2026 NFL Draft linebacker rankings: 2 Buckeyes headline the class, but there's reliability further down too

1 week ago 6

As the 2026 NFL Draft approaches, we’re breaking down position rankings individually based on the big boards of Yahoo Sports NFL Draft experts Nate Tice and Charles McDonald.

More position rankings: QB | WR | DL | Edge | DB

1. Arvell Reese, Ohio State

A true defensive weapon. It’s hard to not notice Reese on the field even if he lines up all over it. Reese was a revelation this season. He can impact the game on the edge as both a run defender and pass rusher, and has real off-ball linebacker chops chasing down run plays sideline-to-sideline and in coverage. Reese is an outstanding athlete with strength and speed, and plays with an energy that is also infectious. In an NFL with more creative defensive coordinators who are willing to move their front seven defenders around, Reese is the ultimate version of a do-it-all defender. Even if he moves to playing on the edge full-time, he has already flashed the bend and explosiveness to win consistently as a pass rusher, with even more to tap into. If he stays off-ball, he reminds me of Jaylon Smith before he suffered his knee injury at Notre Dame. — Nate Tice

2. Sonny Styles, Ohio State

Styles caught the eyes of the national public with an absurd performance at the combine, but he’s more than a workout warrior. Styles, the third Ohio State defender in this top five, has the range and power that teams need from off-ball linebacker prospects. Elite linebackers have become a bit of a dying breed in the NFL, but Styles has a rare enough skill set to get them back on track. — Charles McDonald

3. CJ Allen, Georgia

The only thing Allen might be missing is elite speed as far as his draft profile goes. Allen earned time as a true freshman on Georgia’s talented defense and was ascend to a leadership role quickly. His smarts, physicality and willingness to do the dirty work helped make him a star in Athens and should help him get into the starting lineup quickly in the NFL. — CM

4. Anthony Hill Jr., Texas

Hill is like the opposite of CJ Allen. He has the speed, size and physicality that teams desperately want in the middle of their defense, but his attention to detail in terms of where he was supposed to be wasn’t always his strongest suit. He was banged up a bit during his final season with the Longhorns, but in a class that lacks defined star power at many positions, Hill may end up a beneficiary of teams taking a bet on his athletic upside. — CM

5. Josiah Trotter, Missouri

He’s just a hammerhead. He’s got some Nick Bolton to him. He’s another Round 3 guy, but I like that there’s physicality to him. His range isn’t terrible, it’s solid and maybe a little better than you’d expect. — NT

Read Entire Article