The Ultimate Packers Draft Preview: Linebackers

The Packers need a linebacker. We break down this year's prospects into tiers and attempt to eliminate some based on the team's draft history.

Author:
Bill Huber
Publish date:
Apr 23, 2020 9:46 AM EDT

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Here’s a look at the Green Bay Packers’ situation at linebacker ahead of the NFL Draft, including pertinent history and 14 potential draft picks.

State of the Packers

Linebacker is a position filled with mystery. The two key questions:

One, are the Packers good enough? Blake Martinez had his shortcomings but he showed up every week and made a lot of tackles. He was replaced in free agency with Christian Kirksey, who perhaps is a better player but has played in only nine games the past two seasons. Speaking of injuries, Oren Burks’ hopes have been dashed by significant injuries in both of his training camps. Ty Summers, a seventh-round pick last year, didn’t see action on defense but had a strong year on special teams.

Two, does defensive coordinator Mike Pettine actually care about this position? He spent more than half of last year’s snaps playing his one-linebacker dime package. The question is, does Pettine simply prefer playing with six defensive backs or did he look at his linebacker corps and figure six defensive backs were a better option than two linebackers? In other words, if the Packers drafted, say, Oklahoma’s Kenneth Murray in the first round, would he go with two linebackers more often?

Based on History, Maybe You Can Forget …

The historic Scouting Combine averages for off-the-ball linebackers are 4.72 in the 40, 4.29 in the 20-yard shuttle and 7.11 in the three-cone drill. Green Bay’s last five linebacker picks –Sam Barrington, Jake Ryan, Blake Martinez, Oren Burks and Ty Summers – all beat the shuttle time. The last four linebacker picks – Ryan, Martinez, Burks and Summers – beat the Combine average in all three categories.

Going with the Combine averages as a potential cut-off, who could be off the board?

40: Missouri’s Cale Garrett (4.92), Montana’s Dante Olson (4.88), Utah’s Francis Bernard (4.81), Utah State’s David Woodward (4.79), Cal’s Evan Weaver (4.76), Miami’s Shaquille Quarterman (4.74), Wake Forest’s Justin Strnad (4.74).

Shuttle: Wake Forest’s Strnad (4.49), Temple’s Russ Chapelle (4.41), Utah State’s Woodward (4.37), Michigan State’s Joe Bachie (4.34), LSU’s Jacob Phillips (4.33), Arkansas’ Scoota Harris (4.32), Ohio State’s Malik Harrison (4.32), Montana’s Olson (4.32), Wisconsin’s Zack Baun (4.31; but reportedly 4.20 at pro day), Mississippi State’s Willie Gay (4.30).

3-cone: Arkansas’ Harris (7.38), LSU’s Phillips (7.38), Temple’s Russell (7.38), Utah State’s Woodward (7.34).

Because the shuttle appears to have been such a big factor, it's perhaps worth noting Missouri’s Garrett (4.13), Stanford’s Casey Toohill (4.21), Cal’s Weaver (4.21), Temple’s Shaun Bradley (4.24), Fresno State’s Mykal Walker (4.25), Colorado’s Davion Taylor (4.26) and Wyoming’s Logan Wilson (4.27) were the fastest at the Combine.

It’s important to note that many of the top prospects skipped the shuttle at the Combine to run it at their pro day, only for the overwhelming majority of pro days to be canceled. That means there’s no data for Clemson’s Isaiah Simmons, Oklahoma’s Kenneth Murray, LSU’s Patrick Queen, Appalachian State’s Akeem Davis-Gaither and Texas Tech’s Jordyn Brooks – five of our top prospects.

Potential Draft Fits

(For much more on each of the prospects, check out the links at the end of the story.)

First Round

Oklahoma’s Kenneth Murray: The NFL values speed and production more than acts of heroism. Murray has both areas covered. As a junior in 2019, Murray was an All-American with team-leading totals of 102 tackles and 17 tackles for losses. He added four sacks and four pass breakups. At 6-foot-2 1/2 and 241 pounds, he has sideline-to-sideline speed (4.52 in the 40)

LSU’s Patrick Queen: In 15 games (12 starts), he had 85 tackles, three sacks, 12 tackles for losses, one interception and three passes defensed. He’s got sideline-to-sideline speed (4.50 in the 40) and a feel for coverage.

Wisconsin’s Zack Baun: Baun had a breakout final season with 12.5 sacks, 19.5 tackles for losses and two forced fumbles. As was the case with former Badgers pass rusher Joe Schobert, his lack of height (6-2 3/8) has him pegged for a move to linebacker.

Second and Third Rounds

Ohio State’s Malik Harrison: Harrrison led the team with 75 tackles and added 4.5 sacks, 16.5 tackles for losses and four pass breakups. A bit of an old-school linebacker, he ranked third in ProFootballFocus.com’s run-stop percentage, a metric that essentially measures impact tackles.

Wyoming’s Logan Wilson: Wilson concluded his career with 421 tackles, which ranks No. 4 in Mountain West history. Among active players, he ranked No. 1 among FBS players in career defensive touchdowns (four), No. 1 in solo tackles (253), No. 2 in tackles and No. 6 in interceptions (10).

Appalachian State’s Akeem Davis-Gaither: Coached by former Packers linebacker D.J. Smith, Davis-Gaither was named Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Year as a senior after posting 104 tackles, 14.5 tackles for losses, five sacks, eight pass breakups, one interception and one blocked field goal. He played a hybrid linebacker/slot position so he’d have to adapt to a new position.

Texas Tech’s Jordyn Brooks: Brooks earned several All-American honors following a senior season in which he led the team with 108 tackles, 20 tackles for losses and three sacks. He led the nation – not just the draft class – in ProFootballFocus.com’s run-stop percentage and was a superb blitzer.

Fourth and Fifth Rounds

Purdue’s Markus Bailey: Bailey, a four-year starter, missed most of his senior season with a torn ACL suffered at practice. He also missed most of his true-freshman season of 2015 with a torn ACL. In 40 career games, he recorded 324 tackles, 14.5 sacks, 28 tackles for losses and six interceptions.

Colorado’s Davion Taylor: Taylor tallied 69 tackles and seven passes defensed as a senior to earn second-team all-conference recognition. He’s an elite sprinter and is all upside after not playing in high school due to his mom’s religious beliefs.

Oregon’s Troy Dye: Dye led the Ducks in tackles all four seasons, finishing his career with 397 tackles, 15 sacks, 44 tackles for losses, five interceptions, 21 passes defensed and three forced fumbles.

Cal’s Evan Weaver: Weaver set a school record with 182 tackles, the fifth-most in NCAA history, to run his career total to 412. Both career interceptions came as a junior and both career forced fumbles came as a senior. He’s got the persona of an “old WWF villain.”

Clemson’s Tanner Muse: Pettine likes using safeties as a dime linebacker. Muse was a safety at Clemson. At 227 pounds and with 4.41 speed, he’s the ideal subpackage weapon. He had 73 tackles and four interceptions to earn All-American honors.

Sixth and Seventh Rounds

Stanford’s Casey Toohill: Toohill was second-team all-conference with career highs of eight sacks and 11.5 tackles for losses among his 60 tackles. Off the field, he was one of 12 finalists for the William V. Campbell Trophy – aka the Academic Heisman. He could help at linebacker and as a pass rusher.

Fresno State’s Mykal Walker: During his senior campaign, he was second on the team with 96 tackles and first with nine tackles for losses as a team captain. He’s one of the linebackers who beat the historic Combine averages in all the 40, three-cone drill and shuttle.