My Top-20 2018 Linebackers
Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2017 9:39 pm
1. Matthew Thomas - FSU - 6'3/230
I don't know of any outlet or analyst who shares this opinion but Matthew Thomas looks like the best off-ball LB in the country right now. He looks the most pro ready, and the safest. He's a bull, has great size, quick twitch explosion, and walks the fine line of aggressive with patience. A joy to watch.
2. Malik Jefferson - Texas - 6'3/240
Maybe it's just Texas bias, but he looks and plays like Benardrick McKinney. Long, strong, fast (for his size), and solid instincts make Jefferson a near lock to be a 1st rounder in April, 2018.
3. Azeem Victor - Washington - 6'3/230
MASSIVE upside. This dude has Zach Cunningham size and reaches out with Jadaveon Clowney-type arms, capable of grasping ball carriers anywhere near him. As I wrote last year, he's a converted TE & DE so he's still a project. Although, watching his game against Arizona last year got me excited. He can severely lack instincts and aggression, and the next play he can overpursue and look like a total clown, but when he's on he's ON. I hope he continues to grow into an off-ball LB this year (and stays healthy!), in which case he might be a top 20 pick.
TIER BREAK!
4. Jerome Baker - OSU - 6'1/225
Michigan tape, he's an animal. Clemson and Oklahoma, he's tentative and a lightweight. Which guy is he going to be? People much smarter than me are projecting him as a 2018 1st rounder, so clearly I'm missing something with him...
5. Rashaan Evans - Alabama - 6'2/235
There's no heir apparent to Foster... but Evans is Saban's best 'backer this year. That's saying something! I'm very excited to watch him develop. He is way too aggressive sometimes, and needs to clean up his technique, but his potential is sky-high.
6. Shaun Dion-Hamilton - Alabama - 6'1/230
Explosive for sure. Not much tape on him going into this year, so we shall see how 2017 plays out for him (especially with Foster leaving in the draft). If you like Reeves-Mabin, no reason you shouldn't like this guy.
7. Kendall Joseph - Clemson - 6'0/225
Doesn't seem to play as fast as he's reported to be. Will be very interested to see his combine numbers next year. Fairly undersized, seems like a lesser Darron Lee clone. He honestly looks more like a SS than a LB
8. Micah Kiser - Virginia - 6'1/240
VERY impressive strength. He's a real man out there. High motor, and he will definitely stick on an NFL roster. I'm interested to see how he tests and where he gets drafted, because in a best case scenario he could be Stephen Tulloch or DQwell Jackson but in a worst case scenario he could end up as no more than a team's 4th LB, playing only 10-15 run-stopping snaps per game.
9. Chris Worley - OSU - 6'2/225
As with his teammates Baker & Booker, so much is hinging on how 2017 goes. Worley has great size and athleticism, but he does need to reign in this enthusiasm at times. Similar to Rashaan Evans, in my book.
10. Skai Moore - South Carolina - 6'1/220
Only one game available on Draft Breakdown, and it's from 2015 since he was hurt last year. Against UNC, he looks very athletic & explosive but he also appears very slight. Undersized but speedy, yes, but he looks more like Duke Riley than a Deion Jones. Hopefully another year bulking up and playing college ball means he won't get pushed around so much. He's definitely fun to watch!
TIER BREAK!
The rest of the guys all have some potential and hype, but don't really seem like NFL starters unless a bunch of stuff breaks their way.
11. Jack Cichy - Wisconsin - 6'1/230
I like him a lot more than what I was expecting. If he measures out as this size or better, he may be a fast riser in the draft process. I could see him going Day 2. He reminds me of Micah Kiser, a bit smaller but a bit more explosive.
12. Dante Booker - OSU - 6'2/240
I don't like what I saw in the tiny bit of 2016 film. Sluggish. Hopefully he returns to 2015 form over the next few months.
13. Josey Jewell - Iowa - 6'1/235
Similar to Cichy in my eyes, but less explosive. I'll stick with my analysis from last year in that Jewell will never be an NFL difference maker but I do see him making and sticking on a roster. Will he ever be more than a special teamer/core backup? Probably not.
14. Cameron Smith - USC - 6'2/245
Not much of an NFL prospect, in my eyes. I'll be shocked if he runs a 4.85 or better. I know he's got hype as a top-5 LB, so clearly there's more than meets the eye, and he clearly has great size, but he doesn't appear to have much of a future.
15. TJ Edwards - Wisconsin - 6'1/240
Great strength, decent size, but SO sluggish. Nothing sexy to see here, IMO.
16. Dorian O'Daniel - Clemson - 6'1/215
I'm not QUITE sure what to make of this kid... I know he's fun to watch though! Very quick & fast, certainly over-aggressive at times, and with that slight build he can get pushed around. Not to mention, he was mainly an edge guy last year. He played a little off-ball LB and even some slot corner, kind of a homeless man's Jabrill Peppers. If he bulks up another 15-20 pounds without sapping his twitchiness (asking a lot), he could make a play to be this year's Darron Lee.
17. Nyles Morgan - Notre Dame - 6'1/245
This guy is only one thing. A thumper. However, he is very impressive at that one thing. This dude is probably the strongest and most bullish of all the LBs in this class. Will that translate to IDP stardom? Doubtful. But I bet he is beneficial to an NFL team for several years, and maybe he carves out a Denzel Perryman role?
18. Kenny Young - UCLA - 6'1/235
Very solid, if not spectacular player! I can't quite tell if he's a day-2 guy, or a future UDFA, because he doesn't stand out for better or for worse. The combine will be very telling for him.
19. Mike McCray - Michigan - 6'4/240
Big & slow, this year's Kendall Beckwith.
20. Jason Cabinda - Penn State - 6'1/230
Ben Boulware 2.0... Not interested.
I don't know of any outlet or analyst who shares this opinion but Matthew Thomas looks like the best off-ball LB in the country right now. He looks the most pro ready, and the safest. He's a bull, has great size, quick twitch explosion, and walks the fine line of aggressive with patience. A joy to watch.
2. Malik Jefferson - Texas - 6'3/240
Maybe it's just Texas bias, but he looks and plays like Benardrick McKinney. Long, strong, fast (for his size), and solid instincts make Jefferson a near lock to be a 1st rounder in April, 2018.
3. Azeem Victor - Washington - 6'3/230
MASSIVE upside. This dude has Zach Cunningham size and reaches out with Jadaveon Clowney-type arms, capable of grasping ball carriers anywhere near him. As I wrote last year, he's a converted TE & DE so he's still a project. Although, watching his game against Arizona last year got me excited. He can severely lack instincts and aggression, and the next play he can overpursue and look like a total clown, but when he's on he's ON. I hope he continues to grow into an off-ball LB this year (and stays healthy!), in which case he might be a top 20 pick.
TIER BREAK!
4. Jerome Baker - OSU - 6'1/225
Michigan tape, he's an animal. Clemson and Oklahoma, he's tentative and a lightweight. Which guy is he going to be? People much smarter than me are projecting him as a 2018 1st rounder, so clearly I'm missing something with him...
5. Rashaan Evans - Alabama - 6'2/235
There's no heir apparent to Foster... but Evans is Saban's best 'backer this year. That's saying something! I'm very excited to watch him develop. He is way too aggressive sometimes, and needs to clean up his technique, but his potential is sky-high.
6. Shaun Dion-Hamilton - Alabama - 6'1/230
Explosive for sure. Not much tape on him going into this year, so we shall see how 2017 plays out for him (especially with Foster leaving in the draft). If you like Reeves-Mabin, no reason you shouldn't like this guy.
7. Kendall Joseph - Clemson - 6'0/225
Doesn't seem to play as fast as he's reported to be. Will be very interested to see his combine numbers next year. Fairly undersized, seems like a lesser Darron Lee clone. He honestly looks more like a SS than a LB
8. Micah Kiser - Virginia - 6'1/240
VERY impressive strength. He's a real man out there. High motor, and he will definitely stick on an NFL roster. I'm interested to see how he tests and where he gets drafted, because in a best case scenario he could be Stephen Tulloch or DQwell Jackson but in a worst case scenario he could end up as no more than a team's 4th LB, playing only 10-15 run-stopping snaps per game.
9. Chris Worley - OSU - 6'2/225
As with his teammates Baker & Booker, so much is hinging on how 2017 goes. Worley has great size and athleticism, but he does need to reign in this enthusiasm at times. Similar to Rashaan Evans, in my book.
10. Skai Moore - South Carolina - 6'1/220
Only one game available on Draft Breakdown, and it's from 2015 since he was hurt last year. Against UNC, he looks very athletic & explosive but he also appears very slight. Undersized but speedy, yes, but he looks more like Duke Riley than a Deion Jones. Hopefully another year bulking up and playing college ball means he won't get pushed around so much. He's definitely fun to watch!
TIER BREAK!
The rest of the guys all have some potential and hype, but don't really seem like NFL starters unless a bunch of stuff breaks their way.
11. Jack Cichy - Wisconsin - 6'1/230
I like him a lot more than what I was expecting. If he measures out as this size or better, he may be a fast riser in the draft process. I could see him going Day 2. He reminds me of Micah Kiser, a bit smaller but a bit more explosive.
12. Dante Booker - OSU - 6'2/240
I don't like what I saw in the tiny bit of 2016 film. Sluggish. Hopefully he returns to 2015 form over the next few months.
13. Josey Jewell - Iowa - 6'1/235
Similar to Cichy in my eyes, but less explosive. I'll stick with my analysis from last year in that Jewell will never be an NFL difference maker but I do see him making and sticking on a roster. Will he ever be more than a special teamer/core backup? Probably not.
14. Cameron Smith - USC - 6'2/245
Not much of an NFL prospect, in my eyes. I'll be shocked if he runs a 4.85 or better. I know he's got hype as a top-5 LB, so clearly there's more than meets the eye, and he clearly has great size, but he doesn't appear to have much of a future.
15. TJ Edwards - Wisconsin - 6'1/240
Great strength, decent size, but SO sluggish. Nothing sexy to see here, IMO.
16. Dorian O'Daniel - Clemson - 6'1/215
I'm not QUITE sure what to make of this kid... I know he's fun to watch though! Very quick & fast, certainly over-aggressive at times, and with that slight build he can get pushed around. Not to mention, he was mainly an edge guy last year. He played a little off-ball LB and even some slot corner, kind of a homeless man's Jabrill Peppers. If he bulks up another 15-20 pounds without sapping his twitchiness (asking a lot), he could make a play to be this year's Darron Lee.
17. Nyles Morgan - Notre Dame - 6'1/245
This guy is only one thing. A thumper. However, he is very impressive at that one thing. This dude is probably the strongest and most bullish of all the LBs in this class. Will that translate to IDP stardom? Doubtful. But I bet he is beneficial to an NFL team for several years, and maybe he carves out a Denzel Perryman role?
18. Kenny Young - UCLA - 6'1/235
Very solid, if not spectacular player! I can't quite tell if he's a day-2 guy, or a future UDFA, because he doesn't stand out for better or for worse. The combine will be very telling for him.
19. Mike McCray - Michigan - 6'4/240
Big & slow, this year's Kendall Beckwith.
20. Jason Cabinda - Penn State - 6'1/230
Ben Boulware 2.0... Not interested.
