What does the future hold for the linebacker position?
As you ponder that question think about these issues. The league is using lighter personnel packages more and more, and last season that trend continued. On the 19,933 drop back passing attempts charted last season by Sports Info Solutions, defenses had five defensive backs on the field for an overwhelming majority of those plays: 59%. But they also had six defensive backs on the field for 20.9% of those snaps.
Consider still, the trends that will be making their way into the game at some point. Brent Venables is considered one of college football’s defensive wizards, and last season the Clemson Tigers implemented a defensive unit that was predominantly a 3-1-7 defense. Of course, having players like Tanner Muse and Isaiah Simmons, hybrid defenders with talent, makes such a scheme possible. But as those players – and those coaches of similar mind – make their way into the league, the future looks different on the defensive side of the football.
So again, what does the future portend for the linebacker position?
Those questions cannot be answered today, but we can look at some of the best the league has to offer at the linebacker position in today’s game.
Honorable Mentions
As with the safeties, we start with some of the players that just missed out on this list. That includes the talented and young Buffalo Bills linebackers Matt Milano and Tremaine Edmunds, although Edmunds is almost a lock to make this list someday. Same too for Pittsburgh Steelers’ linebacker Devin Bush. The Houston Texans have a talented pair of their own, in Zach Cunningham and Benardrick McKinney. To the previous point about teams using lighter packages, one team bucked that trend: The Seattle Seahawks. Pete Carroll’s group had three linebackers on the field more than any other team last year, K.J. Wright was a big part of that unit. Some additional names to watch include Denver’s Alexander Johnson, who played at a very high level last season but will need to follow that up in his second year as a starter for inclusion on lists like this, New York Giant David Mayo, who showed he could handle an increased role last year, and Jamie Collins, now with the Detroit Lions.
Best Linebacker Unit
There is a reason the Seattle Seahawks used three linebackers more than any other team in the league: Their trio from 2019 was damn good. Wright, Kendricks and Bobby Wagner are a triumvirate of defensive prowess. All three are solid against the run, and do their job well when called upon to play coverage. With Kendricks currently a free agent, something that should keep this unit playing at such a high level is the presence of rookie Jordyn Brooks, Seattle’s first round selection. Another duo to watch is Milano and Edmunds in Buffalo. The Bills utilize a lot of nickle packages with those two left on the field, but they made a great pair, with Edmunds’ length and athleticism, and what Milano does in coverage. Then there is that group in Dallas, they’re pretty good too.
Now, to the Top 11.
Dont’a Hightower | Jaylon Smith | Jayon Brown | Deion Jones | Cory Littleton | Fred Warner| Darius Leonard | Lavonte David | Eric Kendricks | Demario Davis | Bobby Wagner
11. Dont’a Hightower, New England Patriots
Faces may change in New England, but one constant on the defensive side of the ball for the Patriots the past eight years has been Dont’a Hightower. With Kyle Van Noy and Jamie Collins in the fold last year, as well as players like Elandon Roberts and John Simon, Hightower saw only 783 total snaps. But his processing speed at the position, as well as all the various ways Bill Belichick employs him, makes him a consistent, solid player in their scheme.
For example, you might see Hightower blitzing off the edge, flexed out over a tight end, sugaring the A-Gap, or playing as a traditional off-ball inside linebacker in a four or even five linebacker package. (The Patriots tried some five LB packages against Lamar Jackson and company. It…did not quite work). While coverage skills are not his strong suit – he allowed an NFL passer rating of 118.0 when targeted last season – he did add three interceptions.
But it is what Hightower does working downhill that stands out. Both as a pass rusher and against the run he contributes mightily to New England’s defense, and his veteran savvy allows him to make plays like this:
Oh, and for the record the following things are true: His tackle of Marshawn Lynch on the goal line was the biggest play of Super Bowl XLIX (and he did it with a torn labrum in his shoulder) and he should have been the MVP of Super Bowl LIII.
10. Jaylon Smith, Dallas Cowboys
It is almost impossible not to root for Jaylon Smith. After suffering a horrific knee injury in his final collegiate game, he has recovered to become on of the NFL’s premier linebackers. With a combination of size, athleticism and explosiveness, Smith has the ability to make plays at all levels of the field.
2019 was a career season for Smith, and he showed growth in many facets of the position. He notched a career high in tackles with 108, while adding four sacks, tying a career-high set in 2018. He also showed improvement in coverage, allowing 31 receptions on 41 targets for a reception percentage of 75.6% (the lowest he has allowed in the league) and an NFL passer rating of 95.4 (again, a career low).
Plays like this show his growth in coverage:
In the end, it is his explosiveness that make him such a talented linebacker. He can collapse on receivers underneath or ball carriers in an instant, and he packs a punch at the point of contact. When added up, these pieces amount to a tremendous talent at the position that, given his past, is easy to cheer for.
9. Jayon Brown, Tennessee Titans
As we discussed when Kevin Byard made the list of the top safeties in the game, the Tennessee Titans’ offense might have grabbed the headlines, given Derrick Henry’s numbers and the emergence of Ryan Tannehill, but do not forget their defense. Another core component of this group is Jayon Brown, the linebacker out of UCLA. Picked in the fifth round by the Titans in 2017, Brown has been a part of their defense since his rookie season, when he logged 527 defensive snaps.
Last season Brown might even have taken a slight step back, as he gave up some more passing plays than he did in 2018 and his pressure numbers were down from the previous season, but he is still as solid as they come at the position. What stands out about Brown when watching him on film is his awareness, even when put in unfamilar positions. Watch this play against the Buffalo Bills:
The Titans are in man coverage, and when running back T.J. Yeldon flexes outside to the boundary Brown follows him. Even with a huge cushion, Brown recognizes the route concept and explodes downhill, stopping this for no gain.
Then, there are plays like this:
Troy Polamalu would be proud.
8. Deion Jones, Atlanta Falcons
You come across some amazing nuggets when researching for pieces like this one. A recent favorite of mine is that in 2019, Deion Jones saw 14 snaps in a free safety alignment.
That speaks to the myriad ways Jones can impact an opposing offense. After missing the bulk of 2018 due to injury, Jones was back on the field for the Atlanta Falcons as a true three-down linebacker this past season. Against the run he is a downhill presence, although 17 missed tackles are something to watch. He is also a very solid coverage linebacker, although he did give up four touchdowns and an NFL passer rating of 101.7 a year ago, which were both career-low numbers for him. But he does have the ability to function at a high level in underneath zones and read the quarterback, as he does here on this pick six of Jameis Winston:
Jones should be completely good to go in 2020 after the foot injury he suffered at the start of 2018, and we should expect more plays like this from him in the season ahead.
7. Cory Littleton, Las Vegas Raiders
Depending on your point of view, Littleton might have been one of the biggest signings of this past free agency period. After starting his career as a special teamer with the Los Angeles Rams, Littleton carved out a role the past two seasons in the heart of the Rams’ defense. Thanks to his athleticism and coverage skills, he stays on the field in every situation, and he can be trusted to run with any class of receiver, from tight ends to running backs and true wideouts.
This interception of Cam Newton is a prime example of how his athleticism and awareness makes him a threat underneath. He drops into a hook zone and reads the quarterback’s eyes, then breaks on a throw to the slot defender and using his length is able to pull in the football:
An area where Littleton also stands out is as a tackler. Over the past four season he has been charted with just 18 missed tackles, including only a single miss last season. Those kind of numbers enable him to make an impact on all levels of the field. The Raiders’ defense struggled to get off the field last season, and a linebacker such as Littleton should help improve that measure in the season to come.
6. Fred Warner, San Francisco 49ers
If we’re buying futures on players, Fred Warner is where I am placing a huge investment.
Coming out of BYU, Warner was a difficult evaluation during his draft process. He played primarily as an overhang defender for the Cougars, spending the bulk of his time out in the slot or in space. That, coupled with the “undersized” flag on his scouting profiles, caused many to wonder if there was a role for him in the modern NFL. That saw him slip to the third round of the draft.
Well, as he displayed the past few seasons, there certainly is a role for him. Last season Warner spent the bulk of his time in the box, logging 1,070 snaps down near the line of scrimmage, and all over that area of the field for Robert Saleh’s defense. He saw 156 snaps at middle linebacker, 574 snaps at one of the inside linebacker spots (left inside linebacker or right inside linebacker) and 330 snaps at one of the two linebacker spots in a 4-2-5 defense.
What can he do from those spots? Well, almost anything you ask. Here he reads the eyes of Jared Goff and breaks on a checkdown, turning it into a pick six:
This video package highlights all the things he brings to the table, from sideline-to-sideline ability against the run to his coverage skills in space:
When breaking down the top safeties in the league, flexibility and versatility was a big component. In the modern NFL defenses have to be able to adjust on the fly to what an offense is doing, and hybrid defenders play a big role. Warner, like Littleton before him, might be the prototype for the next wave of NFL linebackers.
5. Darius Leonard, Indianapolis Colts
It was viewed as something of a reach when the Indianapolis Colts drafted Darius Leonard out of South Carolina State in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft. But there is a reason Colts’ general manager Chris Ballard is widely regarded at one of the best in the business, and the Leonard pick is great evidence why. Leonard has been an elite-level player during his two seasons in the league, and last year was no exception. He was great in coverage, allowing 59 receptions on 74 targets for 559 yards and a pair of touchdowns, but grabbing five interceptions along the way, a career-high. Watch what he does here on this pick six of Jameis Winston:
He begins the play down in the box, showing pressure. But after engaging the center to mess with the protection scheme he drops off the line of scrimmage and gets underneath the slant route, reading this play perfectly. He finishes it off by returning it 82 yards for the score. This is veteran awareness from the young LB.
Leonard is also solid against the run, and in 2019 he notched 79 tackles – along with 36 “stops” – and just six missed tackles. He possesses a great combination of strength and short-area quickness, that allows him to evade and/or stack-and-shed against the run. Watch him on this play against the Miami Dolphins as he picks his way through traffic and stops this run before it gets going:
Entering just his third season in the league, there is no reason Leonard will not continue to show up on lists like this in the years to come.
4. Lavonte David, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The offensive side of the football has generated the bulk of headlines in Tampa Bay over the past six months. First, quarterback Jameis Winston threw a whopping 30 interceptions, bringing new meaning to the idea of a “30/30” player in sports. Then this past offseason, Tom Brady took his talents to the Bay and then coaxed former running mate Rob Gronkowski out of retirement.
All of these storylines overshadowed the fact that Tampa Bay’s defense was quietly one of the better groups in the league. This was an almost-porous unit in 2018, when they turned opposing passers into Matt Ryan on a weekly basis. No seriously, in 2018 opposing passers had an Adjusted Net Yards per Attempt of 7.7, a mark which would have placed this generic opposing passer fifth in the league, ahead of Matt Ryan.
But last season, and in particular down the stretch, this was a much better defense. The Buccaneers finished 2019 with a Defensive DVOA of -11.5%, good for fifth-best in the league and a huge improvement over their 2018 finish, which was dead last. Perhaps more importantly, they finished with a Weighted Defensive DVOA of -20.4%, third-best in the league. (Weighted Defensive DVOA places an emphasis on recent performance).
Linebacker Lavonta David was a critical component of this turnaround. Last year was another great campaign for the veteran linebacker, as he notched 18 quarterback pressures, 85 tackles and an interception. He also tallied four passes defensed, tying his career high. David allowed an NFL passer rating of 95.6 when targeted, his best number since his 2013 season.
But the numbers do not tell the full story. Watch what he does on these successive plays against the Houston Texans. First he covers tight end Darren Fells in the flat on a misdirection design, making a sure tackle in space:
Then on third down, he gets to the sideline on a screen to DeAndre Hopkins, preventing a conversion:
The Buccaneers’ offense might continue to gather the headlines in 2020, but if David and the rest of this defense continue to play at this level, watch out.
3. Eric Kendricks, Minnesota Vikings
Run defense might be a dying art in the modern NFL, but it is hard to find a better linebacker at stopping the run in today’s game than Eric Kendricks. Last season was another stellar campaign for the Minnesota Vikings’ LB, as he tallied a career-high 93 tackles, and 42 “stops.” He also contributed as a pass rusher, adding 17 total quarterback pressures and a career-high mark of 15 quarterback hurries.
Where he took a big step forward, however, is in coverage. Kendricks was targeted 73 times in coverage last season, and allowed just 39 receptions, a reception rate of just 53.4%. While he allowed a pair of touchdowns, he also notched an interception and a career-high 13 pass breakups. Opposing passers had an NFL passer rating of just 74.8 when targeting Kendricks last season, which was his best mark since entering the NFL.
Watch what he does here on this interception of Jimmy Garoppolo from the Divisional Round:
This is textbook underneath defense from the linebacker.
The Vikings’ defense was very solid in 2019, and as we have seen they have a talented pair of safeties behind him in Anthony Harris and Harrison Smith. But Kendricks is a standout defender in his own right, and should be a huge part of Minnesota’s defense in the season ahead.
2. Demario Davis, New Orleans Saints
The past three seasons have seen Demario Davis come into his own as a linebacker in the NFL. During his first years in the league, starting with his time with the New York Jets and then a season in Cleveland, Davis was a solid, if unspectacular, defender. Then in 2017 he rejoined the Jets after a season with the Browns and started to flourish. That year he notched 28 quarterback pressures (with a career-high five sacks) as well as a career-high 104 tackles.
Then he moved to the NFC South, and the past two years with the Saints he has performed at an elite level. Last year saw Davis post some more career-high numbers, including his best tally of quarterback pressures (30) and a career-high with nine passes defended. In coverage Davis allowed 57 receptions on 76 targets, and passers posted an NFL passer rating of just 87.4 when targeting Davis, the best mark from the linebacker over his entire career.
But Davis is also a force against the run. He has the footwork and explosiveness to stop plays before they get going. Watch him knife into the backfield to stop this toss play from the Tennessee Titans:
Now watch what he does on this gap/power design from the Atlanta Falcons. Davis sees the down block from the left guard and recognizes the design, crashing forward to fill the hole in response. He meets the pulling guard in the hole, stones him, and scrapes off to make the tackle:
This, like the rest of his all-around game, is elite.
1. Bobby Wagner, Seattle Seahawks
As hard as it is to believe, 2019 could be considered a down year for Bobby Wagner. At the heart of the Seattle Seahawks defense for the ninth-straight season, Wagner notched 117 total tackles, three sacks, 52 “stops,” an interception and five passes defended. But that was actually a step back from some of his best work as a linebacker, and it saw his overall grade at Pro Football Focus (for those believers in that sort of thing) dip from 91.7 to 76.4, his lowest mark since 2015.
But given his talent and overall body of work, it is hard to put Wagner anywhere but the top spot on this list. He is that rare type of linebacker that fits with the modern game, but you still feel that if he were dropped into the late 1970s or even the 1980s, he would fit right in with that style of football. He’s just as comfortable playing downhill against the run as he is dropping into coverage or running with receivers.
If there is an area to watch, it is the coverage part of the game. Last season saw Wagner slip in that area, as he allowed 62 receptions on 75 targets (a reception rate of 82.7%, his worst mark as a professional) and he allowed an NFL passer rating of 112.5 when targeted (again his worst mark as a pro). But we’re betting that in the season head, with some additions to the defensive side of the football such as Jordyn Brooks, Darrell Taylor and the return of Bruce Irvin, Wagner should return to his all-around elite form.
