Outside Linebacker The seemingly never ending search for the successor to Derrick Brooks continues, and if I was to have a guess it will probably continue long after he hangs up his cleats. While it could be Quincy Black or Adam Heyward that one day replaces Brooks in the starting line up its difficult to say to what level they will perform, so until that day just about every outside linebackers will be compared to the 10-time Pro Bowler. I’m a big fan of USC’s Keith Rivers because physically he’s as ready to play today in the NFL today as any other prospect in the draft, he can play any of the three linebacker positions but his most natural position is going to be on the weakside. He is very athletic, with a non-stop motor, has great instincts for playing the position and he can really hit hard. Ideally you would want him to be a bit bigger, he isn’t the playmaker in pass coverage that the cover-2 demands. He can be over aggressive in looking for a big hit, needs to play under more control but has all the abilities required to be a top NFL linebacker. Following Rivers there is a drop off in quality at outside linebacker, Erin Henderson is probably next. Erin is the brother of Vikings linebacker E.J, he however is not close to been the prospect that his brother was. He has adequate size and good range and could end up playing inside linebacker. Good athlete that has relied on his athleticism more than correct technique would need to work on pass coverage skills to function in the Tampa defensive scheme. Ali Highsmith (LSU) is an interesting prospect, his 40 time at the combine was alarmingly slow especially given his type of play. On tape, he is an athletic, fast defender with a great ability to change direction at speed. He is good at playing the run and the pass, while been an adequate at rushing the passer. Highsmith is undersized for the position but looks like an ideal fit for the type of defenses ran in Tampa, if he can show that the speed at the combine was the result of an injury he becomes an attractive proposition in the early rounds. Virginia Tech’s Xavier Adibi continues the traditions of high quality defensive prospects that the Hokies have produced. Adibi has excellent sideline to sideline speed that could make him a weapon. He’s another linebacker who is undersized but excels in pass coverage because of fluid movement and overall athletic ability. Much like Rivers he is overly aggressive and needs to play with more control. If he can overcome his size limitations he has chance to be a very good weak-side linebacker. Florida State is another school that makes a habit of producing high quality linebackers, Geno Hayes is the latest prospect. Undersized but extremely athletic, fluid movement and is equally adept at stopping the run and working in pass coverage. Plays well in space but he lacks the strength to get off blocks. Questions remain over his character after getting caught up in the FSU academic scandal and calling out opposition star players and then not backing up his play. Wesley Woodyard (Kentucky) and Jordan Dizon (Colorado) are very similar prospect in that they are both excellent athletes with Woodyard having the edge in speed but both have enough to effectively play sideline to sideline. Dizon has a better motor than Woodyard, a tougher competitor who probably has better instincts for the game. Both of these will struggle to shed blockers and need to get stronger before they’re ready to play, both have special teams potential. In the later rounds someone like Larry Grant (Ohio State) could be an option. Larry Grant has spent most of his career dominating against the junior college ranks, he is still learning the position having only played a couple of years of division one football. Will be an immediate contributor to special teams and has a chance to develop into a good linebacker, has the raw materials to work with. Inside Linebacker It appears the Barrett Ruud has the middle linebacker position sewn up for the foreseeable future , but some of the more well known linebackers in this year’s draft are inside or middle linebackers. It feels like every year Penn State produce another high calibre linebacking prospect, although they are often over hyped. Dan Connor is latest product of ‘Linebacker University’. Connor lacks the ideal size and could end up as an outside linebacker and he probably only has adequate speed/athleticism but in every other aspect of his game he looks like a top linebacker. He is a leader out on the field, who has a non-stop motor, great range and very productive against a good level of competition. Curtis Lofton’s (Oklahoma)football IQ is off the charts, he is such an intelligent linebacker that any worries over his height or lack of all around athleticism are of little consequence. Lofton has the bulk to play middle linebacker and his ability to diagnose a play is what sets him apart from most of his counterparts in the draft. He is a big hitter but also a very good tackler who wraps up the ball carrier. For me he is a natural born footballer and will be a better pro than prospect especially given his limited starting time in college. Jerod Mayo (Tennessee) and Philip Wheeler (Georgia Tech) both are athletic middle linebackers, but with one major exception and that’s instincts. When you look at Wheeler there is a lot to like about him, although his play isn’t as physical as the position requires and he could quite easily end up playing outside. He is very athletic, fast and can drop into coverage. A good tackler who is always active around the play of the ball. He lacks the instincts for the position, prospects like this remind me of the Oakland Raiders Thomas Howard, a prospect who had the physical skills to be very good but he needs to figure out the mental side of playing the position. Mayo’s instincts are much better, but his lack of strength could also force him to the outside. Mayo has a nice combination of size, speed and natural ability at the position. If Mayo’s going to remain in the middle he would probably be best playing in a cover-2 system. A sure-tackler, who when needed delivers the big hits and is very productive, all this with a great work ethic will make him an asset to an NFL roster Jonathan Goff (Vanderbilt) is another very productive linebacker from the SEC, however I’m not a big fan. He has the large frame required for the position and his combine numbers were nothing short of eye-opening. I have not seen him play with the speed of fluidity he showed at the combine, so I would be concerned here. Has adequate instincts but would like to see him a bit more aggressive and physical in his play, not sure how much room there is to improve here. Tavares Gooden (Miami) is another big bodied linebacker, to me he is an example of an athlete in pads and not so much a true footballer yet. Another one of my Thomas Howard type prospects, physically he is very well put together and if someone can switch the light on he has the potential to have a big impact. Miami have had a history of producing high quality linebacker prospects and if a coaching staff can get his football IQ to the required level he could turn out to be great value, if not he will at a minimum be an excellent addition to special teams. In the later rounds prospects I like include Vince Hall (Virginia Tech), Ben Moffitt (South Florida) and Jeremy Leman (Illinois). Moffitt is a local product who will get every bit of possible production out of his talent, if there is an overachiever at linebacker in this draft it’s Moffitt. He has great instincts, wraps up the ball carrier well and has a great motor, he has been very productive and is always involved in any big play by the USF defence. He lacks the athletic ability although never appears to lack speed when in pursuit. His change of direction isn’t great and doesn’t have the strength his body type would suggest. Hall is another of the very productive Hokie defenders, he’s a strong, physical hard hitter who excels against the run but because of his lack of speed and stiff when changing direction he will probably be poor in coverage. Great football IQ and hard worked, who has a lot of experience and production. The exact same description could be given for Leman, as he’s a similar tough, hard worker who may struggle because of limited athleticism but knows how to play football. These three linebackers will not be outworked and will at least provide special teams help. Summary: On the outside there are a number of undersized linebackers that could slot nicely into the Tampa defensive scheme, Inside the draft is top heavy with the rest of the class lacking athletic ability or will end up playing outside. Linebacker draft pick I would like: I’m not sure we need to be taking a linebacker in the first round, so it can’t be Rivers. Ali Highsmith on tape looks like a good fit for Tampa. Linebacker draft pick I would hate: Geno Hayes, not as productive as his talent indicates or as good as he thinks he is. Linebacker I like more than most: Jordan Dizon, has a good combination of physical skills and instincts. Linebacker I like less than most: Jonathan Goff, his combine performance should get him significantly overdrafted.