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
90 94 82 73
87.1
3

Reid
Carrico

LB
West Virginia   Mascot
West Virginia Mascot
87 61 71 60
70.0
4

Jaishawn
Barham

LB
Michigan   Mascot
Michigan Mascot
84 72 88 46
82.0
5

Stephen
Dix Jr.

LB
Arkansas   Mascot
Arkansas Mascot
82 57 74 64
62.3
6

Stefon
Thompson

LB
Nebraska   Mascot
Nebraska Mascot
82 60 69 69
55.5
7

Troy
Bowles

LB
Georgia   Mascot
Georgia Mascot
78 57 60 59
72.0
8

Raylen
Wilson

LB
Georgia   Mascot
Georgia Mascot
78 65 76 68
86.6
9

Anthony
Hill Jr.

LB
Texas   Mascot
Texas Mascot
77 74 86 74
88.7
10

Jason
Henderson

LB
Old Dominion   Mascot
Old Dominion Mascot
77 64 71 63
79.7
11

Eric
Gentry

LB
USC   Mascot
USC Mascot
77 84 75 60
77.5
12

Prince
Kollie

LB
Vanderbilt   Mascot
Vanderbilt Mascot
73 63 61 69
67.2
13

David
Bailey

LB
/ED
Stanford   Mascot
Stanford Mascot
72 99 64 90
83.1
14

Suntarine
Perkins

LB
/ED
Ole Miss   Mascot
Ole Miss Mascot
72 68 63 79
83.1
15

Deontae
Lawson

LB
Alabama   Mascot
Alabama Mascot
71 77 89 61
84.5
16

Samuel
M'Pemba

LB
/ED
Georgia   Mascot
Georgia Mascot
70 54 41 49
51.3
17

James
Williams

LB
Miami   Mascot
Miami Mascot
67 56 65 88
80.3
18

Gabe
Jacas

LB
/ED
Illinois   Mascot
Illinois Mascot
65 78 64 56
80.0
19

Harold
Perkins Jr.

LB
LSU   Mascot
LSU Mascot
65 78 71 74
83.1
20

Xavian
Sorey Jr.

LB
Arkansas   Mascot
Arkansas Mascot
65 73 74 48
74.8