Meet 25 Oregon High School Football Linebackers To Watch Entering the 2026 Season

From Power Four recruits to small-school tackling machines, these 25 linebackers are poised to anchor some of Oregon's top defenses during the 2026 high school football season.

Lake Oswego's Cash Wilks (left) will play a critical role in the Lakers' bid to repeat as 6A state champion this fall. | Dan Brood

Championship defenses are built around elite linebackers, and Oregon returns plenty of them entering the 2026 season. From nationally recruited football stars to small-school tackling leaders, these 25 linebackers are among the state's top defensive playmakers to watch this fall.

Whether terrorizing quarterbacks, plugging running lanes or breaking up crossing passes, these edge rushers or middle backers anchor championship-winning defenses. Here are 25 of Oregon’s top linebackers to watch this fall.

Power Four Prospects and Established Stars

Zane Carley, Tualatin, senior

Carley sets the edge for the Timberwolves as an outside linebacker, with the 6-foot-2, 220-pounder earning second-team 6A all-state honors with 32 tackles (eight for loss), seven sacks and 30 hurries.

Kawai Chamberlin, Willamette, senior

Chamberlin is the state’s top-ranked linebacker recruit, committing to Oregon State in mid-June after a junior season in which the 6-foot-2, 217-pounder made a team-high 103 tackles (15 for loss) with two interceptions while also catching 16 passes for 218 yards and four touchdowns as a tight end.

AGTG! Beaver nation let’s work‼️ pic.twitter.com/HcgOEXmaIu

— Kawai Chamberlin 3⭐️ (@KawaiChamberl1n) June 16, 2026

Leonardo Correani, Lincoln, senior

Correani made the 6A all-state third team last year for the Cardinals, the second time the 5-foot-11, 225-pounder earned all-state honors, after making 131 tackles (eight for loss) and three sacks.

Mikey Covey, Cascade Christian, junior

Covey has quickly become one of Southern Oregon’s top defensive players, helping the Challengers win the 3A title as a first-team all-state selection and recently earning his first FCS offer from Idaho after the 6-foot-2, 200-pounder made a team-high 15.5 tackles for loss, five sacks and 14 hurries among his 64 tackles.

Defensive Leaders Ready for Bigger Roles

Emmett Curl, Hillsboro, senior

The 5-foot-11, 195-pounder was a two-way 5A all-state selection last fall, making the honorable mention list on defense and earning team MVP honors.

Peyton Daffern Schell, Milwaukie, senior

Schell’s emergence was one of the key reasons the Mustangs ended a lengthy championship drought and won a share of the 5A Special District 1 title last season, with the 6-foot-3, 190-pounder earning all-state honorable mention while making a team-high 87 tackles and eight sacks.

Kai Davis, Pleasant Hill, junior

Davis was a thorn in opponents’ backfields all season, ranking among 3A leaders in tackles for loss with 18 to help the Billies win a share of the league title.

Toren Drucker, Mountainside, senior

Drucker emerged as injuries hit the Mavericks over the course of the season, earning first-team all-Metro League and 6A all-state honorable mention as the 6-foot-1, 215-pounder made 23 tackles and 6.5 sacks.

Gracyn Fitch, Sandy, senior

The 5-foot-11, 185-pounder improved from an all-Mt. Hood Conference second-teamer as a sophomore to the first team last fall with 67 tackles (eight for loss) and two interceptions, helping the Pioneers reach the 6A Columbia Cup final — they’ll drop to 5A this year, where they’ll immediately be among the title contenders.

Ben Greer, South Salem, senior

Greer not only is one of the top returning receivers in the state, but he’s also a standout at linebacker, making the all-South Central Football Conference second team after making 91 tackles and an interception.

South Salem's Ben Greer | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Deckard Hale, Grant, senior

The 6-foot, 215-pounder was a first-team all-PIL selection at both running back and linebacker for the Generals and will be a critical piece as they look to climb back atop the league standings this fall.

Luke Hanifan, Jesuit, senior

The 6-foot-4, 200-pounder looks to build upon a junior season in which he made 64 tackles (17 for loss) with five hurries and three sacks to earn second-team all-Metro League honors.

Small-School Standouts

Cannon Kemper, Burns, senior

Kemper might be better known as a three-time state wrestling champion, but he’s no slouch on the gridiron — the 5-foot-10, 170-pounder was a first-team all-state selection for the 3A runner-up Hilanders, finishing with 74 tackles (12 for loss) and 7.5 sacks.

Tevita Lata, North Salem, senior

The 6-foot-2, 200-pounder was an all-South Central Football Conference honorable mention selection last year, finishing with 54 tackles, four sacks, three pass breakups and two forced fumbles.

Lincoln Lutu, Beaverton, junior

Lutu was an underrated member of the 6A Columbia Cup semifinalists, earning all-Metro League third-team honors as a sophomore with 65 tackles (10 for loss), two sacks and three fumble recoveries.

Cristian Medina, Banks, senior

Medina and classmate Wyatt Jackson were a tag-team in the middle of the Banks defense last season, both earning second-team all-league honors, with the 5-foot-8, 165-pound Medina making 47 tackles (10 for loss), the most of any returning player, and two sacks. 

Mannie Mulrony, Adrian, senior

Mulrony is a two-time 1A eight-man all-state selection, making the first team last year for the state champion Antelopes with 90 tackles (five for loss) as he figures to be on the short list of defensive player of the year candidates this season.

Dexter Olson, Scappoose, senior

The 4A all-state honorable mention selection was a leader for the state semifinalists, with the 6-foot-3, 188-pounder finishing among the team leaders with 77 tackles (five for loss).

Ashton Randall, Estacada, junior

Randall is one of the more highly touted underclassmen in the Rangers program and was the only sophomore to make one of the top three 4A all-state teams last year, finishing with 95 tackles (11 for loss).

Postseason-Tested Veterans

Alakae Rodriguez, Heppner, senior

Rodriguez made the 2A all-state first team for the second consecutive season last fall, with the 5-foot-8, 195-pounder helping the Mustangs reach the state final with 65 tackles (eight for loss), two interceptions, two fumble recoveries and three pass breakups.

Levi Shurter, Silverton, senior

Shurter was an unsung hero in the Foxes’ run to the 5A championship, making the all-Mid-Willamette Conference honorable mention list on both sides of the ball with a team-high 76 tackles.

Jaden Traeger, Kennedy, senior

The 5-foot-7, 180-pounder was one of 3A’s top edge rushers all last season, finishing among the classification’s leading tacklers with 122, including 15 for loss.

Cash Wilks, Lake Oswego, senior

The son of former Nebraska offensive lineman Joel Wilks started making a name for himself last season, when the 6-foot-2, 220-pounder earned first-team all-state honors for the 6A champion while making a team-high 79 tackles.

Landon Wimmer, Mountain View, senior

Wimmer made the 5A all-state third team last season, with the 5-foot-10, 180-pounder finishing with 75 tackles (five for loss) and three interceptions for the state semifinalist Cougars.

Emmanuel Wisbrock, Lincoln, senior

The second-team all-PIL selection will look to follow up a solid junior season in which the 5-foot-11, 200-pounder made 53 tackles (seven for loss) with two sacks, broke up three passes and recovered three fumbles.