The 'On The Clock' crew of Matt Williamson, Mike Prisuta and Max Starks take a look at the top prospects in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft, which will be held in Pittsburgh in April. Today, they delve into the linebackers position.
Note: The opinions expressed here are their own and not those of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Matt's Take
We aren't going to count Arvell Reese amongst the linebackers, although he would be exceptional if that is all he did at the NFL level. Even without Reese, this is a very strong linebacker class though. There is first round talent as well as a plethora of linebackers that should be taken on the second day that could go on to have very strong pro careers. The depth here is excellent and as a whole, this class can really run.
Matt's Rankings
1. Sonny Styles, Ohio State, 6-5, 244 lbs. - Styles could be a little better taking on blocks. That is really the extent of anything negative you can say about this prospect, who might just be the best player in the entire draft. Every single aspect of modern-day linebacker other than block deconstruction Styles does at a nearly elite to elite level.
2. Jacob Rodriquez, Texas Tech, 6-1, 231 lbs. - Rodriguez isn't as body beautiful as Styles, but this guy just makes an incredible number of plays in nearly every game he steps on the field. Many questioned Rodriquez's athletic ability, but he should have put those concerns to rest with a very good Combine showing. He sees the game extremely well and is very sudden and abrupt with all his movements.
3. CJ Allen, Georgia, 6-1, 230 lbs. - Allen is a thickly built explosive hitter that can demolish plays at or behind the line of scrimmage. Allen is the leader of a pro-style defense and is an excellent blitzer. Allen has a very good feel for zone coverage and covers a lot of ground in both phases. He is extremely active.
4. Anthony Hill, Texas, 6-2, 238 lbs. - Hill really looks the part and is a big fluid mover. He has the ability to lock down running backs and tight ends in man coverage and is an accomplished blitzer. Hill isn't a glass eater though and could embrace contact with more urgency and nastiness.
5. Jake Golday, Cincinnati, 6-4 1/2, 239 lbs. - Golday is a bit of a projection because he often isn't used as a traditional linebacker. He has fantastic size and length with obvious explosive athletic traits. Golday takes on blocks well and is an improving player in space. His recognition skills could still use some work, however.
Sleeper: Keyshaun Elliott, Arizona State, 6-2, 231 lbs. - Simply put: Elliott isn't getting nearly enough buzz. He is extremely powerful with an outstanding understanding of his position. There are very few wasted steps in Elliott's game. Elliott throws his body around with reckless abandon and is a true team player. He isn't a liability in coverage, but Elliott also isn't a real high athlete. His game translates very well to the league though.
Mike's Take
There's no better example of what matters more in evaluating potential candidates, resumes or tape and measurables, than the linebacker class the upcoming NFL Draft.
Texas Tech's Jacob Rodriguez was a First-Team Associated Press All-America selection and won the Bednarik Award (given annually to the nation's top defensive player according to the Maxwell Club), the Butkus Award (top linebacker), the Nagurski Trophy (top defensive player according to the Football Writers Association of America), and the Lombardi Award (top lineman).
"He's gonna go on Day Two somewhere," NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah assessed.
Ohio State's Sonny Styles was a Second-Team All-America selection.
Part of the discussion involving Styles during coverage at the NFL Scouting Combine speculated about whether he'd be the second-overall pick.
The 4.46 40-yard dash Styles ran and the vertical leap of 431/2" Styles unleashed in Indianapolis had a lot to do with that.
Mike's Rankings
1. Sonny Styles, Ohio State, 6-5, 244 lbs. - Styles' 4.46 40 was faster than wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (4.50 in 2020) and safety Kyle Hamilton (4.59 in 2022) had managed in Indianapolis. And Styles' vertical was the highest posted by a player 6-4 or taller at a Combine since 2003. His athletic attributes are freakish and they translated into Styles, a former safety, being the best player on the field in the Big Ten Championship Game, in Jeremiah's estimation (Styles was in on a season-high 12 tackles). He didn't win a trophy with Ohio State that night, either. So be it.
2. CJ Allen, Georgia, 6-1, 230 lbs. - He's more nuts-and-bolts than spectacular but NFL.com analyst Lance Zierlein doesn't have a problem with that. Zierlein considers Allen a future "'Green Dot' linebacker and team captain more capable of rowing the boat than making big splashes." Zierlein also assessed Allen as "a dependable starting 'Mike' 'backer who raises the floor of a defense." Jeremiah is also impressed: "Sources at Georgia rave about his character, leadership and communication skills. Allen should be a steady, reliable force very early in his pro career."
3. Jacob Rodriquez, Texas Tech, 6-1, 231 lbs. - Rather than rest on his numerous laurels, Rodriguez showed up at the Senior Bowl and helped himself. And that was after having become the only FBS player since at least 2005 to come up with seven-plus forced fumbles (seven) and four or more interceptions (four) in a single season. The Combine was another step in the process in which Rodriguez distinguished himself. "NFL teams who interviewed him (in Indianapolis) told me he was tremendous in that setting, as well," Jeremiah reported.
4. Jake Golday, Cincinnati, 6-4 1/2, 239 lbs. - More rangy and fast than physical, Golday can tackle, rush the passer or cover as necessary. "He'll run down the seam with a slot receiver," Jeremiah observed. "I think he probably goes early second round. He's gonna be a really good player." NFL Network analyst Charles Davis assessed Golday as a player who will be "right in the middle of your action. Throw a 'Green Dot' on him, too."
5. Anthony Hill, Texas, 6-2, 238 lbs. - Hill is more athletic than he is aggressive but he has the prototypical size-speed combination that gets evaluators' attention. He's taken advantage of his athleticism to the tune of 16.5 tackles for a loss, eight sacks and four forced fumbles in 16 games in 2024. He played 10 games in 2025 (a broken hand cost him two) but still managed to land on the Second-Team Associated Press All-America Team for the second consecutive season.
Sleeper: Lander Barton, Utah, 6-5, 233 lbs. - He projects as a third-day selection but Barton was athletic enough and versatile enough to play tight end as well as linebacker at Utah. His 2025 statistics included 55 tackles, 3.5 tackles for a loss, 1.5 sacks and an interception on defense and six receptions for 44 yards and a touchdown on offense. He also returned two of his five career interceptions for touchdowns. And his bloodlines include brothers Cody and Jackson preceding him to the NFL.
Max's Take
The inside linebacker position is a group littered with talent throughout, and there's going to be a lot of good value in the first two days of the draft and even at the beginning of day three. Teams will have a will have a easy time replacing voids on their defense with the amount of young talent and defensive quarterback capabilities that a lot of these young players possess. I really like this group and there's a lot of good depth and I cannot wait to see where they land, because I feel like they will be instant impacts and putting their hands in the pile whether on special teams as Core 4 guys or starting in the base or sub package groups.
Max's Rankings
1. Sonny Styles, Ohio State, 6-5, 244 lbs. - Styles is the do it all linebacker of this draft! Former safety turned inside linebacker, and the skills off the ball, carrying and slot sub package prowess, make him an absolute game wrecker, and a guy who can also go thump in the A & B gaps against running backs is a bonus.
2. Jacob Rodriquez, Texas Tech, 6-1, 231 lbs. - I love Jacob Rodriguez. His backstory, his tenacity, his instincts and his ability to never give up on a play. He is a turnover machine and has a nose for dislodging the football from offensive players. He's got the "it" factor.
3. CJ Allen, Georgia, 6-1, 230 lbs. - Allen is a physical, downhill, thumping linebacker. He can run with in-line or off the ball tight ends and running backs. His intangibles are stellar a great quarterback of the defense option for any team.
4. Jake Golday, Cincinnati, 6-4 1/2, 239 lbs. - Golday is a tall, long linebacker. He can cover sideline to sideline he can scrape over top. He also has fast flow capability and any intricate zone schemes to the outside. He's very instinctual and his game is all about speed and precision. He might not be the most violent, but he is very reliable.
5. Anthony Hill, Texas, 6-2, 238 lbs. - Hill is an athlete with a capital A! He can run jump, move, cover, and tackle effectively. His athleticism makes up for his lack of aggressiveness, but at the next level, considering the amount of sub packages he is an asset at the linebacking position and will find a place to get instant impact when he's drafted.
Sleeper: Harold Perkins Jr., LSU, 6-1, 223 lbs. - Perkins was a star early in his college career, but injuries set him back a little bit and delayed his production and his latter years at LSU. He is a guy that I think a lot of people have overlooked because he was so fantastic and set such a high bar that the expectations have shifted, but don't be surprised if you hear his name called for for many years to come because he has the skills and he has the experience playing four years in college.
