NITTANY LION ROARS TO TOP OF CLASS
Welcome to draft season! This is the ninth of 11 positional breakdowns leading up to the NFL Draft (Thursday-Saturday). Here are my top 10 linebackers:
1. Micah Parsons (Jr., Penn St., 6-foot-3, 246 pounds)
Parsons features elite athleticism and special instincts. He had 109 total tackles, 14 tackles for loss, five sacks, five passes defended and four forced fumbles as a sophomore before opting out of this season due to COVID-19.
Maturity concerns could cause this top-five talent to slip a bit in the draft, but not far. Projected: Top 15
2. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (Jr., Notre Dame, 6-2, 221)
The ACC Defensive Player of the Year has the speed, range and instincts to play linebacker, safety or nickelback. Projected: 1st round
3. Nick Bolton (Jr., Missouri, 5-11, 237)
Bolton is a classic thumper who was a highly productive tackle machine his last two seasons for the Tigers. His processing speed is computer-like and he sees the field through a wide-angle lens. Projected: 1st or 2nd round
4. Zaven Collins (Jr., Tulsa, 6-4, 259)
Collins is an uber-productive and versatile defender who had 244 tackles and 30 tackles for loss over the last three seasons, including several impact plays last season (four interceptions, two touchdowns, one safety and one forced fumble). This type of agility and range is rare for his size. Projected: 1st round
5. Jabril Cox (Sr., LSU, 6-3, 232)
Cox excelled in two different defensive schemes (Tigers and North Dakota State). He’s a smooth athlete with natural ball skills — 26 passes defended and nine interceptions in his career. He mirrors receivers like a cornerback, but there’s room for improvement against the run. Projected: 2nd or 3rd round
6. Jamin Davis (Jr., Kentucky, 6-3, 234)
Davis’ elite speed and instincts make him an asset in coverage — five interceptions in three seasons. He was one of only four SEC players to average doubledigit tackles per game in 2020, but he needs to improve his technique and consistency. Projected: 1st or 2nd round
7. Baron Browning (Sr., Ohio St., 6-2, 245)
Browning’s physical skill set is on par with Parsons, but his football acumen is still a work in progress. He’s a wrecking ball when he makes contact. Projected: 2nd or 3rd round
8. Chazz Surratt (Sr., North Carolina, 6-2, 229)
Surratt has shown massive improvement in a short period of time — he switched from quarterback to linebacker in 2019. It’s clear he has the instincts, elite athleticism and competitive toughness to play the position at a high level. Projected: 2nd or 3rd round
9. Pete Werner (Sr., Ohio St., 6-2, 238)
Werner was asked to do a little bit of everything for the Buckeyes. He’s an athletic, intelligent player who is effective as a blitzer and can handle his own in coverage. Projected: 3rd or 4th round
10. Monty Rice (Sr., Georgia, 6-0, 233)
Rice is a speedy, sure tackler who plays with NFL-level tenacity. He’s serviceable, but too reactionary in coverage. Projected: 3rd to 5th round
BONUS: Dylan Moses (Jr., Alabama, 6-1, 225)
Moses’ surgically repaired knee is a red flag — it required a “clean up” after the 2020 season — but there’s a lot of clay to mold with this former five-star recruit. Projected: 3rd to 5th round
BONUS: Cameron McGrone (Jr., Michigan, 6-0, 234)
McGrone can shut down a wide running game on his own with his speed and explosiveness. He’s only 20 years old with two years of starting experience, but there are durability concerns. He tore the ACL in his right knee as a junior in high school (2016) and suffered a torn ACL in his left knee (2020). Projected: 3rd to 5th round