ACC Positional Rankings: Linebackers
As part of our summer ACC rankings series, in addition to the more fun categories (stadiums, uniforms, etc.), we’ll also be ranking each position group for every ACC team. This exercise provides an excellent opportunity to take stock of not only BC’s talent and depth at each position but also compare to the rest of the conference. At the end of this series, we should see how each team stacks up against each other and predict how each team will finish. One note before we begin: this process will take all players into account, not just the starters. At certain positions, depth is arguably just as important as talent.
Last time, we opened our defensive rankings with the defensive linemen; Clemson took home the gold medal, while BC finished at a lowly 12th. In 2020, BC featured three very experienced linebackers in Max Richardson, John Lamot, and Isaiah McDuffie. Ultimately, Richardson and McDuffie played almost every defensive snap last year, as the Eagles’ defense operated primarily out of nickel personnel, leaving Lamot on the sideline. As we have discussed at length on this site, Richardson and McDuffie struggled a bit last year but ultimately ended up in the NFL.
With the shift of defenses towards using more five and six defensive back packages, along with hybrid players, it’s difficult to delineate where players will play. Generally, I will list a team’s projected three starting linebackers, assigning them the traditional roles within a three-linebacker defense. However, some times feature only two linebackers, while others feature four. I won’t be assigning positions to the backups because they can play multiple positions. In general, the ACC’s linebackers are below average. Still, even that might be par for the course now, given that linebackers are most frequently targeted by offenses and put in positions of conflict. Regardless, let’s get into the rankings!
14. Duke: Shaka Heyward (SLB), Dorian Mausi (WLB); Sayyid Stephens, Ryan Smith, Colby Campbell, Adam Fakih, Nick Morris Jr., Tre Freeman, Jason Hoffman
With only nine players on the active roster listed as linebackers and only one returning starter, Duke remains in the basement of the rankings. Duke utilizes a true 4-2-5 defense, with a bigger defensive back playing in the slot/overhang area, while their linebackers cover between the hashes. Shaka Heyward returns after starting every game last year; he’s a solid player that will have to take on a more significant leadership role. Dorian Mausi played in every game last year as a true freshman and projects to start there again, but his lack of size (6’2”, 210 lbs) makes him a liability in run defense. Sayyid Stephens also played in every game last season; however, he only recorded defensive snaps in four of Duke’s 11 games. The redshirt sophomore could be called on to replace Mausi on more obvious run downs. Ryan Smith is built similarly to Mausi, but he only played in seven games last year, playing on defense in only two.
None of the other linebackers on the roster have taken snaps for the Blue Devils. Adam Fakih is a graduate transfer from Michigan and was a core special teamer for the Wolverines for the last two seasons but has yet to see the field on defense. Colby Campbell is another grad transfer, this one moving up from FCS Presbyterian. Campbell started every game in the last three seasons and earned All-American honors last year, but moving from the FCS to the ACC is quite the leap. Nick Morris Jr. and Tre Freeman are the two scholarship true freshmen, and given the lack of depth, they could see significant playing time. Jason Hoffman is a walk-on. Shaka Heyward could become one of the better linebackers in the conference. But there is minimal experience behind him and Mausi and arguably even less depth. Teams should be able to make life miserable for Duke’s linebackers.
13. Georgia Tech: Charlie Thomas (SLB), Ayinde Eley (MLB), Quez Jackson (WLB); Demetrius Knight, Taylor McCawley, Tyson Meiguez, Khaya Wright, Khatavian Franks, Deion Fisher, Trenilyas Tatum
The Yellow Jackets lost veteran presence David Curry to the NFL; regardless, there are not many bodies in this room, and the starters are still questionable. Quez Jackson is probably the closest thing to a sure thing; he’s started 15 consecutive games and played in every game the last three seasons, along with finishing second on the team in total tackles in 2020 (80). Charlie Thomas is a bit of a hybrid player who will most likely play the Sam linebacker role. Like Jackson, Thomas has played in plenty of games the last three years, with 13 starts to his name. Ayinde Eley is a grad transfer from Maryland who will bring some much-needed size to the linebacker corps (6’3”, 232 lbs). Demetrius Knight is the only other linebacker on the roster; he’s a converted quarterback that is still listed as an Athlete on the school roster. Knight should be able to play all three linebacker positions due to his size and athleticism.
Taylor McCawley, Tyson Meiguez, and Khaya Wright all have played on special teams but have barely any playing experience on defense. Between the three of them, they have 22 career snaps on defense. Khatavian Franks and Deion Fisher did not see any game action and redshirted as true freshmen. Trenilyas Tatum is a four-star recruit that might be able to earn some playing time if injuries occur. Players like Quez Jackson and Ayinde Eley are solid, but there is barely any depth or experience behind them; one injury could turn this group into the worst in the conference.
12. Boston College: Kam Arnold (SLB), Vinny DePalma (MLB), Isaiah Graham-Mobley (WLB); Joseph Sparacio, Nick DeNucci, Hugh Davis, Tommy Degnan, Joe Marinaro, Bryce Steele, Owen McGowan, Casey Phinney, Emmett Hanna, Jaylen Blackwell
Of all the position groups, I think you would be hard-pressed to find one that experienced a bigger change from 2020 to 2021. As previously mentioned, Max Richardson and Isaiah McDuffie departed for the NFL after leading BC in defensive snaps during the 2020 season. Their departures leave BC with a linebacker room devoid of experience and lacking in talent.
Jeff Hafley and company took several different approaches to assuage these issues. First, they brought in Isaiah Graham-Mobley from Temple. Graham-Mobley has missed a lot of time with injuries the last few seasons, but he brings athleticism and experience to the table. Next, they’re getting some players back from injuries. Vinny DePalma and Joseph Sparacio missed most of the 2020 season after playing a decent bit in 2019. The coaching staff also asked safety Kam Arnold to move to linebacker after playing pretty well at safety. Arnold is up to 228 pounds now and brings some much-needed speed and quickness to the linebacker position. Finally, Bryce Steele and Owen McGowan are two of BC’s star recruits in this year’s class; Steele is more in the hybrid, Kam Arnold-style mold, while McGowan, Steve Adazzio’s last commitment, is more of a traditional, in-the-box linebacker.
Rounding out the rest of the group, Nick DeNucci and Hugh Davis are older players that haven’t earned much playing time in their career. Tommy Degnan is a recent transfer from Miami who did not play last season and redshirted. Joe Marinaro is a former walk-on that redshirted during his freshman year in 2020. Casey Phinney, Emmett Hanna, and Jaylen Blackwell are three more true freshmen; Phinney was a lower-level recruit, Hanna is a walk-on, and Jaylen Blackwell is a safety convert. There are so many questions surrounding this linebacker room, and even though Richardson and McDuffie had their struggles last year, it’s fair to expect a dip in production.
11. Syracuse: Mikel Jones (OLB), Geoff Cantin-Arku (MLB); Marlowe Wax, Stefon Thompson, Leon Lowery, Anwar Sparrow, Malik Matthew, Ryan Dolan, John O’Connor, Austin Roon
The Orange have two high-level proven starters, but the depth behind them is nearly nonexistent. Mikel Jones is a diamond in the rough that is the Syracuse football team; he displayed an incredible nose for the football last year on his way to earning All-ACC honorable mention, recording 69 tackles, two tackles-for-loss, one sack, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and four interceptions. While Jones plays the rangy, outside-the-box linebacker role, Geoff Cantin-Arku plays the more “traditional” linebacker spot. However, Cantin-Arku is anything but traditional; he is 6’4” and 230 pounds, incredibly rangy, and even led the Orange in sacks last year.
Stefon Thompson plays more of an on-ball Sam linebacker role; he played in ten games, made seven starts last year, and mostly rushed the passer. Marlowe Wax played in every game last year and even started the final two as a true freshman; he can do a little bit of everything but probably won’t see the field as much in Syracuse’s defense that prefers to use five or six defensive back sets. Leon Lowery played a similar role to Thompson and should back him up this season again; he only played in three games last year as a true freshman.
The problems for Syracuse begin after those four players. No other linebacker on the roster has taken a single snap at the collegiate level. Anwar Sparrow and Ryan Dolan both redshirted last year and did not see the field. Malik Matthew, Austin Roon, and John O’Connor are the three true freshmen; the first two were three-stars, with Matthew being one of the best players in New York, while O’Connor is a walk-on. As previously mentioned, the starters should be among the best in the conference. But there is barely any depth or experience behind them. Any injuries to this position group will open up the middle of the field to any ACC offense.
10. Wake Forest: Chase Jones (SLB), Ryan Smenda Jr. (MLB), Chase Monroe (WLB); DJ Taylor, Jaylen Hudson, Zach Ranson, Mark Balbis, Quincy Bryant, Joshua Sosanya, Dylan Hazen, Max Miller
The Demon Deacons’ linebacking corps is very experienced, but they’re not the most dynamic group. Additionally, Dave Clawson had to deal with one of his team’s leaders and best defenders, Jac’Quez Williams, hitting the transfer portal after a stellar career in Winston-Salem. Luckily, starting middle linebacker Ryan Smenda Jr. returns; he has started 20 games the last two seasons and is also Wake’s active leader in career tackles (155). The Demon Deacons will most likely lean on their deep defensive backfield but expect Chase Jones and Chase Monroe to be the starting outside linebackers in base defenses. Both are slightly undersized but bring superior athleticism and speed to the position.
Behind Smenda and the Chases, only three linebackers on the roster have taken defensive snaps in college. DJ Taylor should back up Smenda at middle linebacker, as he enters his fifth season with the Demon Deacons. Jaylen Hudson is a big, young athletic linebacker with a bright future and could challenge for playing time this year. Zach Ranson has only played in nine games (almost exclusively on special teams) as he enters his third year with the program. Mark Balbis played on one special teams play during his true freshman season last year, maintaining his redshirt.
The Demon Deacons have four true freshmen linebackers, but only one has traditional experience at the position. Quincy Bryant and Joshua Sosanya are converted defensive back recruits who will most likely redshirt this year to continue putting on weight. Dylan Hazen is a walk-on and the only one who consistently played linebacker in high school. Max Miller is another walk-on making the conversion but might stick at safety. Like most teams in the bottom half of these rankings, the Demon Deacons have some solid, talented, and experienced starters, but the depth and experience are questionable at best.
9. North Carolina: Jeremiah Gemmel (SLB), Eugene Asante (WLB); Cedric Gray, Jake Harkleroad, Ethan West, Jalen Brooks, Braden Hunter, Rara Dilworth, Power Echols, Gabe Stevens, Gibson Macrae
Jeremiah Gemmel is one of the best linebackers in the ACC; the loss of Chazz Surratt, however, leaves a gaping hole in the North Carolina defense. As mentioned in the defensive line rankings, the Tar Heels primarily run a 2-4-5 defense, so we included their outside linebackers in the DL rankings as they play more of an edge rusher position. Gemmel started every game the last two seasons and is a returning captain; he might be asked to play more in the box with Surratt off to the NFL. Eugene Asante should take over the other starting spot; he has played in every game the last two seasons and made two starts last year.
Unfortunately, there is barely an experience behind those two players. Khadry Jackson, the player with the next most experience, transferred to Georgia Southern. This leaves Cedric Gray and Jake Harkleroad as the only other linebackers on the roster with any defensive experience. Ethan West played on special teams in two games before suffering a season-ending injury, while Jalen Brooks only played in one game. Braden Hunter did not see any action and redshirted.
The Tar Heels brought in four true freshmen, including two four-stars, Raneiria Dillworth and Power Echols, who were top-ten prospects in the state of North Carolina. Gabe Stephens is a three-star athlete with the size to play linebacker (6’3”, 225 lbs) and the athleticism to play safety. Gibson Macrae is a walk-on who will most likely redshirt. Jeremiah Gemmel should make an All-ACC First or Second team, but the rest of the depth chart lacks experience and is very suspect. Expect the highly-touted true freshmen to get some playing time as the season goes on.
8. Virginia Tech: Alan Tisdale (SLB), Dax Hollifield (MLB); KeShon Artis, Dean Ferguson, Michael Peterson, Matt Johnson, Ben Skinner, Tre Maxwell, Austin Rosa, Lakeem Randolph, Will Johnson, Jaden Keller
Dax Hollifield is one of the best individual linebackers in the conference. But the Hokies’ linebackers will be adjusting to new positions this fall, which could lead to some growing pains. With the departure of long-time MLB Rayshard Ashby, someone will have to move inside and take his spot. Hollifield makes the most sense; he has played in all but one game the last three years, making 25 starts. Alan Tisdale is the other candidate, but he’s the better athlete of the two, so playing him as an outside linebacker in space would make more sense.
The Hokies will most likely remain in their vaunted 4-2-5 defense, playing one of their defensive backs as a “Rover.” In addition to having a talented secondary, the main reason for this could be the lack of experience and depth behind the starting linebackers. Most of the rest of the linebackers on the roster have experience playing special teams. Austin Rosa is a graduate transfer from Rutgers entering his seventh season in college football and second with the Hokies; at 5’11” and 210 pounds, he could play that Rover role but will most likely not see the field on base downs. Keshon Artis has been a key contributor on special teams the last few seasons. He’s built like a middle linebacker (6’, 240 lbs), so maybe he could take over that role and allow Hollifield and Tisdale to remain outside. Dean Ferguson is the only other linebacker on the roster to play defensive snaps in 2020.
Lakeem Rudolph played in seven games as a true freshman last year and brings very intriguing size to the position; he could be someone to keep an eye on this year. Michael Peterson, Ben Skinner, Matt Johnson, and Tre Maxwell all did not see any playing time last year. CJ McCray transferred from Marshall after not seeing any playing time as well in 2020. Will Johnson and Jaden Keller are the two true freshmen on the roster. Behind the starters, there is a concerning dearth of experience among this group; most of the players have not taken a single defensive snap at the collegiate level. Hollifield and Tisdale are a solid duo, but their replacements leave much to be desired if they miss any time.
7. Louisville: Nick Okeke (LOLB), C.J. Avery (LILB), Monty Montgomery (RILB), Yasir Abdullah (ROLB); Ja’Darien Boykin, KJ Cloyd, Dorian Jones, Jack Fagot, Marvin Dallas, Drew Brenowitz, Jackson Hamilton, Jaylin Alderman, Zay Peterson, Allen Smith, Jack Reiger, Darrian Bell, Ian Maloney
Louisville loses star linebacker Dorian Etheridge, but they bring back multiple starters at both inside and outside linebacker. The Cardinals run a more modern 3-4, with their outside linebackers splitting their time between rushing the passer and playing in the slot/overhang area. CJ Avery is entering his fourth year as a starter at inside linebacker for the Cardinals. Yasir Abdullah and Nick Okeke are both back to start at outside linebacker; Abdullah was very productive despite being undersized for a 3-4 outside linebacker. Monty Montgomery is projected to start at the other inside linebacker spot, replacing Dorian Etheridge; he has appeared in all but one game the last two years and started the final three last year.
Unfortunately, Louisville does not return much experience beyond their starters. Ja’Darien Boykin played as an undersized defensive end in seven games as a true freshman and should convert to outside linebacker this year. KJ Cloyd, Dorian Jones, and Kameron Wilson all rotated in and earned some playing time last year at inside linebacker. Allen Smith and Zay Peterson also saw some action, but only on special teams.
Luckily for Louisville, they brought on several true freshmen, including two three-star players in Jackson Hamilton and Jaylin Alderman. Darrian Bell, Drew Breneowitz, Ian Maloney, and Jack Reiger are four more true freshmen that are walk-ons. Despite this, the lack of depth could press all of these players into action early. If Louisville can stay healthy at the linebacker position, they could be among the better groups in the conference. However, even a single injury could expose some serious flaws in the defense as a whole.
6. Virginia: Noah Taylor (LOLB), Hunter Stewart (LILB), Nick Jackson (RILB), Elliott Brown (ROLB); Josh Ahern, Chico Perry, D’Sean Perry, Dre Bryant, T.C. Harrison, Jonathan Horton, Jack Hardy, Brayden Shaffer, Sam Brady, Kendall Cross, West Weeks, Ryan Attaway, Mike Green, Joseph Holland, James Jackson, Josh McCarron
The Cavaliers lost two key contributors to graduation this offseason in Charles Snowden and Zane Zandier. But they return two starters and several players with significant playing experience. Virginia runs a relatively old-school 3-4 defense, primarily asking their outside linebackers to rush the passer but also occasionally drop into coverage. Nick Jackson is back at one of the inside linebacker spots after playing in every game the last two years and starting all 10 games in 2020, earning All-ACC honors along the way. Noah Taylor is also back to start at one of the outside linebacker spots; he played in 23 games the last two years and made 19 starts.
This leaves open two positions to battle over. At inside linebacker, the contenders are Josh Ahern and Hunter Stewart; both took almost 40 defensive snaps but appeared much more frequently on special teams. At outside linebacker, Elliott Brown is a senior who only made his first start this past season; Chico Bennett is the other contender, transferring in from Georgia Tech after two seasons.
The Cavaliers have plenty of depth at outside and inside linebacker. TC Harrison has appeared in plenty of games as he enters his fourth season in Charlottesville, but he will be looking to earn more defensive snaps. D’Sean Perry and Jonathan Horton got a few snaps at outside linebacker, with Horton seeing his first action as a true freshman. Sam Brady appeared in four games but only on special teams. Brady Sheffer and Jack Hardy did not see any action as freshmen in 2020 and redshirted.
The Cavaliers brought in seven true freshmen this recruiting class. The gem of this group is four-star Josh McCarron; he’s only 200 pounds, though, so he may need to redshirt to put on some weight this year. James Jackson enrolled in the spring, so he might have a jump on the other first-year players. Mike Green and West Weeks are two more three-star recruits. Kendall Cross, Joseph Holland, and Ryan Attaway are three walk-on true freshmen. While the Cavaliers return two starters, the two new starters have very big shoes to fill. There should be a lot of competition to fill those spots, so that should bring out the best of everyone in the group.
5. Miami: Gilbert Frierson (SLB), Bradley Jennings Jr. (MLB), Sam Brooks Jr. (WLB); Keontra Smith, Corey Flagg Jr., Waynmon Stead, Ryan Ragone, Tirek Austin-Cave, Avery Huff, Shane Sawyer, Colvin Alford, Zac Smith, Jake Hoffman, Tyler Johnson, Chase Smith, Deshawn Troutman
Miami returns their primary starters at linebacker and they have plenty of depth. But their starters are not overly dynamic. Like many teams in college football, Miami’s “base defense” is a 4-3, but they have incorporated some hybrid defensive principles. On their roster, they have a specific position labeled as “Striker,” which is for their linebacker-safety hybrid player that can play in the box or in the slot. Gilbert Frierson returns to start there after starting every contest there and being an effective player in all aspects of the game.
Bradley Jennings Jr. is also back to start at middle linebacker; however, Jennings Jr. struggled in both run defense and pass coverage. The Hurricanes do not typically deploy a third linebacker, but if they do, Sam Brooks Jr. will most likely get the call; he can play both linebacker spots and even kick out to Striker if need be. Keontra Smith backed up Frierson at Striker last season and figures to fill in at that role again. Corey Flagg Jr. and Waynmon Stead will back up the other linebacker spots; Stead is a redshirt junior, while Flagg played in eight games as a true freshman last year.
Miami has one of the deepest linebacker rooms in the conference, as they played many of their true freshmen in several games last year. Ryan Ragone, Tirek Austin-Cave, and Avery Huff are three players who saw extensive playing time, but most of it on special teams. Shayne Sawyer appeared in one game but only on special teams. Colvin Alford, Zac Smith, and Jake Hoffman are three players who have been on the team for multiple seasons but have been limited to practice squad duty and have not taken a snap. Tyler Johnson and Chase Smith are two four-star recruits in their first season in college football, along with three-star Deshawn Troutman. Despite the returning experience, the guys at the top of their depth chart need to step up their game this season, especially if the Hurricanes really want to take a shot at an ACC title.
4. Florida State: Amari Gainer (SLB), Emmett Rice (MLB), Stephen Dix Jr. (WLB); DJ Lundy, Jaleel Mcrae, Decalon Brooks, Kevon Glenn, Kalen DeLoach, Cortez Andrews, Jayion McCluster, Chase Oliver, Jack O’Keefe, Emile Aime, Jordan Eubanks
The Seminoles bring back all three starters at linebacker, and all of them are at least above-average players in the conference. The Mike and Will linebackers primarily play in the box for Florida State, while the Sam is asked to kick outside and cover receivers and tight ends in the slot. Amari Gainer returns at the Sam, where he is a dynamic playmaker that can affect the game in multiple ways; he’s a name that is flying under the radar but has some fans in the NFL Draft community. Emmett Rice enters his sixth year in Tallahassee, where he has played in 50 games and started 21 games the last two seasons. Stephen Dix Jr. took over the other starting linebacker job halfway through his true freshman season last year and actually led all linebackers in defensive snaps.
The first three players dominated the snaps for the linebacker position, taking three of the top five spots in defensive snaps among all defenders for the Seminoles. DJ Lundy and Jaleel McRae earned the next most snaps among linebackers but only took 103 and 86, respectively. DeCalon Brooks and Kalen DeLoach are two undersized linebackers, and they both played in all nine games last year, albeit primarily on special teams. Cortez Andrews is a transfer from Maryland who has played in ten games the last two seasons. Jayion McCluster is the final linebacker on the roster with playing experience, as he saw action in the season finale against Duke.
Chase Oliver did not see any playing time last season and redshirted while working with the scout team. The Seminoles brought in three true freshmen, all three being former three-star recruits: Jack O’Keeffe, Emile Aime, and Jordan Eubanks. Florida State has three solid starters, all of whom could find themselves playing on Sundays in the future. However, they somewhat lack depth and experience, especially relative to the next three teams.
3. Pittsburgh: Cam Bright (SLB), Chase Pine (MLB), Phil Campbell III (WLB); SirVocea Dennis, Brandon George, John Petrishen, Wendell Davis, Bangally Kamara, AJ Roberts, Aydin Hemmingham, Solomon DeShields, Jackson Henry, Leslie Smith, Preston Lavant, Dylan Bennett, Nick Lapi
Pitt realistically goes two-deep at every linebacker spot in players that could be quality starters. This is especially important, as the Panthers prefer to stay in their base 4-3 defense and push their Sam linebackers, which are lighter and faster, into the slot/overhang area. Cam Bright should be the starter at that position; at 6’ and 215 lbs, Bright has displayed the ability to stop the run as an off-ball linebacker, cover the slot like a defensive back, and even rush the passer as an on-ball linebacker. Chase Pine and Phil Campbell III will fill the more traditional box linebacker roles and are among the better pairs in the conference. SirVocea Dennis is a freak athlete that will back up Bright but should see significant playing time, especially on obvious passing downs. Brandon George and John Petrishen will also provide valuable depth at linebacker while also contributing on special teams; Petrishen is entering his seventh year in college football after spending the first four at Penn State. Wendell Davis began the year as the starting middle linebacker, making two starts before missing the rest of the season with an injury; he could win the starting job back come midseason.
Bangally Kamara and AJ Roberts both saw extensive playing time on special teams as true freshmen while also earning limited snaps on defense. Aydin Hemmingham and Solomon DeShields did not see any snaps on defense last year but played on special teams in multiple games each. Jackson Henry saw his first action in his third year with the program, playing in one game against Notre Dame. Preston Lavant, Dylan Bennett, and Nick Lapi are the three true freshmen on the roster, with Lavant being the only scholarship player among the group. Pitt goes six or seven deep with players who have starting experience at the collegiate level; this group has one of the higher ceilings in the conference, especially for the more athletic players like Bright and Dennis. Ultimately, however, they still can’t beat the top two teams.
2. Clemson: Trenton Simpson (SLB), James Skalski (MLB), Baylon Spector (WLB); Jake Venables, Kane Patterson, Keith Maguire, LaVonta Bentley, Kevin Swint, Sergio Allen, David Cote, Matt McMahan, Matthew Maloney, Joey Eddis, Jeremiah Trotter Jr., Barrett Carter, Colby Doolittle, Tristen Rigby, Riggs Faulkenberry, Reed Morrissey, Jacob Hendricks
Clemson lost dynamic outside linebacker, Mike Jones Jr. to the transfer portal. But as usual, the Tigers have plenty of experience, talent, and depth at all three linebacker spots. James Skalski is back at the middle linebacker spot; Skalski is an iconic throwback of a player, sporting his cowboy collar and getting ejected from games because of targeting. He is entering his sixth season and is among the best and most intimidating players in the conference. Baylon Spector is another returning starter and is a fifth-year senior. Taking over for Mike Jones Jr. in the outside linebacker role is Trenton Simpson, who backed up Jones Jr. the last few years.
As is the case with most of their position groups, Clemson is exceptionally deep at linebacker, as many of their backups get playing time during blowouts. Jake Venables, the son of Clemson’s defensive coordinator, played in nine games last year and even started four games; he’s usually the first off the bench when Skalski gets ejected. Kane Patterson has provided valuable depth at middle linebacker the last two seasons, appearing in 25 games. Keith Maguire and LaVonta Bentley are two more third-year linebackers that could earn some playing time at the end of games. Sergio Allen appeared in five games as a true freshman, appearing on defense in two of them. Matthew Maloney saw his first action last year, appearing in three games after walking on and redshirting last year. David Cote and Matt McMahan are two redshirt sophomores that only played against The Citadel last year. Joey Eddis did not see any playing time last year and redshirted.
Jeremiah Trotter Jr. and Barrett Carter are two five-star true freshmen; Trotter is the son of the former Philadelphia Eagles linebacker, Jeremiah Sr., while Carter is listed as a linebacker but could switch to safety. As per usual, the Tigers brought on a deep group of walk-ons at the linebacker position: Colby Doolittle, Tristen Rigby, Riggs Faulkenberry, Reed Morrissey, and Jacob Hendricks. Besides Doolittle, all of them are relatively undersized (especially Hendricks, listed at 5’8”, 185 lbs) and will most likely redshirt this season to put on weight. While the Tigers bring incredible depth to the position, even their top-end talent cannot match the next team in our rankings.
1. North Carolina State: Drake Thomas (SLB), Isaiah Moore (MLB), Payton Wilson (WLB); Vi Jones, Jaylon Scott, Devon Betty, Jayland Parker, Bernard Flerlage, Alex Gray, Jordan Poole, Jamie Shaw, Caden Fordham, Colby Johnson
Even though Clemson’s linebacker group is quite good, they still lag far behind that of the Wolfpack. Payton Wilson and Isaiah Moore are the best linebacker duo in the conference, as both could be on the All-ACC 1st-Team. Drake Thomas is also one of the better linebackers in the conference and could make his way onto an All-ACC team. Moore started all twelve games while Wilson and Thomas started 10 last year. These three are, without a doubt, the best starting linebacker group in this conference and probably one of the best in college football.
The first backup off the bench is Vi Jones, who played in every game last season and made four starts as well; Jones is an ideal backup in that he can play all three of the linebacker roles at a high level. Jaylon Scott should also see some playing time; he appeared in every game, playing on defense in nine and starting the bowl game. Devon Betty played in all but one game as a true freshman last season but only took defensive snaps in one game.
Jayland Parker, Bernard Flerlage, Alex Gray, Jordan Poole, and Jamie Shaw all redshirted last season and did not see any action; Flerlage and Shaw transitioned from tight end and quarterback, respectively. Jordan Poole and Caden Fordham are two of the highest-rated recruits in the Wolfpack’s class this year. Barring injuries, however, I would not expect either to receive significant playing time due to the talent and experience at the top of the depth chart. Finally, Colby Johnson is a true freshman walk-on who might be better suited at safety (6’, 198 lbs). Put simply, NC State starts three linebackers that should be playing on Sundays in the next few years, and two of them are arguably the best in the conference. They also have some solid experienced depth, which earns them the gold medal for this position group.