2026 NFL Draft Prospect Debate: Jacob Rodriguez’s top-5 Heisman Trophy season makes him a fascinating prospect
The 2026 NFL Draft has a lot of intriguing prospects, and the most intriguing of them all is arguably Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez
The NFL Draft is less than two weeks away, and there are some interesting prospect debates.
While consensus is the best measure for each individual player, given the wisdom of crowds, being above or below consensus can highlight the positives and negatives of each prospect.
This is viewed as a really good linebacker class, and nobody has gotten more attention outside of the Ohio State duo than Jacob Rodriguez. Finishing fifth place in the Heisman Trophy voting, he was incredibly productive during his final season with the Texas Tech Red Raiders. Even with that productivity, there are still questions about his game.
AJ Schulte and I, Tyler Forness, are split on many prospects, and Rodriguez is the last of a fascinating five players.
The case for Jacob Rodriguez
AJ Schulte’s ranking: 23rd overall
I’m at a weird spot with Jacob Rodriguez. I think draft media has gotten too far out on their skis on Rodriguez as a “first-round prospect” and some are even saying he’s the best linebacker in this draft. That, to me, is absurd to even consider. However, I also think there has been an overcorrection to the pushback on that narrative, because some have put Rodriguez well into Day 3. So here I am, stuck in the middle with him firmly on my Day 2 prospects.
What he is is a capable WILL linebacker at the NFL level. I don’t see a high-end athlete, but I do see good overall movement skills and is a physical competitor. Rodriguez seemingly always finds himself around the ball and is incredibly productive. His run defense is based more on awareness than physical traits, which I think ultimately will typecast him into WILL instead of MIKE, but it can still hold up as he gets adjusted to NFL speeds. His pursuit speed and relentless motor keep him in plays throughout.
He has the tools to stick with RBs and TEs in man coverage and he attacks the ball well in coverage. There’s a reason he boasts some of the best production of any linebacker in this class. I do think he is more reactive than proactive in both run defense and coverage, and there isn’t a lot of value to him near the line of scrimmage or as a blitzer, given his lack of length.
To me, I see an average WILL linebacker who can stick around for awhile with great intangibles and special teams ability on top of his coverage and pursuit ability. His limitations give me pause in terms of his upside, hence the pushback on the first round consideration, but there’s a world where he can be an Alex Anzalone or Drue Tranquill caliber of player for a team.
The case against Jacob Rodriguez
Tyler Forness’ ranking: 110th overall
I am not a big fan of what Rodriguez brings to the table in the NFL. The athletic testing was objectively very good, and he was a turnover-forcing machine in the Big 12. Whenever you have that kind of production, there are a lot of questions, mainly, how much will that translate to the next level?
I don’t think it will translate to the next level the way others do, especially since Rodriguez was heavily protected by the best defensive line in college football. Their play allowed him freedom he won’t have at the next level. His instincts are objectively good, but he was allowed to guess a little more due to said defensive line.
What I really didn’t care for was his ability in coverage. Rodriguez often looked lost dropping in zone coverage, not showing confidence with his movement skills in the open field. Is Rodriguez a bad player? Absolutely not, but there are concerns about him being a day two selection, let alone the first round discussion that’s happened on occasion. I see an undersized linebacker whose film didn’t match the athletic testing that should be drafted early on day three.
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