2010 Inside Linebacker Rankings
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ILB

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Here are the rankings of 52 draft eligible inside/middle linebackers as we head down the stretch of the college season. After two potential stars at the top the quality quickly thins out. The middle rounds offer some depth but many of these prospects will only fit certain schemes in the NFL.
RankRndNameAnalysis
11stBrandon Spikes
Florida
Dominant, forceful linebacker who controls the action up the field. Stout run defender who jars ball carriers with crushing hits and causes turnovers. Explosive blitzing up the field. Fluid moving to the sidelines chasing down ball carriers. Struggles moving in reverse in pass coverage, but does show ability in zone. Solid first round prospect.
21stRolando McClain
Alabama
Well rounded linebacker with a complete game. Picks up coverage assignments, displays good awareness and makes plays sideline to sideline. Dependable versus a true playmaking linebacker.
33rdGreg Jones
Michigan State
Dynamite young prospect in the midst of a terrific season.
43rdKelvin Sheppard
LSU
53-4Vincent Rey
Duke
Aggressive and underrated linebacker who stands out in pursuit. Flows to the action, fluid changing direction and fast to the flanks. Offers potential at a number of linebacker positions.
63-4Sean Lee
Penn State
One time dominant linebacker returning from a major knee injury. Could be the best linebacker to come from PSU the past five years if he is able to get back to prior playing form, which he's been slow to do.
73-4Quan Sturdivant
North Carolina
Potential weak side linebacker who easily moves about the field. Fluid, covers a lot of area and makes plays sideline-to-sideline.
84thJoe Pawelek
Baylor
Instinctive and hard-nosed linebacker in the middle that can be used in a variety of systems. Stout at the point of attack, shed blocks and attacks assignments. Limited athletically and may be more of a two-down defender yet very underrated at this point.
94thJosh Bynes
Auburn
104-5Jared Norton
Texas
Disciplined linebacker who flies around the field chasing the action or explodes through the gaps in run defense. Flashes on the scene and a sudden defender with a good degree of upside. Suffered a shoulder injury in September and will apply for a medical harship to gain another year of eligibility.
115thCasey Matthews
Oregon
125thObi Ezeh
Michigan
Athletic linebacker effective against the run and pass. Covers a lot of area on the field displaying great range. Also shows discipline and the ability to quickly diagnose the action. Looked like a top 60 pick but has dissapointed this season.
135thDavyd Jones
Ball State
Athletic, yet undersized linebacker who flies around the field. Offers potential in a one-gap system or could get looks at strong safety.
145thAkeem Dent
Georgia
155-6Ronnie Paulo
UNLV
165-6Brian Duncan
Texas Tech
Stout run defender who stops ball carriers dead in their tracks. Stays with assignments, effectively uses his hands to keep blockers away and wraps up at the point. More of a two down defender.
175-6Alex Wujciak
Maryland
Hard working linebacker who plays with a good degree of suddenness. Diagnoses the action, chases around the field and works very hard. Lacks next level speed but does enough to be used on the inside of a 34 defense.
186-7Micah Johnson
Kentucky
Overrated linebacker with good physical skills yet marginal instincts.
196-7Darryl Sharpton
Miami-Fl
Athletic linebacker who shows well in pursuit. Displayed a lot of skill in
206-7Alex Joseph
Temple
Three year starter and one of the nations most underrated middle linebackers. Possesses good size and a tough guy who stacks well against the run.
216-7Mike McLaughlin
Boston College
Tough, slug it out two down linebacker with a terrific head for the ball in run defense. Strong wrap up tackler who explodes up the field. Struggles in coverage or making plays in reverse.
227thJamar Chaney
Mississippi State
Disciplined linebacker coming off a serious injury. Very effective making plays in the box or downhill.
237thJacob Cutrera
LSU
Fast, sudden inside linebacker with a decent upside. Sells out on the blitz yet remains disciplined with assignments. Good prospect.
247-FAJosh Hull
Penn State
Underrated linebacker zipping up draft boards. Not even rated by scouting services entering the season but has a real chance to be drafted late.
257-FAScott Lutrus
Connecticut
Hard charging linebacker who goes sideline to sideline. Shows a real good head for the ball yet lacks to speed.
26FAMichael Wright
Utah
27FATravis Goethel
Arizona State
Hard hitting linebacker with a good nose for the ball. Best in a straight line and most a two down defender.
28FAClinton Snyder
Stanford
Aggressive safety always flying around the action. Lacks the quick change of direction and best in a straight line.
29FAPat Angerer
Iowa
Stout, run defending two down linebacker. Strong at the point, plays off blocks and remains disciplined with assignments. Minimal speed to the sidelines and struggles making plays in reverse.
30FAMike Nixon
Arizona State
31FAMatt Mayberry
Indiana
Tough, run defending two down linebacker who plays with a nasty attitude and remains disciplined with assignments. Lacks top lateral speed and marginal skills in coverage.
32FARyan Reynolds
Oklahoma
Hard working linebacker who makes plays with his hustle. Best defending the run and really does a great job quarterbacking the defense. Numerous knee injuries will raise red flags.
33FABrashton Satele
Hawaii
34FAOrie Lemon
Oklahoma State
Two down defender best against the run.
35FAJacob Lewko
Penn
36FAPatrick Benoist
Vanderbilt
37FAJacque Roman
Appalachian State
38FAJonathan Dempsey
Louisville
Quick, aggressive linebacker with good movement skills. Short and smothered at the point.
39FAMarcus Washington
Georgia
40FAPrince Hall
Central Washington
41FAMichael Bethea
Nevada
42FAReed Williams
West Virginia
Two-down defender returning from injury. Good football player yet a limited athlete.
43FAMichael Dell
West Chester
44FAElijah Hodge
Northern Iowa
Former Wisconsin star whose game has fallen on tough times.
45FARyan D'Imperio
Rutgers
Hard working linebacker who chases around the field to get involved in the action. Yet a limited athlete with marginal upside.
46FAWesley Flagg
North Carolina
47FACobrani Mixon
Kent State
48FAJonathan Woods
Troy State
Hard working, two down defender only effective in the box.
49FAMarshall McFadden
South Carolina State
50FALuke Laolagi
San Diego State
51FACardia Jackson
La-Monroe
Hard working two-down defender best in a straight line, up the field.
52FAMark Masterson
Maine
Updated 1/31
RankRndNamePosYear
11stNdamukong Suh
Nebraska
DT5Sr
21stEric Berry
Tennessee
S3Jr
31stGerald McCoy
Oklahoma
DT4Jr
41stRussell Okung
Oklahoma State
T4Sr
51stJoe Haden
Florida
CB3Jr
61stDez Bryant
Oklahoma State
WR3Jr
71stAnthony Davis
Rutgers
T3Jr
81stJason Pierre-Paul
South Florida
DE3Jr
91stDamian Williams
USC
WR4Jr
101stBrian Price
UCLA
DT3Jr
111stDerrick Morgan
Georgia Tech
DE3Jr
121stSam Bradford
Oklahoma
QB4Jr
131stTaylor Mays
USC
S4Sr
141stBruce Campbell
Maryland
T3Jr
151stRolando McClain
Alabama
ILB3Jr
161stEarl Thomas
Texas
S3So
171stJared Odrick
Penn State
DT4Sr
181stSergio Kindle
Texas
OLB4Sr
191-2Bryan Bulaga
Iowa
T3Jr
201-2Demaryius Thomas
Georgia Tech
WR4Jr
211-2Charles Brown
USC
T5Sr
221stJerry Hughes
TCU
OLB4Sr
231-2Brandon Graham
Michigan
DE4Sr
241stRicky Sapp
Clemson
DE4Sr
251stJimmy Clausen
Notre Dame
QB4Jr
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