Top 10 Linebacker Prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft
Last Updated: June 01, 2026 | Source: Consensus rankings from 9 outletsThe 2026 linebacker class is led by Sonny Styles, CJ Allen, Jacob Rodriguez. Here's a breakdown of the top 10 prospects at the position, with scouting reports, measurables, and projected draft range.
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1. Sonny Styles — Ohio State
Consensus Rank: #5 overall | Projection: Top 15 pick | Measurables: 6-5, 244.0 lbs, 4.46s 40, 32" armsSonny Styles is an impressive athlete with the necessary skills to be an excellent coverage linebacker in the NFL and a top-tier backer in the 2026 draft class. The 6'4", 235-pound defender entered Ohio State as a 5-star recruit at safety in the 2022 class. He didn't get much playing time as a true freshman but became an honorable mention All-Big Ten selection as a defensive back in year two with 53 tackles, 5 TFL, 2 sacks, and 1 PD.
Strengths: Very good athlete with smooth movement for coverage ... Impressive hand-eye coordination and vertical jump for ball plays ... Good speed to carry receivers in Tampa 2 with sideline-to-sideline range Concerns: A little thin for height, could add size and strength ... Doesn't have much pop behind pads when coming downhill NFL Comparison: Skinny Anthony Barr (NFL version) with similar athleticism Full scouting report for Sonny Styles →---
2. CJ Allen — Georgia
Consensus Rank: #40 overall | Projection: Second round | Measurables: 6-0, 230.0 lbs, 31" armsCJ Allen is a top-tier athlete with enormous potential at just 20 years old to develop into a linebacker who never has to come off the field in the NFL. The 6'1", 235-pound backer went to Georgia as a 4-star recruit in the 2023 class and immediately saw the field as a true freshman, participating in all 14 games with 5 starts, collecting 40 tackles, 3 TFL, a sack, and 2 PD. As a sophomore, he started full-time and racked up 76 tackles, 3 TFL, an interception, and 4 PD.
Strengths: Very good athlete with smooth movement to cover tight ends and running backs ... Impressive hand-eye coordination and vertical jump for ball plays ... Good speed to carry receivers in Tampa 2 with sideline-to-sideline range Concerns: Doesn't have much pop behind pads when coming downhill ... Could add extra mass to improve physicality NFL Comparison: Daiyan Henley with similar athleticism Full scouting report for CJ Allen →---
3. Jacob Rodriguez — Texas Tech
Consensus Rank: #47 overall | Projection: Second round | Measurables: 6-1, 231.0 lbs, 4.57s 40, 30" armsJacob Rodriguez capped one of the most decorated individual seasons in college football history, becoming the consensus best linebacker in the nation and sweeping every major defensive award. The Texas Tech standout won the Butkus Award (nation's best linebacker), Bednarik Award (nation's best defensive player), Bronco Nagurski Trophy, and Lombardi Award while receiving the most Heisman votes among defensive players. Rodriguez's journey to becoming a household name is unconventional: a 3-star recruit as an athlete in 2021, he began his career at Virginia playing quarterback, running back, wide receiver, and tight end before transferring to Texas Tech and converting to linebacker-a move that unlocked one of the sport's most instinctive playmakers.
Strengths: Most decorated LB in 2025-won Butkus, Bednarik, Nagurski, Lombardi ... Elite ball-hawking instincts with 13 career forced fumbles ... Led nation with 7 forced fumbles in 2025 Concerns: Undersized at 6'1" 235 with short arms ... Struggles to wrap up bigger ball carriers consistently NFL Comparison: Darius Leonard (aggressive ball-attacking style) Full scouting report for Jacob Rodriguez →---
4. Jake Golday — Cincinnati
Consensus Rank: #47 overall | Projection: Second round | Measurables: 6-4, 239.0 lbs, 4.62s 40, 31" armsJake Golday exploded onto the national draft radar with a blistering start to the 2025 season, leading all FBS players with 26 tackles through two games and drawing effusive praise from prominent draft analysts. CBS Sports' Mike Renner proclaimed Golday the "type of rangey, jumbo LB (6-4, 240) that everyone in the NFL is looking for," projecting him as a trending top-100 pick after watching his tape filled with "wow" reps. The Athletic's Dane Brugler echoed the sentiment, as Golday's combination of size, range, and sideline-to-sideline ability perfectly fits the modern NFL linebacker archetype.
Strengths: Rare size-athleticism combination at 6-4, 240 pounds provides prototypical modern NFL linebacker frame with length and mass ... Elite range allows him to flow sideline-to-sideline and make plays beyond his assigned gap, covering ground most linebackers cannot reach ... Dominant run defender who ranked 4th among Big 12 LBs with 80.7 PFF run-defense grade, consistently filling gaps and stacking blockers Concerns: Limited coverage experience and skill set raises questions about three-down viability in pass-heavy NFL offenses ... Struggles in man coverage against athletic tight ends and running backs who can exploit his hip stiffness in space Full scouting report for Jake Golday →---
5. Anthony Hill Jr — Texas
Consensus Rank: #54 overall | Projection: Second round | Measurables: 6-2, 238.0 lbs, 4.51s 40, 32" armsAnthony Hill Jr. is widely considered the best off-ball linebacker in the 2026 NFL Draft class-a rare combination of downhill thumping and sideline-to-sideline range that will translate immediately at the next level. At 6'1", 230 pounds, the Texas junior was a consensus five-star recruit consistently ranked in the top 25 overall in his class out of Denton, Texas. Hill has been a monster since his arrival in 2023, leading the Longhorns with 113 total tackles in 2024 while adding 16.
Strengths: Elite athleticism with sideline-to-sideline range ... Explosive burst allows consistent playmaking positioning ... Quick to key and diagnose running plays Concerns: Tackling in space remains inconsistent with tendency to overpursue ... Coverage concerns against slot receivers and athletic backs NFL Comparison: Complete off-ball linebacker with three-down upside Full scouting report for Anthony Hill Jr →---
6. Josiah Trotter — Missouri
Consensus Rank: #64 overall | Projection: Day 2 | Measurables: 6-2, 237.0 lbs, 32" armsJosiah Trotter is one of the most physical and instinctive inside linebackers in the 2026 NFL Draft class, carrying on the family legacy as the son of 4x Pro Bowl, 2x All-Pro Jeremiah Trotter Sr. and brother of Eagles linebacker Jeremiah Jr. The 6-2, 237-pound redshirt sophomore from Philadelphia has a supercomputer brain for diagnosing run plays, processing at a speed that puts him among the fastest in the class alongside Sonny Styles.
Strengths: Elite run game processor with supercomputer-level play diagnosis speed ... Heavy powerful hands with excellent strike timing that generate immediate separation ... Explosive short-area acceleration and downhill burst -- hits like a freight train Concerns: Limited range as a sideline-to-sideline defender -- more explosive than fast ... Coverage is a work in progress -- gets stacked on wheel routes and downfield man reps NFL Comparison: Old-school throwback MIKE linebacker Full scouting report for Josiah Trotter →---
7. Kyle Louis — Pittsburgh
Consensus Rank: #71 overall | Projection: Day 2 | Measurables: 6-0, 220.0 lbs, 4.53s 40, 31" armsLouis is an athletic outside linebacker with good speed and coverage potential. His combination of athleticism, instincts, and versatility makes him effective in modern defenses. Louis demonstrates solid range and the ability to cover ground quickly.
Strengths: Good speed ... solid range ... developing coverage skills Concerns: Needs to add bulk for taking on blockers ... occasionally overruns plays Full scouting report for Kyle Louis →---
8. Deontae Lawson — Alabama
Consensus Rank: #105 overall | Projection: Day 3 | Measurables: 6-3, 226.0 lbs, 31" armsDeontae Lawson is a highly athletic linebacker who combines movement skills with an ability to read the quarterback's eyes to make plays on the ball in the air. He arrived at Tuscaloosa in 2021 as one of the nation's top linebacker prospects, a consensus four-star recruit with a five-star rating from 247Sports who captained Mobile Christian School to a Class 3A Championship Game appearance in 2019 while collecting 134 tackles and earning Class 3A Lineman of the Year honors. After redshirting his 2021 season, Lawson's development accelerated through 2022 as he gained valuable experience on multiple special teams units while rotating into the linebacker corps.
Strengths: Alpha communicator who commanded Alabama's defense with the green dot, making pre-snap adjustments and aligning teammates with veteran savvy and controlled urgency ... Shows advanced processing skills at the second level with excellent patience before firing downhill, rarely overcommitting to false reads ... Packs serious punch as a tackler when he squares up, generating impressive stopping power through his hips and consistently driving ball carriers backward on contact Concerns: Lacks ideal length and power at point of attack, gets swallowed up too often when offensive linemen establish clean body position and get their hands inside his frame ... Medical flags require serious vetting - suffered significan't lower-body injury in 2024 requiring surgery and has missed multiple games with ankle issues in previous seasons NFL Comparison: Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah with better size Full scouting report for Deontae Lawson →---
9. Keyshaun Elliott — Arizona State
Consensus Rank: #111 overall | Projection: Day 3 | Measurables: 6-2, 231.0 lbs, 4.58s 40, 31" armsKeyshaun Elliott is a smart physical inside linebacker from Arizona State who projects as a starter at the next level despite lacking the flashiness of other linebacker prospects in this class. At 6-2 and 235 pounds Elliott plays with scheme versatility and a run-and-chase style that allows him to flow sideline to sideline and clean up in pursuit. Read Optional's Oliver Connolly identified Elliott as one of his favorite players in the class grading him 6.
Strengths: Smart linebacker with excellent pre-snap reads and run diagnosis ... Physical run-and-chase style flowing sideline to sideline effectively ... Blitzing upside adding pass-rush dimension with well-timed rushes Concerns: Lacks flashiness and explosive athletic traits compared to other LB prospects ... Day Three projection sitting around 300 on consensus boards Full scouting report for Keyshaun Elliott →---
10. Kaleb Elarms-Orr — TCU
Consensus Rank: #130 overall | Projection: Day 3 | Measurables: 6-2, 234.0 lbs, 4.47s 40, 31" armsKaleb Elarms-Orr is an inside linebacker from TCU who earned invitations to both the Senior Bowl and the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine based on his production in the Big 12. At the Senior Bowl he logged 69 team drill snaps and 22 one-on-one run drill snaps showing his ability to compete against draft-eligible competition. His one-on-one run drill results were encouraging with 9 positive grades against 6 negative per PFF suggesting he can win at the point of attack against blockers in the run game.
Strengths: Senior Bowl and NFL Combine invitations validating draft stock ... 9 positive PFF grades in one-on-one run drills showing run-stopping ability ... TCU experience in Big 12 competition providing quality reps Concerns: 7 negative grades with zero positives in team drills at Senior Bowl ... Limited scouting data from major outlets not ranked on big boards Full scouting report for Kaleb Elarms-Orr →---