Position breakdown: All you need to know about the top 12 linebacker units in 2022

We continue our position breakdown series today with linebacker units.

We came up with the nation’s 12 best linebacker units, as well as the top linebacker group in each league (if it is not mentioned in the top 12) and the top three linebacker transfer classes.

This is a mixture of talent, expected production and, well, comfort level. Think of “comfort level” this way: If there are a handful of new starters up front or the returning guys had issues last season, well, the comfort level can’t be all that high.

We looked at the nation’s top 10 offensive backfields Tuesday, the top 12 receiving corps Wednesday, the top 12 offensive lines Thursday and the top 12 defensive lines Friday.

12. Syracuse

The standout: Mikel Jones
The buzz: Surprised to see a Syracuse unit? You shouldn’t be. While the Orange went 5-7 last season, the defense did good work. Syracuse was in the top 30 nationally in rush defense, the top 20 in total defense and the top 25 in yards-per-play defense. Jones was a first-team All-ACC pick last season. Fellow returning starters Marlowe Wax and Stefon Thompson are 245-pound-plus old-style thumpers.

11. BYU

The standout: Ben Bywater
The buzz: This might be the Cougars’ best position group. All three starters return, headed by Bywater (102 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss in 2021). Plus, Keenan Pili – who opened last season as a starter – returns after an injury limited him to three games. This is a deep and experienced group.

10. Michigan

The standout: Junior Colson
The buzz: Colson, who was born in Haiti, has All-America potential. He flows well from sideline-to-sideline and plays with a nasty disposition. Part-time starter Nikhai Hill-Green also is back, and he and Colson should form an effective combo. Michael Barrett, who was a part-time starter in 2020, should see a lot of time, too.

9. Nebraska

The standout: Luke Reimer
The buzz: Starting ILBs Reimer and Nick Henrich combined for 207 tackles last season, and Reimer garnered honorable mention All-Big Ten notice from league coaches. OLBs Garrett Nelson and Caleb Tannor are returning starters, as well. Nelson flashed some pass-rush ability last season and needs to be more consistent in that facet. This is a four-man group in which each started all 12 games last season. Depth is relatively unproven, though.

8. Kentucky

The standout: DeAndre Square
The buzz: Square, Jacquez Jones and OLB J.J. Weaver are a solid trio. Jones and Square combined for 166 tackles last season, when Square also had 6.5 tackles for loss. Weaver has a nice upside as a pass rusher and led the team with six sacks last season. Depth is good, too, with the likes of Trevin Wallace and Jordan Wright.

7. Notre Dame

The standout: Jack Kiser
The buzz: New coordinator Al Golden also is the linebacker coach, and he has four veterans he can count on at the three linebacker spots. Golden has the players cross-training at the three spots. J.D. Bertrand is the leading returning tackler (101 tackles, with 5.5 tackles for loss), but he may not start. Bo Bauer and Marist Liufau are the other two veterans who will see a lot of time.

6. Clemson

The standout: Trenton Simpson
The buzz: James Skalski, who seemingly had been a starter since the days of Danny Ford, is gone. But as much of a leader (physically and mentally) as he was, the Tigers are fine. Simpson (a former five-star recruit who had 12 tackles for loss last season) is a big-timer and will team with Barrett Carter (another former five-star prospect) to give Clemson two athletic ’backers. There are numerous candidates for the other spot, and depth is good, too.

5. Georgia

The standout: Nolan Smith
The buzz: Smith, the On3 Consensus overall No. 1 recruit in the 2019 class, is the only returning starter, and he and fellow senior OLB Robert Beal give the Bulldogs two dangerous pass rushers. Three of the top four inside linebackers are gone (all three were drafted), but good talent still remains. Jamon Dumas-Johnson, Trezmen Marshall, Rian Davis and Smael Mondon are the top four inside guys.

4. Iowa

The standout: Jack Campbell
The buzz: Campbell led the nation with 143 tackles last season and was a first-team All-Big Ten pick. Campbell added two interceptions (including one returned for a TD) and six pass breakups last season, and is entering his third year as a starter. Seth Benson and Jestin Jacobs also are returning starters; those two combined for 158 tackles. Depth is fine, too.

3. Oregon

The standout: Noah Sewell
The buzz: Sewell is an old-school thumper – but with speed. He is one of the top linebackers in the nation. There are extremely high hopes for sophomore Justin Flowe, who has played in just two games in two seasons. Like Sewell, Flowe is a former five-star prospect. He opened last season as a starter, making 14 tackles in the opener before being lost for the season with a foot injury. As for who will replace Kayvon Thibodeaux at the OLB spot, D.J. Johnson and Mase Funa are the top contenders. Both will play a lot regardless. Jeffrey Bassa is the top reserve on the inside.

2. NC State

The standout: Drake Thomas
The buzz: Thomas was a first-team All-ACC selection last season, when he stuffed the stat sheet with 99 tackles, six sacks, 13.5 tackles for loss, nine quarterback hurries and three interceptions (including a pick-six). Truthfully, the other two starters – Isaiah Moore and Payton Wilson – also could’ve been listed as the standout. Wilson played just two games last season (he had five tackles for loss) before being injured and missing the rest of the year. Moore played in seven games before also being lost for the season; he still was an honorable mention all-league pick. This is a physical, athletic and instinctual trio. And because of the injuries last season, some younger guys got key snaps and depth is good this season.

1. Alabama

The standout: Will Anderson Jr.
The buzz: Anderson is the nation’s best defender – and may be the best player, period. He had 33.5 tackles for loss last season, 11.5 more than anyone else in the nation. Henry To’oTo’o upped his game last season and led the Tide with 112 tackles. Sophomore Dallas Turner, the guy who lines up on the outside opposite Anderson, is a star on the rise; he should see a lot of one-on-one blocks because opposing teams will be so focused on slowing Anderson. Jaylen Moody and Deontae Lawson are battling for the other starting spot on the inside. And there is good depth across the board, too.

Other leagues

AAC
Cincinnati: Even with the graduation of two starters, the Bearcats are going to be fine at linebacker. Deshawn Pace started just four times last season but played so much that he had 95 tackles and was a second-team All-AAC pick. His older brother, Ivan Jr., transferred in from Miami (Ohio), where he was a first-team All-MAC selection. And look for senior Wilson Huber, who began his career at tight end, to put it all together this season. He is big (6 feet 4, 242 pounds) and physical.

Conference USA
UAB: Returning starter Noah Wilder has all-league potential, and Kelle Sanders just needs more consistency to get to the same level. Transfer Reynard Ellis was one of the better linebackers in the Sun Belt when he played for Georgia Southern. This is an experienced and deep group.

Mid-American
Western Michigan: All three starters return, with Zaire Barnes and Corvin Moment earning some all-league attention last season. The linebackers were a big reason the Broncos led the MAC in total defense and were second in rushing defense in 2021.

Mountain West
San Diego State: San Diego State uses a 3-3-5 set and had to replace one starter along the line and one at linebacker. And as they did up front, the Aztecs turned to the transfer portal and signed a brother of a current starter. Up front, it was Hawaii transfer Justus Tavai joining Jonah. At linebacker, it was Washington transfer Cooper McDonald joining Caden, who was a first-team All-MWC pick last season. Cooper had 26 tackles and 5.5 tackles for loss as a redshirt freshman reserve last season for the Huskies. He’ll join his brother and returning starter Michael Shawcroft in SDSU’s starting lineup this fall.

Sun Belt
Appalachian State: OLB Nick Hampton is on the radar of NFL scouts and will contend for All-Sun Belt honors. Two other starting linebackers return in App State’s 3-4 set: seniors Trey Cobb and Brendan Harrington. The new starter figures to be senior Tyler Bird, giving the Mountaineers an extremely experienced starting quartet. Depth on the outside looks fine, but it’s a question inside.

The three best linebacker transfer classes

3. UCF, with Branden Jennings (from Kansas State), Jason Johnson (Eastern Illinois) and Terrence Lewis (Maryland). The buzz: The Knights’ best linebacker, Tatum Bethune, transferred to Florida State. But UCF did a good job in the portal with this trio. Johnson was a two-time first-team All-Ohio Valley Conference selection at EIU and earned some FCS All-America mention; he had 238 tackles in three seasons at EIU. Jennings and Lewis are Florida natives who were at Maryland last season. Jennings first transferred to K-State this offseason before moving on to UCF. The three newcomers and holdovers Jeremiah Jean-Baptiste (five starts last season) and Quade Mosier figure to be the top five guys for UCF’s two linebacker spots.

2. Michigan State, with Aaron Brule (Mississippi State) and Jacoby Windmon (UNLV). The buzz: Coincidentally, both are from the New Orleans area. Brule is a physical presence for a defense that needed a plug-and-play linebacker. Windmon was UNLV’s leading tackler and will see a lot of time for the Spartans, too.

1. USC, with Eric Gentry (Arizona State), Shane Lee (Alabama) and Carson Tabaracci (Utah). The buzz: Lee would’ve been a backup at Alabama, but he will be a vital part of the Trojans’ defense. He’s a physical inside ’backer who will be a team leader – and likely the leading tackler, as well. Gentry has a high ceiling, and while he might not start early in the season, he still will play a ton. And he could wrest the starting job away from Ralen Goforth.