After starting our positional draft rankings series with the running backs a couple of days ago, we look at the guys lining up across from them in the linebackers. Once again, I’ll be going through my top ten along with a couple of names that just missed the cut, discussing individual skill-sets, bringing up relevant measurables and statistics, potential scheme fits and how I personally value them as prospects.

Similarly to the running backs, this group lacks real top-end talent, most likely with no linebacker going in the first round, but it’s a fairly deep class with a good ten names who could be long-term starters in the NFL along with some guys who present intriguing skill-sets to be developed and/or fit in a specific role. Since it’s a relevant topic right off the bat here, let me remind you that I don’t have any access to medical reports or personal backgrounds beyond what’s freely available (which the NCAA doesn’t make a whole lot public). So my evaluations are all based on what the tape tells me, without being able to fully judge ancillary factors.

This is what my list looks like:

 

1. Payton Wilson, N.C. State

6’4”, 235 pounds; RS SR

 

A former standout lacrosse player and state champion wrestler, Wilson was a top-100 overall recruit in the 2018 class and immediately led the team in total tackles his first year of action (2019). He suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in the second game of 2021, but he’s been a consistent contributor throughout his time with the Wolfpack, combining for 264 total tackles, 30.5 of those for loss, 9.5 sacks, four passes intercepted and seven more broken up, across 34 career games (first-team All-ACC in 2020). This past season however is when he received national recognition, being named ACC Defensive Player of the Year, a unanimous All-American, winning the Dick Butkus and Chuck Bednarik awards.

 

Run defense:

+ Oldschool linebacker with new-school athletic traits, who plays with his hair on fire at all times

+ Patiently shuffles along as he tracks the back in the zone run game and understands when it’s time to flip and go parallel to the line of scrimmage, in order to meet that guy at the point where he’ll cut upfield

+ Yet his ability to stop that momentum and fall back a gap as he sees backs cut up on wide zone also leads to early stops when it initially looks like there’ll be a lane

+ Yet he’s quickly to get into a downhill shuffle and accelerate into a puller when offenses run at him, in order to create traffic in the backfield

+ Has a knack for sorting through the trash and getting to the ball ultimately – finished second in the FBS last season with 67 run stuffs, according to PFF

+ Uses his hands pro-actively to punch off and swipe away linemen trying to latch inside his frame on the move

+ You like his profile as somebody who can drop down to the end of the line of scrimmage and set a physical edge against tight-ends in certain fronts

+ Takes great angles out towards the sideline, in order to avoid explosive plays for the offense

 

Coverage:

+ Regularly was deployed as a hybrid outside linebacker – particularly on the weak-side – where he dropped out into the flats and muddied reads for the quarterback

+ Easy wheels to match the back converting to a secondary route, after flaring out his way initially

+ Fully capable of taking man-responsibilities against RBs and TEs, along with following them out to the slot

+ The amount of tackles he gets involved in when plays are designed away from him become too many to note almost, to where you see him chase quarterbacks on bootlegs away from him for like five-yard gains

+ Brings that absolutely insane hustle, where you see a play develop for a long time and all of a sudden the guy with the ball gets run down by #11 seemingly out of nowhere

+ Earned an elite coverage grade (90.4) from Pro Football Focus

+ Really dropped down his missed-tackle rate in 2022 (8.4%), when he missed just six of 72 attempts – that got even better this past season, when he missed just six of 129 total attempts (4.7%)

 

Blitzing:

+ You see him reduce the near-shoulder and work tightly around blockers quite a bit as a blitzer

+ Has more suddenness than you see from most off-ball guys, being able to threaten one way and cross-face blockers in impressive fashion, paired with a well-timed swipe-down

+ Realizes opportunities to convert into blitzes, as he sees the offense set up play-action with him being responsible for the back, as well as swatting down away the hands of tight-ends staying in protection and getting around the corner

+ Racked up 29 total pressures across just 132 pass-rush snaps in 2022 and was close to that production last season (22 on 151 opportunities)

+ Does a great job of recognizing opportunities to get his hands up and either knock down passes or affect the throwing lane for quarterbacks

+ Earned an 84.1 PFF grade when aligned on the line of scrimmage

+ Ran the fastest 40 of any front-seven defenders at this year’s combine (4.43) at 233 pounds, looked great changing directions without any delay despite that longer build and caught the ball well despite not wearing gloves

 

Weaknesses:

– The big issue with Wilson of course is his extensive injury history, with two torn ACLs and a season-ending shoulder surgery across five years in Raleigh

– More of a lean, narrow frame and when blockers do catch him on an angle, he has issues trying to hold his ground and gets ridden off track (significantly)

– Struggles to keep his frame clean and maintain vision on the ball-carrier when he has to deal with blockers leading up into the hole

– Playing fairly tall in coverage hinders Wilson’s ability to change direction as a zone defender – looked improved during his positional workout at the combine

– Drifts too deep at times and allows easy yardage underneath, as a flat-dropper in particular

 

Readers through the years will know that I can’t truly take medical reports into account for my grading since I don’t have the necessary information. At this point, it’s possible that Wilson will end up being the first linebacker off the board or not get a called until some time on day. With that being said, from everything I’ve heard coming out of the combine, NFL teams seem to believe his injuries are behind him and while they will reflect on his place along big boards, his tape screams LB1. Not that there aren’t any issues, considering some of the issues winning the leverage battle and optimizing what he can do in coverage with that lanky build, along with arguably not having a defined position yet, but his athletic tools, football IQ and passion should allow him to be a valuable asset for any style of defensive front. He finished top-three among all FBS linebackers in both run stop percentage (16.3%) and coverage stops (20), according to Pro Football Focus, while have an extensive and productive sample size rushing the passer from different angles. If he can find long-term health, he has stat-sheet filling Pro Bowl potential, particularly with a creative play-caller who’ll tap into his versatility.

 

 

 

2. Edgerrin Cooper, Texas A&M

6’2”, 230 pounds; RS JR

 

A four-star recruit in 2020, Cooper played in all ten games, primarily on special teams as a true freshman and used the COVID exception to mark it as a redshirt, before taking on a more prominent role as a rotational player on defense, starting one of 12 games (58 tackles, 5.5 for loss, one INT and PBU each). He became a full-time starter in 2022, when he racked up 61 total stops, eight for loss, five PBUs and one fumble forced, recovered and interception each. This past year, he recorded career-highs in total stops (84), TFLs (17), sacks (eight) and forced fumbles (two), along with a couple of PBUs, earning first-team All-American accolades.

 

Run defense:

+ Generally patient with tracking the ball in the backfield, but then quickly fills the gap when he sees the guy commit

+ Almost like a running back, he can shoot through tight creases on wide zone concepts and affect the running back trying to string out plays

+ Has plenty of short-area juice scrape over the top of blocks and defeat guys to a spot as they try to pin him away from the action

+ Packs impressive suddenness and flexibility to dip underneath/bend around blockers on longer-developing run concepts and hawk down the ball-carrier behind a pulling lineman

+ Regularly is able to free himself in traffic and get the initial wrap on the ball-carrier

+ Presents a massive tackling radius with his length (34-inch arms) and flexibility, where it looks like a ball-carrier gets by him, but he trips that guy up or clutches a leg and the rest of the cavalry can arrive there

+ Showcases tremendous closing speed out to the edges

+ There are several nice lasso-tackles on tape, to pull guys backwards and not allow them to get to the first-down marker

 

Coverage:

+ You like his presence as a Tampa-2 dropper, with his ability to gain depth and the 34-inch arms to get a hand on balls thrown over his head

+ Seems to have no issues running the pole with tight-ends or matching them on crossers

+ You see the easy gas to turn and run with guys like former Alabama star RB Jahmyr Gibbs (who runs in the mid-4.3s) down the sideline on wheel routes

+ Cooper’s ability to change directions and cover ground after stepping up with the run-fake on play-actions really stands out

+ Packs the quick burst to erase the space to running backs releasing through the line and breaking either way or they have the advantage based on alignment on a swing/flat route

+ Rapidly shuts down YAC opportunities for guys out in the flats after dropping into the hook-area

+ Has a way of avoiding or fighting over crack-blocks and guys trying to wall him off in the screen game

+ You see him line up on the edge and run down bubbles and tunnel screens to wide receivers at times

 

Blitzing:

+ Was involved in A&M’s rush package quite a bit, where you saw on cross-blitzes, delayed loops and even straight-up coming off the edge

+ His ability to kind of get around traffic and bend his way towards the passer pops

+ Insane closing burst when the gap opens up and he can get a hit on the quarterback

+ Light on his feet to be an effective spy and mirror the quarterback’s movement – you see him shut those guys down when they scramble or just barreling down on them off bootlegs in the blink of an eye

+ Had an insane play against Texas A&M this past season, diagnosing a screen to the back, evading a couple of linemen and making the tackle before it could get going at all

+ Was tied for the highest overall PFF grade among all FBS linebackers last season (90.8), in part due to recording a pressure on every third pass-rush snap (27 on 83 opportunities)

 

Weaknesses:

– Too often allows offensive linemen to get into his frame and has to work on using his arms to keep them at bay

– Can get a little unreliable with his run fits, where he overstrides the ball on zone schemes or attacks a puller straight-up instead of maintaining leverage inside and allows the back to cut behind him

– Not the most instinctive zone-dropper and gets caught more so just covering grass too frequently, instead of finding work

– Allows quarterbacks to move him or at least turn him the wrong way with their eyes

– Could do a better job of coming to balance as a tackler in open-field situations – missed double-digit tackles in each of the past three seasons

 

No linebackers in this class presents higher potential than Edge Cooper. He has the combination of length, explosiveness, quick twitch and long speed to fit any scheme, although you’d prefer to keep him clean and not make him deal with linemen climbing up to him. He definitely needs to work on not being as overaggressive with wanting to the ball to a spot, particularly because he has the rapid burst to make up for being a tick slow. However, if he can work on his block deconstruction, maximizing his 34-inch arms, and continue to develop his sense for space as a zone defender, being able to play at full speed could make him a menace from sideline to sideline, while already being a weapon as part of your rush. So I could see him struggle early on and have issues growing as a young player if coaches put too much on his plate, but if allowed to be more of a run-and-chase specialist instead of allowing offensive play-callers to make his head spin, paired with a more reliable presence next to him – similarly to what we saw in the career arc of Patrick Queen in Baltimore once they traded for Roquan Smith – he could turn himself into a true impact player, definitely worth of a top-50 selection.

 

 

 

3. Jeremiah Trotter Jr., Clemson

6’0”, 230 pounds; JR

 

The Son of former Eagles linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Sr., Junior was a top-50 overall recruit in the nation in 2021, who only played 59 snaps on defense plus another 58 on punt/kick coverage as a true freshman, but still recorded 22(!) tackles. Starting all 14 games and then 12 the following two seasons, he put together nearly identical statistics, combining for 177 total tackles, 28.5 of those for loss, 12 sacks, three forced fumbles, ten passes broken up and four interceptions, with two of those returned for touchdowns. He was named second-team All-American and first-team All-ACC in both of those.

 

Run defense:

+ Instinctive run-defender between the tackles with advanced knowledge for reading his keys and instantly reacting to them

+ Seems to have a great beat on what offenses have called up based on pre-snap tells

+ Finds the right balance between covering ground laterally but not overrunning zone concepts, being able to fall back a gap as the RB commits

+ Pro-active with punching and releasing from blocks, with plenty of shock in his hands, yet will also launch his pads into one half of lead-blockers in order to minimize the extra gap offenses are trying to create

+ Regularly is able to fight across the face of linemen or squeeze through creases, where most guys at his position would be walled off, ripping through the play-side shoulder and creating an angle towards the ball for himself

+ Quickly IDs pin-and-pull plus and will blow through the outside shoulder of guys trying to get out to the corner, in order to funnel the ball back inside to his teammates

+ Wraps and drives as a good form-tackler when he collides with ball-carriers in the hole

+ You rarely see backs squirt through or churn out any additional yardage when Trotter gets involved in stops around the line of scrimmage

 

Coverage:

+ Active communicator in zone coverage, who has that awareness for targets in his vicinity that makes you think he has eyes at the back of his head of extended peripheral vision

+ Regularly floats underneath tight-ends in the hook-/seam-area and at least disrupts the catch-point – had a pick-six on a stick route vs. Notre Dame that way last season

+ Tracks the eyes of the quarterback and redirects forward once that guy starts scrambling to great effect

+ There’s zero delay from the ball leaving the quarterback’s hand and Trotter starting to pursue the intended target

+ Chooses excellent angles in order to not be outflanked by running backs out into the flats

+ Recognizes RPOs and how offenses want to affect the defense on play-action, getting his hands up in the passing lane after taking the initial steps up in his run read

+ Regularly makes sure to halt any yards after catch as he joins in on the tackle off underneath completions, at times banging dudes to the ground by emphatically lowering the shoulder on them

+ Held opposing quarterbacks to a passer rating of just 44.5 in 2022 and was charged with just one touchdown in coverage compared to four interceptions over the past two seasons

 

Blitzing:

+ Was the only Power Five linebacker with a 80+ PFF grade in coverage and rushing the passer in 2022 – nearly repeated that last season

+ Packs the force to run through the back in protection if he has a head of steam

+ Savvy blitzer who can make over-aggressive protectors whiff, by knocking away their hands as they lunge for him, particularly sliding inside of them if they slightly overset

+ Valuable piece to your rush, whether you ask him to spike inside one shoulder of linemen to create displacement and free up his teammates or stick his foot in the ground or loop around the edge

+ Understands escape angles and is able to corral scrambling quarterbacks as a spy or add-on rusher, forcing them redirect and run themselves into fellow defenders

+ Recorded 27 pressures on 105 pass-rush snaps this past year

+ You’re just not going to have any success throwing screens to the back when Trotter is matched up with, instantly trigger on them and beating linemen to the spot before they can even locate him at times

 

Weaknesses:

– It might be playing next to Barrett Carter being a bolt of lightning, but Trotter’s speed out to the corner against outside runs is fairly average

– Too often is just a step late to the ball, where other linebackers who make the same read would collect a PBU

– Probably a limited player when it comes to being able to match up with any legit receiving threats for extended stretches – only spent 59 of 1431 career snaps outside the box

– Missed a career-high 16.3% of his attempted tackles last season (15 of 92 tries), where his 31.5-inch arms limit his ability to wrap up ball-carriers on an angle

 

The NFL bloodlines are apparent when you watch Trotter Jr. play, whether it’s his how he keys run concepts, the instincts as a zone-defender or how he gets through/around backs in protection. Unfortunately he did come in shorter and lighter than I expected at the combine, which makes you question if he can deal quite as well with blockers at the next level, to go along with probably not looking like a great for a defensive scheme that asks him to following pass-catchers out into the slot and play man-coverage. So he’s not going to win any beauty contests and make many splashy plays thanks to his athletic tools, but he’ll get to his spots on time based on his understanding for play development and he packs a punch when he arrives there. A player he reminds me of – and someone I outlined as an undrafted free agent who would make an impact pretty early – is T.J. Edwards, who may also have some limitations but has been a rock-solid player for both the Eagles and Bears these last three years. If you understand what you can put on his plate, I’m fine with Trotter anywhere in the second round.

 

 

 

4. Junior Colson, Michigan

6’2”, 235 pounds; JR

 

Just outside the top-100 overall prospects in the class of 2021, Colson already started half of the 14 games for Michigan as a true freshman and racked up 61 tackles for a CFP team. In 2022 he put up 101 tackles, six for loss and a couple of sacks (only one PBU, after two as a freshman). His numbers were down just a little bit last year (95 tackles, two for loss, zero sacks and two PBUs), but he was still recognized as a second-team All-Big Ten selection.

 

Run defense:

+ Has the short-area burst to shoot through lanes and create chaos in the backfield

+ Plays with his hair on fire all the time and won’t be stopped by blockers wrapping around/peeling off to get a piece of him

+ Showcases tremendous contact balance and sturdiness to hold his ground in those tight quarters defending the run

+ When he can’t get all the way over to the gap, he’ll make sure to squeeze blockers into the action and take away escape paths for the ball-carrier

+ Trusts himself to take in a lot of information, such as slow-playing RPOs or when he’s on the trips side and the play is still developing, to still fill against the run

+ Ferocious tackler, who wraps and slings ball-carriers down with an attitude

+ Even if he’s engaged with blockers and has no space to explode into contact, you rarely see ball-carriers be able to drive through contact with him and force him into legit drag-tackles

+ Missed just 6.7% of his attempted tackles in 2022 and dropped that down even further to a 4.7% miss rate last season (90.2 PFF tackling grade)

 

Coverage:

+ You see him send some receivers airborne trying to push up the seams as a hook defender

+ Does a nice job of floating out to hook/stick routes and even as he drifts out towards a target and that guy works across his face, Colson is typically able to deny them clean separation

+ Patient in man-coverage against RBs and letting them show him where he’s gone instead of prematurely tilting one way

+ Has some impressive reps of being mugged up and not allowing swing/flat routes to outflank him

+ Sturdy to deal with tight-ends pushing at him and not allow them to push off on him, in order to create separation

+ Michigan used a lot of simulated pressures and had Colson in different spots at the line, where he needed to drop out and find work, in order to flood the underneath areas

+ Comes to balance and you don’t see pass-catchers be able to gain yards through him typically, with great stopping power

+ Was responsible for only 185 receiving yards and one touchdown across 36 targets and 342 coverage snaps last season

 

Blitzing:

+ Rugged blitzer, who will go through the chest of running backs and force quarterbacks to move off the spot when he arrives there

+ Showcases impressive closing burst as a blitzer and lights up passers when unaccounted for in protection

+ Can effectively flatten down the line and chase down plays from behind when brought off the edge, when they slant the end inside

+ Will gladly unload into interior linemen in order to free up his fellow linebackers on cross-dog blitzes

+ Whether as a hook-defender or true spy, Colson’s ability to track the quarterback’s movement and his secure tackling skills are a definite asset

 

Weaknesses:

– Can get pulled too far out of place by eye-candy and can’t take care of his run fit as a result

– Seems a bit stiff in his ankles at times when breaking down/redirecting as a tackler or trying to create leverage as he’s about to initiate contact with blockers

– Lacks some lateral explosion to scrape over the top of blocks and gets pinned away from action on the backside as a result

– Not the easiest mover in coverage either, where he can’t redirect smoothly and make up ground

– Doesn’t have the wheels when offenses are able to clear out one side, to open and chase down receivers running drag routes underneath him

 

While not quite as advanced in the way he reads the game as Clemson’s Jeremiah Trotter Jr., Colson brings a lot of the same qualities while packing a little more thump in tight areas I would say. He’s more susceptible to being pulled off his landmarks by false information from the offense and there’s some tightness in his redirection, but he actually deals better with head-on contact. As a coverage defender, he’s sturdy to deal with tight-ends running into him but also dictating terms to receivers trying to clear his area, plus then he’s become an elite tackler, with a miss rate of below five percent last season. Once again, you want him to operate in a somewhat limited area for those shortcomings not to come to light, but he can be an asset lining up at line of scrimmage and either condensing the pocket or muddying up looks when he can drop out to a spot in more of a straight line. The ceiling may be somewhat capped, but I have a tough time seeing him not find a role at the next level, best suited as a stack-backer for an odd-front team in the middle to late second round.

 

 

 

5. Cedric Gray, North Carolina

6’2”, 230 pounds; SR

 

A three-star recruit in 2020, Gray played all 12 games as a linebacker and on special teams as a freshman, but only logged three tackles. He started the latter 37 of 39 games he’s been available for the following three seasons, combining for 365 tackles, 29 of those for loss, 8.5 sacks, tive fumbles forced and recovered each, five passes intercepted and 13 more broken up. He made first-team All-ACC in in 2022 and ’23 respectively.

 

Run defense:

+ Aggressive, gap-shooting run-defender, who trusts what his eyes tell him

+ Made first contact on a ball carrier 122 times in 2022, which was 15 more than the next-closest defender in college football – the best single-season mark by a Power-5 player in the PFF College era

+ His short-area burst to be leveraged towards on side of blocks and then get to the opposite end as he sees the ball-carrier commit that way is eye-popping

+ Capable of circling around or back-dooring linemen in a hurry, with the flexibility to wrap and sling running backs to the turf on challenging angles

+ North Carolina asked their defensive ends to wrong-shoulder kick-out blockers, so Gray rapidly shot down to meet the secondary puller in the backfield and force a quick cut up the field where his buddies were in place

+ Offers the speed profile the NFL is looking for, in terms of tracking down plays sideline-to-sideline

+ Regularly ends up shoving ball-carriers out of bounds for minimal yardage on perimeter-oriented plays

+ Has those long arms (32.5 inches) to chop down ball-carriers from behind way more often than you think he could

 

Coverage:

+ Light on his feet to float around as a zone-defender

+ Widens his drops under good control as he follows the quarterback’s eyes

+ Provides tremendous make-up burst to disrupt the catch-point against seam routes or crossers off play-action after stepping up vs. the run-fake initially

+ Does not wait back against hook or curl routes in his vicinity, actively working back down along with the target, to contest the catch

+ Makes some highly impressive plays when matched one-on-one with the back and securing tackles out in the flats or on screens, where he has to avoid traffic

+ Doesn’t look uncomfortable flipping and running with wheel routes, with the speed to stay even down the sideline

+ Was responsible for less than five yards per target in coverage last season (245 yards on 49 targets), with one touchdown and interception each to his name

 

Blitzing:

+ Understands very well how to rush from different angles and turn his shoulders from multiple potential points of contact in order to not get slowed down a whole lot

+ Brings plenty of force as a blitzer, to fight through the reach of offensive linemen and flash up the passer’s face

+ You see relentless leg-drive to power/squirt through the crease between blockers and create pressure

+ Features a nice combination of wiggle-to/and-power, already flashing some impressive cross-face moves against running backs

+ Offers an intriguing profile as a pressure player as he develops his hand-combats with the long arms and quicks he brings to the table

+ You see Gray bounce off bodies when used as a rusher and be able to chase after quarterbacks with his quick burst to shut them down on scrambles

 

Weaknesses:

– Needs to do a better job of releasing after punching as he deals with linemen in the run game, as you see backs squeeze through holes much more often than you’d like to

– Will allow running backs to drive forward through him around the line of scrimmage and there are too many drag-tackles on Gray’s tape

– Playing a little tall and sort of bounding rather than stepping/shuffling in zone coverage limits Gray’s ability to get his cleats into the turf and redirect as he processes new information

– Missed at least 17 tackles in all three seasons as a starter (13.5% career miss rate)

 

Gray was one of the more fun linebackers to watch, because everything he does is fast. You always have isolate how much players gamble or allowed be the scheme to that aggressive style of player, but based on what he put on tape, it was always based on IDing and attacking keys in the run game while his missed tackles often time happen because he’s shooting a crease instead of waiting behind blockers and not getting a clean wrap up ball-carriers, but at least slows them down and allows the rest of the defense to converge. He’ll need to clean up his footwork and ability to change directions in a more compact fashion in coverage, but he has the potential to be a valuable asset covering ground in zone, a matchup player against backs and tight-ends as well as a dangerous pass-rusher, with his ability to blitz from different angles and win with quickness or power. He should be a lock for the top-100 and an intriguing target for a defensive coordinator willing to use him as a forward player – at least early on in his career.

 

 

 

6. Tommy Eichenberg, Ohio State

6’2”, 235 pounds; RS SR

 

A four-star recruit in 2018, Eichenberg took an initial redshirt and was almost purely a special teams player until 2021, when he was second on the team in tackles (64 with 6.5 for loss), The following season, he racked up 120 stops, 12 for loss, 2.5 sacks, one pass intercepted and three more broken up, which earned him first-team All-Big Ten and second-team All-American accolades. His numbers took a massive hit as a ten-game contributor in 2023 (82 tackles, 2.5 TFLs, one sack and forced fumble each), but he was still recognized as a consensus first-team All-Big Ten choice.

 

Run defense:

+ Was the most valuable returning linebacker for 2023 according to PFF’s wins above average (WAR) metric

+ Excellent instincts and ability to navigate around traffic in the run game

+ Anticipates when the ball is snapped and where it’ll go like a pro already, at times taking off to beat blockers to a spot before other defenders even recognize the play

+ Uses his hands almost like a pass-rusher to avoid linemen being able to get into his frame

+ Routinely is able to rip under one shoulder of lead-blockers around the line of scrimmage and forcing the ball-carrier to redirect towards his teammates

+ As he tracks the running backs, Eichenberg does his best to keep blockers at distance and be pro-active with his hands, to swipe and shuffle as the ball bounces to the outside

+ Makes some tremendous tackles for minimal yardage on cutbacks as the play-side backer on inside zone, when he sees the back quickly get vertical

+ His 49 run-defense stops in 2022 ranked second among all linebackers in the country while his 20 tackles for loss/no-gain were tied for third

 

Coverage:

+ Keeps his eyes locked on the quarterback whilst floating towards receivers in the hook/seam area

+ Makes sure to initiate contact and feel targets working across his face, without losing track of the QB at all

+ Forces quarterbacks to turn down throws over the middle of the field, by gaining depth as somebody breaks across behind his back

+ Takes excellent angles racing out against completions in the flats

+ You see Eichenberg chase down completions all across the field like a maniac

+ While based on the structure of the Ohio State defense, there will be a lot of completions charged to Eichenberg being the “next-closest defender”, he did only 5.4 yards per target for his Buckeye career, speaking to his ability to quickly shut down YAC opportunities

+ Registered missed tackles rate below ten percent of the past two seasons (9.8% in 2022 and 8.6% in ’23)

 

Blitzing:

+ Consistently takes the shortest path to the quarterback as a blitzer from different angles and stays true to his rush lane

+ Isn’t going to slow down when he sees a linemen slide his way and is looking to shoot that through to the next-closest blocker with force

+ Does a great job of slanting across the face of centers and banging into the inside shoulder of the guard, to open up a substantial lane for fellow rushers to loop around into the A-gap – Ohio State did on three-man games with the end taking that long path

+ Recognizes opportunities to add on to the rush as the running back gets locked in protection following the play-action fake

+ Recorded 34 pressures across 143 pass-rush snaps these past two seasons combined

 

Weaknesses:

– Lacks the flat-out speed to track down plays towards the sideline for small yardage, when the ball-carrier hits the corner on the fly (sweeps)

– Can be a primary run-defender to his disadvantage, when he could stay home a little more and be in position help out against leak-routes his way or RPO alerts

– Is just a step slow or the length of a hand short trying to make the tackle on plenty of plays out to the perimeter, while not always keeping the outside arm free, along with lacking the long speed to track down wide receivers from behind

– There were a lot very shallow zone responsibilities with the Buckeyes, where Eichenberg barely gained any depth from his initial alignment and isn’t asked to turn and run with anybody

– His overall PFF grade plummeted in 2023, down from 86.8 the year prior to 61.5

 

I was definitely more in on Eichenberg a year ago, when I saw him up in that tier with Clemson’s Jeremiah Trotter Jr. in terms of how they already read the game through their eyes, but unfortunately I thought he wasn’t as firm in his decisions and positioned himself optimally when it came to the run game in particular this past season. Considering that, the fact that he has some of the same limitations in terms of burst outside the tackles and length in general, I had to put him a notch below that player profile. With that being said, I still believe his feel for the position is excellent and Eichenberg can be a valuable three-down player in a system that mainly asks him to patrol the space between the hashes, since his instincts plus spatial awareness in coverage and ferocious approach as a blitzer secure him a spot on the field regardless of down-and-distance. While he’ll continue to work on his ability to see through blockers as well as he’s done against Big Ten offensive lines, I believe he can be a quality starter at MIKE for even or odd front teams and should come off the board around the turn betwen day two and three.

 

 

 

7. Trevin Wallace, Kentucky

6’1”, 235 pounds; JR

 

A top-50 national recruit in 2021, Wallace immediately stepped in the starting lineup and made the SEC’s All-Freshman team despite only starting one of 12 games, before posting 54 tackles, 5.5 TFLs, 2.5 sacks and two interceptions in 2022 as a fixture in the lineup. This past season, he only picked off one pass but otherwise better his numbers, with 0 total stops, 8.5 TFLs, 5.5 sacks and a forced fumble. He once again only missed one contest in back-to-back years and was named a team captain in ’23.

 

Run defense:

+ Beat a school record that stood for 44 years in the long jump and won the state weightlifting title with a 335-pound power clean – Yet at 242 pounds he still cracked 22 MPH on the GPS

+ That explosiveness in short areas allows him to create stops around the line of scrimmage, as linemen can’t peel off combos quickly enough for him

+ Has a great feel for stepping through creases and getting his hands on the ball-carrier in traffic

+ Dependable with being ready for cutbacks on zone concepts away from him, reading those opportunities almost like the back peaking back for them

+ He can do so thanks to the burst once he does flatten down the line, to still involve himself near the point of attack

+ Meets running backs in the hole with plenty of thumb, rolling his hips into contact and stopping their momentum effectively

+ Showcases highly impressive speed to chase down ball-carriers bouncing out to the edge when based on run fits, he should be trapped inside

+ Packs plenty of force to stand up and drive ball-carriers backwards in the hole

 

Coverage:

+ Easy mover in zone coverage, with the loose hips to flip with guys going across his face after having to open with the vertical push

+ Fully capable of carrying tight-ends down the seam as a Tampa-2 dropper

+ Recognizes when to turn and fall underneath routes coming in behind him if the space in front of him is cleared out

+ Pro-active with closing down space as he’s asked to match the back and/or to bump them slightly off track

+ Looks comfortable lining up over tight-ends in the slot, putting hands on them and taking control of their route

+ Does well to ID and pick up crossers off play-action, with the wheels to not allow tight-ends to detach from him

+ Brings a lot of hitting power as he arrives on an angle running to the ball as it’s being completed, to stop any additional YAC opportunities on the spot

+ Yet if he has to break down in space, his lateral agility and 32.5-inch arms expand his tackling radius

 

Blitzing:

+ Packs plenty of force in his hands to push running backs backwards and open up a path to the quarterback

+ This guy’s closing burst on loops and delayed blitzes is a major weapon

+ Capped over the slot and blitzed off the edge from there, with the ability to turn a pretty tight corner

+ Showcases flashes of the short-area twitch to cross-face blockers and fight through one half of them

+ Patient and light-footed player on spy duty, being able to track quarterbacks and not allow them to make him miss

+ Entering the combine at 237 pounds, Wallace ran a 4.51 in the 40 (tied for third among linebackers), a 37.5-inch vert & a 10’7” broad jump (both second among the group), giving him an RAS of 9.65

 

Weaknesses:

– While his speed bailed him out at the collegiate level, you do see Wallace take a false step or shuffle the wrong way quite regularly

– Still developing the right feel for when to go under, over or take on blocks when linemen climb up to him

– Gets drawn up significantly by play-action and creates throwing windows as a result

– Allows sit-down routes to occupy and quarterbacks to move him with their eyes as a hook-dropper, to open up throws into that voided space

– At this point, his pass-rushing is all about speed and brute force without any nuance to it

 

In terms of a linebacker with more old-school size combined with high-end explosive features, Wallace might be your best bet in this class. Unfortunately, his instincts for the position are not up to par and too often you’ll see him move himself slightly out of position, relying on his physical tools to save him. Finding the right balance between adjusting his zone drops without allowing himself to be manipulated, developing reliable hand-combats as a blitzer and calibrating how he approaches run concepts will all be key in coming close to his potential. Considering Wallace only turned 21 years about a month ago, yet was good enough to get onto the field immediately for the Wildcats and has shown growth so far, I’m optimistic about his ability to keep improving. Similarly to Texas A&M’s Edgerrin Cooper and North Carolina’s Cedric Gray, his future team should pair him up with a veteran and put him in more of a straight-forward role, where his affinity for contact can shine. He’s just not as flexible as those two guys to circle around blocks, although I think he still definitely belongs in the top-100.

 

 

 

8. Jordan Magee, Temple

6’2”, 225 pounds; RS SR

 

Just a two-star recruit in 2019, Magee appeared on special teams in four games but redshirted his first year on campus. He rotated in on defense for five contests in the COVID-shortened 2020 season, recording 15 tackles, one interception and fumble recovery. Week four of the following year, he took over the starting gig at WILL linebacker and never gave it up again. Across those final 35 games, he racked up 220 total stops, 29.5 of those for loss, eight sacks, ten passes broken up and a couple of fumbles forced. He was a second-team All-AAC selection in 2023.

 

Run defense:

+ Only Texas A&M’s Edgerrin Cooper, N.C. State’s Payton Wilson and Buffalo’s Joe Andreessen earned higher overall PFF grades (87.2) among FBS linebackers in the 2024 NFL Draft

+ Consistently plays with an aggressive mindset and doesn’t shy away from crashing through one half of a pulling guard, while the shock in his hands generally stood out dealing with significantly bigger bodies

+ Pro-actively uses those 32-inch arms to bury his palms inside the chest of offensive linemen with good forward lean and then ripping through the play-side shoulder as those guys are trying to seal him away from the action

+ Asking slot receivers to block Magee when he’s walked out there is typically a mistake, as he can put them on a ground when he sees it coming

+ The instant burst to beat blockers to the spot and create negative plays as he angles down behind pullers or other lead-blockers who the ball-carrier is trying to follow pops off the screen

+ Has some really impressive moments of redirecting or spinning off contact after flowing with the mesh-point on zone read, to run down the quarterback for limited yardage

+ He’s like a flash as a blitzer on run downs, creating tackles for loss with the O-line not being able to account for him in time

+ Routinely joins the party late and provides excellent leg-drive to stop the momentum of ball-carriers

 

Coverage:

+ Light on his feet as a zone-dropper and covers plenty of ground with those initial couple of steps in order to get to his landmarks, particularly when threatening blitz originally

+ Does a nice job of funneling pass-catchers to his teammates as he controls his landmarks and they are trying to pass through

+ Oily hips to open with the release of the guy initially occupying his zone and then flipping the other way as a secondary target works across his face

+ The way he triggers and flies up for completions in the flats pops off the screen, and he generally provides excellent pursuit once the pass is being thrown, with appropriate angles across the field

+ Not someone you’re going to pick on by creating rubs and wheeling the running back up into the boundary when he’s matched up with them

+ Temple legitimately put Magee in the slot and asked him to cover receivers one-on-one in designated dropback situations, where he was able to stay patient initially, then bump them during the stem and wall them off effectively

+ Has a knack for navigating around bodies on screen passes and help corral the recipient for minimal gains

+ Over the past two seasons, Magee has been charged 30 completions on 37 targets but only for 229 yards (and one touchdown) across more than 500 coverage snaps

 

Blitzing:

+ Based on pressure-per-pass-rush snap rate, Magee was an elite player in that regard, racking up 20 pressures on just 32 such opportunities (90.7 PFF pass-rush grade)

+ Offer great explosiveness as an off-ball blitzer, combined with a sudden shoulder-dip to create favorable angles towards the passer

+ Was brought from different angles and depths, showing the ability to consistently take the shortest path to the QB and shaking running backs oversetting on him

+ Features the quickness to win one-on-ones vs. interior pass-protectors in impressive fashion, throwing in some spin moves after aiming at their outside shoulder to get them leaning that way

+ His closing burst as a spy or when he has the freedom to come forward when his man is locked in protection allows him to shut down scrambling opportunities before they can really get started

+ Finished in the top-five in the 40-yard dash (4.55), the vert (35.5 inches) and the broad jump (10’4”)

 

Weaknesses:

– Presents a rather slender build without much girth in his extremities

– Gambles for cutback lanes rather than staying in line with the back-hip of running backs on zone concepts and runs himself out of the picture in the process

– Allows himself to get locked up by tight-ends on longer-developing plays, as they latch into his chest as blockers, and generally has a tough time to disengaging when he didn’t set the tone on contact

– Gets pretty tall in his back-pedal and slips trying to redirect because of it at times

– The only interception of his career came as a freshman

 

This is a player I wasn’t familiar with at all coming into this pre-draft process, in large part due to the Temple program only winning ten combined games over the past four seasons combined. So when I saw him test as well as he did at the combine, I did put him on my watch list of course, but I was blown away when I finally put on the tape. This guy brings a physicality to the game that his physical stature wouldn’t suggest and that athletic profile transfers to the field. Now, he’s more of a gap-shooter and has to be the aggressor with initiating contact against blockers in order for the size to not become an issue, leading to some moments where he takes himself out of the play to some degree, but that’s the case for many off-ball players in today’s game and if allowed to maintain that style of play in the NFL, I think his future coaches may fall in love with him. He’ll need to work on playing lower in order to maximize his potential in coverage and the sample size we have of him rushing the passer is fairly limited (111 total snaps), but he has a chance to be difference-maker on third downs and get a chance to start early on if he’s not buried on the depth chart.

 

 

 

 

9. Nathaniel Watson, Mississippi State

6‘2“, 240 pounds; RS SR

 

A top-1000 national recruit back in 2018, Watson had a tough time getting onto the field for the Rebels early on, with only five total tackles through his first two years. The next two seasons, he turned from part- to full-time starter, combining for 122 stops, before turning himself into a recognized name nationally between 2022 and ’23. He was named second- and then first-team All-SEC for his efforts, combining for 250 tackles, 25 of those for loss, 16 sacks, two interceptions, three forced fumbles and pass break-ups each.

 

Run defense:

+ Running inside zone or other concepts to Watson’s side, where linemen have to combo up to him proves to be a lost cause regularly because he’ll shoot that front-side gap before anybody can peel off

+ You love the way he can create knock-back and produce stuffs when used on run-blitzes, indicated by consecutive season with double-digit TFLs and an average depth of tackle at 4.8 yards in 2023

+ Presents very long arms (only an eighth short of 33 inches) and uses them well to keep blockers off his frame

+ Times up well when he swipes away the hands of linemen trying to fit theirs onto him on an angle and stepping past their hips

+ Sudden generally with navigating around traffic, with the flexibility and length to get his hands on ball-carriers who seem to have a lane initially

+ Showcases outstanding pursuit out to the perimeter, to run plays down outside his vicinity

+ Can really lay the wood when given a runway and pops some guys at the sidelines to make them remember him for next time

+ Only missed 5.4% of his attempted tackles in 2023 (six of 111 tries)

 

Coverage:

+ Must run one heck of a W drill, with how easy he is in his pedal and how rapidly he drives back up diagonally as the ball comes out

+ Tough to get the ball over this guy’s head with the combination of hops and long arms to get a finger on those layered throws

+ You like his prospects as a pole-runner in Tampa-2

+ Covers a lot of ground when bailed out of mugged-up blocks, to take away what pre-snap look like free completions

+ Instinctive player with the awareness for receivers in his vicinity whist letting the eyes of the quarterback lead him to the ball

+ With how much zone coverage the Rebels ran, you didn’t see it a ton, but on the limited opportunities to actually run with RBs/TEs down the field, Watson’s wheels definitely stuck out

 

Blitzing:

+ Consistently takes the appropriate angles pursuing screens and underneath completions across the field

+ Understands how to blitz with good body-lean and angle himself towards the passer whilst rushing half the man, with enough force built up to go through running backs in his path

+ Does a nice job of swiping away the hands of interior pass-protectors and sliding past them to get after the quarterback

+ Mississippi State walked Watson down to the end of the line and he was able to bend the corner with a sudden shoulder-dip

+ Has a real feel for finding vacant rush lanes and sliding off blockers, to corral the passer

+ Recognizes opportunities to take off through an open gap and put heat on the quarterback with no direct responsibility, as his man is locked in protection or he’s given spy duties

+ Relentless in his pursuit of quarterbacks with the speed and reach as a tackler to track them down or trip them up as they’re trying to outrace him to the sideline

+ Led all FBS linebackers in the 2024 NFL Draft with his 35 total pressures (on 165 pass-rush snaps) last season

 

Weaknesses:

– Gets locked in on the backfield action at times and doesn’t shuffle with the movement of blockers accordingly

– Much better getting downhill and not having to deal with bigger bodies, as he doesn’t consistently set the tone at contact with them – in part due to bad leverage – and sort of waits for the ball-carrier to pop out

– Doesn’t bring the same urgency to set the tone on contact against smaller blockers on perimeter-oriented plays, allowing them to slow him down more than they should because they latch into his chest

– Because of his lanky build, Watson’s twitch and ability to change directions laterally in the run or pass game is somewhat limited if moving at a faster pace

– Very limited tape in man-coverage to evaluate him based off and has almost no experience of being flexed out for matchups

 

“Bookie” Watson has been an incredibly productive player in the best conference of college football for the last couple of years. Whether it’s creative negative plays in the run game or puts heat on quarterbacks rushing from different angles, he frequently impacts the backfield. He certainly has the length to improve, but too often he’ll be a little late or not forceful enough to keep his frame clean against blockers. Having that longer build doesn’t help in that regard or making sharp transitions more so as a reactionary mover in space. I was very impressed with what Watson showed during Senior Bowl, knifing through gaps for TFLs and putting in quality work in man-coverage, which is one of the question marks here since the Bulldogs’ scheme didn’t ask him to do it a whole lot. If he can add that piece to his game, along with the range he provides in zone coverage and the versatility he provides as a member of your pass-rush, he can be a tremendous third-down puzzle piece, along with the high potential he brings as a run-defender. I’d have no problems if someone invested a late third-round pick on him.

 

 

 

10. J.D. Bertrand, Notre Dame

6‘1“, 235 pounds; RS SR

 

A four-star recruit in 2019, Bertrand saw action in four games as a true freshman but purely on special teams. In year two, he did see the field in 11 games but only logged seven tackles. Over the next three seasons, he started all 27 contests and was named a team captain in each of them. Across that stretch, he racked up 259 total stops, 23 of those for loss, six sacks, nine passes defensed and two fumbles forced.

 

Run defense:

+ If you open up the B-gap on the front-side, Bertrand will plug it in a hurry

+ Packs the force to crash through the play-side shoulder of blockers on zone concepts and create disruption in the backfield, as well as press off guys and create angles to the ball that way

+ Quick to ID pulling guards and accelerating into them behind the line of scrimmage, such as on GT power

+ Capable of finding those creases between blockers and get the initial wrap on ball-carriers

+ Times up well how we swipes or chops down the wrist of linemen trying to latch into his chest, in order to stay clean, yet if he does get pushed on an angle, his contact balance to stay on his feet is apparent

+ Provides tremendous pursuit out to the sideline and you see him make first contact on wide receiver screens around the line of scrimmage

+ Consistently drives his legs through the target as if he was the running back when he gets involved on the collision around the line of scrimmage

+ Plays with a real violence and makes it look like guys ran into a brick-wall as he joins the party late

 

Coverage:

+ Makes sure to make his presence felt as a hook-dropper and shoves crossing receivers off track

+ Typically doesn’t allow bait routes to occupy him, in favor of mid-pointing targets in order to disrupt the catch-point on either

+ Decisive with driving up on stuff in front of him and packs a punch to stop guys on the spot

+ Effective at impeding tight-ends during the route development and taking them out of the pattern when he’s lined up over them detached from the O-line

+ Showcased impressive feet and patience to mirror running backs during the one-on-one drills on multiple occasions during Senior Bowl practices (when he was named the National team’s Linebacker of the Week)

+ Not somebody you’ll typically take advantage of, forcing him to work around traffic in order to match the back out into the flats

+ Reliable tackler in space against check-downs and scrambling quarterbacks – allowed just under four yards after the catch per completion that he was charged with

+ Earned the tenth-best overall PFF grade (82.4) among FBS linebackers in this draft last season, only allowing 123 yards (and no touchdowns) in coverage on 20 targets

 

Blitzing:

+ Regularly runs right through backs in protection and puts heat on the quarterback to where they fall away or can’t quite step into the throw

+ Often times was locked onto the back and if that guy stayed in protection, would step down and act like a quasi-spy or add-on blitzer

+ Packs the force in his hands to turn a tight corner to the quarterback and condense the edge when rushing over the tackle

+ Even if he can’t get home, Bertrand makes sure to condense the pocket frequently

+ Impressive short-area agility to stick his foot in the ground and turn a tight curve as a looper, at time as the end on T-E twists

+ Recorded 30 QB pressures in 2023 – third among Power-5 linebackers – on 61 and 97 fewer rush opportunities respectively than the two guys ahead of him

+ And the amount of hits he got on guys that altered throws when there were opportunities for big plays really stood out to me

 

Weaknesses:

– Not as effective against vertical runs and moments where he has to actually stack and shed blockers coming at him straight-on – in particular due to only having 30.5-inch arms

– Doesn’t showcase the greatest spatial awareness in zone coverage, focusing more on just getting to his spot rather than adjusting his landmarks based on the passing concepts

– Gets his feet stuck in the turf and struggles to smoothly transition in space at times

– Tends to panic with his back to the quarterback and prematurely establishes contact with the intended target

 

When watching Bertrand’s tape, I couldn’t help myself from thinking about another former Notre Dame linebacker in Drue Tranquil. I liked him in an otherwise underwhelming class once you got past the top-five names in 2019, over the guy he was playing next to, but allowed consensus boards to not put him up too high – which in Bertrand’s case is a longer, more athletic Marist Liufau. Comparing their measurables, they come out very similarly, but unlike Tranquil testing around the 80^th percentile across the board at the combine, we don’t have the numbers this time around and I can’t see him being quite up there. With that being said, I think Bertrand’s instincts as a run defender, the way he manages space in coverage and his physicality as a blitzer are actually better coming out of college. On top of that, his leadership qualities and football character by all reports are just off the charts, as a Campbell Trophy finalist, which is presented to the absolute best in the nation for his combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership.

 

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Just missed the cut:

 

 

Jaylan Ford, Texas

6’2”, 240 pounds; SR

 

A three-star recruit in 2020, Ford played in all ten games of the COVID-shortened 2020 season, but primarily on special teams, recording 16 tackles. As a sophomore, he started two of 12 contests, registering 53 total stops, with a team-leading six for loss, 2.5 sacks, two passes intercepted and three more broken up. Being in the lineup for all but one of 27 contests between 2022 and ‘23, he racked up a combined 230 tackles, 20.5 TFLs, six picks, four PBUs, four fumbles forced and three recovered. He made first-team All-Big 12 in both.

 

Run defense:

+ Disciplined run-defender, who doesn’t blindly turn his shoulders and chase perimeter-oriented plays, abandoning his original fit

+ Easy lateral mover tracking zone runs, being able to shuffle, open or fall back depending the movement of the running backs

+ Yet when the O-line has their shoulders turned and don’t keep their eyes up for him on combos, Ford will take advantage of opportunities of taking the lane they keep behind them and meet the ball-carrier in the backfield

+ If he does have to deal with bodies in his face, Ford is capable of punching and stepping around them, or to step past their hip and dip under, to not get caught up in traffic

+ Offers the short-area burst to beat linemen across their across as they’re about to pin him away from the action, scraping over from the backside

+ Has the speed to track down the ball-carrier on toss or speed option plays

+ When he has a runway to build up hitting power, you see him level dudes outside the hashes

+ Earned a career-best PFF grade of 80.2 vs. the run the last season, with exactly half of his total tackles (48 of 96) resulting in “stops” for the defense (negative play based on down-and-distance)

Coverage:

+ Has the easy gas to carry tight-ends down the seam without really straining it seems like

+ When he does run with vertical routes, he does a nice job of pinning the near-arm and impeding the progress of those

+ Shows the spatial awareness to float out towards stick and hitch routes as a hook defender

+ Texas put him on the line of scrimmage and let his ability to cover ground shine, shutting down hot routes into the flats and making quarterback turn down throws down the middle of the field

+ Will attach to targets late in the down and not allow them to separate as they transition into secondary routes during the scrambling phase

+ Instantly opens and chases after the ball once it leaves the quarterback’s hand and is alert with the hand-eye coordination to come down with passes hanging up in the air

+ Was a turnover magnet in 2022, as his four interceptions led all FBS linebackers, along with three fumbles forced and two more recovered

 

Blitzing:

+ Times up the snap well and arrives in his gap with force as a blitzer

+ Consistently first to strike with his hands against running backs in protection

+ Has flashes of showing suddenness as a rusher, leaning one direction and beating blockers the opposite way

+ Collected quality experience lining up on the edge and get to the passer with his combination of spend and bend (98 snaps on the end of the line of scrimmage last season)

+ Racked up 39 QB pressures across 152 pass-rush snaps since the start of the 2022 season

+ Takes excellent angles against scrambling quarterbacks, switching to a shuffle as that guy tries to make him miss and is smart enough to not draw unnecessary flags at the sideline

 

Weaknesses:

– Allows eye-candy to substantially pull him off his landmarks and take him out of the run fit at times

– Too often ends up leaving his feet and slipping off the hips of ball-carriers when it looks like he has the angle against outside runs – missed 14.5% of his attempted tackles for his career

– Definitely more of a spot-dropper, who doesn’t affect too much what’s happening behind him or is even looking to drift underneath routes – registered a career-worst PFF coverage grade of just 50.0, being charged with just over nine yards per target

– Needs to improve how tight he stays to targets working around his vicinity, particularly crossing behind him, in order to deny easy completions

– Allows way more yards after the catch then he should, trying to twist down receivers instead of hitting with his chest and bringing his hips into contact to actually stop them – 9.1 YAC per completion he was charged with in 2023

 

Unlike some of the other Longhorn linebackers we’ve seen enter the league in recent years, Ford actually presents prototype size at 6’2” and 240 pounds. While he possesses the agility and short-area burst to evade blockers, he’s pro-active with using his hands and sturdy enough to deal with contact in condensed areas. You like his ability to get in control of routes down the seams, but unfortunately without a direct occupation he’s more so sitting in space as a zone-dropper and has very few legit man-coverage to evaluate him off. As a pressure player, you like ability to time up the snap, what he can bring bending the corner and some of the ways he soften the edges of blockers for himself. The big issue however is the tackling and his approach to it. He will need to do a better job of erasing distance to him and ball-carriers, before actually initiating contact in a way that allows him to get in control of the interaction. If he can clean that part of his game up, he could be a solid starter for multiple years in the pros.

 

 

Ty’Ron Hopper, Missouri

6’2”, 230 pounds; RS SR

 

One of the top-100 overall recruits for Florida in the 2019 class, Hopper’s usage at Florida increased all three years with the Gators (62 tackles, eight for loss, 2.5 sacks and two PBUs in 2021). He decided to transfer in-conference to the Tigers ahead of the ’22 season, when he put up 77 stops, 13.5 for loss, 2.5 sacks, an interception and four PBUs. This past season he was finally recognized as second-team All-SEC, despite only 55 tackles and about half of the negative plays produced, along with three PBUs.

 

Run defense:

+ Attacks the line of scrimmage without fear, but he actively is looking to targeting one shoulder, dipping-and-ripping underneath in order to create an angle towards the ball-carrier

+ Capable of covering plenty of ground laterally shuffling along from the backside of wide zone concepts

+ Quick to scrape over the action and get back downhill to meet the guy with the ball in the hole

+ Displays excellent agility to bounce over to the rushing lane or to shut down cutback opportunities, when the back just thought a big lane was opening up

+ Provides the speed out to the sideline to track down bubbles and sweep plays away from his alignment without having to surrender significantly more yards than the depths he’s initially lined up at

+ Can be used on stunts vs. run plays, blitzing through the opposite A-gap as they slant one of the defensive line

+ Uses his hands pro-actively to not allow tight-ends to get into his frame lining up on the edge of the box

+ Missouri asked him to race up to the end of the line of scrimmage paired with slanting the D-end inside and his speed to chase plays down from behind really popped

 

Coverage:

+ Has the speed to stick with RBs/TEs on crossers and wheel routes when asked to take them in man-coverage

+ Rapidly gets his cleats in the ground and redirects as running backs break across his face

+ Showcases impressive make-up burst to fly underneath tight-ends pushing down the seams if he has no occupation underneath

+ Will shut down completions into the flats in a hurry as the boundary side LB

+ Can really extend himself and elevate to break up passes intended to be lobbed over his head as a hook-defender

+ Has some impressive reps on tape playing man against detached tight-ends, where he gets under their pads and forces those guys to work through sustained contact

+ Quick to ID screens to the back and shoot behind the backs of linemen, in order to shut them down

 

Blitzing:

+ Shows excellent snap anticipation and timing as an off-ball blitzer

+ Has some wiggle to him to side-step running backs in protection

+ Packs a forceful rip, to break through the reach of offensive linemen and corner around them without getting pushed past the apex

+ Brings plus agility to line up over the center, jab one way and then loop towards the opposite edge, as part of three-man games

+ Takes advantages when the offense leaves a gap voided and he’s free to rush based on the back running into traffic off play-action – and he arrives at the QB in a hurry

+ Had a 84.3 PFF pass-rush grade with 32 total pressures (across 125 rush opportunities) in 2022, and averaged a grade of 75.2 in his three seasons as a starter overall

+ Does a great job as a spy to chase down and trip up scrambling quarterback

 

Weaknesses:

– Tends to get his eyes trapped in the backfield rather than reading the offensive line

– Could do a better job of targeting the far-arm of blockers and creating angles towards the ball for himself, as he’s being sealed off on plays out to the perimeter

– Flies up to the line of scrimmage way too aggressively vs. play-action and created wide-open throwing windows for the quarterbacks behind him – frequently isolated on RPOs

– Looks kind of lost in space when deployed in coverage, turning his head only to see no targets there frequently

– Doesn’t square up and drive his legs, rather than relying on twisting ball-carriers to the turf – Missed a MASSIVE 22.7% of the tackles he attempted last season (17 of 75), following a 17.0% miss rate in 2022

 

Hopper is a block of dynamite, whose ability to see and fly to the ball jumps off the screen. His movement skills when deployed in man-coverage and the ability to corner his rushers as a versatile blitz piece create value on passing downs. However, he does not yet read blocking schemes particularly well, where he gets tunnel-vision for the ball, he can be easily pulled off his landmarks by faking handoffs and doesn’t look particularly comfortable managing space in shell coverages. That combined with his high miss rates as a tackler make it to see him get on the field a whole lot early on other than defined passing situation, especially as part of pressure-packages. The way he plays with his hair on fire should bode well for special teams and buy him time for himself as he continues to develop at linebacker. To me, he’s worthy of taking a gamble on some time fairly early on day three, if you have a long-term plan laid out for him.

 

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The next names up:

Edefuan Ulofoshio (Washington), Marist Liufau (Notre Dame), Steele Chambers (Ohio State), Curtis Jacobs (Penn State), Easton Gibbs (Wyoming), Tyrice Knight (UTEP), Kalen DeLoach (Florida State) & Michael Barrett (Michigan)