2020 NFL DRAFT LINEBACKERS

[Deputy Nutz]

2020 NFL Draft
Linebacker Tiers

Tier 1 - This group will have a guaranteed two linebackers drafted in the first round. After these players are gone the ability and talent hits a bit of a bumpy road. The three guys in this tier are as good athletically as any group of linebackers in the last 5 to 6 years.

Isaiah Simmons Clemson 6’4” 240 - Is there anything or any position this guy can’t play? All the scouts knew about his athleticism before the combine, but for a guy his size to run a 4.39 and jump 39” inches is freakish at his size. Simmons seems to fit more on the outside versus the inside but he will have that flexibility or hybrid ability to line up at different spots on the defense. To be honest I am not impressed with his actual football play especially inside the box as an every down linebacker. He is always around the ball, but never on the ground, he stands around piles more times than being underneath the pile making a tackle. Obviously his best attributes come from his size and athletic attributes which will allow him to play all over the field. He can run with just about any wide receiver, and almost any tight end will be at a miss match when Simmons is covering one on one.

Patrick Queen LSU 6’1” 230 - Queen was on his way to having a really good combine running a 4.5 in the forty but came up gimpy with a tweaked hamstring. All in all it wasn’t a big deal. Queen is a talented linebacker that plays at just the right speed for inside linebacker in a 3-4 system. He does a nice job of keeping his shoulders parallel to the line of scrimmage and reading his keys, he doesn’t over run the play a whole lot, which is important against the heavy zone running scheme in the NFL. Against inside or wide zone it is important that linebackers are able to play off blocks and read the blocks from offensive linemen. Queen does a good job of this and has demonstrated the ability to fight through the trash. Coverage doesn’t seem to be a problem as he has fluid hips and understands passing concepts of the offense and how they want to attack his zone. The Biggest concern with Queen is his lack of experience. He has only started one year in college and although there are no glaring weaknesses on film, some scouts and team could be concerned with his overall folder of work.

Kenneth Murray Oklahoma, 6’2” 241 - Murray is a fantastic athlete, and plays so much better when he is in reaction mode. When offenses make him play chess then we start to see him struggle. Murray is a Jekyll and Hyde type player who has a great burst but then struggles to break down and will overrun the play. Based on Murray’s athleticism he will do things that will frustrate a coach like run underneath blocks and sometimes he will make a great play, other times he washes himself out of the play. I love the kid’s motor, he runs hot and will pursue with the best of them. His coverage skills are based on his athleticism where I would like to see him do a better job of understanding passing combinations. If he gets with the right defensive staff he could be a monster at the next level.

[Deputy Nutz]

Tier 2 - Slight first round potential in this group, depending how teams see Zack Braun. Otherwise you are looking at late 2nd round to 3rd round ability. What will help guys in this tier is that this entire group lacks depth.

Zack Baun Wisconsin, 6’2” 238 - Baun could easily go in the later portion of round one or early round two to a team that wants a little more flexibility in their linebackers. Baun is an interesting study, as he wasn’t projected all that high in the 2020 draft before his senior year. He is a really good athlete, but not great. He has a great feel for a college edge rusher coming out of a two point stance, but might lack the size and bulk at the next level to do it consistently. He was never asked to do much of the way of playing on the interior at Madison so if teams were thinking about a possible move it would be a whole new learning experience for him and might delay his progress. His best attributes come when he is rushing up field, or covering the hook to curl zones. Let him make an impact at the next level by being a packaged edge rusher. A 4-3 OLB might also be a good fit for him as well, he is strong enough to engage at the LOS with a tight end, and quick enough to play the apex on the short side of the field.

Akeem Davis -Gaither App St, 6’1” 224 - He has an incredible ceiling. What stands out to me is how he plays the run when he is the edge setter. He has great bend and instead of trying to stun and take on lead blockers he uses great bend and athleticism to defeat the blocks and make plays. He is active and can easily fill that hybrid backer/nickel back need that many teams are looking for. He was banged up at the combine and recently had knee surgery. He has a skinny frame and could and will add ten pounds without notice to his game. Biggest negative is when he rushed from the edge. Just didn’t see the get off, technique, or ability to defeat the block of the tackle. He certainly doesn’t have the coverage skills of Simmons but he could run with a back on a wheel route.

Jordyn Brooks Texas Tech, 6’0” 240 - Should be better based on his athletic traits. He has the physical factors to be up in the top tier of guys. Brooks’s biggest hiccups come when he goes off script and makes bone headed moves that takes himself and his team out of plays. Similar to Murray in build and tenacity, but he is just unpolished in certain areas and needs to get better at reading blocks in front of him and diagnosing the offense. He will avoid a block and pick a side which gives the running back the freedom to cut back, Brooks does show the ability to recover quickly but the damage is usually done. His Oklahoma film is plain terrible. He is at his best when he is moving forward in run blitz situations, he has a great first step that allows him to get through the offensive line before they setup. When he is reading his keys and keeps his shoulders square he can make plays. Sort of a feast or famine tackler. Not much for coverage as he was qb spy in the Big 12.

[Deputy Nutz]

Tier 3 - There are a lot of question marks in this group and the linebacker groups over all. Some of these guys could shine like a diamond in the rough, others you will never hear from again after the draft.

Logan Wilson Wyoming, 6’1” 240 - I think his combine really improved his draft status from a late mid round pick to someone you could easily see picked early on day 2 of the draft. Ultra productive at Wyoming and steadily improved each year. What I like on film is that he doesn’t rush to make plays, he plays the scheme put in front of him by his coaches. He maintains his responsibilities and doesn’t go off script. He doesn’t over scrape zone plays and will play behind his defensive line. Good but not great instincts. Wilson is slightly above average in coverage even though he came to Wyoming as a defensive back.

Malik Harrison Ohio St, 6’3” 247 - Big bodies linebacker that likes to hit people. On film the first word that sort of pops into my head is “stiff”. His combine numbers were pretty good for a player his size, he ran under a 4.7 forty, he jumped 36” in the vertical test, and had a 6.83 three cone which is pretty darn good. His instincts are only so-so and tend to lean on the aggressive side which puts him in a bind on play action. He might only be a two down interior linebacker as he is a liability in the passing game, although he does show a good upfield rush. When he is moving at the snap or when he shoots a gap he is at his best, he is just a bit too slow with his reads.

Troy Dye Oregon 6’3’ 230 - Dye did not work out at the combine and his pro day is on the 12th of March. Dye’s slightly above athleticism shows up on film along with his good instincts and understanding of defensive scheme. He is decent in coverage, doesn’t take many false steps and his reads are mostly accurate. He is not a turn and burn type of kid although he might have the speed to go sideline to sideline he plays mostly in the box. Dye is built relatively skinny. He has good height but doesn’t carry any weight in his long legs or torso. He does struggle in giving up ground to offensive linemen even when he engages first. He has trouble shifting directions when ball carriers cut back which causes him to miss lunging tackles. Although he keeps a locker room loose with his personalities at times he can’t flip the switch when the time calls for him to take things serious.

Jacob Phillips LSU, 6’3” 229 - Phillips doesn’t do anything particularly great but he is consistent. He is a very quiet personality on and off the field. Some say that he lacks overall aggressiveness that is needed at the linebacker position. Prior to the Combine scouts claimed he didn’t have that explosive athleticism needed to excel at the next level, well his combine numbers didn’t exactly prove them right. He ran a 4.66 forty, a 39” inch vertical jump. His agility drills were in fact on the slower side. He has the speed, but he lacks the overall flexibility in his ankles and hips to mirror a back in coverage and to be able to quickly change direction and keep his balance. He does a nice job slow playing the run, he has confidence in what he sees in his reads and doesn’t need to outrun the back to the edge on zone plays. Phillips is built much like Dye, and their long legs cause them trouble in coverage, they look stiff.

Evan Weaver Cal, 6’2” 237 - One word to describe Weaver, ''Plain”. Doesn’t do anything spectacular and his combine was a mess of times that demonstrated his average to below average athleticism. I don’t know if he is a difference maker, I didn’t see much on film that points to where he is going to make impactful game changing plays. With that said, he plays a very patient game, he doesn’t false key a whole lot, nor will he get overwhelmed at the point of attack. He will hold his own against linemen, and uses his hand well. He looks good slide stepping into the hole avoiding blockers. Weaver is a solid but not spectacular football player.

[Deputy Nutz]

Tier 4 - Most of these guys should be drafted, but in other years of the draft some of them would be free agents. Maybe one will have the ability to take starting snaps within the first year or two, mostly looking at special teams contributions.

Justin Strnad Wake Forest 6’3” 238 - For a guy whose game is based on getting sideline to sideline his forty time of 4.74 wasn’t eye popping. In fact all his combine numbers sort of stunk, but hey at least he went and worked out. Strnad needs space to work, he is much better lined up apexing the slot and end man on the line of scrimmage, his reads are better when there is less to look at. He is a pretty fluid player, not super stiff, and his strengths seem to be in coverage. If he had run better at the combine I would have him much higher on this list. His size was good, much better than previously thought, but could be the reason he ran slow at the combine, he doesn’t look 238 pounds on film. He looks like a safety.

Markus Bailey Purdue, 6’0” 230 - Bailey only chose to lift at the Combine and 15 reps isn’t all that impressive. I am sure his pro day is coming up and he is player that really needs to impress. His film is above average, but he isn’t a thumper and doesn’t currently have the size to combat offensive linemen and win at the NFL level. He currently is best suited to play on the weak side in a 4-3 front. He could be a three down player as he can offer something in coverage. Biggest issue is that he trashed his knee after 3 games and is still recovering.

Joe Bachie Michigan St 6’0” 230 - Bachie is a fireplug of a player, and also someone that has been suspended for PEDs. Not a great thing to have attached to your name. He is a technician and does a nice job with film work to put himself in the right position to make plays. Good testing numbers at the Combine have bumped his draft stock. This could mean he is a workout warrior type that his speed and strength numbers don’t exactly translate to the field because he struggles in man coverage. Because of his field awareness and film study he does a decent job in zone coverage when reading the QB. His biggest and best trait is that he will be the QB of the defense. He just won’t have the size to create the same type of stopping power he had in college.

Shaquille Quarterman Miami 6’0” 234 - Downhill thumber who was one of the biggest high school recruits in the country. He certainly didn’t disappoint starting 4 years at Miami. What it all comes down to, is that Quarterman just isn’t athletic enough to compete on all 3 downs. He is a box linebacker that is at his best when he is charged to make one read and to fill or hold a gap. Several plays on film he went one way and the ball went another. RPO puts him in a really tough bind. Overall his size isn’t great, I am sure when he gets the chance to play in the NFL he will play around 240-245, but the added weight can’t come with the loss of speed because he doesn’t have any to give up. He will struggle in coverage.

Chris Orr Wisconsin, 5'11" 234 - Orr was not invited to the Combine but his pro day numbers should boost his stock in the 2020 draft.
40-yard dash: 4.65, Bench: 20 reps, Vert Jump: 36.5, 3 cone: 6.99, shuttle: 4.08

Orr’s has some hurdles, one his height under the NFL average for linebackers. It won’t prevent him from earning a job but it will knock his draft stock quite a bit. His second hurdle is that he was not a consistent starter until his senior year. He is a team leader in and off the field, also teams inspirational leader. His strongest trait is his pass rushing instincts and overall instincts for the game. He runs so hot that he makes physical mistakes by not breaking down on tackles and then he overruns the play. Because of his size and arm length he has to give up his whole body to defeat blockers and at times will get engulfed at the point of attack.

[RashanGary]

To use a high pick, you kind of want an every down player. I'd have my eyes on Davis-Gaither but his size is a concern. Sounds like he plays bigger with his savvy so maybe that's a moot point and he's an every down guy.

Logan Wilson is the other I like. Martinez with better coverage instincts and speed to the edge. He's the guy I want for our 3-4 defense.


If Davis Gaither is as natural at uncovering as nutz sees.... I've seen guys like that, Nick Collins was one. If you have a feel for not getting blocked, just doesn't seem like that's teachable and it's a huge impact talent. I'd take him and never look back if he's that guy. Those guys end up stars and Logan Wilson doesn't seem to have that upside.

Both look like upgrades to Martinez with David Gaither being the higher ceiling guy and Wilson being more of the sure thing

[RashanGary]

Thanks for the info, man. I've learned to tone down my know-it-allness in my old age and appreciate the football experience!

[RashanGary]

Darius Leonard might be a good comp for Davis Gaither. I watched about 10 colts games last year. That dude is patient and has a way of not getting blocked that makes him an impact dude. Great feel for coverage too.

Reading the write ups here, Davis Gaither moves up the most in my mind because of that savvy.

[Bretsky]

I will be cheering for GB to draft ORR in round six or seven.

[Deputy Nutz]

Edit on Chris Orr, good and bad

He measured at 6'0" but only 224 pounds. That is a little too light for his style of play.


Also Davion Taylor, an outside linebacker/Safety from Colorado ran a 4.39 at his pro day after running a 4.49 at the Combine. I have him as an underrated player on draft day.