LINEBACKER
1
Jalon Walker
EDGE/LB | GEORGIA | 6’2 | 245
Strengths: Walker is a versatile, high-floor prospect who brings value as both a natural linebacker and a productive pass-rusher. His greatest asset is his vision—he’s extremely disciplined, patient, and consistently diagnoses plays correctly. Walker has the power to shed blocks and offers major upside as a pass-rusher. He’s young, coachable, and displays strong leadership qualities. Weaknesses: The main question is his long-term fit—whether his profile can hold up as a full-time EDGE or if he’s better suited in a hybrid role. Bottom Line: Walker’s instincts, vision, and versatility give him the foundation to become a highly reliable defensive stud in the NFL.
Grade: Round 1
Jamie Collins
2
Jihaad Campbell
LB | ALABAMA | 6’3 | 244
Strengths: Campbell is a well-rounded defensive playmaker with great size for the position. He’s an explosive athlete who gains serious momentum attacking downhill and consistently flies to the ball. He plays with a high motor and shows natural instincts, while also adding value as an effective pass-rusher. Weaknesses: He needs to maintain a more consistent pad level and play lower to maximize his leverage. Injuries are also a concern here. Bottom Line: Campbell is going to be a rock—a dependable, high-energy defensive leader for a top-tier unit.
Grade: Round 1
N/A
3
Carson Schwesinger
LB | UCLA | 6’2 | 225
Strengths: Schwesinger is a unique, high-upside defender who does a great job squaring up and finishing tackles in space. He’s versatile, able to contribute as a blitzer and on special teams, and shows good trigger when closing on the ball. Weaknesses: He’s still raw and inexperienced, especially in coverage where he needs to be more proactive and instinctive. He also needs to add mass to hold up physically at the next level. Bottom Line: Schwesinger is a developmental project with intriguing tools and instincts that could turn him into a big-time playmaker.
Grade: Round 2
N/A
4
Demetrius Knight Jr.
EDGE | SOUTH CAR. | 6’2 | 245
Strengths: Knight Jr. is a physical specimen with an excellent blend of height, weight, and speed. He plays with urgency, flies around the field, and consistently seeks out contact while finding his way to the ball. He’s vocal, communicative, and has flashed real ability as a blitzer. Weaknesses: He’s a slightly older prospect and occasionally gets caught on blocks, needing to improve his deconstruction technique. At times, he can also be overly aggressive in pursuit and lose discipline. Bottom Line: Knight Jr. has the frame, athleticism, and mentality to develop into a strong, reliable NFL defender.
Grade: Round 3
N/A
5
Chris Paul Jr.
LB | OLE MISS | 6’1 | 235
Strengths: Paul Jr. is an athletic and consistent linebacker with a great motor and impressive awareness. He’s constantly around the ball, takes smart angles in the run game, and shows discipline in coverage. Weaknesses: He’s a bit undersized and can get swallowed up in traffic when navigating through blocks. Bottom Line: With his blend of athleticism, effort, and instincts, Paul Jr. projects as a very dependable and productive NFL defender.
Grade: Round 3
N/A
6
Jeffrey Bassa
LB | OREGON | 6’2 | 235
Strengths: Bassa is an explosive and versatile linebacker with a unique skillset. A former safety, he’s comfortable in coverage and shows great range with the athleticism to make plays in space. He has a quick trigger and displays solid awareness across the field. Weaknesses: He needs to improve his ability to shed blocks in the run game and could benefit from adding more mass to his frame. Bottom Line: Bassa has a ton of untapped potential and could become a dynamic piece in the right scheme.
Grade: Round 3
N/A
7
Jay Higgins
LB | IOWA | 6’2 | 232
Strengths: Higgins is an old-school, thumping linebacker with excellent vision and discipline. He’s an extremely reliable tackler who consistently squares up and finishes plays. While known for his physical consistency, he’s also a proven playmaker with a strong track record of INTs, forced fumbles, pressures, and PBUs throughout his career. Weaknesses: Higgins has below-average athleticism and lacks the range to be a true sideline-to-sideline presence. Bottom Line: Higgins may be scheme-dependent, but his toughness, instincts, and dependability could make him an outlier at the next level.
Grade: Round 4
N/A
8
Barrett Carter
LB | CLEMSON | 6’1 | 230
Strengths: Barrett is an electric linebacker with high-upside traits. He has outstanding closing speed and burst in space, showing the ability to chase down plays sideline-to-sideline. Barrett is solid in coverage, with good awareness and the athletic tools to match up with most players in space. Weaknesses: His run-fit diagnosis needs refinement, as he occasionally misreads gaps, and he could benefit from adding more mass to avoid getting swallowed in traffic. Bottom Line: Fit will be everything for Barrett, whose speed and versatility could make him a dynamic hybrid defender in the right system.
Grade: Round 4
N/A
9
Smael Mondon Jr.
LB | GEORGIA | 6’3 | 235
Strengths: Mondon Jr. is a unique linebacker with high-upside traits and excellent range, using his speed to make plays in space and cover sideline-to-sideline. He has the athleticism and movement skills to contribute as a coverage linebacker and be disruptive in open-field situations. Weaknesses: He lacks physicality, can get swallowed in traffic, and needs to improve at deconstructing blocks to be more effective in tight spaces. Bottom Line: Scheme will be everything—Mondon Jr. is a fun, space-oriented defender who can be a real weapon in the right role but won’t offer much as a downhill thumper.
Grade: Round 5
N/A
10
Danny Stutsman
LB | OKLAHOMA | 6’4 | 241
Strengths: Stutsman has a great blend of size and speed, with an ideal build and impressive length. He moves extremely well for his size—able to pivot efficiently, close with burst in space, and make plays all over the field. He also flashes potential as a pass-rusher. Weaknesses: He’s still developing as a run diagnoser and could improve his pursuit angles. Bottom Line: With his size, athleticism, and versatility, Stutsman is a high-upside pick loaded with traits to build on.
Grade: Round 5
N/A
11
Nick Martin
LB | OKLAHOMA ST. | 6’0 | 220
Strengths: Martin is a high-flying linebacker with great speed and burst in open space. He’s a fluid mover who brings real athleticism to the position, allowing him to contribute in coverage and as a pass-rusher. Weaknesses: He’s very undersized and a bit of an in-betweener who will need to be schemed up. He struggles to disengage from blocks and can be overly aggressive, often taking poor angles. Bottom Line: Martin has tools that can add value, but he’ll need the right system to maximize his strengths and minimize his limitations.