Taurean York is LB1: The Texas A&M linebacker seldom misses tackles and possesses a super high football IQ.
Suntarine Perkins' projection is currently difficult: Perkins is a top-tier athlete but has only played 49 box snaps during his career.
Estimated Reading Time: 14 minutes
The 2025 college football season has just begun, but it's never too early to break down prospects for next spring's draft class.
PFF Lead NFL Draft Analyst Trevor Sikkema offers his breakdowns for 17 linebacker prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft, including Whit Weeks, Anthony Hill Jr. and Harold Perkins.
MIKE Linebacker
Taurean York, Texas A&M
Strengths
Team captain as an underclassman
Rarely misses tackles
Extremely high football IQ, even as an underclassman
Jitterbug play style and pursuit to the ball
Always on his toes; ready to change direction or pursue
Fiery competitor
Weaknesses
Lack of weight/size gets him bullied versus linemen
Lack of length impacts how well he can affect the catch point
Scouting Summary
York wasn't always destined for DI stardom — but you couldn't tell that looking at his college career now. He's been a starter and quarterback of the defense since his true freshman season. He is undersized (hence why he was under-recruited), but he is a fiery competitor, a very reliable tackler, nimble on his feet and explosive toward the ball. He's a future NFL starter as a MIKE, and a player coaches will love.
Anthony Hill Jr., Texas
Strengths
Good first-step explosiveness from a linear perspective
Knows where to be and what to do for the betterment of the team/play
Wore the green dot as just a true sophomore as the main communicator from the coaches to the rest of their defense
Excellent pre-snap IQ and communication, especially for how young he is
Anticipation can make up for lack of special movement skills
Long arms help stack-and-shed blocking vs WRs/TEs
Weaknesses
Lacks a good feel for coverage when receiver gets behind him
Hips/CoD is fine, but not top-tier
Can be a straight-line pass-rusher, but isn't the bend-y type for edge work
Scouting Summary
Hill's underclassman tape is very impressive — his communication, recognition and anticipation project to a starting NFL middle linebacker. His change-of-direction fluidity and agility aren't standout traits, but his awareness makes up for that lack of a half-step. He has plus arm length and is a solid tackler, but needs more impactful plays in coverage to be a sure-fire first-rounder.
Austin Romaine, Kansas State
Strengths
Good size for an NFL linebacker
Good reaction speed to fly to the ball if he doesn't totally anticipate
Three forced fumbles as a sophomore
Light on his feet; balances to sift through chaos
Pretty precise in his coverage shuffles
Block deconstruction was quicker in 2024
Weaknesses
Quick athlete, but doesn't appear to be super explosive
Missed tackle percentage was better in 2024, but slightly higher than ideal
Takes on linemen with pride, but can get pushed around
Scouting Summary
Romaine has the heart and mind of a MIKE linebacker. He's the pre-snap communicator and leader of the Wildcats' defense. He is light on his feet and can move in any direction with haste. Romaine's top speed might not be the best, but he masks that with good anticipation and reaction speed. He lacks the punch at contact when taking on blockers, but does so with pride and savviness to deconstruct quickly. With a bit more muscle and anticipation, he can be a starting MIKE in the league.
CJ Allen, Georgia
Strengths
Has the strength to work through blockers
Nice all-around athleticism in all directions from his two-way days (RB and LB)
Eyes are always on the ball
He was UGA's main sub-package LB, even if the Bulldogs were in dime
Consistently lines ball carriers up between the shoulders
Very reliable run defender
Weaknesses
Measureables make him a bit undersized for the pro level (though frame is pretty well filled out)
Would like to see him turn up the violence and pop at contact
Scouting Summary
Allen is a player who presents a great baseline as a MIKE linebacker. The question is: just how high is his ceiling? In 2024, he knew where to be in his place in the defense, but in 2025, he could show more playmaking instincts — not just running to a spot (though that's not a bad thing at all). He's a very reliable tackler and sound in almost everything he does. His multi-position and multi-sport backgrounds from high school give him adequate all-around movement skills.
Drayk Bowen, Notre Dame
Strengths
Built like an NFL linebacker
Quick processor with a fast trigger to the ball
Extremely reliable tackler; just a 6% missed tackle percetnage in 2024
Arrives at pulling/climbing linemen with force
Weaknesses
Speed might be below-average for the NFL
Range in coverage is limited
Scouting Summary
Bowen has the linebcker background you love. Not only did he play multiple positions in football (LB and RB), but he also played multiple sports (football and baseball) at a scholarship level. He's a throwback, true MIKE linebacker whose best work is done between the tackles with good strnegth against offesive linemen and a very reliable tackling percentage. His pursuit speed and range in coverage appear to be slightly limited, but we'll see how much faster he can play moving forward — he was just an underclassman in 2024.
Jaishawn Barham, Michigan
Strengths
Good height/weight for the NFL
First step is quite explosive
Plus arm length allows him to stack and shed easily
Can be a useful speed rusher off the edge; good speed-to-power blitzer as well
Very confident and fast downhill player
Impressively low missed tackle percentage in 2024
Weaknesses
Confidence is much better moving toward the LOS than shuffling back
Played much faster in 2024, but does feel a tad out of control with that speed
Coverage shuffle feels clunky
No forced incompletions and one INT in 2023 and 2024
Scouting Summary
Barham is built like an NFL linebacker. He also has the combination of speed and strength of one. He's a strong and reliable tackler with long arms and an explosive first step toward the ball carrier. He can also convert speed to power well as a blitzer. However, he doesn't have much coverage production at all. More impact in that area could lead to a mid-to-early Day 2 selection.
Amare Campbell, North Carolina
Strengths
Low missed tackle percentage despite smaller size
Very fluid athlete
Good first step, especially moving forward
Quick processor to locate and hunt the ball
Weaknesses
Listed height and weight is below 20th percentile for the position
Will yield ground to pulling/climbing blockers
Scouting Summary
Campbell is a good presentation of where linebacker play is going: sacrificing some size to get more speed on the field. This gives him three-down versatility, especially since his missed tackle percentage was below 10% in 2024. He doesn't have much production in coverage, but his movement skills say he could if asked to drop into coverage more. His first step is explosive on the blitz, specifically up the middle. If your scheme is built for smaller linebackers (more beef in the front or just a more all-out attacking style), he can be a contributing player.
Lander Barton, Utah
Strengths
Punches above his weight class when it comes to taking on blocks
Constant pre-snap communicator
Good downhill speed as a blitzer
Has a takeaway mentality for forced fumbles
Oily hips for change of direction
Weaknesses
Still improving in anticipation for where the ball is going
Missed tackle rate consistently higher than preferred throughout his career
Has trouble stopping and starting on a dime
Sometimes worried about the top speed
Scouting Summary
Barton has a good baseline for linebacker IQ and defensive communication as the centerpiece player. He is generally in the right position with run fits, and can punch above his weight class when taking on blockers. However, his stop-and-start ability was concerning in 2024, and that was part of why his missed tackle percentage has been high. He needs to be sharper to the ball to be seen as a starting NFL linebacker.
Jason Henderson, Old Dominion
Strengths
Very instinctual player; first step is almost always correct
Uses good hand technique when taking on/getting around blockers
Top speed will be a question; quickness won't be
Very low missed tackle percentages as a starter in 2022 and 2023
Weaknesses
Very small for the position in the pros; might not be able to put on much more weight
Short strides will impact pursuit ability, especially in the NFL
Gets taken for a ride against pulling offensive linemen
Scouting Summary
Henderson's size will be a limiting factor in his NFL as well as his draftable potential. He's likely a UDFA type, especially given his knee injury history. As long as he's healthy, he can be an intriguing special teams player with good quickness, great effort and high football IQ.
WILL Linebacker
Deontae Lawson, Alabama
Strengths
Green-dot signal caller on the defense
PFF run-defense grades have improved every season
Can flip the hips and change direction with ease
Fiesty and competitive against blockers much bigger than him; good violence to his game
Good movement skills to cover players out of the backfield and tight ends from inline
Very good downhill/gap-shooting speed as a blitzer
Weaknesses
Weight profile is well below NFL average
Few impactful plays as a true coverage linebacker
Scouting Summary
Despite being a five-star recruit, it has taken Lawson some time to really develop into a player that has a legit NFL projection — but he has arrived. Before an injury that sidelined him after the Oklahoma game, 2024 was his best work in diagnosing plays and in run defense. He also naturally has good explosiveness and fluidity at a lower weight, which likely lends to WILL linebacker as his best spot. The weight is somewhat of a concern for the pros, but he approaches blockers (even linemen) with good, competitive toughness. He has also been the green-dot communicator for the Tide.
Kyle Louis, Pittsburgh
Strengths
Very fast linebacker; will be a top-percentile athlete
Understands the job requirement to take on blocks despite slender size
Can play as an overhang/APEX slot defender from the box
Weaknesses
Lacks hitting power from lower-body density
Will get pushed off his spot easily if he's not making contact with momentum
Scouting Summary
Louis is smaller for a linebacker; he looks more like a safety. But, he plays in the box with high energy and contagious tenaciousness. He can convert speed to power effectively, but if he's not making contact with momentum, he's easily pushed aside. As a WILL linebacker, he can be a good hybrid box or slot defender with some impact moments in coverage against tight ends.
Sammy Omosigho, Oklahoma
Strengths
Moves very well for a linebacker
Has experience as a slot/APEX defender in coverage
Experience as a SAM linebacker on the line of scrimmage
Has the size and speed combination to match tight ends
Can really run through blocking WRs/TEs when he's in the slot
Weaknesses
Play speed is great, but does need to become more controlled when approaching ball carriers to not over-run
Scouting Summary
Omosigho is light on experience heading into his true junior season, but there is a lot to like. His 6-foot-1 height is in the 30th percentile for a linebacker, but his size and speed combination is still very impressive. He has great hip fluidity and a good first step for all sorts of coverage responsibilities. He can also play strong as a SAM on the line of scrimmage. If he can get more snaps under his belt and continue to play well, he will carry a starting projection to the pros.
Whit Weeks, LSU
Strengths
Very good movement skills; quick, explosive, fluid
Can really get sideline-to-sideline
Weaknesses
Quite small weight-wise for the position
Can sometimes dip his head to make contact (commons with guys who are underweight)
Scouting Summary
Weeks is a fantastic mover for the linebacker position. His lower weight lends itself to that, but regardless, he is quick, explosive and fluid to really be a difference-maker in space and as a blitzer. He can dip his head when tackling and has a few misses. On top of that, he does need to gain weight for the next level to be more reliable taking on blocks as well as wrapping up tackling. If he can anticipate the ball a little better, he has the movement skills to be a starting WILL linebacker.
Suntarine Perkins, Ole Miss
Strengths
Incredible athlete, even with lower weight adjustments
Can convert speed into power when pass rushing
Has the explosiveness and hip fluidity to cover tight ends down the field
Weaknesses
Has a lot of reps where he is lined up as an edge defender; far too small to play there in the NFL
No INTs or forced incompletions in his two years of play (only 49 total snaps as a box defender in his career)
Scouting Summary
Perkins is a fantastic athlete, even when adjusting those expectations to his lower weight — he could play off-ball linebacker or maybe even safety. But, his projection is very difficult right now. He has only played 49 total snaps as an off-ball linebacker in two years, with most of his snaps coming as an edge rusher in a 2-point stance. He severely lacks the size to play as a full-time edge defender in the NFL. Any projection for him right now is based on what we haven't seen yet (and might not see in his college career).
Sonny Styles, Ohio State
Strengths
Imposing size for a linebacker
Fluid movement skills (especially when retreating) with safety background
Has the coverage ability to drop MOF as a Tampa 2 MIKE
Long wingspan to stack blockers or wrap up ball carriers
Weaknesses
Still working on the instinctual steps/anticipation of playing linebacker
Needs to put a bigger emphasis on forcing ball carriers back inside
Scouting Summary
Styles looks the part of an NFL linebacker with an imposing frame, even as a converted defensive back. He has improved his run-stopping ability thanks, in part, to his long wingspan to wrap up ball carriers. As a former safety, he's fluid and moves well when dropping in coverage. The linebacker instincts are still a work in progress, but there is a good baseline for improvement to be made. That offers him a mid-round projection heading into 2025.
Harold Perkins Jr., LSU
Strengths
Top speed, explosiveness, agility are all S-tier for a linebacker
Rare pursuit range/closing speed
Can easily carry slot/inline receivers going vertical up the middle
Elite blitzer; even has bend in his pass rushes
Weaknesses
Lower weight makes deconstructing blocks more challenging
Lacks the strength to stop NFL ball carriers without yards after contact
Torn ACL in 2024
Scouting Summary
Perkins possesses rare athletic ability for a linebacker. He lacks the measurables and strength to be a full-time pass rusher, but his ability to win and get in the backfield is impressive, even as just as a speed rusher. Right now, he struggles to get off blocks quickly — or hold anchor — and thus would be best utilized as an outside linebacker or slot defender in his current state. The more space he's in, the more his gifts shine. Ideally, he would add more weight and strength, but I'm not sure that's in the cards with him not doing so already.
Rasheem Biles, Pittsburgh
Strengths
High-motor player
Has a mentality to always attack ball security
Good quickness to sift between chaos
Athletic enough to drop to the flat to cover/undercut out routes
Missed tackle percentage was much improved in 2024
Weaknesses
1st-percentile weight profile for the position
Takes all of his body, and then some, to wrap up ball carriers
If he doesn't slip blocks/shoot gaps, he will get moved off the ball
Scouting Summary
Biles is a former do-it-all athlete from his high school days, playing running back, wide receiver and defensive back. He found a home at linebacker as a smaller but quicker player in Pittsburgh's attacking front that prioritizes his skillset. In the pros, he can succeed as a WILL linebacker or bigger slot defender in streamlined defensive lineups, but you won't want him in between the tackles too often. He can also be an ace on special teams.