Fred Warner, Roquan Smith Lead Top 10 NFL LB Rankings by Coaches, Execs in New Poll

Despite being limited to six games last season due to an injury, Fred Warner remains the standard at the linebacker position entering the 2026 NFL season.

In a survey of coaches, executives and scouts conducted by ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, the San Francisco 49ers star was voted as the top linebacker ahead of Roquan Smith.

Here is the full top 10 linebacker ranking:

1. Fred Warner, San Francisco 49ers
2. Roquan Smith, Baltimore Ravens
3. Carson Schwesinger, Cleveland Browns
4. Zack Baun, Philadelphia Eagles
5. Jack Campbell, Detroit Lions
6. Azeez Al-Shaiir, Houston Texans
7. Jordyn Brooks, Miami Dolphins
8. Nick Bolton, Kansas City Chiefs
9. Edgerrin Cooper, Green Bay Packers
10. Devin Lloyd, Carolina Panthers

Warner's 2025 season lasted just six games due to a broken and dislocated ankle suffered in a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Despite playing roughly one-third of the season, Warner still finished with 51 combined tackles, three passes defensed, two forced fumbles and two tackles for loss.

"He diagnoses faster than anyone," an NFL coordinator told Fowler of Warner. "That's really his secret sauce. Processes the game at an incredibly fast level."

The injury snapped Warner's streak consecutive All-Pro first-team selections at three and four in the previous five years.

Smith has been right behind Warner in this survey in three consecutive years. A first-round pick by the Chicago Bears in 2018, it wasn't until he was traded to the Ravens midway through the 2022 campaign that his career took off.

Since arriving in Baltimore, Smith has made three consecutive Pro Bowls and was a first-team All-Pro in 2023 and 2024. He put up 130 combined tackles, five tackles for loss and three passes defensed last season.

"He's f---ing nasty coming downhill," a league personnel evaluator said to Fowler. "He sees it fast, good blitzer, good eyes, cuts the ball off in the run game."

The big addition to the list this year is Carson Schwesinger at No. 3 after an impressive rookie season for the Cleveland Browns.

One personnel executive told Fowler that Schwesinger is "[Luke] Kuechly reincarnated" with his "elite speed, athleticism, instincts, ball skills."

Schwesinger did a lot of everything for Cleveland in 2025. He finished with 156 combined tackles, 11 tackles for loss, nine quarterback hits, 2.5 sacks and two interceptions.

Even though the Browns no longer have Myles Garrett, their front seven featuring Schwesinger and Jared Verse figures to remain incredibly formidable for many years to come.

There is a general lack of consensus about the best off-ball linebackers right now because everyone has their own specific preference of what they like.

Warner and Zack Baun of the Philadelphia Eagles, who came in at No. 4, were the only two players in the top 10 named by every respondent. Warner, Smith and Jack Campbell were the only players who received at least one first-place vote.