B/R CFB 250: Top 17 Outside Linebackers
Bleacher Report's CFB 250 is an annual ranking of the best players in college football, regardless of NFL potential. Brian Leigh and Kynon Codrington have studied, ranked and graded the top athletes in the country, narrowed that list to 250 and sorted by position. Today, we present the Top 17 Outside Linebackers.
Other CFB 250 Positions
Outside linebackers come in all shapes and sizes, some occupying a traditional role in a 4-3 defense, others functioning as glorified defensive ends who are fast enough to play standing up.
The lineman/linebacker hybrid has become more popular in recent seasons, as defenses adjust to the evolving state of college offenses, but many of the players whose teams classify them as "linebackers" actually spend most of their time with their hand down.
That is not who this section was looking for.
Instead, this section sought the 17 best pure outside linebackers: The ones who play on their feet. Their job requires more than just attacking the passer; it demands they play the run and cover receivers as well as they wreak havoc in the backfield.
Before we start, please take note that these players were graded as college linebackers, not on how they project as NFL linebackers.
Targeted skills such as run defense are important at both levels, but there is a difference between college run defense and professional run defense. If a linebacker can execute his run fits and make plays in the SEC or the Big 12, it doesn't matter that he can't execute his run fits and make plays in the NFC North. At least not here, it doesn't.
This is all about college performance.
Note: If two players finished with the same grade, a subjective call was made based on whom we would rather have on our team right now.
Nos. 17-9
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17. Leonard Floyd, Georgia
Tackling: 29/35; Pass Rush: 18/20; Run Defense: 15/20; Pass Coverage: 18/25.
When he’s on, Leonard Floyd is as difficult to block as any player in the country. He has rare size (6’4”, 230 lbs) and long arms to get after QBs off the edge. If he rounds out his game by playing stronger against the run and shows up on a more consistent basis, there is nothing stopping him from becoming an All-American. He missed the Belk Bowl with a shoulder injury, which was a shame since he could use the extra reps.
16. Tank Jakes, Memphis
Tackling: 30/35; Pass Rush: 16/20; Run Defense: 17/20; Pass Coverage: 20/25.
When defensive lineman Martin Ifedi missed time at the beginning of the season, Tank Jakes was called upon to step up and become the star of Memphis' defense. And that is precisely what he did. Even though he doesn’t have great size (5'11", 227 lbs), he is bursting at the seams with toughness and has a gift for making plays in the backfield.
15. Vince Biegel, Wisconsin
Tackling: 29/35; Pass Rush: 16/20; Run Defense: 17/20; Pass Coverage: 21/25.
Vince Biegel is a microcosm of Wisconsin’s entire defense. He played fairly well at the start of the year, slowly improved during conference play, peaked at the right time and finished the season with an impressive resume. He’s only a sophomore, too, which means the best should be yet to come.
14. Shaq Thompson, Washington
Tackling: 31/35; Pass Rush: 15/20; Run Defense: 16/20; Pass Coverage: 21/25.
Shaq Thompson is a linebacker/safety/running back hybrid and probably the best big-play defender in the country. Once he finds a permanent position—no matter which position that might be—and sharpens some of his raw tools into technical skills, he will make the leap from being very good to great.
13. Reggie Ragland, Alabama
Tackling: 32/35; Pass Rush: 13/20; Run Defense: 18/20; Pass Coverage: 20/25.
Reggie Ragland is an old-school downhill thumper and a perfect fit on the weak side of Alabama's defense. At 6'2", 254 pounds, he is the last player opposing running backs want to see charging through a hole. His motor has made an big impact on the Crimson Tide in 2014.
12. Pete Robertson, Texas Tech
Tackling: 31/35; Pass Rush: 19/20; Run Defense: 16/20; Pass Coverage: 18/25.
Texas Tech is one of the worst defenses in college football, which makes it easy to overlook one of the best outside linebackers. But make no mistake about it: The Red Raiders could (and would) be a whole lot worse without Pete Robertson terrorizing quarterbacks off the edge.
11. Antonio Morrison, Florida
Tackling: 33/35; Pass Rush: 15/20; Run Defense: 18/20; Pass Coverage: 18/25.
Antonio Morrison has had a…um…complicated off-field tenure at Florida. But between the sidelines, Gators fans know he is someone they can count on. The big-bodied junior had the best season of his career in 2014, hammering, splattering and finishing plays in the hole and proving, once again, that he is one of the best run defenders in the country.
10. Aaron Davis, Colorado State
Tackling: 33/35; Pass Rush: 14/20; Run Defense: 17/20; Pass Coverage: 21/25.
Aaron Davis was the best defensive player on a Colorado State team that finished with its best record since 2000. A cousin of Marques and Manu Tuiasosopo, Davis doesn’t jump off tape with his physical tools but always seems to be around the ball against the run and holds his own in coverage.
9. Kentrell Brothers, Missouri
Tackling: 32/35; Pass Rush: 15/20; Run Defense: 17/20; Pass Coverage: 21/25.
Shane Ray and Markus Golden steal the headlines—and with good reason—but Kentrell Brothers played just as big a role in leading Missouri to the SEC East title. One of the few carryovers who started for last year’s Tigers too, Brothers has a big, square frame (6'1", 240 lbs) and isn’t afraid to take on blockers in the hole.
8. Myles Jack, UCLA
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Tackling
Myles Jack is one of the better tacklers in the country, even though it doesn’t always show up in the box score. He has otherworldly speed in pursuit and buries offensive players in the dirt.
Pass Rush
UCLA goes out of its way to keep Jack from rushing the passer. In 25 career games, he has only recorded one sack. Much of that has to do with his coverage skills—he is a bigger asset in space than he is in the trenches—but that doesn’t change the fact he’s a nonfactor in the pass rush.
Run Defense
Speed is a huge asset in run defense, especially when a player understands how to wield it. Jack understands how to wield it. He fires downhill from the inside out and almost never gets caught overrunning the play.
Pass Coverage
Jack is a cheat code in man coverage: 6'1", 225-pound linebackers should not be able to blanket receivers like a cornerback. He is comfortable sinking into zone coverage, too. He did suffer some mental lapses in the season-ending loss to Stanford, which was troubling to see on such a big stage, but that appears to be the exception more than the rule.
Overall
Jack became a household name for his ability to play running back and linebacker as a true freshman in 2013. But even if you ignore his offensive skills, he is good enough that he deserves to be recognized. He might be the best overall athlete in the country.
7. Eric Striker, Oklahoma
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Tackling
Eric Striker is built like a safety (6'0", 221 lbs) and has the speed to cut down angles in space. However, that same undersized build makes him a liability in tight areas, where he struggles to fight away from blocks or make an impact as a downhill tackler.
Pass Rush
He didn’t post All-America numbers, as many expected he might, but Striker proved in 2014 that he can get around the edge with the best of them. He is still learning how to keep his balance and avoid getting knocked off his line, but the raw burst and timing are plain to see on tape, allowing him to blitz from different depths and angles.
Run Defense
Striker defends the run well, considering his physical limitations. He doesn’t have the strength to play the hammer, but he never stops moving. He tracks the ball well and runs around with a chip on his shoulder, disrupting a high number of plays in rush defense.
Pass Coverage
Oklahoma has played Striker at nickelback, on occasion, because he is athletic enough to turn his hips and run with just about anyone. He is still working on the little things—gaining good depth, learning when to jump versus when to sink, etc.—but the raw tools are hard to ignore.
Overall
Striker—in addition to having the best name for a linebacker in the country—is one of the last players quarterbacks want to see bearing down before they snap the ball. He followed up his breakout game in the 2014 Sugar Bowl with a season that was just as impressive as advertised.
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6. Martrell Spaight, Arkansas
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Tackling
Martrell Spaight led the SEC in tackles during the regular season, averaging more than 10 per game. He does not have outrageous speed, especially for a player who is slightly undersized (6'2", 231 lbs), but he’s fast enough to close on the ball and play the frontside bounce.
Pass Rush
Arkansas did not ask Spaight to rush the passer very often until the last few games of the year. There’s a reason for that. Even though he blitzes with authority, punishing at least one blocker each rep, he does not have the quickness or wiggle to consistently get through the line.
Run Defense
Spaight is a versatile run defender who does his best work as a run-through linebacker but can also splatter blockers and take on the Power O. He sets a hard edge to force runs back inside but also has the skills to disengage and go make a play for himself.
Pass Coverage
Spaight is a viable three-down linebacker who can cover in the slot when necessary. He gets his hands out on his man and reroutes him over the middle. In zone coverage, instincts help him conceal a lack of natural fluidity (although he’s also not what one could call "stiff").
Overall
Spaight led a resurgent Arkansas defense in the second half of the season, showing up with bigger and bigger plays each week. Injuries derailed him in his first year over from JUCO, but the former two-time NJCAA All-American paid huge dividends for the Hogs in 2014.
5. Jaylon Smith, Notre Dame
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Tackling
Jaylon Smith overran too many tackles at the start of last season, failing to harness his natural speed. But he slowly figured out what he was doing as a freshman and made wild improvements in 2014, keeping his head behind the ball to become one of the rangiest tacklers in America.
Pass Rush
The raw tools are there for Smith to become a great pass-rusher. Unfortunately, he has thus far failed to put all of the pieces together. The only move he has is a speed rush, which is, as you might imagine, deadly. But he gets pushed off course too easily and doesn't have an innate sense for how to track a quarterback.
Run Defense
Smith defends the run with an edge that endears him to coaches, especially from a former 5-star recruit (per 247Sports). He brings a high motor to everything he does, and his burst allows him to split defenders, get into the backfield and bury a play for negative yardage.
Pass Coverage
Don’t be fooled by the size (6'3", 235 lbs): Smith is fast and fluid enough to cover just about anyone. He is still learning the nuances of zone coverage and working to refine his ball skills, but as a pure cover linebacker he is special.
Overall
Smith was one of Notre Dame’s best players as a true freshman in 2013 and improved in a leadership role this season. He couldn’t keep the ship from sinking when the depth chart was ravaged by injuries, but he still performed well. NFL draftniks will fall in love with him this summer.
4. Joshua Perry, Ohio State
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Tackling
Joshua Perry is a downhill run-stuffer with great size (6'4", 254 lbs) that allows him to make clean tackles. He works in the run-through lane, tracks the ball-carrier and doesn’t let him bounce to the edge.
Pass Rush
There is an obvious drop-off from last year's Buckeye superstar, Ryan Shazier, to Perry. But it’s not as big as it looks on paper. Ohio State simply doesn’t ask much from Perry in terms of getting pressure, relying more on the strength of this year’s defense, the front four.
Run Defense
Perry has been relentless in pursuit and showcased plus athleticism against the run. Last year’s defense was about hammering plays toward Shazier, but this year’s defense has been more of a balanced, assertive attack from all three linebackers.
Pass Coverage
Perry does a few things well in coverage, impressing with his ability to diagnose and blow up screen passes. However, because he carries so much mass, he sometimes struggles to transition from his drop into matching receivers.
Overall
Each of Ohio State’s starting linebackers had his moments in 2014, but none was as consistently great as Perry. Was he Shazier? No. But Perry played as well as anybody could have asked in replacing Shazier on the weak side.
3. Nick Vigil, Utah State
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Tackling
Nick Vigil has good size (6'2", 230 lbs) and enough strength to stop players in their tracks. He is more of a gang-tackler than a solo-stopper, but his willingness to stick his nose into the hole, combined with his speed to track players along the outside, makes him the sort of linebacker one can count on to destroy plays.
Pass Rush
Nick is a better athlete than his brother, Zach, which is why Utah State likes to play him off the edge. He doesn’t have the lanky frame one imagines for a pass-rusher, but he is slippery enough to avoid hand engagement and dart into the backfield.
Run Defense
Vigil moonlights at running back, and the instincts he uses on offense have translated to the other side of the ball. He is able to sift through the wash and make a play in traffic or set the edge and force a run back inside.
Pass Coverage
Here is where Vigil needs some work. He is more of an explosive athlete than a fluid athlete, and it shows when he tries to turn his hips in coverage. He is still figuring out how to get to his landmarks without taking his eyes off the play.
Overall
Vigil has emerged, alongside brother Zach, to give Utah State a promising piece for the future. After first-round NFL draft prospect Kyler Fackrell tore his ACL this season, Vigil made sure the Aggies were no worse for his absence.
2. Jordan Hicks, Texas
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Tackling
Jordan Hicks is a thumper with the size, strength and toughness to blow things up in the A-gap. He moves well for a player coming back from an achilles injury, and the speed with which he recovered makes him a dangerous pursuit tackler in space.
Pass Rush
Hicks has the long build and relentless motor to be a better pass-rusher than he is. There are moments (such as the TCU game this Thanksgiving) when he puts his tools together and makes his presence felt in the backfield. But those moments are far too infrequent.
Run Defense
Run support used to be Hicks’ weakness. This year, it evolved into a strength. His aggressive tendencies were coached up by Charlie Strong and Vance Bedford, who taught him proper run fits, and he got better at shedding blocks.
Pass Coverage
Hicks does not excel in coverage but is good enough to stay on the field on passing downs. He gets depth off the line of scrimmage and sees the field well enough to hold his zone while also spying the quarterback.
Overall
Hicks returned from a hip injury in 2012 and an Achilles injury in 2013 to finally stay healthy and put together a memorable season. Even if we weren’t rooting for him, though, it would have been hard to miss how well he played in Strong’s aggressive defense.
1. Paul Dawson, TCU
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Tackling
Paul Dawson has great speed—a staple of TCU linebackers—and is able to pursue running backs or wide receivers over the middle and make plays. He compensates for having a smaller frame (6'2", 230 lbs) by wrapping up and driving players to the ground.
Pass Rush
Because he is a 4-2-5 outside linebacker, Dawson is not asked to rush the passer as often as his peers. When he’s been given the green light, however, he has shown timing and burst to get after the quarterback. He just doesn’t have the body type or technical skills to consistently beat tackles off the edge.
Run Defense
Dawson has good strength for a player his size that allows him to take on blockers. He is not one to back down from a challenge, and he rarely makes a mistake. More than that, he has innate read-and-react instincts to sense when a hole is opening and burst through or plug the gap.
Pass Coverage
The outside linebacker in TCU’s defense is tasked with guarding all sorts of players: running backs, tight ends and—most importantly—slot receivers. Dawson has quick feet, fluid hips and enough speed to hang with each type of pass-catcher, and he also has the instincts and hands to intercept passes and make plays when he drops into zone.
Overall
Dawson combined with Marcus Mallet to form a dangerous linebacking duo in the middle of TCU’s 4-2-5 defense. The senior showed up on a play-to-play, week-to-week basis, making his presence known by forcing big turnovers and playing sound in the run game.
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