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Ranking the 2025 NFL Draft Rookie Linebacker Class

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Jihaad Campbell | © Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
Jason Abbey Posted On May 17, 2025
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The 2025 NFL Draft shook up the IDP fantasy landscape. Some rookies walked into perfect spots for immediate production, while others found themselves buried behind veterans, waiting for their shot. Most fell somewhere in between.

Talent still reigns supreme in dynasty formats, but landing spots and draft capital can tip the scales when evaluating similarly skilled players. A great situation can fast-track a player’s value, while a poor fit can slow their rise.

In this article, we’ve ranked seven rookie linebackers based on their talent, opportunity, and long-term upside to help you navigate their dynasty fantasy outlooks.

If you’re looking for Jalon Walker, head over to the edge rusher version of this article.

Tier One

Jihaad Campbell, Philadelphia Eagles

Campbell’s athleticism is on par with any prospect in the draft class. Standing at 6’3″ and weighing 235 pounds, he also has excellent size. As a versatile defender whose steady development culminated in a standout 2024 season, the Alabama product consistently excelled in run defense and showed significant progress in pass coverage. He also leveraged his background as a converted edge to showcase how dangerous he can be when rushing the passer.

 

Despite ranking as DLF’s No 1 dynasty rookie LB and second IDP overall, Campbell’s relative inexperience means there are areas for further development. He’ll need to work on maintaining a consistent pad level and improving his ability to shed blocks—both of which are coachable traits. Fortunately, he’ll have the opportunity to learn from a superstar in Zack Baun.

Landing in Philadelphia puts Campbell in a promising position to make an early impact. Baun has one of what will be two spots locked down, but the other could be up for grabs—especially if Nakobe Dean isn’t ready to start the 2025 season. That would leave Campbell competing primarily with Jeremiah Trotter Jr.

A situation-based rotation between the two youngsters is possible, but Vic Fangio prefers to employ two full-time linebackers. Campbell has the advantage in draft capital and upside, so a strong performance could earn him the starting job early—and possibly keep him in that role even after Dean returns.

Carson Schwesinger, Cleveland Browns

Despite falling just outside of the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, Schwesinger has the tool kit to rival Campbell as the top linebacker in this class. Ranking one spot behind Campbell as DLF’s No 3 dynasty rookie IDP hints at what the former UCLA product brings to the table.

While his shorter arms can make it difficult to disengage from blocks, they haven’t impacted Schwesinger’s tackling reliability — as evidenced by a low missed tackle rate of just 7.6%.

Schwesinger’s 2024 performance defied expectations for a first-year starter, showcasing his natural instincts, sharp football IQ, and polished coverage ability. He complements those traits with outstanding lateral quickness, relentless effort, and impressive sideline-to-sideline range. As a fundamentally sound player with athleticism to spare, Schwesinger will be one of the first two linebackers selected in IDP fantasy drafts.

 

Cleveland’s linebacker group enters the season as a middle-of-the-pack unit following the injury to Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah. Jordan Hicks remains a dependable if aging, presence and is likely to handle the majority of snaps early on. Devin Bush Sr. turned in the best season of his career, though he continued to struggle in coverage and may be dealing with off-field concerns. Mohamoud Diabate logged nearly 600 snaps but consistently underperformed.

Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz rarely used two full-time off-ball linebackers last year, but that was possibly a reflection of the limited talent pool at his disposal. While Schwesinger may not start the season as Jim Schwartz’s top option, the rookie is likely to push for playing time behind Hicks and could emerge as the Browns’ LB2 in relatively quick order.

Tier Two

Demetrius Knight Jr, Cincinnati Bengals

Compared to the two players ranked above him, Knight Jr’s short-area quickness appeared limited on tape. Thankfully, he eased some of those concerns with an above-average showing at the NFL Combine, where he was the only linebacker to participate in every drill.

DLF’s No 3 dynasty rookie linebacker has powerful hands, which he uses well to disengage from would-be blockers, providing a clear edge over Campbell and Schwesinger in that department. Knight Jr’s processing skills, ability to diagnose plays, and leadership skills are also advanced for a rookie.

 

The South Carolina product will turn 25 in July, which could give some IDP managers pause. Still, none of the linebackers ranked behind him possess his combination of talent, draft capital, and immediate opportunity—factors that are crucial in rookie draft evaluations.

Cincinnati has a new defensive coordinator in Al Golden, so while Logan Wilson and Germaine Pratt appear to have the inside track on what we believe will continue to be full-time linebackers in the Bengals’ defense, nothing should be assumed because Pratt requested a trade earlier this year. If Pratt leaves or is benched, Oren Burks will probably be Knight Jr’s main competition for snaps. With that said, while we take coachspeak with a pinch of salt, head coach Zac Taylor made it clear he thinks Knight Jr can “compete immediately.”

 

Tier Three

Nick Martin, San Francisco 49ers

Martin was the fourth linebacker selected in the 2025 NFL Draft—a full 40 picks before the next linebacker was selected. For that reason, primarily, he belongs in a tier above the remaining players listed, even as we look at these rankings through the dynasty lens.

DLF’s No 6 dynasty rookie LB produced 140 tackles in 2023, which led to winning first-team All-Big 12 Conference honors. He brings leadership qualities to the table, and despite being undersized, he has athleticism in spades, plays with great effort, and a physical demeanor – traits he appreciates in his new teammate, Fred Warner.

 

The red flags relate to a lack of demonstrable improvement. From 2022 onwards, Martin played at a similar level each year, never quite excelling in coverage, as a run defender, or as a tackler. An injury cut short his final year, but in the five games he played, there were no clear signs that his instincts or ability to shed blockers had progressed.

The secondary reason Martin is listed in this tier is that the 49ers have a glaring need for help at linebacker following the departures of Dre Greenlaw and De’Vondre Campbell. Dee Winters, who was given ample playing time after Campbell quit on the team, will be in the mix along with Luke Gifford for more playing time at first. Still, we must circle back to the first point mentioned here – it speaks volumes that the 49ers saw fit to invest a third round in Martin, preferring him to several other linebackers with a higher pre-draft grade.

Tier Four

Cody Simon, Arizona Cardinals

Simon is a tough, compact linebacker whose film reveals a well-rounded skill set—solid in coverage, above average against the run, and with intriguing upside as a situational pass rusher. There are glimpses of a player with the potential to develop into a reliable three-down contributor if he continues to progress and things fall his way.

With that said, his transition to the NFL will be fraught with challenges. His 229-pound frame and 31 1/4-inch arms raise questions about his ability to disengage from blocks—a weakness that showed up at Ohio State and could persist at the next level. Fortunately, those limitations didn’t significantly hinder his ability as a tackler; he missed only 8.3% of his attempts over the last three years.

 

Arizona enters the season thin at linebacker, with Mack Wilson Sr and Akeem Davis-Gaither likely ahead of Simon and Owen Pappoe on the depth chart. While his landing spot could help him find the field in years to come, Simon remains a long-term dynasty stash rather than an immediate contributor.

Jack Kiser, Jacksonville Jaguars

Kiser, like Simon, is undersized and has short arms. His physical limitations were consistently noticeable on film, especially when attempting to disengage from blockers—an area where he often struggled against stronger, more technically sound opponents. These issues weren’t isolated incidents but rather recurring problems that impacted his overall effectiveness. Unfortunately, his underwhelming measurables—particularly his size and arm length—are unlikely to improve and may ultimately serve as a barrier to realizing his full potential in the NFL.

A diagram of a hexagon with different sizes and points AI-generated content may be incorrect.

Data courtesy of Mockdraftable.com.

Even so, Kiser showed good awareness, field vision, and situational understanding, which helped him to perform consistently well in run defense. An excellent career missed tackle rate of just 4.6% bodes well for his future in the pros. Unfortunately, pass coverage has been more of a mixed bag for the rookie. After allowing a passer rating of only 60.6 in 2023, that number jumped to 101.9 in 2024, showing some inconsistency in that part of his game.

Foyesade Oluokun and Devin Lloyd saw their snap counts dip in 2024, but the arrival of new defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile may bring a shift back to using two full-time — or near full-time — linebackers. With both veterans firmly ahead of Ventrell Miller, Jack Kiser, and Chad Muma on the depth chart, Kiser is expected to play in a backup role at first. For now, he can be safely left on waivers or taxi squads in all but the deepest fantasy leagues.

Chris Paul Jr., Los Angeles Rams

As the 172nd player selected in the 2025 NFL Draft, Chris “Pooh” Paul Jr. has the lowest draft capital of any player in this article – and several who were omitted entirely. Nevertheless, Paul earns his spot here thanks to his superior athleticism, leadership qualities, and notable development in his final college season. That latter point indicates that he may have a higher ceiling than some of his peers drafted earlier.

Like every other player in this tier, Paul Jr is undersized with short arms and tends to get overpowered by blockers—an issue that’s likely to carry over into the NFL. For that reason, he’ll need a creative defensive coordinator who can find ways to keep him clean and out of traffic. If Chris Shula can achieve that, Paul has proven more than capable of closing out plays.

 

As a late-round pick with physical shortcomings, Paul Jr.’s path to playing time is uncertain, especially with Troy Reeder, Omar Speights, and Nate Landman on the roster. Still, his athleticism, instincts, and sound tackling ability make the rookie a worthwhile fantasy bench stash or taxi squad candidate in deeper leagues.

Jason Abbey
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