Way Too Early Top-5 Linebackers for the 2026 NFL Draft
Georgia's CJ Allen, Texas' Anthony Hill Jr. are some popular names, but who else is notable at the top?
Howdy folks welcome back to the AndyNFL Summer Scouting series, after a bit of QB highlight articles we’re back with the rankings—and continuing on with the defensive positional rankings, today we’re looking at linebackers.
This is a pretty fun class, with the Top-5 LBs all being different variants portraying different skillsets, really it’s all about the type of playstyles you prefer. Enough of me talking about the class though, let’s dig into my early Top-5.
#1: CJ Allen · LB · Georgia
6’1 · 235 · JR
I was very high on Georgia LB Jalon Walker in the 2025 draft cycle, and I will be very high on Georgia LB CJ Allen in the 2026 draft cycle. I am a huge fan of Allen, he’s a prototype off-ball LB with an excellent athletic profile—98th percentile in PFF’s Game Athleticism Score Metric. He has an incredibly active motor and swarms to the ball against the run and pass. Physical tackler, fantastic finisher with a 94th percentile in avoiding missed tackles since 2023—an elite rate. When sent to rush the QB, he creates instant pressure, has really good sideline-to-sideline speed, and he’s a heads up defender with ready instincts. I think CJ Allen is a very special player, and I was really impressed when I initially turned on the tape and begun my eval—he is the real deal at LB to me.
#2: Anthony Hill Jr. · LB · Texas
6’3 · 235 · JR
Anthony Hill Jr. has gotten some early 1st round/LB1 buzz, and while I have him as my LB2 I see the first round buzz when I watch him. He’s an incredible athlete with phenomenal closing speed in finishing plays—with a great mindset in pursuit. He showcases a strong football IQ in coverage as well as pursuit, marking signs of a potentially well-rounded LB at the next level. I really liked his ability to go 0→60 speed from the box to the backfield, showcasing great pure athleticism. When matched up with an offensive-lineman he showcases really strong hand usage, which surprised me, but again showcases his versatility to profile as a well-rounded LB at the next level. His blend of explosiveness and fluidness with his athletic ability is my favorite thing about him as a prospect, and I cannot wait to see him as the face of the Texas defense this Fall.
#3: Deontae Lawson · LB · Alabama
6’2 · 239 · SR
Deontae Lawson was a guy who I thought could’ve declared in 2025 and had a solid case to be a day 2 pick, however, returning to school should prove to be a great decision for him. Team captain at Alabama communicating very well and showcasing true leadership skills. Lawson’s a very smart player, reading the QBs eyes very well and reacting accordingly. He showcases great blitzing skills as well with legitimate top-end power and the IQ to succeed in pursuit. In coverage he also shows that IQ, being a heads-up ready defender. One thing I’m keeping my eye on this year with Lawson is his medical report—as in 2024 he had a significant lower body injury that required surgery, and he’s also missed multiple games in the past few years with ankle injuries. However, on the field Lawson’s skill is pretty undeniable, and now he’s the face of the Alabama LB room with Jihaad Campbell going off to the NFL. It wouldn’t be a surprise to me at all if we were talking about Deontae Lawson as a potential 1st-rounder following the 2025 CFB campaign.
#4: Taurean York · LB · Texas A&M
6’0 · 235 · JR
If you like tough, high character, high IQ football players—Taurean York is your guy. He was voted as Texas A&M’s defensive captain as a true freshman, a remarkable honor for a guy A&M knew was going to be NFL bound from day one. He’s had consistently good production in his first two collegiate seasons and looks to follow it up with an even better junior year, putting his array of talents on display. York thrives in run defense with great instincts and physicality, with a willingness to fight for everything on the football field. He’s smart in pursuit with good speed, and good closing speed—blending his athleticism well. He isn’t a superb athlete by any means, but he can still win regardless off of his physicality and IQ. Taurean York has a sustainable skillset at the NFL level and even without any elite trait, he’s just an all-around very solid player.
#5: Sonny Styles · LB · Ohio State
6’4 · 235 · SR
Coming off of a season which saw Styles record 100 tackles and a National Championship victory, Sonny Styles is primed for a huge year. He’s gifted athletically—as implied by his placement in Feldman’s Freak List. With dream LB size at 6’4, 235 lbs and legitimate high 4.4 speed, Styles is a defensive coordinators dream. He has great closing speed downhill and excels in run support to come downhill and make a big hit. He’s a versatile defender with experience in the box and secondary, demonstrating high football IQ wherever he’s playing. However, Styles is a bit underdeveloped in positional nuances with being so diverse between roles. Overall he needs to refine his game a bit in 2025 to be considered a great prospect, but he has so many tools which imply that he could be a very solid NFL player. He’s a reliable tackler, and utilizes his football IQ to his advantage in zone coverage. All-in-all, Sonny Styles is a very fun, and intriguing prospect.
In Summary:
CJ Allen · LB · Georgia
Anthony Hill Jr. · LB · Texas
Deontae Lawson · LB · Alabama
Taurean York · LB · Texas A&M
Sonny Styles · LB · Ohio State
This is a really fun LB class, headlined by CJ Allen & Anthony Hill Jr. at the top, but also guys like Deontae Lawson, Taurean York, and Sonny Styles could work their way into top conversations. I’m very excited to keep a close eye on all of these prospects and watch how they progress in 2025—and see if this list can remain intact by the time we revisit these big discussions later in the year.
As always, these are very subject to change over the season and summer, and stay tuned for more content here on the substack and on my Twitter/X page @AndyyNFL covering the NFL draft all year long.