NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell during the NFL draft at Radio City Music Hall in New York, NY on Saturday, April 28, 2007. (Photo by Richard Schultz/NFLPhotoLibrary)
Although the NFL is currently a quarterback-driven league, the importance and need for highly-skilled linebackers have hardly diminished. In fact, being an effective and versatile defensive front-seven athlete is now more essential than ever as the only way to effectively neutralize an opposing passer is to forcibly pressure and break through a formidable offensive line that is protecting them. While it may not be the most glamorous or appreciated position in football anymore, being an elite linebacker in the NFL that can play multiple positions is paramount to being a prominent starter for any team. If you believe your favorite team is in desperate need of defensive line help and miss the old days of smash-mouth football, look no further than this list of the top ten linebackers that could easily explode onto the scene as ferocious pass rushers and run stoppers.
10. Micah Kiser, Virginia
Amassing 145 tackles this past season, Micah Kiser is a dangerous and relentless blitzer that is also hyper-vigilant when disrupting passes (four batted passes in 2017). As a strong run defender, Kiser is a physical and intelligent tackler that lacks sideline-to-sideline speed. Although Kiser is not a gifted athlete and still needs to improve his pass coverage skill set, he has the knowledge and work ethic to be a potent run stuffing inside linebacker at the next level.
9. Sione Teuhema, Southeast Louisiana
Once a highly touted recruited that was forced to leave LSU due to off the field concerns, Sione Teuhema was able to make the most out of his second chance this season with Southeast Louisiana. With 18.5 tackles for a loss, nine sacks, two forced fumbles, and one interception, Teuhema is a highly explosive and athletic linebacker that could quickly rise up draft boards given his dynamic skill set.
8. Darius Leonard, South Carolina State
Extremely fast with a tremendous motor that does not quit, Darius Leonard is a tackling machine that regularly makes plays behind the line of scrimmage. With 42 tackles for a loss and 13.5 sacks over his three collegiate seasons, Leonard has the elite playmaking ability and size to be a highly successful linebacker in the NFL.
7. James Hearns, Louisville
One of the more intriguing pass rushers in this years draft class, James Hearns is loose and fast to close on opposing quarterbacks. Although he was streaky this past season in terms of production and effort, his impressive skill set of rushing the passer is already developed, suggesting that the inconsistent linebacker has yet to even come close to hitting his ceiling of being a dominant linebacker in the pros.
6. Malik Jefferson, Texas
Although some pundits may question Malik Jefferson’s love for the game of football, it only takes one look at his impressive production from this past season to see that this far from the truth. With 110 tackles and 10 sacks, Jefferson is a relentless pursuit linebacker that has a nice combination of size and speed to consistently make tackles in the open field.
5. Dorance Armstrong Jr., Kansas
Despite playing for a dreadful program in Kansas, Dorance Armstrong Jr. was still ruthless and physical despite being double teamed constantly. Although Armstrong only accumulated 63 tackles in 2017, he converted those hits into 9.5 tackles for a loss, two sacks, and four forced fumbles, suggesting that the speedy and sizeable edge rusher has much more to offer than the meek numbers display.
4. Rashaan Evans, Alabama
Even though Rashaan Evans only registered 66 tackles this past season, he was able to make the most of those limited opportunities as he consistently and effective hit would be runners behind the line of scrimmage (11.5 tackles for a loss) and was particularly deadly when he utilized his speed to hit the quarterback (six sacks). Combined with his impressive athleticism, Evans has all of the physical tools to be a potent edge rusher at the next level.
3. Harold Landry, Boston College
Although the highly touted and versatile linebacker missed several games due to an ankle injury during his senior season, Harold Landry had 8.5 tackles for a loss and five sacks even though he recorded just 38 tackles on the season. While Landry had a rough outing against the Fighting Irish when it came to stopping the run, this most likely was the result of his wavering health issues rather than his supposed ineptitude in that regard.
2. Tremaine Edmunds, Virginia Tech
Lengthy, extremely fast and opportunistic when it comes to finding the football, Tremaine Edmunds has both the skill set and size to be highly productive in the NFL. With 14 tackles for a loss, Edmunds has the motor and instincts to find the football, which will be less than ideal for opposing ball handlers that are unfortunate enough to experience his wrath.
1. Roquan Smith, Georgia
Having the ability and versatile skill sets to play either inside or outside, Roquan Smith is a natural tackler when defending the run and was also reliable in coverage. With 137 tackles in 2017, Smith has the motor and physicality to make plays anywhere on the field, which will allow him to be a consummate leader anywhere across the defensive line for a team that is lucky enough to snag him up sometime during the first round of the draft.
