Where the top linebackers in the 2024 cycle are committed

Through early August, many of the nation’s best linebackers have made their college decisions.

Fairfax (Va.) four-star Kris Jones is the latest top linebacker to commit, choosing the Georgia Bulldogs. Other late July commitments came from Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco four-star Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa, Conroe (Texas) Oak Ridge Five-Star Plus+ Justin Williams and Clanton (Ala.) Chilton County five-star Demarcus Riddick.

Below are the top committed linebackers in the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies, and where they are heading.

Five-Star Plus+ Justin Williams — Georgia

School: Conroe (Texas) Oak Ridge
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 9
On3 NIL Valuation: $367K

Scouting Summary: “Justin Williams is a rangy linebacker with elite speed that makes him a near prototype at the position. Measured in at around 6-foot-2, 210 pounds prior to his senior season. Added very good weight as a junior. Owns plus length for the position with arms a shad under 33 inches. The fastest top linebacker in the combine setting in 2024. Ran an absurd electronically-timed 4.44 40-yard dash, 4.39 short shuttle and jumped a 9-foot-10 broad jump at the UC Report’s Houston camp. Backed that up on the track with a stellar 11.01-second mark in the 100 meters. Transfers that high-end athleticism over to the field. Originally a safety, he to linebacker full-time as a junior and had a very productive season, notching 105 tackles, 18 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks. Lines up as a mike backer for his high school. Shows the ability to stack and shed incoming blockers. Excels bringing down ball players from sideline to sideline and in the backfield. Flashes an elite first step and ability to close. Draws on his experience as a safety to aid in coverage and playing in space. Will need to continue adding mass and strength. A strong tackler in his first year as a linebacker but can improve the pop in his hands and overall play strength. Flashes considerable upside given his high-end combination of athleticism, length and range.”

5-star Sammy Brown — Clemson

School: Jefferson (Ga.)
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 18
On3 NIL Valuation: $320K

Scouting Summary: “Sammy Brown is a physically developed two-way star with an elite combination of size and athleticism. Has measured in at 6-foot-2.5 and around 230 pounds. One of the top jumbo athletes in the 2024 cycle with eye-popping marks as a sprinter. Was a state finalist in the 100 meters as a junior, consistently running in the 10.8-10.9 second range. Transfers that speed over the field where he stars as a running back and linebacker. A twitchy, fluid mover. Lines up as an inside linebacker for hi s high school. Flashes his top-end speed as an excellent pursuit defender. Runs sideline to sideline with ease. Showed improvement as a take-on defender as a junior. Closes quickly and finishes with physicality. Shows outstanding conditioning and effort level as a two-way player. Has the long speed to pull away from defenders in the open field as a ball carrier. Good enough to play running back at the college level. Finished his junior season with 1,459 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns and 113 tackles and 1 interception on defense. A standout wrestler in addition to his exploits on the football field and track. Won a heavyweight state title as a junior. Extremely strong in the weight room with lifts that have gone viral. Very developed physically and may be closer to his ceiling than some others who have considerable room for growth. Has not looked overly instinctive in coverage in camp settings. One of the more established prospects at the position in the 2024 cycle given his elite athletic and multi-sport profile.”

5-star Demarcus Riddick — Auburn

School: Clanton (Ala.) Chilton County
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 31
On3 NIL Valuation: $226K

Scouting Summary: “Demarcus Riddick is a smooth-moving linebacker with one of the more well-rounded games at the position in the 2024 cycle. Measured at 6-foot-2, 220 pounds prior to his senior season. Has continued to fill out his frame over the past year of high school. Has adequate length for the position with 32-inch arms. Strong in all phases as a linebacker. Stands out due to his natural fluidity and strong instincts for the position. Outstanding in coverage. A natural in space. Diagnoses routes easily. A sticky defender on Friday nights and in the camp setting. Can run and stay in-phase with tight ends and running backs. Effective as a blitzer and run defender. Plays with a high effort level and flies around as a pursuit defender. Diagnoses and keys quickly. Highly productive as a junior, notching 109 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, 7 sacks and 3 interceptions. Shows off his athleticism and playmaking ability taking kicks and punt returns for touchdowns. Also plays some offense. Has a basketball background and can throw down dunks on the hardwood. Does not have verified athletic markers compared to some of his highly-rated peers.”

4-star Myles Graham — Florida

School: Atlanta (Ga.) F. W. Buchholz
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 48
On3 NIL Valuation: $153K

4-star Adarius Hayes — Florida

School: Largo (Fla.)
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 54
On3 NIL Valuation: $151K

Scouting Summary: “Adarius Hayes is an inside linebacker prospect who is an excellent processor and has a quick trigger. Possesses stopping power when meeting ball carriers in the hole. Quality free blitzer from the inside backer position or off the edge. Has some tightness in his hips and can get stuck in quicksand a bit when changing direction. One of the older prospects in the 2024 recruiting cycle.”

4-star Jamonta Waller — Florida

School: Picayune (Miss.)
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 65
On3 NIL Valuation: $139K

4-star Aaron Chiles — Florida

School: Olney (Md.) Good Counsel
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 110
On3 NIL Valuation: $117K

Corey Bender of Gators Online: “It has not even been two months since the Olney (Md.) Good Counsel star pulled himself off the market in favor of the Gators. We still over four months to go before the Early Signing Period as well, but Chiles says it has been fairly quiet in recent weeks. ‘To be honest, not really. A couple of schools said congrats and that they respect my decision, but I would say I am 100 percent locked in,’ Aaron Chiles said when asked if additional schools are trying to flip him.”

4-star Joseph Phillips — Auburn

School: Tuskegee (Ala.) Booker T. Washington
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 119
On3 NIL Valuation: $112K

Scouting Summary: “Joseph Phillips is a long, big-framed linebacker with the versatility to create disruption as a pass rusher and be a physical presence as a run defender. Measured in at 6-foot-1.5, 235 pounds prior to his senior season. Has outstanding length, registering a 6-foot-10 wing-span – among the best we’ve seen from 2024 linebacker prospects. Primarily played as a standup pass rusher as a junior, but looks to be primed for more of an off-ball inside linebacker role as a senior. Uses his quickness and length to create disruption off the edge. Heavy-handed and powerful. Plays with leverage and gets off of blocks. Shows dogged effort and pursuit speed in tracking down plays from the back side. As an off-ball linebacker, projects as a thumper against the run. A talented, big athlete who also sees time as a pass catcher on Friday nights. Finished his junior season with 75 tackles, 19 tackles for loss and 9 sacks. Also plays basketball, where he’s shown some above-the-rim bounce. Will need to settle in to playing in space. His pure speed looks to be more notable as a pass rusher than an off-ball linebacker, relative to his peers at each spot. Will need to continue improving in coverage and adding consistency as a tackler.

4-star Kris Jones — Georgia

School: Fairfax (Va.)
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 128
On3 NIL Valuation: $114K

Kris Jones on his commitment to Georgia: “What pushed Georgia to the top was the development aspect,” Kris Jones told On3. “They do such a great job of developing their players and It’s really second to none. They just prepare their players so well. Seeing guys like Jalen Carter and Nolan Smith in the draft and how they’re doing such a great job already in Philly, you know they do a great job of developing their guys and getting them ready for the NFL.”

4-star Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa — Notre Dame

School: Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 136
On3 NIL Valuation: $106K

Kyle Kelly of Blue & Gold: “MaxPreps released their 2023 preseason All-America football team on Monday. And Notre Dame 2024 four-star verbal linebacker commit Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa earned a spot on it. The 6-foot-2, 235-pound Viliamu-Asa was one of three linebackers named to the first team. Former Fighting Irish targets Sammy Brown and Brayden Platt also received first-team recognition. MaxPreps named 54 players from across 39 schools first- and second-team preseason All-Americans. Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco’s Viliamu-Asa is coming off an outstanding junior season in which he racked up 111 tackles (71 solo), 8.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks and a pass breakup. He also contributed in the turnover department with an interception, a caused fumble and two fumble recoveries.”