Best Linebacker Prospects in Every Round Who Could Fit into Giants' Defense

With the New York Giants having parted ways with their defensive captain, middle linebacker Bobby Okereke, the move saved the Giants $9 million dollars in cap space, but it also cost them a highly productive, veteran linebacker who is well-respected in the locker room and around the league.

Even before the decision on Okereke was made, the Giants needed an upgrade at the linebacker position. Without him, this team will need to use free agency and especially the draft to reload at linebacker and improve the position.

This draft is full of off-ball linebacker talent that the Giants could add wherever they would like in the draft, and it would make them better.

We take a look at linebackers that can be acquired throughout the draft at each round who could potentially fill Okereke’s shoes.

Round 1, Pick 5: Sonny Styles | Arvell Reese, Ohio State

Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Sonny Styles (0) breaks up a pass during the NCAA football game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Nov. 1, 2025. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Both Styles and Reese would be fantastic grabs at pick 5. Both are prototypical sizes for the old-school middle linebacker, but both have new-school speed and explosiveness to accompany them.

While Reese may think of himself more as an edge rusher, both have proven they can play championship-level football as off-ball linebackers.

They propelled the Buckeyes to a championship in 2024, and in 2025, they both improved as individual football players.

Dec 31, 2025; Arlington, TX, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Arvell Reese (8) gets into position during the 2025 Cotton Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff at AT&T Stadium. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Although Styles stole the show for the front seven guys at the combine, Reese (who only ran the 40) proved to be just as fast as Styles, both recording 4.46 40-yard dash times to lead all linebackers.

Rarely do you see two Pro Bowl-level talents play in the same position for the same team and come out in the same draft, but this is a rare occasion. They have the perfect combination of size and athleticism.

Whether it’s Styles or Reese, Giants fans would be pleased with the pick at five.

Round 2, Pick 37: Anthony Hill Jr, Texas | Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech

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

Hill is your prototypical new-age linebacker: a three-down productive player who offers the ability to rush the passer and drop into coverage.

He’s instinctive and athletic, which allows him to play under control and not feel as if he has to overcompensate to make plays.

He comes downhill and punishes runners in the rushing attack, and he has the ability to go sideline-to-sideline and destroy outside rushes.

Texas Tech's Jacob Rodriguez celebrates a BYU turnover during the Big 12 Conference championship football game, Saturday, Nov. 6, 2025, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. | Nathan Giese/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Rodriguez is another of the new-age linebackers who are just a little shorter than the old-school guys, but still retain the size to be able to pack a punch when they hit you.

His 4.57 40-yard dash time is significant given his thick stature. He is a guy who fills up the stat sheets as a tackler and playmaker, whether it’s intercepting passes or forcing turnovers.

Look for him to immediately find his way on the field and be a contributing factor.

Round 4, Pick 105: Taurean York, Texas A&M

Dec 20, 2025; College Station, TX, USA; Texas A&M Aggies linebacker Taurean York (21) celebrates during the game between the Aggies and the Hurricanes at Kyle Field. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

York may only be 5’11”, but he plays the game much bigger than his height would suggest. He has a thick frame and the athletic ability to utilize it well.

He’s a player who succeeds with head and heart. He has the intelligence to keep your defense in the right position, understands how to attack an offense at the pace it is moving, and has the urgency to make up for plays he may have misdiagnosed.

He’s a scrapper who understands how to play the game the way it should be played, and he uses that hustle to create advantages for himself and others.

Round 5, Pick 144: Josiah Trotter Missouri | Kyle Louis, Pittsburgh

Missouri Tigers linebacker Josiah Trotter (40) celebrates a defensive stop as Auburn Tigers take on Missouri Tigers at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala. on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025. Missouri Tigers defeated the Auburn Tigers 23-17 in 2OT. | Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Trotter is an NFL linebacking prodigy whose father and older brother have played the same position. Trotter declared after his redshirt sophomore season, feeling he had proven enough to start his professional career.

At 6’2" and 237 pounds, he has a frame normally associated with elite-level linebackers in the NFL, and he has enough athleticism to pay off any of his anticipations at the position.

He understands how to fit and shed blocks, as well as collapse gaps, which allows the ball to bounce to or cut back to other defenders. He knows how to come downhill and strike, and he has enough athleticism to drop into coverage.

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

Louis will not wow you with his size at 6’ and 220 pounds, but he has all the athletic gifts necessary to be a problem for offenses to handle.

His 4.54 40-yard dash, nearly 40-inch vertical jump, and 11-foot broad jump speak to his athleticism and explosion.

Furthermore, his 6.97 three-cone drill and 4.26 20-yard shuttle show that he has the agility and change of direction to make linemen miss at the second level on blocks, chase down, and be ready for cutbacks from running backs and handle receivers that may run routes out of the backfield.

Round 6, Pick 186: Kaleb Elarms-Orr, TCU

Sep 20, 2025; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; TCU Horned Frogs linebacker Kaleb Elarms-Orr (3) rushes the line during the game between the TCU Horned Frogs and the SMU Mustangs at Amon G. Carter Stadium. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Elarms-Orr may lack some of the natural linebacking instincts of others on the list, but he makes up for that inexperience with elite-level athleticism.

He has a 4.47 40-yard dash (which only Sonny Styles and Arvel Reese ran better than), a 40-inch vertical jump, and a 10-foot 4-inch broad jump, all of which speak to his explosiveness.

He’s been known as a sideline-to-sideline linebacker who can get to the ball from anywhere on the field. He has a lot of range and can be an asset as a man defender on the backside of the backfield and against tight ends in the slot.

He will immediately bolster anyone’s special teams with his combination of size and athleticism. As he continues to improve his play recognition, he could work his way up the depth chart quickly.

Round 6, Pick 192: Jimmy Rolder, Michigan

Michigan linebacker Jimmy Rolder (30) celebrates a Michigan State turnover during the first half at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing on Saturday, October 25, 2025. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Rolder is a prospect who has been hurt by his lack of experience at the position. He has started only 11 games in his collegiate career, but there is no denying that he has the size and physicality, combined with good change-of-direction skills, to become a really good linebacker in the NFL.

He will likely need more time to mature into the position and get more reps to help him better identify what he’s seen and react quickly to it. But he should be an immediate force on special teams.

Round 6, Pick 193: Kendal Daniels, Oklahoma

Oklahoma Sooners linebacker Kendal Daniels (5) celebrates during a college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Ole Miss Rebels at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025. Ole Miss won 34-26. | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Daniels is a raw, athletic specimen who will need some time to develop as an every-down linebacker, but he should have immediate value in situational packages.

At 6’5" and 242 pounds, he possesses outstanding length, which allows him to be a menace in passing lanes while in zone coverage.

His physical gifts make him more difficult to deal with as a blitzer and allow him to operate as a spy on quarterbacks.

His immediate advantage will be as a special-teamer; he could be a guy used on every single unit. If teams can unlock his full potential, he could be so much more.

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