2022 Draft Board: Linebackers

Go check out my 2022 Quarterback Draft Board article if you want to get more background information on how this all works.

TOP FIVE

1) Nakobe Dean (Georgia)

Analysis: He's not a big guy. He didn't perform any athletic tests. Both of those things are concerning. But he has great instincts, and a nose for the ball. He has the "it" factor. As much as I like Muma, I just kept coming back to Dean.

2) Chad Muma (Wyoming)

Analysis: Bigger backer (6'3", 239) with solid athleticism, but it's his college production that really steals the show! 71 tackles, 8 for loss and 3 sacks in the covid shortened 2020 season (just 6 games). And he closed out his college career with a 142 tackles, 8 for loss and 3 picks!! Plus, his PFF grades were spectacular (one of only two Linebackers invited to the Combine to receive a 90+ in run defense).

3) Devin Lloyd (Utah)

Analysis: Solid PFF grades and solid production at Utah (especially in the tackles for loss category). His athletic testing didn't necessarily go as planned (4.66 forty in a year where over a third of players at his position ran under 4.6 makes it sting a little more), but like Dean he just has the instincts you need to see at this position.

4) Leo Chenal (Wisconsin)

Analysis: He's a beast against the run, but his coverage skills need work, which originally was going to keep him off my top five, but seeing him run a 4.53, with a 40.5" vert, 128" broad and 6.98 3-cone gives me hope that good coaching can fix that area for him.

5) Channing Tindall (Georgia)

Analysis: Tindall is 6'2" 230 running a 4.47 forty and jumping 42" into the air, that's freaky athlete stuff right there. Injuries along with other things forced him into a bigger role this past season and he made the most of it. I think there's still plenty of room for growth, which is why I feel he has the highest ceiling of any Linebacker in this class.

Sleeper: Troy Andersen (Montana State)

Analysis: People are really taking notice of Andersen, so not as big of a sleeper anymore, but I like him too much to not list him. He did it all at Montana State (I mean he literally played Quarterback for them in 2018 [1195 pass yards, over 1400 rush yards and 15 total touchdowns] and Running Back in 2019 [515 yards and 5 touchdowns]). Only to shine even bigger as a full-time Linebacker in his final season with 147 tackles, 14 for loss, 2 sacks and 2 picks on his way to being named the FCS Defensive Player of the Year. And since that wouldn't be enough because he did play for an FCS school after all, he measured in at 6'4" 243 before running a 4.42 forty, 6.72 3-cone and a 3.99 short shuttle (that's difficult for Cornerbacks to do). I have to stop talking before I convince myself to make him my #1.

SURPRISINGLY LEFT OFF

Maybe someone will look at my top five and wonder why I left Christian Harris or Damone Clark off it. Really it's not a knock on them, it's just that this off-ball Linebacker class is loaded and it's difficult for me to put them over the guys I have above.

DRAFT BOARD

My Draft Board

REMOVED FROM DRAFT BOARD

For each position there are players who either had a red flag in their college production or athletic testing (or both) that led to them being removed from my draft board. These are referred to as negative factors and can lead to one of two labels: Depleted or Empty. In order for a player to receive a Depleted label, they had to have a negative factor that significantly decreased the chances of success in players who had that same factor from 2010-2019. In order for a player to receive an Empty label, they had to have a negative factor that led to zero successful players who had that same factor from 2010-2019. There were seven Linebackers removed from my draft Board:

Baylon Spector (Clemson) - Depleted

JoJo Domann (Nebraska) - Depleted

Josh Ross (Michigan) - Depleted

Zakoby McClain (Auburn) - Depleted

Isaiah Graham-Mobley (Boston College) - Empty

Jeremiah Moon (Florida) - Empty

Quay Walker (Georgia) - Empty