap and drift into a block the next. His hand usage is a major weakness, often limiting his ability to shed and stay square at the point of attack, despite flashes of functional strength. He’s a smart blitzer and plays with toughness, but his technique doesn’t always hold up when challenged physically. Despite those flaws, Schwesinger’s size, lateral agility, and coverage ability give him the tools to become a dependable starter if he can develop more consistency.

Grade: Round 2

LB4: Demetrius Knight Jr, South Carolina

Demetrius Knight is a fluid, high-motor linebacker with strong lateral agility and speed that shows up in pursuit and space. He moves well across the formation and flashes impressive closing ability, particularly when attacking downhill or chasing plays from the backside. Knight is a reliable tackler in the open field and generally holds his own in man coverage. His biggest limitations lie in zone coverage and overall play recognition—he can be slow to react, abandon his assignment too early, or hesitate when processing route concepts. His play strength and hand usage are also areas of concern, as he often struggles to shed blocks or hold his ground. As a pass rusher, he’s more effective than most off-ball linebackers thanks to his quickness and closing burst, but it’s not a defining trait of his game. Knight’s athletic traits and lateral movement give him a chance to carve out a role, but he’ll need growth in awareness, strength, and block shedding to take the next step.

Grade: Round 3

LB5: Danny Stutsman, Oklahoma

Danny Stutsman is a tough, high-IQ linebacker with a big frame, dependable run defense, and flashes of instinctive play. He’s at his best working downhill—filling gaps, holding his ground, and shedding blocks to make plays in the box. His strength allows him to play through contact and win leverage battles, while his lateral movement and effort in pursuit are solid. That said, Stutsman lacks top-end speed and explosiveness, limiting his impact as a pass rusher and in space. His coverage is serviceable but inconsistent, with occasional delays in recognizing routes or reacting to quarterback movement. He’s generally a sound tackler, though lapses in angles or finish do show up at times. Stutsman profiles as a run-focused linebacker with the tools to contribute on early downs. With improved awareness and more consistent coverage skills, he could carve out a larger role at the next level.

Grade: Round 3

LB6: Nick Martin, Oklahoma State

Nick Martin is an undersized but electrifying linebacker with elite speed, explosiveness, and standout man coverage skills. A former running back, his burst, play speed, and fluidity in space are immediately apparent—whether he’s triggering downhill, chasing in pursuit, or mirroring in coverage. He shows impressive range, bend, and closing ability, with flashes of pass-rush effectiveness and the versatility to line up all over the field, including in man against wide receivers. However, Martin’s game is defined by extremes. His instincts—especially against the run—are highly inconsistent. He bites on misdirection, overcommits on pursuit angles, and frequently loses track of the ball. His block shedding and hand usage are poor, and his limited strength and size make it easy for linemen to erase him in the box. While his zone coverage is solid, it’s still hit or miss due to inconsistent feel and awareness. Martin’s tools are rare, but his processing and technique need serious development. If he can improve his instincts and discipline, his athletic profile gives him a chance to develop into a unique chess piece on defense.

Grade: Round 4

LB7: Jeffrey Bassa, Oregon

Jeffrey Bassa is an athletic, agile linebacker with flashes of lateral movement and solid range. A former safety, Bassa’s speed, lateral movement, and agility stand out, particularly in pursuit or when asked to cover backs and tight ends in man. He shows decent ability to shed blocks and shows solid tackling technique when he's in position. However, his instincts and decision-making are spotty, especially in zone coverage, where he’s often slow to react and late to identify threats. His play strength is inconsistent, leading to issues getting off blocks and holding up at the point of attack. He can be overaggressive or hesitant depending on the play, and his blitzing impact is minimal despite his athleticism. Bassa’s athletic foundation and man coverage upside make him an intriguing option, but he’ll need to sharpen his awareness and bulk up to take on a bigger role at the next level.

Grade: Round 4

LB8: Smael Mondon Jr, Georgia

Smael Mondon is an athletic linebacker with strong man coverage skills and impressive lateral movement, but he’s held back by inconsistent instincts and delayed processing. His ability to stay with backs and even line up against slot receivers highlights his movement skills and man coverage potential. He shows pursuit and acceleration when reacting the field correctly, and flashes impressive open field tackling when he’s in position. However, Mondon often struggles to quickly diagnose plays, especially against the run or in zone coverage. He’s prone to overthinking and reacting late, which leads to hesitation in key moments. His block shedding is inconsistent, and he can get overwhelmed at the point of attack when taking on lead blockers. Despite occasional flashes as a pass rusher, he doesn’t consistently convert his athleticism into disruptive plays behind the line of scrimmage. Overall, Mondon's athletic traits and man coverage ability give him upside as a prospect, but he’ll need to improve his instincts and decision-making to become a dependable, every-down contributor at the next level.

Grade: Round 4

LB9: Chris Paul Jr, Ole Miss

Chris Paul Jr. is a rangy linebacker with good lateral movement and closing speed that shows up in pursuit and man coverage. He has the awareness and ball skills to make plays in space, including notable pass breakups that led to turnovers. Against the run, he can fill his gap and finish when unblocked, but inconsistent block shedding and average strength limit his effectiveness in traffic. His tackling is generally reliable, though he can play too high and miss in space. Paul is a quick but ineffective blitzer when engaged, with decent bend but limited power. His instincts, especially against misdirection, are incredibly inconsistent, but his athletic tools and effort keep him around the ball. Paul profiles as a developmental linebacker, but his speed, lateral agility, and ball skills give him the upside to grow into a larger role.

Grade: Round 4

LB10: Jamon Dumas-Johnson, Kentucky

Jamon Dumas-Johnson is a linebacker with good size and strength, but his play can be inconsistent at times. He has solid lateral movement and burst, which help him in pursuit and blitz situations. However, his tendency to play too upright limits his ability to change direction quickly and make plays in space. In pass rush he’s occasionally stonewalled, but he can be effective when looping or shooting gaps. His coverage skills are a concern, as he struggles in man coverage and often abandons his zone responsibilities. His instincts seem to lag, especially in key moments like goal-line situations or when tracking the ball carrier. He does show flashes of good recognition and can make plays when he’s dialed in. Overall, Dumas-Johnson has the physical tools to be an impactful linebacker, but he’ll need to improve his consistency, instincts, and coverage skills to be a reliable contributor.

Grade: Round 5

LB11: Cody Lindenberg, Minnesota

Cody Lindenberg is a linebacker with good size and tackling, but he has underwhelming athleticism. He shows good hand usage and solid strength, especially when shedding blocks. His pursuit is strong at times, and he can make tackles with good strength, but his overall play speed and instincts are a concern. His blitzing lacks explosiveness, and while he does get some pressure, it’s not consistent enough to be a threat. In coverage, Lindenberg is decent but nothing super special, lacking awareness and instincts to consistently track his assignment. His lateral movement and explosiveness are limited, which affects his ability to react quickly and make plays in space. Despite his size and some technical ability, Lindenberg's lack of explosiveness and lateral movement holds him back from being a more dynamic linebacker. Lindenberg projects as a solid depth linebacker who could be solid in a limited role. 

Grade: Round 5

LB12: Jack Kiser, Notre Dame

Jack Kiser is a linebacker who demonstrates strong physicality, particularly in terms of strength. He excels at disengaging from blockers and making solid tackles. In pass rush he shows flashes of explosiveness, especially when bending around the edge, but it's inconsistent and lacks overall fluidity. He’s quick to attack the gap and make tackles, but his pursuit and lateral movement are limited, which causes him to miss opportunities and often struggle in space. His instincts are also a concern, as he appears indecisive at times, especially in man and zone coverage. Kiser's strength is his standout trait, allowing him to power through blockers, but his overall agility and coverage ability leave much to be desired. His blitzing lacks consistency, and his tackling is hit or miss, with some missed opportunities due to poor angles or footwork. Kiser projects as a depth linebacker who will need to improve in many areas to develop into something more.

Grade: Round 5

LB13: Cody Simon, Ohio State

Cody Simon is a linebacker that brings solid strength and physicality to the table, showing the ability to deliver powerful tackles and hold his own in the box. He's decent as a blitzer and can occasionally make impact plays downhill, but his game is marred by inconsistency. His hand usage is a major concern—he regularly struggles to shed blocks cleanly, which limits his ability to finish plays. In coverage, Simon looks solid in zone at times but lacks the awareness and discipline to consistently be in the right spot. His man coverage is fine but inconsistent, often bordering on holding when he gets overly grabby. While he’s shown flashes of instincts and aggression, those moments are outweighed by poor angles, missed tackles, and a general lack of lateral quickness. There's some upside in his strength and size, but he needs a lot of refinement and more consistent awareness to be a reliable player.

Grade: Round 6

LB14: Jay Higgins, Iowa

Jay Higgins is a linebacker that plays with urgency and flashes impressive pursuit skills, regularly flying to the football and racking up tackles in space. He shows good lateral movement at times and has moments where he looks fluid in coverage, particularly in zone. His pursuit angles and hustle stand out on tape, and he’s capable of making impact plays. However, Higgins' tape is plagued by inconsistency. His play strength is a major concern—he consistently struggles to shed blocks and gets overpowered at the point of attack. His hand usage lacks refinement, and his lateral agility, while serviceable at times, breaks down too often in tight spaces or against pulling blockers. His blitzing impact is limited, and while he has flashes of recognition and reaction, they're offset by hesitation and occasional poor decision-making. At his best, Higgins looks like a high-effort linebacker, but he’s often overwhelmed physically and has struggles mentally.

Grade: Round 6

LB15: Kobe King, Penn State

Kobe King is a physically adequate linebacker with solid play speed and flashes of functional strength, but his game is marred by major issues with instincts, awareness, and overall processing. On the surface, King looks the part with a decent frame and enough athleticism to flow laterally or pressure the quarterback on a well-timed blitz. He has shown the ability to shed blocks and finish tackles when he’s in position, and there are reps where his zone coverage looks promising. However, the consistency just isn’t there. King’s instincts are among the weakest in the class—he routinely reacts late in coverage, takes poor angles in pursuit, and gets manipulated far too easily by play fakes and misdirection. One glaring example was a counter run where he fully committed to a jab step, leaving his gap completely vacated. He also disappears from plays too often, either losing track of the ball or drifting out of position. His tackling form and effort fluctuate, and he occasionally gets overwhelmed at the point of attack. King has some redeeming traits in terms of raw tools, but his lack of mental processing and feel for the game currently overshadows them.

Grade: Round 7