1. Rey Maualuga (USC)
Tough and physical with a violent mentality. Truly can frighten the opposition at times. Excels at pass-rushing and in run supports. Offers solid versatility at the next level. Isn’t great in coverage, due to his average speed. Can be a bit inconsistent.
2. James Laurinaitis (Ohio State)
Good athlete with great speed and instincts. Has good hands, fluid hips, and outstanding awareness. Has all the tools to be a star linebacker in the NFL. Isn’t as physical as you’d like him to be. Isn’t overly powerful and doesn’t lay down big hits. Tends to be overly aggressive.
3. Darry Beckwith (LSU)
Has great instincts and athleticism to go with solid sideline-to-sideline range. Is a reliable tackler with a great cerebral game. Isn’t as strong as preferred, and doesn’t have ideal size or bulk. Did not have a great senior year, and wasn’t very productive in college, overall.
4. Gerald McRath (Southern Miss)
Fluid hips make him a sideline-to-sideline nightmare. Is very athletic, while possessing great timed speed. Was extremely productive in three years as a starter. Isn’t the biggest linebacker out there, and isn’t always as physical as you’d like. Doesn’t make a ton of plays, and isn’t an elite rush specialist.
5. Danelle Ellerbe (Georgia)
Very aggressive and athletic linebacker. Very smooth and fluid in coverage. Excels at shedding blockers. Solid tackler who can lay nasty hits. Tends to take poor angles to the ball, while lacking great range. Only has mediocre instincts and awareness. Had off-the-field problems.
6. Jasper Brinkley (South Carolina)
Has good size and bulk, while adding impressive timed speed. Seems very natural, while possessing good strength and reliable wrap-up tackling ability. Work-out numbers may be misleading. Plays a little stiff and doesn’t always look like he knows what he’s doing. Is he smart enough?
7. Scott McKillop (Pittsburgh)
Put up two straight impressive seasons (both over 137 tackles) against elite competition in the Big East. Very cerebral player with a high football IQ. An extremely intense player. Only an average athlete with mediocre timed speed. Probably won’t help much as a pass rusher.
8. Jason Phillips (TCU)
Great leader and a truly smart player. Big, tough, reliable tackler. Was fairly productive in four years with Pittsburgh. Not a freak athlete, although he has solid timed speed. Isn’t the best at shedding blocks, and will get swallowed up at the next level by bigger defenders. Needs to get stronger.
9. Joshua Mauga (Nevada)
Wasn’t overly productive, but has the ideal height and size you look for. Has great athleticism, to go with ideal timed speed. Not a sure tackler by any means. Has durability concerns.
10. Worrell Williams (California)
Is very athletic with a natural burst to the ball, but doesn’t have ideal timed speed. Has exceptional tackling ability, while also having the knack for laying the big hit. Could be fairly versatile at the next level. Doesn’t have ideal height or bulk. Very average in pass coverage.
