(Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports) The 2019 season was a breakout campaign for Alexander Johnson, as he posted 93 total tackles including five for a loss along with 1.5 sacks for the Denver Broncos. Also Read: 12 Best NFL Cornerbacks Right Now 3. Deion Jones, Atlanta Falcons. Teams respected Taylor every phase of his career. 10. This doesn't mean that Vander Esch isn't a talented linebacker. Who are the five best LSU linebackers of all time? Top 25 linebackers in the NFL for the 2021 season | 25-16 Who are the best linebackers in the National Football League? We begin our 2019 position rankings series with a look at the off-ball linebackers, including our top 10 ranking, a discussion of the Patriots approach and the value of new Jets LB C.J. 29) Bryce Paup. Fact checked by: Mike Goodpaster. Jayon Brown is one of the best linebackers, with a forced incompletion percentage of 11.3%. That includes the talented and young Buffalo Bills linebackers Matt. #1of 69The Best Texas A&M Football Players of All Time#150of 221The Best Hot Ones Guests Ever#14of 53The Most Likable Active NFL Players 11 Dre Greenlaw 137 Keaundre "Dre" Greenlaw (born May 25, 1997) is an American football outside linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). At 6-foot-5, Barr is a tall defender with 4.6-speed, making him a nightmare for quarterbacks to game plan against. Bergey retired with 27 interceptions. (Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports) As with the safeties, we start with some of the players that just missed out on this list. Alex Singleton, Denver Broncos 21. He was the best in the league defending the run earning the highest run defense grade of any linebacker by pro football focus. Moreover, he has also played for the New York Jets and Cleveland Browns. Honorable mentions: Tremaine Edmunds, Matt Milano, Logan Wilson, Shaq Thompson, Alexander Johnson, Deion Jones Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah , Zach Cunningham, Anthony Walker, C.J. The top 10 linebackers in NFL currently are dynamic weapons and reliable leaders. 5/10 Jaylon Smith. Leighton Vander Esch, Dallas Cowboys If you need an example of how poor the landscape is at linebacker, look no further than Leighton Vander Esch. pic.twitter.com/oO0lgSEXy0 Get the comprehensive list of every Linebacker for each NFL pro football team. all-weather outdoor recliner. If we were to . Not surprisingly, Perryman made the list, coming in at No. Listing all active NFL players from Notre Dame and their current contract breakdown. Fred Warner, San Francisco 49ers The 49ers struck gold when they drafted Warner in the third round in 2018. Top Linebackers! Let's have a look at them. Max Bullough, Michigan State 3. Here's the top 10 entering the 2022 season: 1. Ranking the top NFL Linebacker contracts and salaries in the NFL. Find the top linebacker prospects in the 2022 NFL Draft. I have Watt over Parsons today, but Parsons is just scratching the surface in his ability as a pass rusher and playing in coverage as a 4-3 outside linebacker. A: NAME: TEAM: COLLEGE: Alexander, Kwon: New York Jets: LSU: Allen, Josh: The Bears could look for one of these 2021 draft prospects to shore up their depth at the inside linebacker position. #UGA legend Roquan Smith with two INTs today. 6 / 10. It's still ridiculous to look back at the 2016 NFL Draft and realize that 51 players were selected before Jones. 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. While Parsons isn't eligible for an extension for a few more years, the Bears can give Smith a new deal at any time. TOP LINEBACKERS IN NFL. May 31, 2020 10:54 am CT. Smith has been one of the best coverage linebackers in the NFL since he came into the league. 2022 NFL Draft Linebacker Rankings. Matt Minich. Kyzir White, Philadelphia Eagles 23. Anthony Barr is a perfect example of the new-age linebackers in the NFL. Paup was a complete linebacker, who was especially great at rushing the passer. 23. Roquan Smith had 137 tackles including 14 for a loss and 6.5 sacks for the Bulldogs in 2017. 12. . This website is not affiliated with the NFL, NFLPA, or any individual NFL franchise. Patrick Queen, LSU (JR, 6'0", 229 pounds) Performing his best down the stretch during LSU's title run, Queen ended his breakout junior season with 6.0 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks in his . As much as I love Tremaine Edmunds, Roquan Smith is among the top three best players in this class, period. This is a subreddit for the NFL community. Publish Date: 04/20/2018. With that in mind, let's take a look at our ranking of the best linebackers in 2021. Cole. His. Top posts of November 10, 2013 Top posts of November 2013 Top posts of 2013 26 votes, 100 comments. He built on that performance during 2020, tallying 124 total tackles . Who is the best middle linebacker ever? (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) Sheppard was a third round pick in 2011 and currently plays for the Buffalo Bills. Bryce Paup was an outstanding pass rusher in the 1990's. His best season was his first year with the Bills where he had 17.5 sacks, 70 tackles, two INTs, and three forced fumbles. . Franklin currently leads the league in tackles with 54. Looking into LSU's 5 best linebackers of all-time. Smith graded at an 84 according to PFF last season, and he has recorded 100 plus tackles in each of his first three seasons in the NFL. Lewis, who was selected by the Baltimore Ravens with the team's second first round selection during the 1996 NFL Draft would go on to put together one of the greatest careers of any defensive player to play the game. #1 - Fred Warner, San Francisco 49ers. Brandon Eisenman. Eric Kendricks, UCLA 8. Smith is an excellent middle backer prospect who plays well against both the run and the pass. The LSU football program has produced some of the best linebackers ever over the years. Check out Gil's list here! Mosley. Since entering the league, Warner has 118 or more total tackles in every season and was named First-Team All-Pro in 2020. ESPN.com's NFL writers rank the top 10 linebackers in the league today. 11. Our top linebacker prospects are selected after thousands of hours carefully scouting the . 10. Honorable Mention Rickey Jackson NFL Comparison: Anthony Barr, Minnesota Vikings. DRINKS PRICES; TESTIMONIALS; BLOG; CONTACT; best linebackers in nfl currently Next week: Top 10 cornerbacks. 2. While Fred Warner is in contention to be the best linebacker in football right now, Dre Greenlaw is a solid foil within the same defense. 1. Bergey became one of the NFL's best linebackers in Philly, where he made five consecutive All-Pro teams and was the foundation for the "Gang Green" defense that made the playoffs in each of his last three seasons, including a trip to the Super Bowl in 1980. Darius Leonard, Joey Bosa, Matthew Judon are all impact players as well. In a recent article by Sam Monson of Pro Football Focus, he ranked the top 32 linebackers in the NFL heading into the 2022 season. DARIUS LEONARD, INDIANAPOLIS COLTS 3. Wagner was terrific diagnosing plays, properly fitting gaps and he was a sure tackler when he made it to ball carriers. Denzel Perryman, Las Vegas Raiders 22. Here is what Monson had to say about the Pro Bowl linebacker: "The league may be trending ever more toward the passing game, but there is still a . There are many top linebackers in NFL, and every linebacker is responsible for stopping the offense before it can reach the end zone. When Jaylon Smith was playing for Notre Dame many people considered him one of the best middle linebacker prospects of the last decade. The next on our list of the best NFL linebackers of 2021 is Demario Davis from Collins, Mississippi. Warner had a transformative effect on the 49ers defense when he became the starter. He played college football at Arkansas. Vincent Jackson, WR (Northern Colorado) (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara) Chris O'Meara/AP2012. J.J. Watt. 25. Telvin Smith, Florida State 4. . He has 90.0 sacks this decade, and only Miller, Jones, J.J. Watt, and Cameron Wakehave more over that span. John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports. Roquan Smith - Georgia - 6' 236. But the numbers alone make a strong case for the Washington pass-rusher. Brown, who has played with the Titans for four years, has re-signed with the team on a three-year. Linebackers often line up close to the offensive line and approximately 4 yards behind the defensive line. You are currently viewing the best inside linebackers in the 2020 NFL Draft. Curtis Grant, Ohio State 11. With that said, here is our list of the Top 10 Outside Linebackers All-Time. Before bursting into the scene in NFL, Kendricks attended and played for the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in his collegiate career. Ryan Kerrigan:His inclusion above better-known players might raise some eyebrows. This makes them very important in stopping the run, and they must be able to move . 47. Most of the guys in this group are run stoppers for the inside, but there are a few who can do a little bit of everything. C.J. Unfortunately, Smith suffered a devastating injury that severely affected his NFL Draft stock and delayed his NFL coming-out party. He is a consistent tackler, and came in at No. LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 1: Matt Millen #55 of the Los Angeles Raiders shows some jubilation after making a play against the Pittsburgh Steelers during an NFL football game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum January 1, 1984 in Los Angeles, California. Lavonte David, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 19. The Top Ten. SDS counts them down. Greenlaw missed just 4.7% of his tackle attempts over the past two seasons of play for the 49ers and allowed only 7.4 yards per reception in coverage. Hayes Pullard, USC 10. George Connor Mosley, Alabama 2. Smith . Antonio Morrison, Florida 9. San Francisco 49ers LB Fred Warner. MLB Draft April Spotlight. Moving up our 15 Best NFL Defensive Ends list, Justin James Watt is an American football defensive end who plays for the Arizona Cardinals. New Orleans Saints, 1986-1992; Detroit Lions, 1993-1994; Oakland Raiders, 1995-1998 Voted to five Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro twice Recorded 107.5 career sacks He doesn't have the athletic ability to play well in coverage but is. Former VP of Player Personnel Gil Brandt's Top 10 Defensive Tackles of All Time! It's an interesting group of linebackers. One thing all these 2022 NFL best linebackers have in common is they're at the top of their game. Mosley, Foye Oluokun.. Myles Jack has fallen off the radar a . Tariq Edwards, Virginia Tech And the LT sometimes needed a TE, RB, FB or LG to guard him every time the guy rushed. In retrospect, the structuring of Danny Trevathan's contract extension may . Since then Smith has taken over the middle of the Dallas . Those players are Grover Stewart, Stephon Gilmore, and Zaire Franklin. James went on to a 10-year NFL . The 49ers struck gold when they drafted Warner in the third round in 2018. Age: 24. Parsons and Roquan Smith are the only linebackers in our top 10 for 2022 still on rookie contracts. Eric Kendricks Moving into the top 3, Eric-Nathan M. Kendricks, or Eric Kendricks, is an American middle linebacker who plays for the Minnesota Vikings. Without a doubt, the top NFL kickers include the likes of Justin Tucker, Harrison Butker, Wil Lutz, and Greg Zuerleinnot to mention the ever-accurate Mason Crosby. Even though only about 10-15 will get selected in the draft, dozens more are signed as free agents, and many more receive a . Millen played for the Raiders from 1980-81. Wagner was the best linebacker in the NFL in 2016 posting yet another fabulous season for the Seahawks. 1. A list of all inside linebacker contracts in the NFL. Along with Lawrence Taylor, Carson served as a disruptive force in the middle of the Giants defense and helped form one of the greatest linebacker tandems in NFL history. - http://www.nfl.com/photoessays/0ap3000000816217. Shayne Skov, Stanford 5. Players like Deion Jones, Patrick Queen and Devin White are just a few of the names that have achieved success in Baton Rouge. Unreal speed, didn't play middle linebacker and forced teams to actually pay the Left Tackle and made the position the most important on the line. This demand however came easily for some of the Greatest Outside Linebackers All-Time including the likes of Lawrence Taylor, Derrick Brooks, Jack Ham, Terrell Suggs, Derrick Thomas and DeMarcus Ware. Our professional rankings are accurate, in-depth, and cover a wide range of prospects. San Francisco 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis beat out a strong and diverse field for top . The NFL's top 12 outside cornerbacks. Let's get to the 2022 NFL Outside Linebacker Rankings. One of the best overall defenders in the NFL. Since entering the league, Warner has . Ja'Whaun Bentley. Fred Warner, San Francisco 49ers. 2021 stats: 109 combined tackles, 1 sack, 2 passes defended, 3 forced fumbles. Franklin has been the linebacker filling in for Leonard and he hasn't only been playing great for the Colts, but he's been having some of the best linebacker play in the NFL. Currently, he is the inside linebacker of the New Orleans Saints. 31. DEMARIO DAVIS, NEW ORLEANS SAINTS 4. While pass rushers still get most of the credit on top-tier defenses, the best linebackers this season will play in the middle of the field and be effective against both the run and the pass. Top 15 Best Linebackers in College Football 1. As a strong-side linebacker, Burris can't seem to put himself in position to make stops and is pushed off his spot too often. Here's a look at the top 10 linebackers set to become free agents this spring, including two members of the Patriots. Roquan Smith, Georgia. Nevertheless, you also have to consider great linebackers like Shaq Barrett, Von Miller, Eric Kendricks, and Demario Davis, among plenty of other talented and fearsome outside and middle linebackers. Alexander Johnson, Free Agent. Currently scheduled to play on his fifth-year option, Smith should become one of the highest-paid linebackers in the NFL. FRED WARNER, SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS 2. Preston Brown, Louisville 7. So, who's the best off-ball linebacker in the NFL today? . In fact, some of these players may even be considered the best kickers of all time. 1 Lawrence Taylor. 3M subscribers in the nfl community. Ernest Jones, Los Angeles Rams 20. Myles Jack, Jaguars. Quietly, Bentley had his best season as a pro in 2021, surpassing 100 combined tackles for the first time and proving . Chris Borland, Wisconsin 6. It is hard not to put Ray Lewis at the top of this list as the top Middle Linebacker All-Time. NFL Players By Position - Linebacker. ERIC KENDRICKS, MINNESOTA VIKINGS The best linebackers in today's league are elite coverage players, but they can also affect the game in other ways. According to PFF, Warner was the highest-graded linebacker of 2020 with an 89.1 grade. He is widely regarded. Complete NFL Draft Rankings - LB: You are currently viewing the best linebackers in the 2022 NFL Draft. 9 this year among all players with his 125 combined. Our top inside linebacker prospects are selected after thousands of hours carefully scouting the best middle linebackers in college football. . Here's the top 10 entering the 2022 season: 1. Also, he recorded an incredible 20.2 percent pass-rush win rate on over 100 such snaps over the last two years.