Linebacker Rankings 2021 NFL Draft

LINEBACKER PROSPECT RANKING 2021 NFL DRAFT

The 2021 Linebacker draft class is good but not great, with only one prospect being worthy of a top 10 pick. Star line-backer for the Lions, Micah Parsons, is, without doubt, the top prospect at the position; he had a really strong 2019 season, finishing with over 100 tackles, 5 sacks, and 4 forced fumbles, and was a finalist for the Butkus Award.

He has everything an NFL team could want. The only thing that stops him from being drafted higher is the position (Inside Linebacker) he plays. The top outside linebacker prospect is Notre Dames's Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah; he's an explosive and versatile player whose only knock is his lack of ideal physical traits. He has had a strong 2020 season, at a time when a lot of other players have opted out, and that helped him in showcasing his skills.

The rest of the class is filled with excellent talent, with 11 prospects having our 80 plus rating (Quality prospect) assigned to them.

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LAST UPDATED: 04/01/2023

Player Rankings - Linebacker

# Player Pos H/W/S Team Weight Height 40YD AVG POS RANK AVG OVR RANK Rating Summary
78

OLB/ED
Kuony
Deng

6-6 240lbs 4.80
OLB/ED
California   Mascot
California Mascot
240lbs 6-6 4.80 86 640.5
30.0
Spends a lot of time outside the box in coverage, but he has the strength to hold the edge against large tight ends and linemen. Gives...
77

LB
Buddy
Johnson

6-2 240lbs 4.73
LB
PIT   Mascot
PIT Mascot
240lbs 6-2 4.73 56 326.3
30.0
Gives effort between the tackles to find the ball and is willing to take on linemen. Has good balance and short-area burst to stay on his...
76

OLB/ED
Derrick
Barnes

6-1 245lbs 4.57
OLB/ED
DET   Mascot
DET Mascot
245lbs 6-1 4.57 63 350
31.0
Brings down quarterbacks much bigger than he is. Very good motor and regularly chases down plays from behind. Big, aggressive hitter who...
75

LB
Milo
Eifler

6-2 225lbs
LB
NYJ   Mascot
NYJ Mascot
225lbs 6-2 47 286
31.0
74

OLB/ED
Elerson
Smith

5-10 262lbs 4.77
OLB/ED
NYG   Mascot
NYG Mascot
262lbs 5-10 4.77 36 220
33.0
Gets his hands in the passing lanes. Effort is mere in coverage. Tough between-the-tackles defender who shimmies past blockers to fill...
73

OLB/ED
Charles
Snowden

6-7 245lbs 4.75
OLB/ED
CHI   Mascot
CHI Mascot
245lbs 6-7 4.75 23 163.7
34.0
Good key and diagnosis skills. Quickly locates the ball and shows no wasted motion in getting there. At least adequate lateral agility to...
72

OLB/ED
Jamar
Watson

6-2 241lbs 4.78
OLB/ED
PIT   Mascot
PIT Mascot
241lbs 6-2 4.78 61 346.2
35.0
Has a filled-out frame with good thickness. Plays at full speed at all times with an active motor and determined quickness in pursuit. He...
71

LB
Tuf
Borland

6-1 233lbs 4.98
LB
MIN   Mascot
MIN Mascot
233lbs 6-1 4.98 40 243.8
35.0
Plays fast, flows with the action, showing smooth lateral agility and short-area burst. Has good instincts and awareness to quickly find...
70

LB
Justin
Hilliard

6-1 231lbs 4.81
LB
SF   Mascot
SF Mascot
231lbs 6-1 4.81 45 275.7
45.0
A bit stiff but makes the clean open-field tackle. Good effort in pursuit. Has recovery speed to get back into plays. Reliable open-field...
69

LB
Garret
Wallow

6-2 230lbs 4.65
LB
HOU   Mascot
HOU Mascot
230lbs 6-2 4.65 28 189.2
49.0
A bit stiff but makes the clean open-field tackle. Good effort in pursuit. Good key and diagnosis skills. Quickly locates the ball and...
68

LB
Tony
Fields II

6-1 220lbs 4.72
LB
CLE   Mascot
CLE Mascot
220lbs 6-1 4.72 30 204.2
52.0
Intelligent player who can play "MIKE" linebacker despite his lack of size because of his instincts and ability to find the ball in...
67

OLB/ED
Jon-Michael
Terry

6-3 245lbs 4.83
OLB/ED
Tulsa   Mascot
Tulsa Mascot
245lbs 6-3 4.83 171
52.0
An aggressive run defender, filling run lanes hard, and won't shy from contact. Plays with violence to fight off blocks, flashing a...

2021 NFL Draft Athleticism Chart - Outside Linebacker

We've compared players post combine 40 times and weight and charted them on the scatter chart below. You'll find the 40 time on the Y-axis and on the X-axis the weight in pounds.
The exceptional athletic freaks (determined by the combination of speed vs weight) will be found at the top right of the chart while the less impressive athletes will be sitting towards the bottom left.

For a much improved viewing experience (with more players) please view on a larger screen.

2021 NFL Draft Athleticism Chart - Outside Linebacker

We've compared players 40 times and weight and charted them on the scatter chart below. You'll find the 40 time on the Y-axis and on the X-axis the weight in pounds.
The exceptional athletic freaks (determined by the combination of speed vs weight) will be found at the top right of the chart while the less impressive athletes will be sitting towards the bottom left.