2020 Draft Board: Linebackers

**Note: changes have been made since the draft happened. I spent May and June adjusting my process by setting strict parameters and adding all combine participants from 2008-2017. Those two improvements caused major changes to my factors and table, which means some players that were on my draft board have been removed, some players that were removed from my draft board have been put back on it, and some players have seen a drastic shift in the round grades they were originally given.

Continuing my Draft Board next we look at the Linebackers. This was the second and only other position where I was able to highlight a couple of players with a “sure-fire star factor”. I’ll hint at that in the Top 5 section below. There also weren’t many negative factors that I was able to find, which made it difficult to eliminate players from my draft board. Side note: I make reference to “Total Turnovers” below, that was a combination of interceptions and forced fumbles. I do realize that a forced fumble is not a guaranteed takeaway, but it puts the team in a better position to get the turnover, whereas a fumble recovery is (sometimes) relying on someone else to pop the ball free first. Anyways, there’s plenty more information if you allow your eyes to drift down the page.

Players Removed:

I was able to eliminate 2 Linebackers for various reasons. As you can see, they both have an "E" next to their name, which means they received my “Empty” label, if you are wondering what that label means check the Draft Boards for the QBs, RBs or WRs.  They are:

Cale Garrett (E)

Dante Olson (E)

The Table

After I eliminated players, I created a table to determine the Draft Round I would attach to each remaining player. I used their college stats and combine results to determine the chances of them being drafted in the first three rounds by setting a low extreme and high extreme for each stat. If they had more low extremes than their draft grade fell, more high extremes and it rose.

My Draft Board

My Top 5:

1) Isaiah Simmons (Clemson)

Analysis: Simmons locked himself in as a top 5 talent. There’s no guarantee that he gets drafted top 5 due entirely to the value that’s put-on Quarterbacks, but talent wise you can’t argue where he’s at (#1 on my big board). Simmons checks off the college production box after playing both Safety and Linebacker (as well as some Outside Corner and Slot Corner), and putting up averages of 96 tackles, 12.8 for loss and 4.5 total turnovers. Then he put a big, bold check mark in the athleticism box by running a 4.39 forty and jumping 132” in the Broad Jump and 39” in the Vertical. He also hit on two different factors that led to 100% success from the Linebackers drafted from 2008-2017 that also had that factor. If he slides out of the top 5, someone is getting a steal.

2) Davion Taylor (Colorado)

Analysis: Surprised? Ya, me too. There are a couple positions where the athletic profile means more than the college statistics, Linebacker is one of those positions. His sub 4.5 forty, 127” Broad Jump and sub 7.0 3-Cone Drill are big factors in him ending up at #2 on my board. Let’s see if it translates to the field.

3) Kenneth Murray (Oklahoma)

Analysis: The average of 0 total turnovers is concerning, someone will need to work with him on the peanut punch. But the rest of the numbers look great: 128.5 tackles, 14.8 for loss, 4.52 forty, 38” Vertical, 129” Broad Jump and he tacked on 21 reps on the bench press just cause. I like what he brings to the table in a so-so Linebacker class.

4) Willie Gay Jr. (Mississippi State)

Analysis: I originally listed Willie Gay Jr. in my sleeper section because of the character concerns that come with him. After redoing the Table, Factors and Draft Board, he moved up into my top 5 and I couldn’t find a way around that. He definitely has the athletic profile to play the position. If he can keep himself out of trouble and avoid fights with teammates, there’s no telling what he could do as a pro. Also, he hit on one of the factors that led to a 100% success rate from the Linebackers drafted from 2008-2017 that also had that factor.

5) Patrick Queen (LSU)

Analysis: Part of me wants to leave Queen off my top 5 because I’ve come to expect more statistically out of LSU Linebackers. But then my eyes slide over to his combine performance and they see that 4.5 forty and the 125” Broad Jump and I just picture the crazy explosiveness that led to him averaging 12 tackles for loss, then my excitement at the idea of watching him pummel opposing Running Backs grows and he slides back into my top 5.

Sleeper: Logan Wilson (Wyoming)

Analysis: Wilson averaged over 100 tackles at Wyoming, which apparently isn’t the easiest thing to do at a position where the main point is to rack up tackles like my wife does clothes. He also averaged 8.6 tackles for loss, but the most impressive number is that he coupled those stats with an average of 3.8 total turnovers. His 10 interceptions and 14 pass deflections are better than a good chunk of the Corners and Safeties in this draft. He ran his forty in 4.63, his 20-yard shuttle in 4.27, his 3 Cone in 7.07 and jumped 121” in the Broad Jump. Wilson will not be one of those Linebackers that needs to be removed from the field on 3^rd down or held off the field during 1^st and 2^nd down.