The NFL Draft's Top 10 Linebacker Schools Since 2005

I've compiled a list of nearly 30 teams who've had at least three linebackers drafted within the past five years.

I awarded the first-round backers seven points, six points to the second rounders, and so on in order to compile a list of the NFL's favorite "Linebacker U's."

For an equalizer and a tiebreaker, I added the total number of linebacker draft picks each college has had in the past five years to their previous scores.

The major flaw of this system is that it doesn't take into account free agent pickups, very talented linebackers who never played professionally, and the quality of individuals' play since joining the NFL.

Also, please notify me if I've missed or included any tweener defensive end-linebackers who shouldn't be for whatever reason.

I give you the top 10 "Linebacker U's" of the past five drafts.

Pre-Honorable Mention

Just for fun and to get the equation down, I'll show a few more teams worthy of some notice.

Michigan and the original Linebacker U, Penn State, came up tied for 12th with 13 points and three draftees for a total of 16 points.

In 2007 and 2008, Michigan produced David Harris, Prescott Burgess, and Shawn Crable while Penn State chipped in Paul Posluszny, Tim Shaw, and Dan Connor.

If you count Brian Orakpo, Texas has given the NFL only two linebackers in the past five years, but both were first-rounders (the other being Derrick Johnson), giving the Longhorns a total of 16 points as well (seven times two plus two more draft picks).

Honorable Mention: Stanford (17 points)

The Stanford Cardinal earn 11th place on four total draft picks.

David Bergeron was drafted in the seventh round and Jared Newberry in the sixth in 2005, while John Alston and Michael Okwo went in the third round of the 2006 and 2007 drafts, respectively.

No. 10: North Carolina State (17 points)

Both teams had 17 total points and Stanford had better picks, but North Carolina State has produced far better talent, so I'll give the Wolfpack the nod.

In 2005, Pat Thomas was drafted in the sixth round.

In 2006, the Wolfpack gave both Stephen Tulloch (fourth round) and Manny Lawson (late first round) to the professional ranks.

No. 9: Maryland (17 points)

Like North Carolina State, Maryland has only produced three linebackers in the past five years. Perhaps you will agree that this group is the most talented.

Moise Fokou was picked up in the seventh round last year.

In 2006, however, D'Qwell Jackson was taken at the top of the second.

Remember that Shawne Merriman guy? He was a Terrapin too and was taken in the first round of the 2005 NFL draft.

That's an okay list, I think.

No. 8: San Diego State (19 points)

An easy argument can be made that the San Diego State linebackers have been the most disappointing as far as this list goes.

I guess these three Aztecs deserve props for getting teams to draft them so high.

Kirk Morrison has been a rather nice find for the Raiders coming out of the third round in 2005, but fellow '05-er Matt McCoy hasn't quite lived up to second round status.

Freddie Keiaho, drafted in the third round of 2006, has been the least impressive, professionally, of the three.

Really, San Diego State shouldn't be here simply due to the fact that they don't produce talent consistently, but you'll ultimately see that few on this list really do.

No. 7: Virginia (19 points)

Wait, is this the same Virginia I'm thinking of? At least they've produced a pick higher than the seventh round in the past two years, I guess.

Like San Diego State, Virginia has given up three linebackers in the past five years as fairly high draft picks.

Darryl Blackstock came in the third round of 2005, and Ahmad Brooks followed as a supplemental third-rounder in 2006.

The reason the Cavaliers rank above the Aztecs, however, is because I have high hopes for Clint Sintim, a second-round pick last summer.

No. 6: Nebraska (20 points)

The Nebraska Cornhuskers were bound to make this list and have contributed four draft-worthy linebackers in the past five years.

Cody Glenn was picked up in the fifth round last draft and Bo Ruud in the sixth in 2008. In 2007, Stewart Bradley was picked up in the third round.

Five years ago, stalwart Barrett Ruud was drafted near the top of the second round.

Only Barrett Ruud has been truly impressive in the NFL, but the other three still have many of their best years ahead of them.

No. 5: Tennessee (23 points)

The equation makes Tennessee No. 5, and they may have landed here by default anyway, but I don't personally think these five guys have quite lived up to potential.

Kevin Burnett was drafted high in the second round of the 2005 draft. Omar Gaither, a fifth rounder in 2006, has been nice, but fellow '06-er (seventh round) Kevin Simon never made a roster, did he?

Marvin Mitchell was picked up in the 2007 seventh round.

Jerod Mayo has become a fan favorite in the Northeast, though, and was drafted in the first round of the 2008 draft.

No. 4: Miami (24 points)

Despite falling off the chart for a few of the past five seasons, Miami has still produced its fair share of talented linebackers.

In 2006, Leon Williams was drafted in the fourth round and Rocky McIntosh in the second.

In 2007, Jon Beason was drafted late in the first round.

In 2008, Tavares Gooden was a third-round pick, and in 2009 Spencer Adkins became a sixth-round pick.

No. 3: Ohio State (35 points)

Consider this the point where teams truly deserve to compete for the title of "Linebacker U."

2006 was, without a doubt, one of the most popular linebacker drafts. Ever. Period.

Ohio State was a huge part of that.

In 2006, the Buckeyes gave up Anthony Schlegel to the third round of the NFL Draft, and Bobby Carpenter and A.J. Hawk were both first-rounders.

Since then, Ohio State has produced Larry Grant (a seventh rounder) in 2008 and Marcus Freeman (fifth round) and James Laurinaitis (second round) in 2009.

No. 2: Florida State (37 points)

For whatever reason, this really surprised me, but I can't argue with the numbers, and there are several talented backers here.

In the past five years, the Seminoles have contributed six linebackers to the NFL, three of them in the aforementioned 2006 draft.

Those three men were A.J. Nicholson in the fifth round and Kamerion Wimbley and Ernie Sims in the first round.

In 2007, Florida State also produced Buster Davis (third round) and Lawrence Timmons (first round).

A year later, Geno Hayes was drafted in the sixth round.

No. 1: Southern California (53 points)

This was, unsurprisingly, a runaway. Within the past three years alone, USC has had eight linebackers land somewhere in the draft and nine total over the past five.

After Lofa Tatupu went in the middle of the second round in 2005, USC had a blank-slate year in '06.

In 2007, Dallas Sartz and Oscar Lua landed in the fifth and seventh rounds respectively.

In 2008, Keith Rivers was the first linebacker taken (first round), and Thomas Williams was picked up in the fifth.

Finally, USC produced arguably the best collegiate crop of linebackers ever to the draft in a single year.

Backup Kaluka Maiava was drafted in the fourth round, fan favorite Rey Maualuga was taken in the second, and Clay Matthews Jr. and Brian Cushing were both snagged in the first round.

I'm not sure how this list would look in terms of NFL success alone, but in terms of draft appeal, no one comes close to the Trojans.

Congratulations, USC. You are my new Linebacker U.