The NFL Draft is less than twenty days away, and with offenses becoming more explosive, athletic linebackers are always in need.
Here are my top Line Backers in the 2020 draft:
1. Isaiah Simmons, LB- Clemson
Simmons is the exact blueprint of the hybrid athlete teams want at linebacker. The performance he put on at the combine is like nothing seen before. Simmons is bigger faster stronger than all opponents he will face in the NFL. He is the solution to defending players like Lamar Jackson. Simmons is the type of player you can build a defense around.
2. Kenneth Murray, LB- Oklahoma
Murray is a fast and physical specimen at 6’2″ 241 lbs. He is a sic ball type linebacker that can run down any guy sideline to sideline. His elusiveness through blocks is a strength but needs to work on striking o-linemen better. When it comes to coverage skills, he can carry any back out of the backfield and can man up big tight ends.
3. Patrick Queen, LB- LSU
Queens is a dynamic athlete with sharp instincts. Instincts for where the play is going and sniffing out that ball is vital for a top LB in the league. Queen is on the smaller end for middle linebackers in the league at 6’0 229, but speed over strength is what’s being prioritized among NFL linebackers. He reminds me of Deion Jones of the Falcons, another LSU guy who can run the alley and cover anyone downfield.
4. Zack Baun, LB- Wisconsin
Baun’s 19.5 tackles for loss and 12.5 sacks among his 76 total tackles during his senior season marked him as a top prospect for this year’s draft. Baun has a nose for the football and knows how to read and dissect what offenses are doing. Baun came to Wisconsin as a dual-threat quarterback but was then moved to defense. Baun is just now peeking at the LB position and has a very high ceiling for any team that can get their hands on him.
5. Logan Wilson, LB- Wyoming
Organizations are always looking for a player like Wilson who has experience as a hybrid linebacker. Wilson has shown on tape him filling the A-gap iso up the middle while also playing back in coverage like a safety reading the ball in the air picking it off with good hands. Wilson is a four-year starter with 104 tackles, 9.5 for loss, one sack, three interceptions, six pass breakups in 13 starts during his senior season. At the combine, he ran a 4.63 40. As a defense, you need to defend the middle of the field, and Wilson has all the skills to be that guy.
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