Top 10 2019 Rookie IDP Linebacker Prospects
As we move closer to the 2019 NFL Draft, this year’s defensive class is coming more into focus. We’ve seen the Scouting Combine sort some of the wheat from the chaff and have had time to delve more into the tape to figure out which players are more likely to land in advantageous positions.
This is key with IDP in particular. Offensively, great talents can transcend scheme. Coaches seem more willing to mold their offensive philosophy to fit a great player. On the defensive side, that’s harder because a defense is only ever as good as its weakest link. Elite pass rushers can just be unleashed wherever they land but most defensive players are reliant on where they end up.
Darius Leonard is a great example from 2018. The scheme he played in and the lack of talent competing with him were perfect fits. But it’s tough to argue he’s a more talented player than some of the other rookie LBs from last year.
With that in mind, players could easily move up and down this list depending on where they end up. But for now, this should give you an idea of the best options in the class.
1. Devin White, LSU
White looks like a prototype do-it-all LB. He’s fast and effective in open space while also productive and explosive enough to play in the run game. At 237 lbs, he’s the perfect size and certainly carries his bulk well. He should be drafted in the first round by one of several teams who really need a more mobile LB on their team. Expect him to be a useable (but not elite) LB as a rookie.
However, as the (close to) consensus top linebacker, you should also expect him to be overdrafted. There are already plenty of people asking whether taking him at the very top of second rounds in rookie drafts is OK.
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2. Devin Bush, Michigan
“The other Devin” is also an intriguing prospect. He’s slightly smaller than White (at just 5’11”) but a similar weight. He also had an equally explosive combine workout which allays any fears about his mobility. Seeing great results in both jumps and the 40 gives us confidence about his explosiveness too. Given how much he was used as a pass rusher (13 sacks in the last two seasons), this is extremely heartening even if he doesn’t seem big enough to do it as a pro.
3. Mack Wilson, Alabama
He certainly has some limitations but he’s a smoother athlete than he’s being given credit for and has some good versatility to his game. He’s shown more potential than polish in the coverage game but at Alabama, he’s had to sit behind some fantastic LBs and might just need more playing time. He’s a player where draft stock will tell us a lot. If a team is willing to invest in him, then he’s got the chance to be a good player. Equally, he could easily just be hidden away and fade as a prospect.
4. Blake Cashman, Minnesota
Cashman has absolutely fantastic tape. He’s fast, aggressive, shows a good understanding of offensive concepts and his effort is top-tier. There’s more than a little Telvin Smith in his game which is a very good thing. His main issue is just physical stature. He’s on the smaller side and his arms are very short. These two things will likely put him outside the thresholds of some NFL teams. He deserves a chance though.
5. Bobby Okereke, Stanford
Okereke plays faster than he timed and shows excellent reading of the game to get to where he needs to be early. He’s not the most physical and struggles to shed blocks but his movement gives him a different game. It’s not 1997 anymore. An LB’s first job is coverage over the middle not filling the A gap. Okereke should go higher than many expect as more and more teams look for an LB who can not be a mismatch when put on a running back or tight end.
6. Ben Burr-Kirven, Washington
BBK is a relentless pursuer. He just doesn’t know when to give up. That – combined with his explosive athleticism and intelligence as a zone player – makes him intriguing. He’s a bit lightweight and got knocked off his spot worryingly frequently in college but that happened to Matt Milano and Jayon Brown too.
Burr-Kirven is a limited player right now and his lack of pass-rush ability is a black mark but he has the talent to develop.
7. Drue Tranquill, Notre Dame
Tranquill is an unusual mix of a player. He’s excellent in man coverage and can be used as a TE-eraser. But he also is a high-energy big hitter with amazing production. 190 solo tackles in three years as a starter is exceptional in anyone’s book. He’s suffered two torn ACLs so far which is worrying but he definitely has NFL potential.
8. Cody Barton, Utah
Barton is somehow a player who is better than the traits suggest. He’s a decent athlete, good tackler, and smart player but is without any real trump cards. Somehow though you put it all together and he’s really enticing. He can rush the passer inside and out, he’s one of the better LBs in man coverage in this class and can happily line up over TEs or even in the slot. He can sort through traffic and disengage blockers extremely quickly. And his work rate is very good. All in all, he’s just a player you want on your team.
9. Germaine Pratt, North Carolina State
Pratt is a converted safety who shows a lot of traits required to be a modern space LB. He’s fast and mobile but still aggressive. Unfortunately, he has some of the issues you’d expect from a converted safety too. He’s not as physical as you’d like and he has little ability to get off blocks finding himself often caught in traffic. He’s also faster in a straight line than he is mobile. He certainly has potential to become an NFL player and he’s more attractive than any of the two-down banger LBs in this class but he’s not the finished product yet.
10. Otaro Alaka, Texas A&M
Alaka is maybe the best of those two-down bangers. He’s an average athlete (even if his broad jump was spectacular) but his physicality, work rate and willingness to impose himself on an offense are all exemplary. If this was the 1999 draft, he’d probably be a top ten pick but he looks limited in today’s NFL. He’ll likely be drafted anyway as he has the aggression and mindset to be a very good special teamer and occasional contributor on defense.
Those are the key names at the moment. Watching LBs is not something that everyone has the time to invest in but it’s well worth at least getting a look at these guys if you can.
Thanks for reading.
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