RELATED: See our staff's top players at the IDP positions.
Defensive Lineman | Edge Rusher | Linebacker | Cornerback | Safety
Recently, we asked the Footballguys staff for their top rookies at each position. Over the next several weeks, we'll get deeper into the 2025 draft class and release our massive 2025 Footballguys Rookie Guide (for offense) after the Super Bowl. For now, here's a quick look at how our staff sees the linebacker position.
Remember that it is early in the process. Showcase events like the Senior Bowl and Shrine Bowl will allow us to better compare these players, and the NFL Combine will add even more clarity.
Key
- Rank: the player's rank at the position.
- Pts: the number of points the player gained in the voting; the max changes based on how many staff members participated and how deep the voting was, but bigger numbers are always better.
- Firsts: the number of first-place votes the player received from a staff member.
| Rank | Linebacker | School | Pts | Firsts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jihaad Campbell | Alabama | 48 | 3 |
| 2 | Jalon Walker | Georgia | 46 | 2 |
| 3 | Danny Stutsman | Oklahoma | 36 | 0 |
| 4 | Barrett Carter | Clemson | 30 | 0 |
| 5t | Smael Mondon Jr. | Georgia | 22 | 0 |
| 5t | Chris Paul Jr. | Ole Miss | 22 | 0 |
| 7 | Jay Higgins | Iowa | 17 | 0 |
| 8 | Carson Schwesinger | UCLA | 14 | 0 |
| 9 | Jeffrey Bassa | Oregon | 11 | 0 |
| 10 | Cody Simon | Ohio State | 10 | 0 |
| 11 | Demetrius Knight Jr. | South Carolina | 7 | 0 |
| 12 | Jack Kiser | Notre Dame | 4 | 0 |
| 13 | Nick Martin | Oklahoma State | 4 | 0 |
| 14 | Jamon Dumas-Johnson | Kentucky | 3 | 0 |
| 15 | Karene Reid | Utah | 1 | 0 |
Photos provided by Imagn Images