2010 Outside Linebacker Rankings
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OLB

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Overall it is an above average year at outside linebacker, though we are adding an asterisk. Many of the top rated prospects are undersized college defensive ends who project to outside linebacker at the next level. Even more were rarely asked to make plays moving in reverse on the college level. The bottom line is there's a big bust potential at the position. (updated: 2/23/2010)
RankRndNameAnalysis
11stSergio Kindle
Texas
Athletic prospect who usually lines up at defensive end in the UT defense. Breaks down well, fluid and fast moving about the field and effective dropped off the line playing in space. Must really polish his game and start to stand out.
21-2Jerry Hughes
TCU
Terrific college defensive end who projects to rush linebacker in the NFL. Lacks the great height yet a terrific overall prospect with a complete game.
32ndDaryl Washington
TCU
Underrated linebacker that can play over tight end. Highly thought of in scouting circles.
42ndSean Weatherspoon
Missouri
Explosive, one-gap/weak side linebacker who covers a tremendous amount of area on the field. Makes plays sideline to sideline, cuts the corners of from running backs and effective in coverage.
52ndNavorro Bowman
Penn State
Outstanding junior prospect. Athletic linebacker that stands out in space.
62-3Eric Norwood
South Carolina
Solid athlete who moves well on his feet, making plays in every direction of the field. Had a tremendous season in '09 and zipping up draft boards. Offers potential on the inside in a 3-4 or as a rush linebacker. Not a player for everyone but a top 60 pick.
73rdRoddrick Muckelroy
Texas
Knockout linebacker with a great amount of upside. Athletic, explosive and forceful. Runs down carriers in pursuit, gets depth on drops and covers a lot of area on the field. Hard hitting and very strong.
83rdThaddeus Gibson
Ohio State
Developing junior with a high upside.
93rdCameron Sheffield
Troy State
Undersized college defensive end likely to move to outside linebacker in the NFL. Shows a great burst off the snap, plays with great pad level and fluid changing direction. Handled by tight ends.
103-4Rennie Curran
Georgia
Effective flowing linebacker who displays speed in every direction. Aggressive, shows great suddenness to his game and constantly flying around the field. Looks like a solid prospect to play on the defensive right side. Expected to enter the 2010 draft.
113-4Perry Riley
LSU
Underrated linebacker who could make a move up draft boards this year. Fast in every direction, plays with terrific quickness and instincts. Terrific in pursuit and rounding into a complete defender.
123-4Jermaine Cunningham
Florida
Solid college defensive end with a nice combination of speed and athleticism. Struggles against blocks but would suit a one-gap system. Potential outside linebacker in a 3-4.
134thAJ Edds
Iowa
Strong, stout linebacker who flashes ability in pursuit. Offers an upside and must be monitored.
144thDonald Butler
Washington
Instinctive one-gap linebacker who chases around the field. Tough in run defense and shows skill in coverage. Has his game on the rise and moving up draft boards.
154-5Keenan Clayton
Oklahoma
Fluid linebacker who looks like a safety on the field. Athletic, covers a lot of area on the field and stands out in pursuit.
164-5Jason Beauchamp
UNLV
Nice sized linebacker who plays with a fair degree of athleticism. Strong, forceful and can be used in a variety of systems.
175thJustin Cole
San Jose State
Size/speed guy who needs to complete his game.
185thDexter Davis
Arizona State
Explosive yet undersized college defensive end who'll have to make the transition to outside linebacker in the NFL. Comes off a disappointing senior campaign and slipping.
195-6Antonio Coleman
Auburn
Athletic college pass rusher with ability at several spots. Fast off the edge, can bend then make plays in pursuit. Quickly regains balance off the initial block, immediately gets back to playing for and finds the ball. Can be a liability against the run. Hot and cold player.
205-6Marlon Williams
Texas Tech
Athletic linebacker who stays with the action. Nifty, effective in pursuit and makes plays in space. Small and handled at the point by wide receivers. One-gap type of linebacker.
216thKavell Conner
Clemson
Undersized yet physical and aggressive linebacker. Fights hard to defend the run while also displaying skill in pass coverage.
226thNathan Triplett
Minnesota
Former walk on who really blossomed into a solid prospect this year. Not a great athlete but smart and very tough.
236thArthur Moats
James Madison
Small school defensive end starting to raise eyebrows. Fast, explosive and plays hard.
246-7Keaton Kristick
Oregon State
Fast, physical linebacker who flies around the field making plays sideline-to-sideline. Fluid, sells out on the blitz yet also plays disciplined football. Solid weakside prospect yet coming off a disappointing senior campaign.
256-7Alacce Shofield
Wisconsin
Solid college defensive end that will switch to linebacker in the NFL. Quick, fast and makes plays in all directions of the field. Legitimate mid-round prospect.
266-7Sam Maxwell
Kentucky
Terrific weak side prospect who displays a lot of skill in coverage.
276-7Kion Wilson
South Florida
Swift, nimble linebacker who covers a lot of area on the field. Lacks top size and easily taken out of the action by blocks. Potential one-gap defender.
287thSylvester Stevenson
Utah
Average prospect not as good as his reputation. Relatively athletic but does not make enough plays on the field and displays poor instincts.
297-FASimoni Lawrence
Minnesota
Small, swift strong side linebacker that can be used in a one gap system.
307-FADekoda Watson
Florida State
Athletic linebacker who makes plays in pursuit or up the field. Has shown a lot of potential in the past but watched his game regress last season. Showed flashes as a senior yet never truly pulled it together.
317-FAChris McCoy
Middle Tennessee
Senior prospect on the rise. Disruptive pass rusher who makes a lot of plays behind the line of scrimmage. Lines up in a three-point stance at MTSU but likely to make a transition to outside linebacker at the next level.
32FAKyle Bosworth
UCLA
Hard working defender constantly flying around the action. Fluid transition to run with tight end sin coverage and remains disciplined with assignments.
33FARico McCoy
Tennessee
Fluid, one-gap linebacker effective in space. Small, has ball carriers run through his tackles and has watched his play level off in recent seasons.
34FASedric Griffin
Georgia Tech
Explosive linebacker who plays with great suddenness. Shows outstanding ability in pursuit and covers a lot of area on the field.
35FAJarvis Geathers
UCF
Son of former NFL great Jumpy Geathers. Coming off a terrific senior season and now getting consideration as a pass rushing, outside linebacker.
36FARyan Stamper
Florida
Aggressive linebacker who works hard to make plays. Lacks a burst to the action, possesses just average skill in coverage and easily blocked from the action. Good back-up/special teams prospect.
37FAMike Nixon
Arizona State
Smallish yet underrated linebacker who plays sideline-to-sideline. Potential back-up in a one gap system.
38FAPatrick Lavine
Oklahoma State
Relatively strong linebacker who covers a good amount of area on the field, getting depth on drops. Must take his game to the next level.
39FAReggie Carter
UCLA
Athletic linebacker who does not do the little things well. Inefficient, does not take good angles to the action and shows a lot of hesitation in his game.
40FAJaevery McFadden
Wisconsin
Forceful linebacker who displays speed, makes plays sideline-to-sideline and is also strong. Lacks top instincts and all too often gets confused.
41FABrandon Fanney
North Alabama
Undersized college defensive end likely to move to outside linebacker in the NFL. Chases the action, makes plays in all directions and wraps-up tackling. Transferred to North Alabama and will not be playing for the Tide in '09.
42FACory Reamer
Alabama
43FABoris Lee
Troy State
Quick, explosive linebacker with a good change of direction and ability in the box. Chases the action hard and has been very productive. Can play in the middle or on the outside.
44FADenzel Burrell
Virginia
Adequate linebacker who flashes skill in run defense. Must learn to protect himself and take better angles to the action.
45FADustin Doe
Florida
Fluid, one-gap linebacker who covers a lot of area on the field, making plays sideline to sideline.
46FAAndy Mattingly
Washington State
One time highly rated prospect with poor playing speed. Well-built and could make it as a 3-4 OLB.
47FADane Fletcher
Montana State
48FAAdam Gunn
Pittsburgh
Up and coming senior with a long injury history.
49FAJeremy Maddox
Alabama A&M
50FAJohn Haley
Temple
Smallish, one-gap defender who plays bigger and faster than his size/speed.
51FAColeby Clawson
BYU
3-4 linebacker prospect.
52FADarius Dewberry
Georgia
53FAWill Patterson
Indiana
Quick, fluid linebacker with limited size.
54FASamuel Scott
West Chester
Good athlete who plays big and fast.
55FAPatrick Trahan
Mississippi
56FAKevin Alexander
Clemson
57FACaleb Bostic
Miami-Oh
Athletic, outside backer who makes a lot of plays on the ball. Has struggled with injury the past two seasons.
58FAJosh Thompson
La-Monroe
Quick, run defending linebacker who struggles handling tight ends.
59FAChris Brown
Sam Houston State
60FAFred Garrin
Iowa State
61FAChauncey Mixon
Southern Illinois
62FAJ.T. Gilmore
Western Oregon
63FAJason Werner
Purdue
64FALuther Brown
USC
65FALarry Hart
Central Arkansas
66FAOlu Hall
Kansas State
67FAFreddie Fairchild
Arkansas Pine Bluff
68FAE.J. Savannah
Washington
69FAWalter Blair
Delaware
70FAZach Watkins
Washburn
71FAAndre Hatchett
Eastern Michigan
Small, speedy linebacker who makes plays sideline-to-sideline. Possible 8th linebacker/special teams player in a one gap system.
72FAJohn Ryan
Notre Dame
73FACam Martin
Virginia Tech
Solid pass covering linebacker who stays downfield with running backs or tight ends, making plays in all directions.
Updated 2/21
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
91stBruce Campbell
Maryland
T3Jr
101stDerrick Morgan
Georgia Tech
DE3Jr
111stBrian Price
UCLA
DT3Jr
121stDamian Williams
USC
WR4Jr
131stRolando McClain
Alabama
ILB3Jr
141stEarl Thomas
Texas
S3So
151stDan Williams
Tennessee
DT5Sr
161stSam Bradford
Oklahoma
QB4Jr
171stSergio Kindle
Texas
OLB4Sr
181-2Mike Iupati
Idaho
G4Sr
191stTaylor Mays
USC
S4Sr
201stBryan Bulaga
Iowa
T3Jr
211-2Demaryius Thomas
Georgia Tech
WR4Jr
221-2Brandon Graham
Michigan
DE4Sr
231stJimmy Clausen
Notre Dame
QB4Jr
241stJared Odrick
Penn State
DT4Sr
251-2Arrelious Benn
Illinois
WR3Jr
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