2018 NFL Draft rankings: Everything to know about LBs

[CGI_Ram]

Seeing that we are likely in the linebacker market come draft day, I found this an interesting read.

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https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft...ck-shedding-and-everything-to-know-about-lbs/

2018 NFL Draft rankings: Speed, block-shedding and everything to know about LBs

The linebacker spot is one of the best groups in the 2018 draft class, and that's not just because of Roquan Smith and Tremaine Edmunds.

There are three or four more high-quality off-ball linebacker prospects who'll likely be picked in one of the first two rounds and will become solid NFLplayers.

Below I've ranked each of the consensus top off-ball linebackers in the qualities I deem most necessary to be successful at those positions in the pros (listed in order of importance). I've also added one player who should be available a bit later in the draft who excels at each particular trait.

Other installments in this series: Quarterbacks, Running Backs, Wide Receivers, Tight Ends, Offensive Tackles, Interior Offensive Linemen, Edge-Rushers, Defensive Tackles

Sideline-to-sideline speed

1. Roquan Smith
2. Leighton Vander Esch
3. Malik Jefferson
4. Tremaine Edmunds
5. Darius Leonard
6. Rashaan Evans

Smith ran 4.51 at slightly over 6-foot and 236 pounds, and he plays that fast on the field. Many of his impact plays came when he ranged from his spot in the middle of Georgia's defense to the sideline on either an outside run or wide receiver screen. Vander Esch also flies to the football, although he doesn't look as fast because he's a tall, long-strider. Jefferson gets to the perimeter in a hurry, and the same can be said about Edmunds. Leonard doesn't lack in the athleticism department whatsoever, and is more than capable of making plays on the outside. Evans has plus physical gifts too.

Sleeper:Jerome Baker

At 6-foot-1 and 229 pounds, Baker has to be a speedy linebacker to win consistently, and he's exactly that. At Ohio State, he looks like what's become the norm at the collegiate and professional ranks: a large safety playing linebacker.

Coverage skills

1. Leonard
2. Smith
3. Vander Esch
4. Edmunds
5. Evans
6. Jefferson

Leonard is terrific smoothly following running backs out of the backfield and tight ends down the seam. He's a keenly aware, fluid athlete with plus long speed. Changing direction is not a problem for him, which also helps in coverage. Smith demonstrated tight coverage at Georgia often because of supreme athletic talents and route-recognition skills. Vander Esch is good in zone, where his length and speed are best utilized. Edmunds has insane coverage upside, yet his recognition skills are a tick slow when moving backward. Evans and Jefferson are the most effective making plays close to the line of scrimmage yet neither are heavy footed.

Sleeper: Skai Moore

Moore intercepted 14 passes -- at least three each year -- during his productive, four-year career at South Carolina and knocked down six other throws. He's a choppy mover but gets from point A to point B quickly. He's quick to drop into zone down the seam and react to what he's seeing from the quarterback in the pocket.

Tackling reliability

1. Smith
2. Vander Esch
3. Evans
4. Edmunds
5. Leonard
6. Jefferson

Smith is as sure of a tackler as they come, and his film is littered with big hits and, more importantly, textbook wrap-up takedowns. Vander Esch is a reliable tackler on plays near the line of scrimmage, where a large portion of his tackles are made. Evans and Edmunds will miss a tackle occasionally, but not frequently enough for it to be considered an issue. Leonard's tackling skills are good too, and he packs plenty of power when he gets to the ball-carrier. Jefferson flies all over the field, and his immense speed leads to a fair amount of whiffs when he gets in perfect position.

Sleeper: Chris Worley

Mostly a between-the-tackles playmaker who's kind of a throwback linebacker, Worley is super consistent when he gets his hands on an offensive player who's holding the football.

Block-shedding

1. Smith
2. Leonard
3. Evans
4. Edmunds
5. Vander Esch
6. Jefferson

To me, the ability to shed blocks separates the good linebackers from the superstars. Smith has a plan when blockers approach, often initiating contact to keep himself from being driven backward. Even when long-armed offensive linemen get into his frame, he is violent enough with his hand use to shed quickly to get in the running lane. Leonard too is aggressive on his shedding attempts, and it typically pays off. The rest of the players in this group struggle to disengage from blockers, the lone, clear-cut knock on their games.

Sleeper: Jason Cabinda

Like Smith and Evans, Cabinda isn't afraid of contact, and he's not shy about asserting his will on bigger offensive linemen in his assigned gap. At times, his jolt surprises blockers and leads to the Penn State linebacker having an easy route to the ball-carrier.

Pass-Rushing/Blitzing

1. Evans
   
2. Edmunds
3. Jefferson
4. Smith
5. Leonard
6. Vander Esch

Evans' pass-rushing skill comes mainly on the edge, where he was used by Nick Saban. His suddenness and hand use allow him to create a fair amount of pressure around the corner. Edmunds and Jefferson can overwhelm interior blockers by converting speed to power on A-gap blitzes. Edmunds could see some time on the edge too at 6-4 and nearly 260 pounds. Because Smith is smaller, his impact as a blitzer mostly comes from his agility and aggressive hands to work past offensive linemen. Leonard's high-cut frame doesn't help him as a blitzer. His springy athleticism does. Vander Esch isn't as powerful as you'd expect at 6-4 and 256 when sent on blitzes up the middle.

Sleeper: Micah Kiser

Kiser looks like an old-school linebacker... compact, strong, and effective between the tackles. He thrived as a run-stopper and was used frequently as an inside blitzer. His low center of gravity, deceptive athleticism, and upper body strength allow him to create disruption in the backfield.

Scheme Fits
Middle Linebacker

1. Smith
2. Vander Esch
3. Evans
4. Leonard
5. Edmunds
6. Jefferson

Smith is ready to be the quarterback of a defense and run with tight ends down the seam. Vander Esch's combination of range, coverage experience and size would translate to well to a spot in the middle. Evans is your classic Alabama linebacker with a bit more athleticism than we saw from the likes of Reggie Ragland, who was a second-round pick in 2016 and turned in a quality run-stopping season in 2017. Leonard has the skills to play in the middle but would probably be best utilized more on the outside, and the rawness that Edmunds and Jefferson display getting off blocks would create issues at middle linebacker.

Sleeper:Cabinda

From his non-stop motor, to his block-shedding ability, good speed and deceptive change-of-direction skills, Cabinda seems like a classic middle linebacker with just enough athleticism to stick in today's souped-up, pass-happy NFL. If he sheds a few pounds to get a tick faster, that'd probably help him, but he's a smart second-level defender who was productive in his three years as a starter with the Nittany Lions.

Weakside Linebacker

1. Edmunds
2. Smith
3. Vander Esch
4. Jefferson
5. Leonard
6. Evans

With Edmunds's linear speed and ridiculous length, he's the new-age physical prototype at the weakside spot, which is a position typically played by the most athletic linebacker on the defense, someone who can be a tackling machine if kept "clean" from mobile blockers. Despite their difference in size, both Smith and Vander Esch could be 125-plus tackle linebackers in a weakside role, and although he can play a bit high, making him a bigger target for offensive linemen, Leonard's athletic gifts would bode well as a run-and-chase linebacker. Evans would probably be best inside

Sleeper: Dorian O'Daniel

One of my favorite prospects in the entire class -- my No. 31 overall prospect -- O'Daniel is a fast, agile, reliable tackler who's proficient in zone coverage defender and a productive blitzer. The former Clemson standout is the exact type of player a team should want at weakside linebacker.

Strongside Linebacker

1. Evans
2. Edmunds
3. Vander Esch
4. Jefferson
5. Leonard
6. Smith

Given his flashes of impressive edge-rushing skills and overall physical nature, Evans is the best strongside linebacker prospect of this group -- a position typically shifted closer to the line of scrimmage in under fronts. He's athletic enough to handle some coverage responsibilities too. Edmunds's mammoth frame and explosiveness would make a fine candidate for a "SAM" role in the NFL. The same can be applied to the comparably sized Vander Esch. Jefferson isn't small by any stretch at over 6-foot-2 and 235-plus pounds. Leonard and Smith are middle or weakside 'backers.

Sleeper: Fred Warner

Warner has the size -- over 6-foot-3 and 236 pounds -- and toughness to be a team's primary strongside linebacker. While he was involved with many tackles near the line of scrimmage and has quality range, he's also capable of flipping his hips and getting downfield in coverage. The BYU alum is one of the draft's sleepers likely best at weakside or strongside in the NFL.

 

[Adi]

We have to go LB in round 1 , best player available at rush or mlb.

 

[Ramhusker]

Give me Evans and Kiser!!!! I believe they will be available with our first two picks.

 

[Ramstien]

I would not be surprised if the Rams took three LBers in this draft, one early than one in the middle round and finish with a sleeper pick late. With all the talent at LBer I believe the Rams will trade back in the first round if they can find a willing trade partner.

 

[LACHAMP46]

Great link! I love this LB draft class as well.

 

[Riverumbbq]

Donald, Suh & Brockers up front.

Ebukam, Navarro Bowman, Barron, Trumaine Edmunds as starting LB'ers.

Peters, Talib, Robey-Coleman at CB.

Joyner & J.Johnson at Safety.

Pity the fools that line up against that !

 

[hotanez]

Give me Evans and Kiser!!!! I believe they will be available with our first two picks.

really would love to have Evans in horns

 

[DaveFan'51]

Give me Evans and Kiser!!!! I believe they will be available with our first two picks.

I'll Take Vander Esch and Kiser, in that order and I think we can get them both!! " No Problemo!"

 

[jrry32]

After I saw him claim that Smith is the best block shedder, I completely wrote the piece off. What a terrible opinion. That's about as far off as you can get.

 

[kurtfaulk]

.

i saw an interview with vander esch. man his neck is thicker than his head. looks like a bull.

.

 

[Memento]

Vander Esch and Griffin for me.

 

[Ramrasta]

If we got Shaquem Griffin in the 4th, it would be an absolute steal. Pure speed that can rush the passer and he is good enough to stick with a receiver in coverage.

 

[Psycho_X]

Yeah I'm all in on Vander Esch to replace Ogeltree but I think we'll have to trade up a few spots to get him. Especially since everyone and their mother who might be looking for a lb'er also will know we'll be drafting one at some point and might try and leapfrog us. Particularly if we sign Suh to finish off the d-line for another year.

 

[shaunpinney]

I'm impressed with the LB class in the year's draft - from the top down I think there will be some decent starters even down to R3...

 

[shaunpinney]

Yeah I'm all in on Vander Esch to replace Ogeltree but I think we'll have to trade up a few spots to get him. Especially since everyone and their mother who might be looking for a lb'er also will know we'll be drafting one at some point and might try and leapfrog us. Particularly if we sign Suh to finish off the d-line for another year.

If we get Suh, and our line is Brockers, Suh and Donald - I'll happily play LB myself, I'm cheap and will give 110% (that's just for you @-X- ) both on and off the field...

 

[Merlin]

After I saw him claim that Smith is the best block shedder, I completely wrote the piece off. What a terrible opinion. That's about as far off as you can get.

You beat me to it. Smith is this year's over-inflated prospect and has been since day one.

Keep waiting for him to "fall" as the media types figure out that he's not as good as they all have groupthinked themselves to believe he is. But it hasn't happened yet.

 

[Merlin]

With Edmunds's linear speed and ridiculous length, he's the new-age physical prototype at the weakside spot

This dude is a moron. Seriously.

 

[DaveFan'51]

If we got Shaquem Griffin in the 4th, it would be an absolute steal. Pure speed that can rush the passer and he is good enough to stick with a receiver in coverage.

I have this terrible Gut-Feeling that the Seachickens are going to move in and take Griffn before the Rams can, just so they can re-unite him with his Brother who is already playing for them! Carroll seemed to fall in love with him at the combine!!

 

[jrry32]

You beat me to it. Smith is this year's over-inflated prospect and has been since day one.

Keep waiting for him to "fall" as the media types figure out that he's not as good as they all have groupthinked themselves to believe he is. But it hasn't happened yet.

I like Smith, but he's terrible at shedding blocks.

 

[Merlin]

I like Smith, but he's terrible at shedding blocks.

Yep. It's why I have said all along I feel his best positional fit is WILL in a 4-3, where he can chase. But that's something that you get a LOT of options in filling nowadays, with a lot of guys who can chase coming out in every draft. So from a supply and demand perspective it makes me think he's going to go lower than draft estimates (i.e. somewhere from 15 to 45). And why I think at some point we'll see him listed as a guy who is "falling."