2011 NFL Draft: Ranking and Projecting the Top 25 Linebackers
If there is anything we learned from the Super Bowl, it's that playmaking linebackers can make all the difference for a football team.
The Pittsburgh Steelers' No. 1 ranked defense was led by four solid linebackers in James Harrison, Lawrence Timmons, James Farrior and LaMarr Woodley.
The Green Bay Packers' No. 2 scoring defense countered with an impressive group of Clay Matthews, A.J. Hawk, Desmond Bishop and Frank Zombo.
To have a good defense in the NFL, it's clear you have to have linebackers that can change the game in the instant.
Because of that, teams will certainly be looking to this year's class of linebacking prospects to help their defense in the NFL draft.
Let's take a look at the top 25 linebackers in the 2011 NFL Draft.
No. 21-25
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25. Mike Mohamed (Cal, ILB): A big time production guy who was a solid leader. However, disappears sometimes and lacks any blitzing qualities. Should be a fourth to sixth rounder.
24. Ross Homan (Ohio State, OLB): Undersized but plays with a great motor. At the very least, he'd immediately upgrade the special teams' play. Looks to be a sixth to seventh rounder.
23. K.J. Wright (Miss St., OLB): Lacks the coverage skills to be a full-time starter, but his pass rushing abilities will attract teams. Should go anywhere from the fourth to seventh round.
22. Casey Matthews (Oregon, ILB): The bloodlines (brother is Clay) will immediately attract teams. Isn't nearly as athletic as his sibling, however. Should go anywhere from the third to fifth round.
21. Jabaal Sheard (Pitt, OLB): A good athlete for his size and broke out this season. Project player in a 3-4, but the potential exists. Could go anywhere from the third to sixth round.
No. 16-20
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20. Lawrence Wilson (Connecticut, OLB): Among the top linebackers in the nation in production but needs to add more size to be a starter in the NFL. Could go anywhere from fourth to sixth round.
19. Colin McCarthy (Miami, OLB): Needs more upper body strength but is a sure tackler with a good motor. Should be a fourth to sixth round pick.
18.Quan Sturdivant (UNC, ILB): Originally slated to be a top pick but fell off this season. Still was extremely productive throughout his career. Could be a third to sixth round pick.
17. Nate Irving (NCSU, ILB): Plays sideline to sideline and is a natural leader. Needs to reduce missed tackles. Could go anywhere from the third to sixth round.
16. Kelvin Sheppard (LSU, ILB): Active middle linebacker with good speed and instincts. Could shed blocks better but should be a third to fifth round pick.
No. 11-15
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15. Greg Jones (Michigan State, ILB): One of the most productive college linebackers in the draft. Smaller, but a good leader and athlete. Expect him to be picked in the third to fourth round.
14. Mark Herzlich (Boston College, OLB): Has been shooting up draft boards and plays with a fire that will impress teams. Should be off the board in the second or third round.
13. Bruce Carter (North Carolina, OLB): Solid athlete with good fundamentals. Top notch special teams player as well. Could go anywhere from second to fourth round.
12. Sam Acho (Texas, 3-4 OLB): A superior athlete for his size (260 lbs) with a non-stop motor. Another second to third round pick.
11. Jeremy Beal (Oklahoma, 3-4 OLB): Explosive pass rusher who plays physical against the run. Projects as a second to third rounder.
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10. Dontay Moch, Nevada
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Info: 6'1", 230 lbs
Position: 3-4 OLB
Rundown: Dontay Moch is clearly undersized and is very raw in his pass rushing skills, but scouts have fallen in love with his physical capabilities.
Moch is reported to have run several 40-yard dashes in the 4.2 second range, which is fast for any position on the field much less a linebacker.
He'd immediately become one of the fastest linebackers in the NFL, and Moch is also a quality character guy who has very little injury history.
The size is an issue, but you can't ignore the potential of a player with his athletic ability.
Projection: Second round
9. Mason Foster, Washington
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Info: 6'1", 245 lbs
Position(s): 3-4 ILB, 3-4 OLB, 4-3 OLB
Rundown: Mason Foster has the ability to play a multitude of positions for a defense, and while he's a little undersized, he's been productive throughout his college career.
The film is where Foster really shines, however. With a non-stop motor and the ability to play sideline to sideline, Foster will impress fans of throwback football.
He's vastly underrated, and in the right system, Foster will be a tackling machine at the next level.
Prediction: Second round
8. Brooks Reed, Arizona
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Info: 6'2", 257 lbs
Position: 3-4 OLB
Rundown: Brooks Reed is a guy that bounced around positions (FB to DE) at Arizona, but once he settled in, he was relentless in getting to the quarterback.
Reed has an array of pass rushing moves, and the way he bends and generates torque off the edge will remind some of the Packers' Clay Matthews.
He won't have the same instant impact as Matthews, but he could be a similar type of player in the NFL with the right development and system.
Projection: Second round
7. Martez Wilson, Illinois
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Info: 6'4", 250 lbs
Position(s): 3-4 OLB, 3-4 ILB, 4-3 ILB
Rundown: Martez Wilson has the size and speed to play an outside linebacker position, but all his experience at Illinois was at inside linebacker.
Wilson does a good job of flowing to the football, and he sheds blocks with a strong upper body and good use of his hands.
He'd probably need to add a little more bulk to play inside in a 3-4 or 4-3 defense, but Wilson could help a team with natural instincts right away.
Projection: Late first round
6. Justin Houston, Georgia
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Info: 6'3", 258 lbs
Position: 3-4 OLB
Rundown: Justin Houston might be the strongest (420 lbs power clean) of all the linebackers, but his value doesn't end there.
He mixes his strength with ideal size, good speed and production throughout his college career.
Houston was suspended for the first two games of the 2009 season, but all accounts say he handled the suspension well and is a humble student of the game.
He'll have a chance to rocket up boards with an impressive combine.
Projection: Mid-to-late first round
5. Ryan Kerrigan, Purdue
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Info: 6'4", 255 lbs
Position: 3-4 OLB
Rundown: Ryan Kerrigan might not be the best athlete in the linebacking class, but he makes up for it with natural pass rushing skills.
His long arms and strong upper body allow him to shed blocks, and Kerrigan uses his hands well to get in the pocket.
His lack of burst and coverage skills might drop him down some boards, but Kerrigan can help a 3-4 defense that needs a pass rusher.
Projection: Late first round
4. Aldon Smith, Missouri
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Info: 6'4", 258 lbs
Position: 3-4 OLB
Rundown: Smith might be a raw prospect, but you can't deny his potential to be a difference maker at the next level.
He's got a great motor, and Smith's first step is as good as anyone in the draft. He'll also test out very well at the combine, so there's no telling how his stock could rise and which team could fall in love with him.
And while I've heard comparisons to the Cowboys' Demarcus Ware, his ceiling could very well be that high.
Projection: First round
3. Akeem Ayers, UCLA
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Info: 6'3", 250 lbs
Position(s): 3-4 OLB, 3-4 ILB
Rundown: Akeem Ayers is a rare prospect who could play both outside and inside linebacker in a 3-4 defense and do it well.
His size and burst off the edge make him an ideal candidate for a pass rushing outside linebacker, and his strength and play-recognition suit an inside linebacker.
That versatility and plethora of skills make him an attractive option for any team that needs help in the front seven of their 3-4.
With more teams switching to that style of defense, Ayers will be a wanted man on draft day.
Projection: First round
2. Robert Quinn, North Carolina
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Info: 6'5", 268 lbs
Position: 3-4 OLB
Rundown: Robert Quinn is one of the best athletes in this year's draft.
While he's bigger than most 3-4 OLB's, Quinn has more than enough speed and burst to be an impact pass rusher off the edge.
His year-long suspension for accepting benefits might initially scare off some teams, but his play on the field will erase those doubts.
Quinn will make an immediate impact for a team in need of a pass rusher.
Projection: Top 10-15
1. Von Miller, Texas A&M
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Info: 6'2", 245 lbs
Position: 3-4 OLB
Rundown: Simply put, Von Miller is the complete package and sets the standard for 3-4 linebackers in this year's draft.
Miller mixes everything you want: speed, explosive first step, relentless motor, coverage ability and experience in the 3-4 defense.
The good things don't stop there either. Miller was as productive a pass rusher as there was in college football over the past two seasons, racking up 27.5 sacks and 39 tackles for losses.
For a team that needs a pass rusher that will make an impact immediately, Miller is their guy.
Projection: Top 10
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