“This is the weakest draft class in recent memory” is a statement that has been discussed at length for nearly a year now and it isn’t strictly a sensationalist hot take to drive views and clicks. Finding possible superstars at one of the premium positions to hang your hat on is like trying to find a needle in a haystack, the quarterback class that was initially pegged to be full of first-round talent is perhaps the most underwhelming group in recent memory and supply does not meet demand at a number of key positions.

That doesn’t mean that there aren’t some bright spots in this class. There are some very exciting players available and there are a couple of strong, deep position groups. While it might not be the best year to need a quarterback or tackle, it’s a good year to need a linebacker or safety.

The linebacker class in particular is one that I’m incredibly fond of. So fond, in fact, that when my laptop decided to spritz out at the weekend and delete an almost-complete draft of this positional spotlight, I shrugged my shoulders and started again.

A team is going to be able to select a prospect from this group who is capable of contributing, either as a linebacker or on special teams, in every single round. There are some legitimate studs at the top of the draft and a pool of ascending talents who could sneak into the back-end of the first round or, at worst, go in quick succession inside the Top 75.

Though they do have other needs, the Arizona Cardinals are well placed to make the most of this particular group and bolster a position group that has been routinely underserved by the team’s decision makers. Under the Ossenfort/Gannon axis, shopping for linebackers was done in the bargain basket with the hope that Gannon could replicate his successes in Philadelphia in getting every last drop of juice out of a pack of discount lemons. They had some hits in Kyzir White and Mack Wilson but the team enters 2026 without a certified pairing at the heart of Nick Rallis’ defence.

Rookie Cody Simon went through some encouraging ups and worrying downs in his first season in the league when asked to deputise for Wilson, former fifth-round pick Owen Pappoe is primarily a special teamer and the signing of Jack Gibbens shouldn’t exclude the team from looking to add an impact player to the room especially with Mack Wilson entering the last year of his current contract.

CJ Allen – LB – Georgia – Jr. – 6’1″ – 230 lbs – 31 1/2″ arms – 10 1/8″ hands – 21 years old

An All-American as a true junior, CJ Allen was a starter for two-and-a-half years at Georgia where he was an inside linebacker in defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann’s 3-3-5 base scheme.

An intelligent player with a blend of size and speed that will have NFL scouts tongues’ wagging, Allen blossomed into the heart and soul of Georgia’s defence after initially earning a starting spot as a freshman. The 21-year-old possesses some of the best tackling technique in the class, where he pairs composure with fantastically drilled drive-through to ensure that he brings down the ball carrier, without tipping into the category of being an overeager thumper like other young linebackers can be guilty of. Allen has a career missed tackle rate of 7.4%.

Allen’s high football IQ allows him to diagnose plays and he doesn’t get overwhelmed by pre-snap motion. He tracks the action incredibly well and never lets his eyes wander. Instead, CJ Allen treats the ball carrier and more importantly the football, like his prey. He has the lateral speed and mobility to track down the ball carrier in pursuit and frequently makes stops near the sideline. The 4.47 40 that he recorded at his Pro Day would’ve tied for second at the Combine.

When taking on blockers, he shines when able to sidestep or dip underneath blockers. using that mobility.

Named First-Team All-SEC after leading the Bulldogs in tackles, TFLs and forced fumbles in 2025, Allen didn’t receive a single penalty across his 41 career games as a Bulldog despite being a productive tackler (224 combined tackles in 3 years) and was a team captain for six games last year. Kirby Smart described him as a “great leader” and noted that “he practices so hard, he wants to win so bad”.

In coverage, Allen displays the adequate range of motion and understanding of the game to not be a target for offences, though he needs to improve his feel for routes behind him when dropping in.

In the NFL, he will have to put more OOMPH into his strikes to avoid coming off second best and he’s stood up quite easily when tasked with blitzing despite generating 4 sacks in 2025.

Though he did require meniscus clean-up surgery in November, Allen was back on the field after only missing one game, pointing to the dogged mentality that made him a firm favourite amongst teammates and coaches in Athens. He could go on to be a defensive leader in the NFL.

Bryce Boettcher – LB – Oregon – Sr. – 6’1″ – 230 lbs – 31 1/4″ arms – 9 1/4″ hands – 23 years old

A fiery competitor, Bryce Boettcher really pushed himself into draft conversations with a strong showing at the Senior Bowl after All-American honours in 2025.

A tenacious tackler, the 23-year-old prides himself on being the most physical and competitive player on the field and runs right through the ball-carrier when tackling. He is fearless when flying downhill and is more than happy to take on both tight ends and offensive linemen.

While not blisteringly fast, Boettcher has enough speed (combined with an insanely high motor) to quickly close and make stops along the sideline.

The Mike linebacker in former defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi’s 4-2-5 base scheme, Boettcher wore the green dot in 2025. amassing a combined 230 tackles over his junior and senior seasons. He was also a significant contributor on special teams for most of his Oregon career with 584 special team snaps.

Despite his ferocious tackling and play-style being the attention grabber, it’s in coverage where Boettcher excels. He posted PFF coverage grades of 84.4 (2024) and 78.4 (2025) over the past two seasons, with seven pass break ups and 2 interceptions in that time.

Originally a baseball player (he actually arrived at Oregon on a baseball scholarship), Boettcher went football-only as a senior, but the awareness he picked up as a baseball player has transferred to the football field, with good vision to track the ball and sniff out passing lanes in coverage.

Boettcher plays with a chip on his shoulder and while not a small man by any means, he is slightly undersized as NFL linebackers go. That does show up when he squares up to blockers as well as when he tries to tackle off balance – he doesn’t have the arm length or hand size to fall back on – and he isn’t going to get noticeably bigger.

His fiery temperament, as with many others of his ilk, can come back to bite him. Boettcher can be overeager to get downhill and can be baited into making a misstep. His discipline as a tackler has to improve as well. It’s all well and good earning a reputation as a tough tackler, but you have to make the tackles (his missed tackle rate increased in ’25).

Bryce Boettcher will likely go on to be a cult hero at whichever team he lands on, with the floor being a key special-teamer.

Kaleb Elarms-Orr – LB – TCU – Sr. – 6’2″ – 234 lbs – 31 1/2″ arms – 9″ hands – 22 years old

After leading Cal in tackles in 2023, Kaleb Elarms-Orr transferred to TCU in 2024 and after a year as a backup, exploded in 2025 with a career best year where he led the Horned Frogs in tackles, TFLs and sacks.

If a tackle was being made by the TCU defence in 2025, Elarms-Orr was usually the one making it, with 130 combined tackles for the year. He was one of nine FBS players with 130+ tackles in 2025 and led the Big 12. He had two more tackles than Jacob Rodriguez despite playing one game less.

One of his best traits is his ability to stay clean and flow through traffic. Elarms-Orr is calm and confident when sidestepping teammates and opposition alike, patiently waiting for his chance to strike. If he does absorb contact, he remains balanced and on his feet.

Elarms-Orr is also fast. His 4.47 40 ranked second amongst the position at the Combine and he topped out at 22.68mph. He is a serious threat in the open field and it was noticeable that opposing offensive coordinators would routinely try and keep the ball on the opposite side of the field against TCU because Elarms-Orr was capable of erasing plays with his speed. His pace also makes him a useful weapon as a blitzer with 4 sacks in 2024.

His parents didn’t allow him to play tackle football until high school and that, along with sitting out his freshman year at Cal due to an ACL injury, means he isn’t as experienced as some of his peers. That inexperience is evident as he’s often late to diagnose the play and while his speed masks that in college, it will be more on show in the pros.

There may be some that view his tendencies to flow through traffic as a sign of reluctance to take on contact. While that would be extreme, Elarms-Orr is clearly aware that he has mediocre play strength. When he is caught up in a block, he doesn’t have the leg drive to avoid being stonewalled.

While his speed and athleticism means that he can track receivers in coverage, he doesn’t affect the ball as things stand – he had two pass break ups in his two years at TCU. He will need a coach to help him understand when to gamble on the football to improve in that area.

If Elarms-Orr continues to mature, he could become a valuable weapon on an NFL defence and his physical traits will make him an immediate contributor on special teams.

Jake Golday – LB – Cincinnati – Sr. – 6’4″ – 239 lbs – 31 7/8″ arms – 9 1/2″ hands – 22 years old

At this time of year, we’re often discussing college middle linebackers that have been or could be shifted out to the edge to rush the passer. Jake Golday’s journey is the opposite.

A former defensive end with Central Arkansas where he notched 9 sacks in three seasons, Golday transferred to Cincinnati where he transitioned to SAM linebacker in the Bearcats defence and enjoyed a career year in 2025.

He scored PFF grades of 90.6 in run defence and 77.5 in coverage, improved his missed tackle rate to 9% (11.8 in 2024, 13.5 in 2023), tied 17th in the nation for coverage stops (19) and made 104 total tackles.

A fluid athlete, Golday has impressive closing speed on the ball carrier (he can reportedly reach speeds of 22mph) and marries that with clean tackling technique and strength to bring down his intended target. He featured at #48 on Bruce Feldman’s Freak List entering the season due to those speed recordings and after hitting 24 reps of 225-pounds on the bench press. Golday’s overall 9.85 RAS ranked him as #53 out of 3480 linebackers from 1987 to 2026 following his Combine performances. He was top five at the position in the 3-cone, shuttle, broad and vertical jumps.

When he identifies the play correctly, he uses that speed to shut down screens and run plays. His speed, effort and long frame mean that he can afford to make mistakes and still make tackles, though that safety net will shrink in the NFL.

His discipline, particularly as a player changing roles, is admirable – Golday hasn’t been penalised once in the last four years.

As a player still learning his role, there are areas for improvement. He is still getting to grips with taking on blockers and knowing how to keep himself clean. His instincts and ability to diagnose plays are a work in progress, something which will take time, and he can be guilty of staring down the quarterback instead of tracking runners.

Teaming Golday’s athletic chops with Cody Simon’s football nous could be a sneaky good tandem especially as teams look to get a bit bigger at the position.

Anthony Hill Jr. – LB – Texas – Jr. – 6’2″ – 238 lbs – 32 3/8″ arms – 9 5/8″ hands – 21 years old

When a player can make an immediate impact as a true freshman at a college like Texas, you know they’re destined for big things. That’s exactly the path that Anthony Hill Jr. followed as he was able to cement a starting place in the Longhorns defence midway through his first campaign before being handed the green dot in his sophomore and junior years.

Hill is very much a “see-ball, get-ball” type of a player and when he hits the ball-carrier, he hits with attitude, with 8 forced fumbles across his collegiate career. Hill uses every inch of his 6’2″, 238-pound body in contact to jar the ball loose, helped by the fact that he can build up a tremendous pace especially over longer distances, which creates genuine force on every hit. His 4.51 40 time ranked #3 for the position at the Combine.

A good athlete for his size, Hill displays fluid, snappy hip movement when forced to change direction in coverage or in pursuit. Mixing that balance with his speed means that the 21-year-old can fire into gaps to avoid contact and also makes him a threat as a blitzer – Hill has 13 sacks in three years.

His physical abilities, along with nearly 2000 snaps as a Longhorn, have given Hill the confidence to act decisively when working downhill. That combination of athleticism and experience also means that when he gets things right, he can be in the right place at the right time in coverage to make a play on the ball (3 interceptions over past two seasons).

An All-American in each of his three college campaigns (Freshman in 2023, Second-Team in ’24 + ’25), Hill has worked on being more in control when tackling, which was evident in 2025 as his missed tackle rate dropped from 15.3% to 4.5%.

Despite his experience on the field for Texas, Hill is still over-reliant on his physical tools to help him mop us messes rather than being able to call on his instincts to anticipate the play and he tends to bite on initial movements which lead to missteps. Those average instincts can cause him to be a step or two behind schedule in coverage and while he can cover for that with his athleticism, he can be caught cold by good play design.

While he has the desired frame to be a “proper” NFL linebacker, he doesn’t always make the most of it to consistently lock out and shed blocks, instead looking more comfortable trying to dodge and dip around blocks.

He has the tools to be a factor on special teams but as a key player in their defence, Texas didn’t ask him to do much of it in college (51 ST snaps in 3 years).

Anthony Hill has the traits and attitude to ensure that he gets the opportunity to develop at the NFL level. If he can continue to improve his understanding of the game, he could be a big hit as a pro.

Deontae Lawson – LB – Alabama – Sr. – 6’2″ – 226 lbs – 31 7/8″ arms – 9 1/4″ hands – 23 years old

Deontae Lawson is a prime example of the ups and downs a prospect can experience during an NFL Draft cycle. This time last year, Lawson was featured in a number of “way too early” first-round mock drafts for 2026 and now, he’s ranked as the 120th player on the Consensus Big Board and could potentially end up going in the fifth round.

Deontae Lawson hasn’t done anything wrong, by the way. He didn’t suffer a major drop-off or start flagging up as a character concern.

In terms of character, it’s the opposite. Deontae Lawson is a team-first, accountable football player. The Alabama staff reportedly leaned heavily on him as they looked to reshape the program following Nick Saban’s retirement and he was a two-year captain for the Crimson Tide (just the 16th player in school history to be a multiyear captain). Lawson even played on kick and punt coverage in 2025 after returning from an ACL tear in ’24.

The 23-year-old also had his most consistent season in 2025, leading the team in tackles (he finished his career top 10 in school history in tackles) and having a career best year for forced fumbles (2).

A bendy and flexible athlete, Lawson is extremely comfortable dropping into coverage where his change-of-direction skills and balance are paired with a high-level football IQ to make him a threat to the opposition’s passing game. Across his college career, Lawson was credited with 13 pass breakups and an interception.

He displays fast hands to combat blockers, the lateral movement to mirror runners to the edge, the looseness in his hips to slip blocks and the processing ability to immediately diagnose the play. Lawson’s awareness can be a difference maker even at the NFL level.

The problems that Lawson faces as a prospect is that while his most notable contemporaries have exploded in their final year, he’s essentially remained the same player. Yes, he’s highly intelligent and competitive, but he hasn’t taken the next step. He is an undersized player who doesn’t boast lots of natural power and strength nor does he have top line speed. His lack of power is an issue when finishing tackles because he is often guilty of being a chest tackler or grabbing round the shoulders and he has skinny legs which really affect his leg drive capabilities.

There are also durability concerns with Lawson. He didn’t miss a game in 2025 after recovering from the ACL tear but did start to wear a boot after games for “precautionary reasons” midway through the season and he had a surgery in 2023 that ruled him out of spring practices.

Lawson’s processing ability put him above a number of more athletically gifted players in my eyes and he could be a bit of a Day 3 steal.

Kyle Louis – LB – Pittsburgh – RS Jr. – 5’11” – 220 lbs – 31 1/4″ arms – 9 1/2″ hands – 22 years old

Did anyone help their draft stock at the Senior Bowl as much as Kyle Louis? His coverage drills against tight ends and running backs, drills that are intended to make the OFFENSIVE players shine, became prime time viewing as he blanketed his counterparts on nearly every single rep. He even managed to get multiple interceptions.

While 1-on-1 drills can sometimes be overvalued or manipulated, Louis proved on the field for Pitt that he has remarkable coverage abilities for a linebacker. He posted PFF coverage grades of 83.1 (2024) and 72.3 over the past two years and recorded six interceptions in that time frame.

Louis benefits from fluid footwork, acceleration and explosive closing speed to quickly reach landmarks and make plays on the ball. His 1.58 second 10-yard split in the 40 was tied-3rd at the position at the Combine.

The 22-year-old also trusts in his instincts and plays decisively because of that.

Pitt utilised his speed to great effect as a blitzer with Louis generating a combined 50 total pressures over the past two seasons. He finished his time at Pitt with 10 sacks and 24 tackles for loss.

Louis also uses those athletic gifts in the run game where he is able to evade blockers and stay clean.

A First-Team All-American in 2024, Louis is also reportedly a highly-motivated, disciplined and well-liked young man who leads by example. He clearly takes great care of his body, he was named a team captain in 2025 and head coach Pat Narduzzi said that “nobody in my 10 years at Pitt watched as much tape as Kyle”.

The issue with Kyle is what allows him to be the best coverage linebacker in the class – his size. At 5’11” and 220-pounds, he is small even by modern NFL standards. He is easily swallowed up by linemen, he struggles to shed blocks because he gives up too much in the strength department and while he isn’t a poor tackler by any means (10.9% MTR in 2025), he is going to miss tackles because of his lack of length and because heftier running backs can motor through him.

Those size concerns mean that he isn’t going to be a traditional linebacker at the NFL level – he was essentially a nickel defender at Pitt – so there is a gamble to be made on exactly where he will line up. As a Cardinals fan hearing the “STAR” position being thrown around gives me Isaiah Simmons based chills but there is a significant difference between the pair. Kyle Louis truly excels in one area while Simmons was capable of doing lots of different things. That gives Louis an immediate foundation to build a home on whereas Simmons was forced to wander from task to task.

Louis might not be the answer the Cardinals need as a true linebacker but he could finally be the answer to their annual struggles with covering tight ends.

Red Murdock – LB – Buffalo – Jr. – 6’1″ – 232 lbs – 31″ arms – 10 3/8″ hands – 22 years old

It is impossible to miss Red Murdock on the field. He’s the one smashing seven shades of shit out of the poor, unfortunate ball carrier. If there was a Most Violent award for the class, Murdock would win it hands down.

Khalil Elijah “Red” Murdock – a childhood nickname due to being born with red hair and freckles – comes into the draft after being one of the most productive players in college football regardless of position. He holds the FBS record for most career forced fumbles (17 in 34 games) after eclipsing the previous record in twelve less games. The previous record holder? Khalil Mack.

The aggression and sheer violence that Murdock detonates on the ball carrier can be an insta-kill level of force to pop the ball out. That would be scary enough but the 22-year-old also understands the exact angles to arrive at to create the most damage and he has fly swats for hands (10 3/8″) to add to the violence party.

Murdock was also a prolific tackler with his combined 298 tackles over the past two seasons being 44 more than anyone else at the FBS level. He uses big hands and powerful grip to finish tackles and is an explosive striker when taking on blocks, levelling blockers into next week.

Murdock isn’t just a bully, though. He has the vision to recognise and digest play design which allows him to play fast and eat up ground. He doesn’t make all of those plays by accident.

We throw the term “heart and soul” around a lot when it comes to sports but “Big Red” was the heart and soul of the Buffalo Bulls, without a doubt, and he knew it. A team captain, Murdock rejected multiple offers to transfer to bigger programs to stay with his teammates. He took the view that he wanted to be able to “look back in 20 years and be proud of what I left in Buffalo and know I did all I could”.

He showed up week in and week out for his teammates, not missing a game in his three years on campus, and even playing through torn ligaments in his ankle and a fracture in his heel despite knowing that would impact his ability to participate in the draft process – he missed the Shrine Bowl and Combine due to those injuries.

Despite the insane levels of production and remarkable loyalty to his team, there do have to be questions about the level of competition that Murdock faced at Buffalo. He certainly benefited from being a big fish in a small pond. The majority of the players he faced off against are not professional-calibre.

Those massive hands are on the end of shorter-than-desired arms which show up when he mistimes his strikes and there is a stiffness in his hips when forced to change direction in coverage. It’ll be harder for him to hide some of his misgivings in coverage, especially when baited by play-action and pre-snap motion, at the NFL level.

However, for a team that has routinely struggled in run defence and have been poor tacklers over the years, Red Murdock could be a much-needed addition of toughness for the Arizona Cardinals.

Arvell Reese – LB – Ohio State – Jr. – 6’4″ – 241 lbs – 31 1/2″ arms – 9 1/2″ hands – 20 years old

Let’s get the elephant out of the room right away. Is the team that drafts Arvell Reese going to try and make him into a full-time pass rusher? Yes. Could he eventually become a significant force on the edge? Absolutely. Will he make more money as a really good EDGE than as an elite linebacker? Very likely. Might you get the very best out of Arvell Reese as a full-time linebacker who can rush the passer? Maybe.

It’s easy to see why Reese has captured the imagination of fans and analysts alike. As a 6’4″, 240 pounder who can run a 4.46 40-yard dash (top amongst defensive ends, joint top with Sonny Styles amongst linebackers), Arvell Reese brings a genuine NFL-level speed and size blend. A superb, twitched-up athlete, Reese shows impressive burst and flexibility when tasked with rushing the passer and comparatively, shows impressive fluidity when forced to change direction in space or coverage. He would immediately be considered one of the best QB spys in the league if the season started on Monday.

The 20-year-old is already adept at generating speed-to-power, creating a distinct pop at contact and he showcases violent hands both against tackles and when taking on blocks as a linebacker. He’s able to disengage efficiently from blocks and when blitzing, he can forklift much bigger opponents out of their shoes.

His explosiveness, which makes him such a tantalising prospect on the edge, is also on display as a traditional linebacker when in pursuit. Though he had less than 1000 defensive snaps in his two-year collegiate career, he shows a composure and maturity beyond his years when tackling – it’s hard to spot any instances of overrunning tackle attempts and he only missed four tackles on the year (6% MTR).

Some of that maturity is down to his athleticism as he’s comfortable knowing that his speed will get him in place without breaking his neck to arrive on time but he will have certainly benefited from rooming with Cody Simon in 2024, with the Cardinal ‘backer being cerebral planner for game day.

That lack of experience does show up as both a linebacker and on the edge. As a pass rusher, he currently wins by being a fabulous athlete. The willingness to use his hands is there but the know-how hasn’t been built up. His pass rush production stalled as the season went on as offensive linemen were more prepared for what was coming. If he is to become a full-time edge rusher, he has a long way to go in terms of developing counters.

His inexperience can be exploited by play-action which can cause some pause in his processing and he’s still coming to terms with fully trusting his instincts instead of reacting on the fly. He would ideally be entering the league with more experience of operating in man-to-man coverage as well.

As the betting favourite to be selected by the New York Jets at #2, what the Cardinals think of Arvell Reese and his potential may be irrelevant. However, if he is available to them, he could offer answers to a number of questions on the team’s defence.

Jacob Rodriguez – LB – Texas Tech – Sr. – 6’1″ – 231 lbs – 30 7/8″ arms – 9 1/4″ hands – 23 years old

Over the past couple of years, I’ve started a personal “Golden Ticket” award for draft prospects outside of the consensus top five players. If Roger Goodell handed me a golden ticket to allow me to pick any single player to add to the Arizona Cardinals roster, without taking into account things like value, who would I pick? In 2023, it was Christian Gonzalez. In 2024, it was T’Vondre Sweat. Last year, it was Armand Membou.

This year it is Jacob Rodriguez. Get up here buddy and claim your prize (which going by past “winners”, is not having to play for the Cardinals).

Rodriguez is just my kind of player. He never says die, he gives everything to the cause, gets stuck in physically and plays intelligently.

The “Golden Ticket” would be the lesser of Rodriguez’s haul of awards after a stellar 2025 campaign as he stacked his trophy case with the Chuck Bednarik Award, Lombardi Award, Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Butkus Award and finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy race. Oh, he was also a Unanimous All-American and Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year.

Rodriguez marshalled a loaded Texas Tech defence that helped the Red Raiders make the College Football Playoffs, notching over 120 combined tackles and earning an overall PFF grade of 93.3 which ranked #1 amongst linebackers in the country. He was also the only FBS player to score both an offensive and defensive touchdown last year.

When tackling, Rodriguez has lively hands and mastered the “Peanut Punch” technique, leading the FBS with seven forced fumbles. He ranks top 10 in FBS history for career forced fumbles with 12.

A two-time team captain and “defensive quarterback” of Shiel Wood’s 4-2-5 base scheme, the 23-year-old displayed brilliant instincts and play recognition. His first step isn’t electric but it’s always correct. He doesn’t make a misstep. Comfortable moving laterally, he is adept at identifying shallow routes and putting himself in position to bait a throw before making a play on the ball. He ended the year with four interceptions and three pass breakups.

Those instincts, while honed at Texas Tech, were first formed at Virginia where Rodriguez enrolled as a quarterback and “athlete”. He gave up his scholarship at the school to become a walk-on at Texas Tech, where he initially slept on older brother Joshua’s apartment floor, before he was put on scholarship in the fall of 2022.

There were some questions about his athleticism going into the process but Rodriguez blew those concerns out of the water by topping the class in the 3-cone and being second best in the shuttle with good showings in both jumps and the 40. His RAS of 9.61 ranked 137 out of 3840 LB from 1987 to 2026.

Despite his heart, attitude and skills, he will have to overcome an average build which affects his ability to stack and shed. As he isn’t the paciest player, he can be outrun and can struggle to make up ground. The lack of length is most obvious when he tries to tackle off-balance, as he doesn’t have the long levers to compensate for any imperfections, especially against cutback runs. A lot of his missed tackles (15.1% career MTR) come in these situations.

There are better athletes in this group. There are prospects with higher ceilings in this group. There aren’t many better Day 1 football players in the entire class than Jacob Rodriguez, though.

Jimmy Rolder – LB – Michigan – RS Jr. – 6’2″ – 238 lbs – 30 1/2″ arms – 9 3/4″ hands – 22 years old

Some of the prospects that we’ve mentioned so far struggle with fully extending their arm when taking on blockers. As a linebacker, that ability to stay clean and in control can be the difference between being a career special teamer or a starter.

Jimmy Rolder has no such issues. It’s almost like he plays with a sensor in his jersey. If anybody comes with a two foot radius of Rolder, BAM, the arms spring out with significant velocity behind them.

A one-year starter at Michigan, Rolder showed short-area quickness and looseness in his lower half to easily move around the field, comfortable when moving laterally to close off runs and when flying downhill. He is able to flip his hips to match tight ends in coverage.

After waiting three years to earn a starting spot, the 22-year-old plays like somebody is going to take his place away from him. He seized his opportunity with both hands, snarling like a rabid dog at anyone who even dared try to displace him. A hard hitter with violent hands, he led the Wolverines in tackles, earning a PFF tackling grade of 88.8. He had a missed tackle rate of 4.7% on the year.

However, there is a reason why he only has one year of starting experience under his belt. Rolder has been plagued with numerous niggly injuries that have impeded his preparation for each season and he’s ultimately found himself behind the 8-ball when trying to climb the depth chart. A hamstring issue also hampered his pre-draft process.

With just 11 career starts, his inexperience does flag up on tape. He can be too eager in coverage and inadvertently open passing lanes, he flies headfirst downhill and can find himself in the wrong position and he struggles to manage traffic.

There is a reason why he seemingly plays with his arms out at all times – they are short for the position clocking in at just over 30 inches long. When he doesn’t deploy the strike on time, he can be easily engulfed within a block.

In a class with so much talent, picking the player with the least experience might be seen as a gamble but the signs from 2025 are promising for Jimmy Rolder.

Sonny Styles – LB – Ohio State – Sr. – 6’5″ – 244 lbs – 32 7/8″ arms – 10″ hands – 21 years old

There are no such thing as winning the Combine. You don’t get an award for it but if you did, Sonny Styles would have won the Combine. Maybe we should have all chipped in to get him something nice?

Styles came first (for the position) in the 40 (4.46), vertical (43.50″) and broad (11’2″). His vertical jump was the highest for an off-ball linebacker since 2003. He earned a near-perfect 9.99 RAS which ranked #4 out of 3480 linebackers from 1987 to 2026.

Though that was the catalyst for him to skyrocket up draft boards and earn comparisons to Fred Warner, Sonny Styles isn’t *just* an abnormally gifted athlete. He also happens to be an incredibly accomplished football player.

Watching this Ohio State defence was fascinating last year. With Arvell Reese, Caleb Downs, Kayden McDonald and Sonny Styles, OSU had four potential first-round selections on their defence. Even when watching the other three, it’s difficult to not become distracted by Styles.

It’s almost like he teleports to where the ball is. Running around Kayden McDonald? Poof, there’s Sonny Styles to clean up. Evading Arvell Reese long enough to get a pass off to a receiver? Poof, there’s Sonny Styles to clean up. At the line of scrimmage, at the boundary, in the intermediate level of the field and even in deep territory: poof, there’s Sonny Styles to clean up.

Of course, Sonny Styles isn’t the Pokemon Alakazam. He can’t actually teleport but his speed, mobility and football awareness means that it’s almost impossible for an offence to bypass him. He has the pursuit speed to cut off runs and make plays on the sideline (reached 22.69mph during 40-yard dash), has the arm length to latch onto ball-carriers at will and has the whole field vision from being a safety in his first two seasons at Ohio State to identify plays.

It’s difficult to even wrong-foot him. Before the Cotton Bowl, Styles hadn’t missed a tackle all season. He missed two against Miami, meaning that he had a paltry 2.2% missed tackle rate in 2025.

In coverage, Styles has the fluidity and size to equalise slot receivers and tight ends in man-to-man. He earned a PFF coverage grade of 87.4 which ranked 14th out of 809 qualified linebackers in 2025.

He blitzes with power and burst to detonate on running backs attempting to pass protect and shows that same level of speed-to-power when finishing tackles and fending off climbers.

His height/weight/speed combination will be enough to have numerous NFL scouts pounding the table for him, positional value be damned, and he was previously listed on Bruce Feldman’s Freak List.

The scariest thing about Sonny Styles is that he’s got even more to unlock. Progress isn’t linear, so it’s not a guarantee, but his improvements from his first to second year as a true linebacker were obvious. Wearing the green dot at a powerhouse school shows that his anticipation and reading of the game were of the correct standard and his pass-rushing potential hasn’t been touched on because he shared the field with Arvell Reese.

That’s worth thinking about in the top 10.

Josiah Trotter – LB – Missouri – Rs Sph – 6’1″ – 237 lbs – 32 1/4″ arms – 10 1/4″ hands – 21 years old

The immediate thing that leaps off the page about Josiah Trotter is that he plays like he’s trying to change his life. He is a warrior in the run game, hitting everything in sight with his full might, never taking a rep off or cooling his jets. It’s the type of spirit that you see in prospects that have come from challenging backgrounds, who know that they can either succeed in football or be stuck in their hometown where they might end up turning to crime to pay the bills.

It’s not an uncommon trait. We see it every year. When you double-check the surname and realise that Josiah Trotter is the son of Eagles Hall of Famer Jeremiah Trotter and attended private school, the fact that he plays with such intensity makes him even more endearing.

Coming from the same bloodline that produced two NFL linebackers (his brother Jeremiah Jr. won Super Bowl LIX with the Eagles), Trotter has been groomed for success since childhood and his desire to live up to his family name is glaringly obvious.

A violent hitter, physical counter-blocker and tough competitor, Trotter is the hammer to the anvil. Having an NFL father has clearly come in handy with his understanding of the game as he’s quick to diagnose run plays and knows how to exploit leverage when taking on blocks. Due to his downhill speed and desire, he is a dangerous blitzer and he picked up 3 sacks in 2025.

He was trusted with the green dot in his final year as the Mike linebacker in Corey Batoon’s 4-2-5 base scheme and helped to rally a defence full of boisterous, alpha characters.

He elected to leave school early to enter the draft and there is a part of me that wishes he hadn’t. While he is a phenomenal run defender, Trotter hasn’t developed the feel for coverage (yet). He was a weak point at times in the Missouri defence where he was targeted, giving up a 108.6 passer rating over the season. He struggles to recognise routes behind him and he doesn’t pay enough attention to the quarterback’s eyes. When this happens, he doesn’t have the necessary speed to make up ground and cover for his mistakes.

As he doesn’t anticipate the throw, he arrives late and isn’t a threat to the ball.

There is a high chance that Trotter will give up a couple of big plays early on in his career and spending another year working on that at Missouri might’ve helped his overall stock. There is a world where he is pigeonholed as a run defender and doesn’t make the most of his overall talent.

As a two-down defender, Trotter will be an immediate hit but he will need significant coaching to eventually be a contributor on all three downs.

Image Credits: Jonathan Bachman, Raymond Carlin III, Kyle Garcia, Michigan Athletics, UB Athletics, Michael Reaves, AP/KPRC, University of Georgia, AP/Rick Scaleri, Isabella Marley, Amber Winkler, Pitt Athletics, Ricardo B Brazzell