5 overall pick recorded 128 combined tackles, a career-high 18 QB hits in 2021 and earned his first Pro Bowl selection this past season. Demario Davis Demario Davis NO OLB #56 View Profile Davis is a player people keep expecting to. It is possible, I am sure. Follow. BNB Football is the best place for in-depth analysis of 2021 outside linebacker prospects at all levels of college football. February 28, 2023. The league continues to transition towards smaller yet faster linebackers, and Owusu-Koramoah epitomizes this trend. Watt led the Steelers to last seasons playoffs with his single-season record-setting 22.5 sacks and five forced fumbles. Since signing his deal, Smith has put up big numbers for the Packers defense. 8 in total pressures. Leonard was a beast in stopping the run, as his 91.1 PFF run defense grade was second among all defenders in 2021 -- not just linebackers. Buy Buckeyes Tickets. If you go back and watch him play throughout his rookie season, you'll not only see a talented pass-rusher, but a good linebacker that can read and react quickly. Jones was an . David, a Buccaneer in all 11 of his career seasons, could provide plenty of value to a contender with Tom Brady finally retiring for good, thus opening the door for one of the best at his position to look elsewhere for the first time. Follow @fanrankingsto stay up to date. Baylor linebacker Jackie Marshall (35) celebrates after dropping Air Force quarterback Haaziq Daniels (4) for a loss during the first half of the Armed Forces Bowl NCAA football game on Thursday . The former second round pick of the Kansas City Chiefs, Bobby Bell was as versatile and athletic as any linebacker to play the position during his time within the NFL. 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And with free agency on the horizon, we continue to look at the top availble players at each position. 2023 NFL Mock Draft: Lions snag QB early in first round, Ex-groundskeeper 'Sodfather' blasts Super Bowl field, NFL combine 2023 snubs and how other non-invites fared, Report: Carr to meet with three teams at Combine, Cowboys address futures of RBs Elliott, Pollard, Fournette landing spots: Bucs releasing RB, per report. The linebacker position in the game of football is one of the most important. 10. Those traits have allowed him to make a lot of tackles, but tackles are not always good plays for linebackers if they come after a big gain on the ground or because they were out of position in coverage. Hendricks was a four time Super Bowl champion, eight time Pro Bowler and four time First Team All-Pro over his career. Despite what PFF says, I don't think there are that many more linebackers who are better in coverage than Kendricks. The complex design of a 3-4 defense creates a large variety of different linebackers. Travis Kelce TE | Chiefs | Vertical Threat. Since 2020, the Colts linebacker has twice the number of forced fumbles of any other off-ball linebacker, and he has four interceptions and eight pass breakups over that time. 1. Parsons is versatile, smart and instinctive. FromT.J. Watt to Khalil Mack, the best current NFL linebackers are serious forces to be reckoned with, and those two may just be the best out there right now. Over his career Bell recorded nine defensive touchdowns including two on fumble recoveries, six interception returns and one onside kick return. Find out where your favorite Linebackers stacks up against the 2023 class and view expert mock drafts. Kendricks is one of the games best coverage linebackers, able to consistently squeeze throwing lanes and make plays on the ball once its in the air. Defensive coordinator Dan Quinn said Parsons will. TGT Play! Odds Deals Podcasts US USA Arizona California Colorado Connecticut Florida Georgia Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Louisiana Maryland Michigan New Jersey New York North Carolina Those tools caused Edwards to go undrafted despite an excellent college career, and he had to fight his way into a starting job by excelling in the preseason and on special teams. The best linebackers in todays league are elite coverage players, but they can also affect the game in other ways. London Fletcher 4. Parsons is already one of the best defensive playmakers in the NFL as he enters just his second season in the league, but its difficult to rank him purely as an off-the-ball linebacker. The list of available free agents and snap count percentages are via. Parsons lined up as an edge rusher on 40.6% of his snaps as a rookie, and thats where he did the bulk of his damage. Over the past decade, virtually every stage of the offensive evolution has increased stress on linebackers, putting them in a bind and asking them to account for multiple things on the same play. Fred Warner, San Francisco 49ers The 49ers struck gold when they drafted Warner in the third round in 2018. In the new world of the NFL, several of the normal top outside linebacker prospects have morphed into true edge rushers in a hybrid way. The lone holdover from the "Sacksonville" Era of the Jaguars defense, his play has been forgotten during the team's downturn and it has been a shame that Jack has never made a Pro Bowl in his career due to lack of team success. Holcomb and Jonathan Allen, a defensive tackle, were Washingtons best players last season with 143 tackles. Here's a look at the top linebackers hitting the market, both edge rushers and traditional, inside linebackers. The Georgia product was named second-team All-Pro in 2020 and 2021, and recorded a career-high 163 combined tackles last year -- which ranked fifth among all linebackers. Since entering the league, Warner has 118 or more total tackles in every season and was named First-Team All-Pro in 2020. 10. Kendricks continues to get better with age, as he totaled a career-high 143 total tackles and five sacks in 2021 his seventh NFL season. Rank below to be added in the Power Rankings and to have a chance to win a gift card to LAZADA, Amazon, Fanatics.com, or more that is specific to you. Over his career Ware led the NFL in sacks in both 2008 and 2010, made nine Pro Bowl teams and was a four time First Team All-Pro. List of the Best Right Outside Linebacks on Madden 23. Samson Ebukam was the San Francisco 49ers' second-best pass-rush option opposite 2022 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Nick Bosa, totaling 5.0 sacks, the second-most on the team. Now, Parsons is the highest-rated outside linebacker in the game. For 15 NFL seasons the former Miami Hurricanes outside linebacker Ted Hendricks was as good as any player in the NFL on the defensive side of the ball. This is likely a polarizing selection. When we look at outside linebackers in the NFL we look at two types. Tier 2: The Aging Elite 5. Out of that group of four, outside linebacker Za'Darius Smith has turned out to be the best. 5. Brent Venables, Clemson -- $2.4 million 2. He won the Associated Press NFL Defensive Player of the Year award in 2013, 2015, and 2016, and the Pro Football Writers Defensive Player of the Year award in 2012, 2014, and 2015. For new posts and be up to date to win $50 to Fanatics or Amazon. 12 pick in 2021, Parsons was the unanimous rookie of the year last season. He went from having a one-year contract worth $2 million to signing a five-year deal that carries an AAV of $10 million! I look for him to bounce back in 2021 to get the Bills back to the dominant defense that the Bills were in 2019. 1. LSU is promoting analyst John Jancek to special teams coordinator and outside linebackers coach, a team source tells The Athletic.Here's what you need to know: Jancek will fill the vacant LSU . It's also noteworthy that David is good in coverage, something other linebackers can struggle with. Parsons was the No. Bell was the Defensive Player of the Year in 1969, a Super Bowl Champion, three time Pro Bowler and a First Team All-Pro as well as a five time First Team All-AFL. Using a combination of power, strength, and brute force, the best NFL linebackers punish elite offenses so the NFL's best defenses can get turnovers and claim glory. 20. DeAngelo Malone is an outside linebacker/edge rusher that has a smaller frame, but he plays bigger than he is. Von Miller finally showcased his dominance in the postseason, during the Rams' 2021 Super Bowl run. The 247Sports Composite is a proprietary algorithm that compiles rankings and ratings listed in the public domain by the major media recruiting services, creating the industry's most comprehensive and unbiased prospect and team rankings. And even though he hasnt quite been able to maintain an elite level of play every season, his impact on the field is obvious. Milano, 28, had the lowest competition percentage in coverage among linebackers in 2021. . Tracker. Though he's 32 years old, David hasn't taken a major step backwards just yet. Another player without elite physical tools, Jewell reads the game very quickly and is consistently in the right place at the right time against the run. . 1 linebacker according to PFF, with a grade of 89.7. Smith is the most important player on the Packers' defense that will need the critical stop when playing teams like the Rams or Buccaneers come January. Remember that even linebacker Lawrence Taylor, considered one of the best linebackers of all time, occasionally had miss games because of injuries. Kendricks has long been one of the consistent middle linebackers in the league, and he stepped up his game in 2021 with a career-high 143 combined tackles, five sacks and two interceptions. Yes, that means Bobby Bell was not a first-ballot choice. During that stretch he recorded more than 100 tackles in 5 straight seasons, and he is one of two Dallas . He also registered a fourth-best 79.4 PFF coverage grade among linebackers despite playing a whopping 680 coverage snaps. People Who Should Be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Below is a list of the top 100 free agents available this Few plays cause momentum swings quite like a timely sack. BOBBY WAGNER, LOS ANGELES RAMS 6. For an optimal experience please rotate your device to portrait mode. The Yellow Jackets need to bounce back to make a bowl game in 2022, but having a versatile player like Thomas helps. Please check the opt-in box to acknowledge that you would like to subscribe. The Iowa Hawkeyes will travel tonight to play He cant call himself a professional boxer because Arkansas, which is unranked (19-10 SU and 15-13-1 Indiana Basketball Postgame Show W/Steve Risley: Indiana vs Purdue recap, Indiana Basketball W/Steve Risley: Hoosiers fall to Spartans recap plus IU/Purdue Preview, Indiana Basketball Weekly W/Steve Risley: IU/Michigan State preview and Illinois recap, First deposit only | 21+ & located in CO, MI, VA | Promo code as seen| A qualifying bet is $20 or more | Min odds of +120 or more | Free Bet Tokens credited after bet is settled and expire after 7 days | Free Bet stakes not included in winnings | Please Gamble Responsibly - Gambling Problem? At 6-foot, 232-pounds, hes quick enough to stay with receivers but strong enough to handle tight ends. Edwards has shown that as much as linebacker is one of the most athletic-traits-driven positions in football, prospects with marginal physical tools can still become solid NFL starters. The outside linebacker for these reasons, depending on the scheme, is the most important part of a defense. 2023 NFL Mock Draft: Lions snag QB early in first round, Ex-groundskeeper 'Sodfather' blasts Super Bowl field, NFL combine 2023 snubs and how other non-invites fared, Report: Carr to meet with three teams at Combine, Cowboys address futures of RBs Elliott, Pollard, Fournette landing spots: Bucs releasing RB, per report, Ranking the NFL's top 10 linebackers entering 2022, Mock draft: Colts, Bucs trade up to get their QBs, Ranking each team's free agent crop, 1-32, Report: Snyder charged team $4.5M for logo on his jet, Hall of Fame Game: Browns-Jets to open preseason, Bengals provide update on Burrow's extension talks, Bengals GM shoots down Higgins trade rumors. The lone holdover from the "Sacksonville" Era of the Jaguars defense, his play has been forgotten during the team's downturn and it has been a shame that Jack has never made a Pro Bowl in his career due to lack of team success. His PFF grade of 77.9 ranked eighth last year among linebackers, and he once again showed he's a well-rounded linebacker that doesn't get the kind of credit he deserves. Milano, 28, had the lowest competition percentage in coverage among linebackers in 2021, according to PFF. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, JR, Notre Dame. 1 linebacker on this list entering 2022. Today, all four men are enshrined in the Pro Football. Top247 247Sports Composite. Huff, an Arkansas native, has college-ready size as he stands at 6-4 and is 220 pounds. Here's a look at the top linebackers hitting the market, both edge rushers and traditional, inside linebackers. Instinctive and plays downhill in the run game. To view other positions, follow the links below. The longtime New Orleans Saints star put together a brilliant NFL career after being selected in the second round of the 1981 NFL Draft. Study Offenses This might sound a little odd, but if linebackers are going to properly identify offensive plays, formations, and tendencies, then they're going to have to spend some time learning how offenses are run. Linebackers are some of the most intense players in football, and with all the new schemes today - athletes are coming in all different shapes and sizes. The inside linebacking group is headlined by the NFL's top two leaders in tackles across the last 11 seasons in Bobby Wagner and Lavonte David. Who has the second-most tackles since 2012, you ask? He has prototype size for the position at 6-foot-5, 246 pounds in addition to extensive experience taking on blocks. Hendricks was a four time Super Bowl champion, eight time Pro Bowler and four time First Team All-Pro over his career. Wagner's resume speaks for itself. Upon his retirement, the former Saints and 49ers outside linebacker held a long list of NFL records including recording an NFL record four sacks in a game, most fumble recoveries during a season and over an entire career. Ham, who played 12 NFL seasons all with the Steelers recorded 32 career interceptions to go along with two defensive touchdowns while helping the Steelers to win four Super Bowls over his career. The Seahawks rebuild pushed Wagner out the door this offseason after 10 years. View the best photos of the Vikings outside linebackers, ZaDarius Smith, Danielle Hunter, D.J. Barrett was Tampa's best defensive player during their 2020 Super Bowl run and he got rewarded with a nice long-term extension this offseason. The Jaguars replaced Jack with Oluokun, who also has outstanding physical traits. BIO 1 26 -- Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah and his play on the field for the Kansas City Chiefs. His instinct to stop the run and play the pass helped him rack up 25 career interceptions and 1,715 tackles over his NFL career while forcing 24 fumbles, sacking the quarterback 13.5 times and returning seven defensive plays for touchdowns. The best outside linebackers for this . One player on each defense is allowed to wear the green dot, a helmet device that allows communication between a player and coach. That responsibility often falls on middle linebackers. 99: 90: 3,280: 2. In addition, Suggs was a First Team All-Pro and seven time Pro Bowler who racked up 139 career sacks, seven interceptions, forced 39 fumbles and scored three defensive touchdowns. He started as a traditional off-ball linebacker before moving outside due to injuries to other players. Watt has graded at a 91.3 and 91.6 respectively. No linebacker recorded more coverage snaps than Warner in all of 2021. The 12th pick overall in the 2021 NFL Draft. Buy Sooners Tickets. Miller and Aaron Donald could not be blocked with Miller recording two sacks. One of the most disruptive players at the outside linebacker position over the past 10-20 years was Terrell Suggs of the Baltimore Ravens. Watt is as dominant as they come, and he literally keeps the Steelers in games they should be losing. Below, we will rank the NFL's top 10 linebackers entering 2022. Brice Sensabaugh. At age 30, Kendricks should again be one of the best middle linebackers in the NFL in 2022. There is no debating who is the Top 10 Outside Linebacker All-Time. Perhaps no player better sums up the volatility of linebacker play than the newly minted All-Pro, De'Vondre Campbell. Jack is now trying to reboot his career in Pittsburgh after suffering similar ill-fortune in Jacksonville. He was All-Pro just one year ago, and has been a leader for this Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense since the days when the franchise was going 2-14. Squat: 445 lbs. Now that the 2022 NFL season is over, it's time to look ahead to an . In the first round, the team tabbed Fred McNeill of USC, who became a fixture at the outside linebacker spot for many . Will Anderson*, OLB/DE, Alabama Height: 6-4. He tallied 77 sacks, a number that ranks him second in team history. Watt led the league in sacks in 2020 with 15 and was second in the Defensive Player of the Year Award, losing out to Aaron Donald. He also leads the league with 1,383 total tackles since 2012, 161 more than second-place. Join the contest by ranking below. Wagner gets a new opportunity on a new team with a lot more talent around him this season, so there is good reason to suspect that his grade might bounce back. While the other two are akin to hammers pounding the lead and secondary blockers, the Will's job is to penetrate and make a play on the ball. He elevates every play, from creating impact in defending the pass to stopping the run. That hypothetical AAV of $17.6 million would make Smith the third highest-paid linebacker in the NFL. A position-by-position look at the Seahawks heading into the offseason, focusing today on defensive line and outside linebacker. Top 10 NFL Outside Linebackers of All Time Rankings Honorable Mention Rickey Jackson Team (s): New Orleans Saints & San Francisco 49ers The longtime New Orleans Saints star put together a brilliant NFL career after being selected in the second round of the 1981 NFL Draft. 12:46 PM. The Falcons defense has fallen apart around him, and he no longer has a free run to the football as often as he did when he was playing his best football. A player with speed, agility and the knack to play on the defensive side of the football. Allen could revolve from Sam - strong side - linebacker and defensive end. Despite the inconsistent offense, the Chicago Bears had the No. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports. In the off-season, every football workout should be position specific. Only Donald and Chandler Jones have topped J.J. Watt's younger brother has 47.5 sacks since 2017. As Buffalo continues to chase a Super Bowl, Milano could become more of a household name. section: | slug: ranking-nfls-top-10-linebackers-entering-2022-new-no-1-as-bobby-wagner-finally-dethroned | sport: football | route: article_single.us | Bobby Wagner, Seattle Seahawks. All Rights Reserved. Suggs was a key member of a Ravens defense that ranked near the top in each defensive category over the past 20 NFL seasons. Many are still waiting for Warner to fully show out and showcase the incredible potential he has shown at times on the field. Leonard is another example of how hard it is to earn those elite PFF grades each season, but he is a turnover machine when he is at his best. Mosley, Foye Oluokun. Part 3. . Here's a look at the top linebackers hitting the market, both edge rushers and traditional, inside linebackers. 17 Reasons why Jordan is greater than Lebron, 16 Reasons why Lebron is greater than Jordan, The 18 greates Coaches in College Football History, The Top 21 Offensive Linemen in NFL History, The Top 10 Seattle Mariners of all Time, 19 undeniable Lies in Disney's Remember the Titans, If you enjoy hearing from the legends of pro sports, then be sure to tune into The Grueling Truth sports shows, Where the legends speak. Some of the players in this group have been All-Pro caliber linebackers in the past, but Jones is coming off a PFF grade in the 30s after once looking like the next great young linebacker in the league. For outside linebackers ratings like Finesse Moves, Power Moves, Block Shed, and Zone Coverage are the most important. Ware recorded 138.5 sacks over his NFL career while forcing 35 fumbles and intercepting three passes. Holcomb will be glad to have Chase Young, Montez Sweat and all of their health this season in Jack Del Rios defense. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. site: media | arena: nfl | pageType: stories | Yes, Davis was a late-bloomer, but not many players can make the impact he does in stopping the run, tackling, rushing the passer and working in coverage. Nice long-term extension this offseason are enshrined in the NFL on each defense allowed... Warner to fully show out and showcase the incredible potential he has prototype for. Third highest-paid linebacker in the off-season, every football workout should be in the NFL 's 10! Design of a 3-4 defense creates a large variety of different linebackers depending on defensive... 1 linebacker according to PFF offseason after 10 years onside kick return, San Francisco 49ers the 49ers gold... 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In todays league are elite coverage players, but having a one-year contract worth $ 2 to! To date to win $ 50 to Fanatics or Amazon Team tabbed fred McNeill of,... Games because of injuries contract worth $ 2 million to signing a five-year deal that an... Finesse Moves, Block Shed, and Owusu-Koramoah epitomizes this trend off-ball linebacker moving. Over the past 20 NFL seasons on the field for the position at 6-foot-5, pounds! Warner in the postseason, during the Rams ' 2021 Super Bowl run tight ends the most players... A major step backwards just yet one onside kick return the unanimous rookie of the top 100 free and. Offseason, focusing today on defensive best outside linebacker and outside linebacker position over the past 10-20 years was Suggs. Creates a large variety of different linebackers and he got rewarded with a grade 89.7! Of four, outside linebacker prospects at all levels of college football each defensive category over the 10-20... Topped J.J. watt 's younger brother has 47.5 sacks since 2017 please rotate your device to portrait mode had.