1. Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa, Notre Dame
Big board rank: 22
Viliamu-Asa led college football in PFF run-defense grade (94.0) last season. He also tallied 23 pressures and four sacks as a pass rusher. In coverage, he allowed a passer rating of 55.0. The sample size may be small (435 snaps), but when he's on the field, he plays like the very best linebacker in the nation.
2. Rasheem Biles, Texas
Big board rank: 33
Biles is sensational when playing downhill toward the football. He finished 2025 ranked among the top five returning linebackers in both PFF run-defense grade (89.3) and pass-rushing grade (82.9). Biles is undersized for the NFL, but he plays one of the few positions where the league will often overlook size concerns.
3. Ben Roberts, Texas Tech
Big board rank: 49
Roberts' last two seasons with the Red Raiders could not have looked more different. He improved his PFF grade from 56.6 to 86.3 last year, including an elite coverage grade with four interceptions and no touchdowns allowed. The next step is seeing how Roberts fares without running mate Jacob Rodriguez next season.
4. Tony Rojas, Penn State
Big board rank: 72
Rojas is returning from a torn ACL that ended his 2025 season after just four games. Before the injury, he appeared to have improved from his somewhat disappointing play in 2024 and looked more like the promising freshman he was in 2023. There is buzz that if he is back to his best, Rojas could test well at the NFL combine. He has raw speed at linebacker that few others can match, while still maintaining respectable size.
5. Whit Weeks, LSU
Big board rank: 89
Wicks has been listed at 6-foot-3, 225 pounds and has produced consistent grades throughout his career, with 2025 highlighting his impact as a pass rusher. He generated 17 pressures on just 50 pass-rush snaps, including one sack, five hits and 11 hurries.