Outside Linebacker

4-3 OLBs

1) Sean Weatherspoon (Missouri)-8.8
Prototypical 4-3 linebacker. Can play inside or out, as he has the reading ability and the tackling of an MLB, and the speed to play outside. Fantastic leader, he understands the scheme and will help others fit into place. Having said that, his own recognition skills are lazy at times, but he makes up for it with his speed and quickness. This helps him in coverage too, but no one in this draft covers like Bowman. Although he can be a leading-tackler in the NFL, you won’t see explosive hits. A small Derrick-Brooks is what he has been called by scouts. It’s not bad to be compared to a future Hall of Fame linebacker, but at Weatherspoon’s size (145 lbs), don’t expect the consistency of Brooks. Weatherspoon is simply too small to get around blocks in the run game, and can get engulfed in the second level. He may be a tackling machine, but you won’t see him blowing up many plays in the backfield. However, he is a Ray Lewis type motivator, a player that any team would welcome at the core of their defense. He may also fit inside in a 3-4 scheme, if he can add some bulk.


2) Navarro Bowman (Penn State)-8.7
I’ll start by saying the guy has dropped to #2 here because of his legal issues. He was arrested, suspended, and was suspended again after violating his probation. Other than that, they guy can play. His recognition skills are great, and he fills downhill hard once he makes his read. He is a good tackler, but because of his aggressiveness may overplay the run on play-action passes. Another huge plus with this guy are his coverage skills. Because of his great top-end speed, he can stick with tight ends and slot receivers with ease.

3) THIS LIST WILL BE ADDED TO AS PLAYERS DECLARE.


3-4 RUSH LBs:

1) Jerry Hughes (TCU)-9.3
With 9 sacks and 11 tackles for a loss in 3009, and 19.5 tackles for a loss with 15 sacks as a junior, Jerry Hughes is the #1 rush linebacker in this class. He has a quick first step, and can get into the backfield with his great timing and instincts. While he is explosive and quick, his top-end speed from sideline to sideline is just average. He may not get to runningbacks with a ton of consistency on the outside, but in the backfield and between the tackles Jerry Hughes explodes to the ball carrier, whether it be a half back or a quarterback.

2) Ricky Sapp (Clemson)-9.2
Ricky Sapp is a similar prospect to Kindle, with size and pretty good speed. He actually has more experience playing straight up at linebacker, so the transition will likely be fast. However, he suffered a torn ACL in his Junior campaign, so the injury worry drops him on the list. NFL teams may be weary of taking a rush linebacker with knee issues. However, when on top of his game, and since he has plenty of room to add weight to his frame, some have even compared him to DeMarcus Ware, so I believe he has the most upside of any outside linebacker on this list.


3) Sergio Kindle (Texas)-8.4
As a junior, he had 10 sacks, but as a senior he notched just 3 sacks. At the beginning of the year, he topped this list, but because of his slow senior season and slow recognition at times, I have dropped him on the list. He hasn’t dropped far though, because of his speed and size combination. He is 6-4 and over 250 pounds, but he may break the 4.5 barrier at the combine. If he does, look for him to jump into the first round. Also, he is very fluid dropping back into coverage, so the transition to OLB will be an easier one. With the success of Brian Orakpo, who was a similar player out of Texas, look for Kindle’s stock to rise as the draft approaches. Out of all the rush-linebackers, I believe Kindle has the highest bust factor because of his questionable motor.


4) Eric Norwood (South Carolina)-8.1
Tough prospect to grade out. He is a great leader, and unmatched intangibles in this position, but doesn’t have the frame and athleticism to keep up. He works hard, studying film to be able to read and react on film, but it doesn’t come as naturally as it should. He is a liability in coverage, but he wasn’t used much in this capacity at SC. His motor makes him get in the backfield faster than his quickness or agility, but a team running a 3-4 will be happy to add him to their ranks. He very much resembles a less powerful Rey Maualuga, as he doesn’t have the instincts to play inside linebacker, but also lacks the pure speed to play outside.