NFL Draft Preview: Linebacker
By Keith Myers
I’ve saved LB for last in these previews because its the biggest need for the Seahawks right now.
Outside linebacker is a coveted position for teams that play a 3-4 defense because that’s where their pass rush comes from. For 4-3 defense teams like Seattle, it’s not a priority at all. This makes ranking OLBs on a big board to be more difficult that other positions.
This particular draft class is a little light on the top end, but has great depth in the middle rounds.
There’s plenty of outside linebackers in this year’s draft that fit what the Seahawks like, but I think we should all pay close attention to Nebraska’s Levante David. I have him being drafted right about where I expect the Seahawks to be drafting in round 2. He’s a big and fast linebacker who’d be an upgrade of KJ Wright on the strong side, and would allow Wright to move inside to MLB where I think he’ll really excel.
As for MLB, it isn’t usually a first round position. Even the best players at the position are usually taken no higher than pick number 20, with rare exception, so you’ll almost never find MLB with first round grades. This year there is such a player in Luke Keuchly, but his value there is disputed.
Unfortunately, the talent drops off sharply after him and Hightower. I only have 11 players that I believe will be drafted at the position, which is very low. This will put a lot of pressure on the Seahawks to commit to moving KJ Wright from the SAM linebacker over into the middle.
Taking all that into account, I can see the Seahawks taking 2 LBs early in this draft, though I expect one to be a “tweener” like Melvin Ingram or Nick Perry who are listed as DEs on my board.
# |
Player
Pos
Pos #
School
24
Zach Brown
OLB
1
North Carolina
40
Levonte David
OLB
2
Nebraska
48
Ronnell Lewis
OLB
3
Nebraska
50
Shea McClellin
OLB
4
Boise St.
56
Bobby Wagner
OLB
5
Utah St.
58
Sean Spence
OLB
6
Miami
65
Bruce Irving
OLB
7
West Virginia
84
Josh Kaddu
OLB
8
Oregon
85
Nigel Bradham
OLB
9
Florida State
93
Demario Davis
OLB
10
Arkansas State
108
Keenan Robinson
OLB
11
Texas
117
Kyle Wilber
OLB
12
Wake Forest
133
Jonathan Massaquoi
OLB
13
Troy
145
Terrell Manning
OLB
14
North Carolina St
148
Travis Lewis
OLB
15
Oklahoma
164
Emmanuel Acho
OLB
16
Texas
193
Brandon Lindsey
OLB
17
Pittsburgh
209
Tank Carder
OLB
18
TCU
211
Tyler Nielsen
OLB
19
Iowa
230
Danny Trevathan
OLB
20
Kentucky
256
Darius Fleming
OLB
21
Notre Dame
267
Adrian Robinson
OLB
22
Temple
289
Miles Burris
OLB
23
San Diego St
293
Tahir Whitehead
OLB
24
Temple
# |
Player
Pos
Pos #
School
14
Luke Leuchly
ILB
1
Boston College
25
Dont’a Hightower
ILB
2
Alabama
95
Mychal Kendricks
ILB
3
California
112
James-Michael Johnson
ILB
4
Nevada
162
Audie Cole
ILB
5
North Carolina St
183
Vontaze Burfict
ILB
6
Arizona State
189
Chris Galippo
ILB
7
Southern Cal
221
Max Gruder
ILB
8
Pittsburgh
243
Najee Goode
ILB
9
West Virginia
254
Shawn Loiseau
ILB
10
Merrimack
269
Adrien Cole
ILB
11
Louisiana Tech