Senior Bowl Linebacker Prospect Rankings for the 2024 NFL Draft after full week of practice
The 2024 Senior Bowl is complete! Where do all the top linebackers rank in this draft class now that we have had a chance to see them up close and personal? The Senior Bowl was thought to be rather top-heavy in terms of linebacker talent this cycle, but every prospect seemed to pop at some […]
The 2024 Senior Bowl is complete! Where do all the top linebackers rank in this draft class now that we have had a chance to see them up close and personal?
The Senior Bowl was thought to be rather top-heavy in terms of linebacker talent this cycle, but every prospect seemed to pop at some point during the week. There were some top linebacker talents in the 2024 NFL Draft draft pool who weren't at the Senior Bowl, but let's see how the names stack up who were.
Senior Bowl Linebacker Rankings
- James Williams, Miami(FL)
- Payton Wilson, NC State
- Cedric Gray, North Carolina
- JD Bertrand, Notre Dame
- Nathaniel Watson, Mississippi State
- Trevin Wallace, Kentucky
- Tyrice Knight, UTEP
- Jontrey Hunter, Georgia State
- Edefuan Ulofoshio, Washington
- Jackson Sirmon, California
Tier one consisted of three players at the linebacker position for Senior Bowl week: James Williams, Payton Wilson, and Cedric Gray.
"Wait, isn't James Williams a safety?"
Yes, he has been a safety for essentially his entire collegiate career, but it seems he's officially (and finally) making the position switch that has been on the table for quite some time. Williams actually played over 300 snaps in the tackle box and standing up at the edge of the defensive line this past season, so he's no stranger to the role.
Williams clearly possessed the most intriguing physical tools and movement ability among all Senior Bowl linebackers. If the right team gets a hold of him he may end up playing on the edge of the defensive line, off-ball linebacker, in the slot, and at safety every single game.
Both Payton Wilson and Cedric Gray racked up more than 200 tackles over the last two seasons. Both have 40+ starts at linebacker. And both played really well all week. Gray was always near the ball in practice, even if the play wasn't sent his direction. Wilson was the leader of the National team defense with the green dot on his helmet (with play-calling communications inside) and consistently made plays in pass coverage like this one where he reads the quarterback's eyes and defends the short pass.
JD Bertrand (Notre Dame) stood alone in tier two as he was named the top linebacker by his National team offensive linemen and running backs for making plays left and right all week long. He was also the most athletic off-ball linebacker at the Senior Bowl via our custom On-Field Athleticism Score (a model built using Zebra Technologies player tracking data). Bertrand was quick on his breaks to defend passes and found himself in the backfield quite often making stops.
Nathaniel Watson (Mississippi State), Tyrice Knight (UTEP), and Trevin Wallace (Kentucky) formed the next tier fairly clearly. Watson and Knight both led their respective conferences in tackles for the 2023 season, so they were known quantities heading into the week. Watson made an incredible hit during the game, laying out 6'6", 257-pound Penn State tight end, Theo Johnson. Knight stuffed the run more than perhaps any other linebacker at practices. Wallace was a refreshing surprise, showing great range and instincts in coverage during one-on-ones.
Senior Bowl Defensive Back Prospect Rankings for the 2024 NFL Draft
2024 Senior Bowl Defensive Back Prospect Rankings
Lastly, Jontrey Hunter (Georgia State), Edefuan Ulofoshio (Washington), and Jackson Sirmon (California) brought up the rear in their own tier, but it's no disrespect. This linebacker group was just simply a lot better than expected.
Hunter made a few solid plays covering running backs, but played a bit stiff at times and posted an On-Field Athleticism Score below the 40th percentile (worst at the Senior Bowl). Ulofoshio and Sirmon were quite often in the right place at the right time, but got washed out in the run and beaten in coverage on a handful of occasions.
For more on the biggest winners and losers from Senior Bowl week check out this special video from the A to Z Film Room below!
