Top 10 Linebackers for Broncos in 2026 NFL Draft

The Broncos have some great linebacker options in the 2026 draft, but which prospects fit?

Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Arvell Reese (8) reacts during the game against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025 in Madison, Wisconsin. | Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Denver Broncos could find themselves in a bind with the linebacker position this offseason. With Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad set to be free agents, the Broncos are poised to lose two linebackers who started most of the season and accounted for nearly 1,800 defensive snaps between them. 

The Broncos also have Dre Greenlaw, who played under 400 snaps and, due to injuries and a suspension, played in only 10 games, eight of them in the regular season. In the playoffs, Denver rotated Greenlaw and Strnad based on down and distance, trusting the former against the run and the latter in coverage. 

There have also been reports and rumors suggesting the Broncos could part ways with Greenlaw, whom they signed a year ago, because his contract is essentially a series of one-year option deals. However, the Broncos don’t have any players on the roster they can trust to step in, as four other linebackers saw the field, but they combined for just seven total snaps. 

It's hard enough to replace two of your top three linebackers, but replacing all three is practically impossible, especially with how the free-agent market bloated last year, with top players getting $12-plus million annually. Fortunately, this is a good linebacker class to get some help in the draft, but you don't want the top of the room to be nothing but rookies, and unless you get lucky or use your early picks, it's unlikely you'll find two starters in this class as rookies. 

We can see this is a good linebacker class by looking at the top 10 prospects for the upcoming draft, and many of them make sense for the Broncos. It's hard not to fit what the Broncos need when they are in a spot to replace the two players with the highest snap share at the position.

With that said, let’s dive into the top 10 linebackers in the 2026 NFL draft. 

Arvell Reese | Ohio State

If Reese is available to the Broncos or falls within reach of a trade-up, then something went terribly wrong. The Broncos should do what they can to get up and get him.

Reese is widely viewed as the best overall prospect in the class, let alone the best linebacker. He is projected to be a top-three pick once the draft kicks off. 

What makes Reese such an attractive prospect is his versatility. He can work off the edge and play a traditional linebacker role with the traits to excel at both. He likely works better as an edge player in the NFL, as that brings more value, and the league has had success with this prototype, as exemplified by Micah Parsons and Jalon Walker.

Sonny Styles | Ohio State

Nov 22, 2025; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Sonny Styles (0) tackles Rutgers Scarlet Knights quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis (16) during the first quarter at Ohio Stadium. | Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

Similar to Reese, if Styles is available to the Broncos or falls to a point where they can trade up, they should do what they can to land him. He is more of a traditional linebacker than Reese, but Styles is still a great prospect and is currently projected to go top eight in the NFL draft. 

When the NFL Combine comes, if Styles does the athletic testing, he is expected to blow the roof off the stadium, as his athleticism is easy to see on tape and is evident even at 240-plus pounds. He is also 21 years old until November, and while there is work to do to make him a playmaker in coverage, he is still a solid coverage player and great against the run. 

Anthony Hill Jr. | Texas

Oct 18, 2025; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Texas Longhorns linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. (0) celebrates after the Kentucky Wildcats fail to score in overtime at Kroger Field. | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

We now come to linebackers in the late first to mid-second round, which is more in line with where the Broncos are picking and makes them realistic options. Hill is a good athlete, and he shows it in how he moves and plays the game. 

There is work to do in coverage and getting off blocks, but Hill is so quick sideline-to-sideline and has great range to make plays. He isn’t a stack backer, one to take on blocks, disengage, and make plays, but he can sort through the trash and find that clean lane to the running back.

Hill has the football IQ, instincts, and athleticism to be a good or even great NFL linebacker with more seasoning and development. 

Jake Golday | Cincinnati

Oct 25, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Baylor Bears tight end Michael Trigg (1) is unable to hold on to a catch as he is tackled by Cincinnati Bearcats linebacker Jake Golday (11) and defensive back Tre Gola-Callard (6) in the second half at Nippert Stadium. | Aaron Doster-Imagn Images

Golday is such a fun player to watch because he was often tasked with working in the slot for the Cincinnati defense. He has such good speed in his game that he can make plays anywhere on the field and hang with a good number of slot players at the collegiate level. Of course, the NFL game is faster, but it could build more trust in him if he is pulled into the slot. 

The best thing for Golday was that the 2025 season was significantly cleaner, with fewer mental mistakes than in 2024. He does well in all phases but still needs work.

At the Combine, Golday should do the athletic testing, because if he does well, he could hear his name called in the first round as the third linebacker drafted after Reese and Styles. 

CJ Allen | Georgia

Dec 6, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs linebacker CJ Allen (3) looks on during the first quarter against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the 2025 SEC Championship game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

There is a lot to like with Allen as a downhill defender, but the lack of length is a concern as a tackler and in coverage. His football IQ and instincts are great, which are needed for coverage at the NFL level. Allen's play strength is good and helps mask some of his length issues. 

Allen won’t erase throwing windows with his length, and it also leads to some wrap-up issues, but he makes up for it with his play strength. If this were the early 2000s, Allen would be an easy top-10 linebacker, but he has to show teams that the length concern won’t be an issue at the NFL level. 

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Deontae Lawson | Alabama

Dec 19, 2025; Norman, OK, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide linebacker Deontae Lawson (0) against the Oklahoma Sooners during the CFP National Playoff First Round at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Lawson has all the tools and traits you want in a modern linebacker on the physical level, but the mental side of things leaves a lot to be desired. It's very clear when watching him that he's still learning to read and feel plays as they develop, and he can be caught out of position a lot. 

There is a lot of risk with Lawson because there have been many great tools and traits among linebacker prospects who have failed at the NFL level because they don’t have the mental side down. The Combine will be important for him, but it will matter more in team interviews than on the field. 

Kyle Louis | Pittsburgh

Nov 29, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers linebacker Kyle Louis (9) in pass coverage against the Miami Hurricanes during the third quarter at Acrisure Stadium. | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Louis plays the position like he is a safety, and he can take away the middle of the field with his coverage ability and range. He can handle the middle field, but is also quick to read and react to screens and throws to the flats, and gets into position in a flash to make a play. 

When working as a run defender, Louis does well to keep himself clean, but he can get caught on blocks and lacks the strength to consistently shed. There are ways to make him an even more effective player, but it would need to come with a defensive front that helps cover for him by being block-eaters. 

Jacob Rodriguez | Texas Tech

Dec 6, 2025; Arlington, TX, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders linebacker Jacob Rodriguez (10) in action during the second half against the BYU Cougars at AT&T Stadium. | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

There is a lot of hype about Rodriguez, but he is another player whose length will be a concern, and an even greater one than Allen's. Rodriguez struggled in coverage throughout the 2025 season, and his length issues also affected his tackling. 

Of the 2026 linebackers with at least 700 snaps, Rodriguez ranked 23rd out of 49 qualifying linebackers in worst missed-tackle percentage, with only four players worse having a draftable grade. He does well at reading and diagnosing run plays, but he isn’t as reliable a tackler as you want, and his mental processing isn’t there in coverage. 

Josiah Trotter | Missouri

Sep 6, 2025; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers linebacker Josiah Trotter (40) celebrates after a play during the first half against the Kansas Jayhawks at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

There is little upside with Trotter in coverage, but his play downhill is some of the best in this class. He can take on blocks, shed, and make a play, or even plow through blockers to make a play. Trotter is an absolute sledgehammer when working downhill, and while that is more of an old-school style of play, there is still a place for it in the modern NFL. 

Trotter does well working sideline-to-sideline as a run defender, but his best work comes between the tackles. His lateral range isn’t great, though. The biggest issue is coverage, and there are a lot of problems that need to be fixed to make him even a serviceable linebacker in coverage. 

Bryce Boettcher | Oregon

Dec 7, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions running back Nicholas Singleton (10) is tackled by Oregon Ducks linebacker Bryce Boettcher (28) during the second quarter in the 2024 Big Ten Championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium. | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

The former baseball centerfielder shows the range and smarts that you need to be a centerfielder as a linebacker. He is so quick to read and diagnose plays and gets into position in a flash to make something happen, both in coverage and against the run. 

There is still work to do on coverage, including learning rotations and techniques, but the instincts are there. Boettcher also has work to do on his downhill technique, including when he has to take on blocks and disengage, but he is a see-ball, get-ball player and is relentless in his pursuit.