Welcome to my Early Look: 2026 NFL Draft IDP Linebacker Prospects article, where I will examine the linebacker position before the NFL Draft in order to examine which ones you should be following in your Pre-NFL Draft IDP Rookie scouting process.
It’s our favorite time of year again. The 2026 draft class has arrived. It’s rookie season, A place where everyone is suddenly “the next Micah Parsons” or at least “raw but intriguing.” It’s also the season where a strong Combine can launch a prospect into superstardom and convince us all to overestimate everything. Join me as we inevitably overthink it all.
Jokes aside, this class brings legitimate optimism. It’s a very rich and deep draft class. It’s deep, so deep it comes with a pressure warning. So deep, James Cameron is scouting this. So deep, Mel Kiper Jr. might need to buy an extra notebook.
In fact, what I’d like to do today is reward the IDP Owners who pay attention to this IDP “Abyss.” I’m going to highlight nearly 20 linebackers who have a realistic path to the next level and onto someone’s IDP roster. That’s what this article sets out to do: take a deep, analytical look at nineteen prospects who will command our attention throughout the offseason.
We’ll revisit these players after the Senior Bowl and the NFL Scouting Combine, and then see the impact their NFL landing spot has on their IDP Fantasy Football value. Like the movie Avatar teaches us, “Sometimes you have to wake up.” For now, if you want the Edge on your league mates. This is it.
The sky people have sent us a message. Sometimes your draft board may boil down to one insane move. Fresh hope, entering a new year, welcome to the 2026 draft class!
| Player | Team | Projected NFL Value | Bowl Invite | Box Snaps | Tackles per 100 Snaps | Total Tackles ’24 | Solo ’24 | Assist ’24 | Sacks ’24 | Play Style |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arvell Reese | Ohio State | Top 10 | 280 | 13.4 | 43 | 18 | 25 | 3.5 | Blitz OLB / Edge | |
| Sonny Styles | Ohio State | First Round | 662 | 11.1 | 100 | 48 | 52 | 6 | Will LB (Coverage) | |
| Anthony Hill Jr. | Texas | First Round | 589 | 13.3 | 113 | 59 | 54 | 8 | Blitz/ LB (Multi-Role) | |
| CJ Allen | Georgia | Second Round | 583 | 9.5 | 76 | 49 | 27 | 0 | Will LB (Multi-Role) | |
| Jake Golday | Cincinnati | Day 2 | 134 | 8.9 | 58 | 28 | 30 | 1.5 | Off-Ball LB / Sam Build | |
| Taurean York | Texas A&M | 3rd Round | Shrine | 594 | 10.3 | 82 | 35 | 47 | 2.5 | Multi-Role (Mike & Will) |
| Deontae Lawson | Alabama | Day 2 | Senior | 341 | 10.1 | 76 | 36 | 40 | 2 | Box LB |
| Jacob Rodriguez | Texas Tech | 3rd Round | 661 | 13.8 | 127 | 61 | 56 | 5 | 3-4 Inside LB | |
| Harold Perkins Jr. | LSU | Day 3 | Shrine | 145 | 5.7 | 16 | 5 | 12 | 0 | 4-3 Will |
| Whit Weeks | LSU | Day 3 | 97 | 14.7 | 120 | 61 | 64 | 3.5 | Mike / Multi-Role LB | |
| Josiah Trotter | Missouri | Day 3 | 584 | 12.3 | 93 | 36 | 56 | 0.5 | 3-4 ILB / Mike LB | |
| Kyle Louis | Pittsburgh | Day 3 | 436 | 11.9 | 100 | 45 | 56 | 7 | 4-3 Will / Coverage LB | |
| Justin Jefferson | Alabama | Day 3 | Senior | 400 | 10.3 | 61 | 46 | 36 | 2 | Will LB |
| Aiden Fisher | Indiana | Day 3 | Shrine | 681 | 14.8 | 118 | 49 | 69 | 1.5 | Mike LB |
| Isaiah Glasker | BYU | Day 3 | 341 | 10.0 | 70 | 42 | 28 | 3.5 | Sam LB / Hybrid | |
| Lander Barton | Utah | Day 3 | Shrine | 554 | 10.3 | 72 | 38 | 34 | 2 | Cash LB: Great for Nickel and Dollar packages |
| Scooby Williams | Texas A&M | Day 3 | Senior | 336 | 7.8 | 43 | 23 | 20 | 0 | Will LB |
| Bryce Boettcher | Oregon | UDFA | Senior | 421 | 12.5 | 94 | 50 | 44 | 2 | Multi-Role |
| Red Murdock | Buffalo | 7th / UDFA | Senior | 833 | 17.3 | 156 | 73 | 83 | 2 | Box LB |
*All college defensive statistics sourced from NCAA.org, team official sites, ESPN, and PFF snap counts. We’ll have 2025 updates once the playoff season ends, for the next series of articles.”
Early Top Linebacker Prospects
Arvell Reese, Ohio State
How crazy am I to say after watching tape
— Football Fanatics (@FFB_Fanatics) December 31, 2025
Sonny Styles > Arvell Reese pic.twitter.com/7bv8yuTNDr
Arvell Reese is arguably going to be this season’s top pick, but that is just one part of the story. Reese’s rise is one of the more remarkable development stories in college football. A walk-on at the high school level, Reese quickly generated national buzz by anchoring a championship defense that didn’t surrender a single point across six contests. Despite being recruited by Nick Saban, Reese turned down that opportunity and ultimately stayed local at Ohio State, where he initially profiled as a four-star box linebacker with legitimate NFL athleticism. Listed in the 4.52–4.58 speed range, Reese brings rare range and explosiveness to the position.
Now, you would think a guy of this pedigree would be a top pick anyway, but enter Matt Patricia
The former Patriots defensive coordinator and Lions head coach is a madman at defensive schemes and used Reese as a chess piece on the field. Through the season, he’s logged snaps at defensive end, inside linebacker, slot defender, and even outside cornerback in a handful of situations. That positional flexibility, paired with elite athletic traits and downhill aggression, places Reese firmly in the conversation as one of the top IDP prospects in the 2026 rookie class.
Sonny Styles, Ohio State
Yes, another linebacker from Ohio State. Unlike Reese, Styles was in the spotlight day one. A five-star recruit who thrives in zone coverage and projects seamlessly to the modern NFL, where linebackers are increasingly asked to defend in multiple ways.
Think of hybrid players and how valuable they are in today’s NFL. A former safety who transitioned to linebacker, his background shows up in his range, instincts, and comfort in space. The 2024 season is when we start the scouting process on Styles, as it marked a turning point in his development, as he posted 100 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, and six sacks, earning Second-Team All–Big Ten honors.
With the athletic profile and versatility to stay on the field in all situations, he projects as a true three-down linebacker. Adding to the pedigree, his father, Lorenzo Sr., won a Super Bowl with the Rams.
Anthony Hill Jr, Texas
When you let Anthony Hill Jr. rush the passer,
— One Stop Texas (@OneStopHorns) November 1, 2025
Good things happen
Best. LB. In. The. Land. pic.twitter.com/NGSNkQNJlg
This one may be controversial to some, but I currently have him as my LB3. The accolades seem to jump off the page, don’t they? A former five-star recruit, who he amassed over 300 tackles while leading his high school team to an undefeated record. At the University of Texas, he earned FWAA Freshman All-American honors and shared Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year as a true freshman.
Anthony Hill Jr. stands out as one of the top linebacker prospects in this draft class. A former five-star recruit and top-25 overall prospect,
His breakout came in 2024, when Hill established himself as one of college football’s premier defenders. Starting all 16 games, he recorded 113 tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss, 8 sacks, 4 forced fumbles, and an interception aforementioned his 11-tackle performance in the nationally televised rivalry game against Oklahoma. But as I stated, there are concerns.
He struggles in man coverage, and that worries me for a top pick. There’s a legitimate chance he could end up being a two-down player. I say this in January, but I am hoping he takes a Senior Bowl invite so I get to see him up close. Fun Fact: The Senior Bowl hosts drills all week for the press, and one thing I’ll get to see up close is man-to-man coverage skills. So the jury is still out, and for right now, this is a placeholder ranking.
C.J Allen, Georgia
C.J. Allen is only a Junior, but is a multi-sport athlete (we have seen these players project really well next level) and boasts an elite career missed tackle rate of just 6.9%. Some of you may remember national televised event where he destroyed Ole Miss, recording a sack and nine bone-crushing tackles to earn SEC Freshman of the Week honors. Yes, if you are reading this write-up, I am excited about him.
Add another talented linebacker from the Georgia linebacker factory heading into the NFL. He could be a fringe first-round talent, as he possesses standout run-stopping ability, but the pass coverage (like a lot of these guys on this list) will need to be polished up on the next level.
David Bailey, Texas Tech
Honestly, don’t pay much attention to this submission, as I believe Bailey will play edge in the NFL. He excels in pass rush and pass coverage, with a 23.4% pressure rate, so I may be right. Just in case some tomfoolery happens, it’s a long way until then and now, giving him an honorable mention here.
Jake Golday, Texas Tech
This ends the top tier of elite athletic linebackers. At LB6, I am giving you a work in progress, but the prospects really do have eye-popping frame and stats that just will need time to develop. A bit of limited history here.
Jake Golday’s journey is one of the more unconventional stories in this draft class. First, he starts off as a zero-star recruit and walks on end up playing defensive end for Central Arkansas. He then redshirts early on and saw limited rotational action, wasting another valuable year of development. before In 2024 season, where he managed just eight starts. Not good, so why the hype?
Then 2025 arrived, and Golday exploded onto the scene. Appearing in 12 games, he racked up a team-leading 105 tackles along with six tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, and three pass breakups! Good enough to earn First-Team All-Big 12 honors in the process.
Rumors are swirling right now that he could blaze a sub-4.3 40-yard dash at the Combine, though plenty of this is heard this time of year, searching for the philopsher stone and Bigfoot-like athletes. I’ll need to see it firsthand post-combine, but the tape already screams elite athleticism and high-end intangibles more than enough to pique serious interest right now. I know he is a one-hit wonder, but I’ll listen to some Milli Vanilli drink Tab soda in my Members Only jacket. It’s only January.
Taurea York, Texas A&M
This would start the tier-2 list for me, with some interesting names that could make the leap in the next few months. You know something, if this were any other draft class, York just might be at the top of it.
Despite his undersized frame, which is not a deal breaker by the way, in today’s NFL, he defied expectations by earning spots on the ESPN Freshman All-America Team and the SEC All-Freshman squad two seasons ago. In 2024, he showed that it was no fluke; sometimes that happens to players who play as true freshmen, produced over 80 tackles, the quality of those tackles is the focal point here, 9.5 of those were tackles for loss.
Tackling and run defense are his calling cards. A downhill thumper is going to get drafted early in the NFL.
Combined with developing coverage instincts, he projects as a true three-down defender who could wear the green dot at the next level. He’ll be among the most heavily debated linebackers in this loaded draft class.
Whit Weeks, LSU
LB8 on our list is going to be a fun one.
Imagine showing up to college and realizing your linebacker room is literally a family reunion. That’s the wild reality for Whit Weeks, as all three brothers play together, linebackers no less, for the same defense, marking the first time three brothers have shared the College history.
Picture the chaos for opposing offenses trying to game-plan against a linebacker corps where every big hit comes from a “Weeks.” Now flip to the broadcast booth: the poor announcer staring at the monitor, muttering under his breath, “Okay… blonde hair flying in on the tackle… that’s Whit—no wait, that’s Zach—hold on, West just cleaned up the runner… which Weeks was that again?!” You’d need ancestry.com and a family tree on the telestrator just to keep track of who just blew up the play. Only at LSU.
Across 14 starts (24 career games), he’s posted impressive production with 174 total tackles and 13.5 tackles for loss. His sophomore season (2024) was particularly historic, racking up 125 tackles, the eighth-highest single-season mark in LSU program history, and earning First-Team All-SEC honors.
Fun Facts: The stuff you want to hear. Nicknamed “Sunshine” (A Remember The Titans reference) for his flowing blonde hair, he projects as a legitimate three-down linebacker at the next level, Whit Weeks draws player comparisons to Carson Schwesinger and Cody Simon, though he’s viewed as a bit less refined at this stage.
Deontae Lawson, Alabama
Because I don’t have many high draft picks, this is my target in drafts. As it stands, I love this prospect for IDP.
Sleeper alert: Here’s a linebacker prospect flying way under the radar despite arriving in college with massive hype, a consensus five-star recruit who 247Sports ranked among the nation’s elite at the position.
It took time for him to see the field (redshirt year followed by special teams duty), but once he broke through, he became a dominant box defender and earned Butkus Award finalist honors—even while missing the final three games of the season.
That’s exactly where his NFL profile shines brightest: a three-down player, and classic 4-3 “in-the-box” linebacker who attacks downhill with elite tackling instincts that absolutely pop on tape, violent, wrap-up secure, and always around the football.
He’s likely a Day 3 pick, but the pedigree screams sleeper. He’ll likely rise in NFL Draft stock as we get closer, as IDP owners should know the cornerstones for your team.
A couple of red flags to monitor: some recent reports list him at just 218 pounds (a concerning drop from his usual playing weight), He’s also returning from an ACL injury, another reason to see how this plays out pre-combine.
Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech
Production-wise, one of the top playmakers in the country. Rightfully so, excelled as a turnovers and splash play specialist. Lead the team in tackles and does remarkably well finding fumbles and interceptions.
There will be an argument that he needs to go higher, but after the shootout ends and the dust settles, you will see a few question marks arise. He’ll need to bulk up in NFL size, and man coverage is a concern.
For right now, a fringe day 2 or 3 prospect isn’t a bad thing and is not out of the question.
Josiah Trotter, Missouri
As of 1/2/2026, the official new Josiah Trotter is coming out of College and playing in the NFL. IDP Owners should know the Trotter name well, brother of Jeremiah Trotter Jr. (currently with the Eagles), and son of NFL legend Jeremiah Trotter Sr..
He’s a bigger prospect than his brother was, standing 6’2″ and 237 pounds with long arms and a filled-out frame. He’ll need to clean up his coverage skills, but he is one of the better off-ball linebackers in this draft class, leading Missouri in tackles, posting 13 TFLs, and earning First-Team All-SEC honors.
Harold Perkins, LSU
So here is the thing. I am going to get drug for this, and this ranking is far lower than the consensus, and rightfully so. A former five-star recruit, Rivals and 24/7 Sports had him as a top 10 overall prospect. Multiple SEC Defensive Player of the Week honors, have I gone mad?
Yet, these things shall pass. I have several questions. He is a coverage linebacker who can’t cover. He’s built like a safety but keeps getting injured. Where will they put him?
Potentially see him as a designated pass rusher at Safety, but that’s not winning IDP titles. It’s still too early to fade, but I have a reservation. It’s just a weird projection, so be advised early on in the draft process.
Other Honorable Mentions
Aiden Fisher, Indiana
Fisher deserves to go so much higher on this list. He was a semifinalist and finalist for the Butkus Award, showing a knack for making splash plays and being in the right place at the right time when the ball is thrown. He gets dinged up on this list as he doesn’t have an ideal frame or size (6’1), but he is on my watchlist.
Justin Jefferson, Alabama
Undersized player (6’1, 227 lbs) built more like a Safety than a linebacker. Is a natural coverage defender and does well penetrating, with 11.5 TFL and five sacks in the 2025 season. He’s not elite in any way, but teams could figure out how to employ that. Figures to be a 5-7th round talent heading into the NFL Draft.
Lander Barton, Utah
Lander Barton (the younger brother of Cody Barton) is really good at covering tight ends and running backs out of the backfield. Excels in man as the modern NFL LB needs to. He profiles as a depth piece and on some teams, using sub-packages.
Isaiah Glasker, BYU
Glasker is a converted wide receiver turned linebacker and a former three-star recruit. He’s going under the radar. Profiles as a 4-3 two-down thumper in the next level. He’s a bit of an older prospect (turns 24 before the draft) because he went on an LDS mission.
Two significant items to monitor this offseason: recent reports have him down to just 218 pounds—an alarming drop off from 235. Concerns I’ll be able to verifyat the Senior Bowl and before the Combine.
Scooby Williams, Texas A&M
Here’s a draft-day sleeper for you. A former four-star recruit who plays both the Mike and the Will was just buried due to injuries.
But to do with Scooby, Scooby Williams, where are you? (Yes, I just did that) Scooby’s just over there solving mysteries like, “Where’s that running back going? Ruh-roh, right into my tackle!”
Bryce Boettcher, Oregon
Naturally gifted player who was already drafted by the Houston Astros. Not sure if he makes it through the process. It’s deep this year.
Red Murdock, Buffalo
A player I am highly interested in this scouting process. A tackle volume monster. 298 tackles last two seasons. In fact, Finished 2nd in FBS in both 2004 (behind Owen Long). Like his former teammate Shaun Dolac, scouts view him only as a two-down thumper, so he will have to make a noise duringthe Combine.
