BEST RATED TACKLING LINEBACKERS 2026 NFL Draft

2026 BEST RATED TACKLING LINEBACKERS

Linebackers have historically been the heartbeat of a stout defense, with tackling being paramount to their role on the gridiron. Examples such as Luke Kuechly (Boston College) and Manti Te’o (Notre Dame) spring to mind when considering collegiate linebackers who distinguished themselves with superior tackling acumen, fundamentally anchoring their respective defenses and often, leading them in tackles.

Explore the data below to discover the present-day linebackers making waves in college football with their exemplary tackling proficiency. The data encompasses tackling efficiency, solo tackles, and missed tackle percentage, providing a comprehensive view of how these defenders are realizing their role as the steadfast bulwarks of their respective defensive units.

2026 Linebackers ranked by TACKLING

RANK Player Pos Team TACKLING PASS RUSH RUN DEFENSE COVERAGE Rating
1

Drayk
Bowen

LB
Notre Dame   Mascot
Notre Dame Mascot
92 68 77 76
85.0
2

Amare
Campbell

LB
North Carolina   Mascot
North Carolina Mascot
89 91 79 70
87.1
3

Stefon
Thompson

LB
Nebraska   Mascot
Nebraska Mascot
82 60 70 69
55.5
4

Troy
Bowles

LB
Georgia   Mascot
Georgia Mascot
78 57 60 59
72.0
5

Raylen
Wilson

LB
Georgia   Mascot
Georgia Mascot
78 65 76 68
86.6
6

Anthony
Hill Jr.

LB
Texas   Mascot
Texas Mascot
77 74 86 74
88.7
7

Suntarine
Perkins

LB
/ED
Ole Miss   Mascot
Ole Miss Mascot
72 68 63 79
83.1
8

Deontae
Lawson

LB
Alabama   Mascot
Alabama Mascot
71 77 87 61
84.5
9

Samuel
M'Pemba

LB
/ED
Georgia   Mascot
Georgia Mascot
70 54 41 49
51.3
10

James
Williams

LB
Miami   Mascot
Miami Mascot
68 66 89
80.3
11

Jaiden
Ausberry

LB
Notre Dame   Mascot
Notre Dame Mascot
66 67 75 58
67.2
12

Gabe
Jacas

LB
/ED
Illinois   Mascot
Illinois Mascot
66 76 62 61
80.0
13

Harold
Perkins Jr.

LB
LSU   Mascot
LSU Mascot
65 78 71 74
83.1
14

Michael
Harris

LB
Maryland   Mascot
Maryland Mascot
63 79 75 55
85.3
15

Raul
Aguirre Jr.

LB
Miami   Mascot
Miami Mascot
60 54 71 62
50.1
16

Keon
Wylie

LB
Penn State   Mascot
Penn State Mascot
59 66 58 61
37.5
17

Keanu
Koht

LB
/ED
Alabama   Mascot
Alabama Mascot
56 51 48 55
43.7
18

Mitchell
Melton

LB
/ED
Ohio State   Mascot
Ohio State Mascot
54 73 73 60
65.2
19

Raesjon
Davis

LB
USC   Mascot
USC Mascot
54 60 59 55
59.3
20

Shad
Banks Jr.

LB
TCU   Mascot
TCU Mascot
54 53 60 58
58.5