Player Profiling: NFL Outside Linebacker Rankings

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Hawk is a head hunter for the football. He explodes quickly out of his stance and pursuits almost immediately. He has great tackling skills along with a lot of toughness.

Hawk's best quality is his tackling ability, but he can also force ball carriers to panic and hit the wrong hole. His strength to shed off of most NFL blocks can use some work, but overall he is a reliable player to make a stop if the play develops in front of him.

10. Ernie Sims (DET)

Sims has some of the most pure athletic talent at the outside backer position. He has the ability to find the ball carriers quickly and can make a big play for his team. Sims' awareness prevents me from ranking him higher than 10.

It seems Sims is out of position more times than none, and still needs to work on wrapping up opponents that are running down field on him. Although Sims is one of the most athletic backers today, his overall awareness has not seemed to progress in his career.

I do believe the presence of Peterson and Foote will help Sims develop into a smarter player, which will not only help himself out, but his teammates as well.

11. Thomas Howard (OAK)

When people think of the fastest outside backers, Thomas Howard doesn't come to many people's mind, but he should. Howard's outside rushing ability is so quick and precise that it is hard for many running backs to read and pick up.

His big body allows him to eat up space, and his footwork is quick enough to prevent most backs from running around him. Howard's coverage skills are not bad, but his ability to cover backs running deep routes (like wheels) might hurt him.

His underneath skills (like most backers) are the strong point in his coverage game. Overall, Howard is one of the best rushing backers with more decent coverage skills than people realize.

12. DJ Williams (DEN)

Apparently DJ Williams is moving back to inside backer. Williams is one of the smarter linebackers with enough speed and aggression to make big plays for any defense. He has played both the outside and inside position, so his reliability as a player shouldn't be questioned.

His athletic talent seems to be what makes everyone love Williams, but his fundamental skills along with his leadership has improved every year he plays with Denver. He is a player who will go hard every play with a confident mindset to be one of the better players on the field.

Williams has slowly (but surely) earned the right to be called a top play maker at the linebacker position.

13. Adailus Thomas (NE)

Thomas has some of the best size in the game today. He is a big body back with the ability to react quickly and make smart plays on the ball. His ability to create turnovers is not as it once was in Baltimore, but he can still rush the outside and fill into gaps extremely well.

His hitting impact is very underrated and rarely misses tackles if he positions himself nicely (which he usually does). His containment is a slight weakness and can get beat if backs can get around him.

To sum it up, Thomas has an inside backer's body with the skills and ability of the outside position.

14. Chad Greenway (MIN)

One of the more underrated backers, Greenway brings a fundamental and tough presence to the field. His tackling mechanics are very impressive along with his containment skills. He rarely lets ball carriers get by him and does a good job of covering many backs and tight ends.

His speed and overall toughness may surprise many, but Greenway is a blue-collar player who will get the job done regardless. His blitzing game is also underrated, and his overall awareness has become some of the best I've seen in young linebackers today.

15. Daryl Smith (JAC)

Smith is a fundamentally sound player who makes the tackles he is supposed to make. He rarely makes mistakes in his assignments and leads the Jacksonville defense by the way he plays.

He is not afraid to hit any player on the field and usually reads plays well. His overall explosiveness is not the best, and his speed lacked last season. He seemed to be a more reliable playmaker in the past, but can still make the reliable plays that make a defensive coordinator's job easier.

16. Thomas Davis (CAR)

Davis has the speed to beat almost any lineman in the league. He can rush off the edge as well as cover many backs and tight ends. He used to play safety, so his overall coverage skills come with experience and knowledge. His hitting has never been under looked, and he brings as much intensity to the field as his partner Beason.

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