The best way to describe the New England Patriots linebacker corps would be 'under construction.' The recent trade of Marte Mapu to the Texans leaves the team razor-thin behind starters Christian Ellis and Robert Spillane. The Patriots are expected to invest in the linebacker spot during the draft and could even use multiple selections on the position.
New England requires their linebackers to be cerebral, tough and constantly attacking. Fortunately, this year's linebacker crop is one of the deepest positions in this year's draft. While a round one linebacker would seem to be a dark horse pick, it is largely anticipated that the team will utilize an early round selection to upgrade the unit.
One player who would fit the mold of a Patriots linebacker is CJ Allen of Georgia. A green-dot helmet during his time in Athens, Allen is considered a downhill linebacker with high football intelligence and has demonstrated the ability to communicate well out on the field. Also included in that category would be Aiden Fisher of Indiana, whose lackluster forty-yard dash time could cause him to slide a bit during the draft. Another potential value would be Josiah Trotter of Missouri, arguably a Day 1 talent whose injury history may cause him to fall down to Day 3.
With such a loaded class, New England will need to strategize accordingly, with an expected run to occur on linebackers during the early-to-middle rounds. Late round options worth noting include Red Murdock of Buffalo, Eric Gentry of USC and Jimmy Rolder of Michigan.
New England Patriots LB Depth Chart: Christian Ellis, Chad Muma, Otis Reese
Please find our BSJ 2026 Linebacker Preview below, filled with an overview, rankings and in-depth player evaluations on the top 50 draft-eligible linebacker prospects. [Next Up: Cornerbacks]
2026 BSJ NFL DRAFT LINEBACKER CLASS OVERVIEW
There is major juice behind the momentum of this year’s linebacker class, as the often-forgotten off-ball linebacker spot will be hard to ignore due to the freaky specimen provided. Ohio State boasts two of the top players in the entire draft with the linebacker duo of Sonny Styles and Arvell Reese. Both possess an unheard-of combination of size and speed, with production at the highest level to back it up.
Interestingly enough, many have pegged Reese as a pass-rusher, yet remain eerily quiet about his arm length concerns on the edge, as he matches up with near-identical length as Rueben Bain Jr., whose arm length has been questioned during the months leading up to the draft. Meanwhile, Styles is one of the most polished overall prospects eligible and would appear destined to join Reese as a top-five overall selection.
Sorting through the ranks can become a bit more complicated after the dynamic Buckeyes duo. Remarkably, Jacob Rodriguez of Texas Tech has not received the hype he deserves. A true turnover machine, Rodriguez owns the propensity to alter the complexion of ball games due to his savvy tactics, cerebral awareness and natural play instincts. It’s hard to imagine him not becoming one of the premier talents to emerge from this year’s class.
The same could be said for Kyle Louis of Pittsburgh. Tipping the scales a bit smaller than his counterparts, Louis performed both linebacker and safety drills during his pro day workout and figures to outplay his draft position. Few players are more exciting than Harold Perkins of LSU, whose versatility has NFL teams still deciphering the best way to implement him at the next level.
Others, such as SEC linebackers Anthony Hill Jr. of Texas and CJ Allen of Georgia, project as next-level starters. In fact, the depth of this class is expected to spill well into Day 3 as there is premium value to be had.
2026 BSJ LINEBACKER BIG BOARD
RANK | PLAYER | SCHOOL | PROJECTION [# = indicates combine invite; HPFA = high priority free agent; PFA = priority free agent]
#Sonny Styles, Ohio State, Rd1
#Arvell Reese, Ohio State, Rd1
#Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech, Rd1
#Kyle Louis, Pittsburgh, Rd2
#Anthony Hill Jr., Texas, Rd2
#Harold Perkins, LSU, Rd2
#CJ Allen, Georgia, Rd2
#Jake Golday, Cincinnati, Rd3
#Aiden Fisher, Indiana, Rd3
#Deontae Lawson, Alabama, Rd3
#Josiah Trotter, Missouri, Rd4
#Xavian Sorey, Arkansas, Rd4
#Bryce Boettcher, Oregon, Rd4
#Red Murdock, Buffalo, Rd4
#Kaleb Elarms-Orr, TCU, Rd5
#Eric Gentry, USC, Rd5
#Jack Kelly, BYU, Rd5
#Taurean York, Texas A&M, Rd5
#Trey Moore, Texas, Rd5
#Namdi Obiazor, TCU, Rd6
#Wesley Bissainthe, Miami, Rd6
#Kendal Daniels, Oklahoma, Rd6
#Jimmy Rolder, Michigan, Rd7
#Lander Barton, Utah, Rd7
Jackson Kuwatch, Miami-Ohio, Rd7
#Wade Woodaz, Clemson, HPFA
#Keyshaun Elliot, Arizona State, HPFA
#Karson Sharar, Iowa, HPFA
#Scooby Williams, Texas A&M, HPFA
#Owen Heiniecke, Oklahoma, HPFA
Erick Hunter, Morgan State, HPFA
#Justin Jefferson, Alabama, HPFA
Caden Fordham, North Carolina State, HPFA
Shad Banks, UTSA, HPFA
Langston Patterson, Vanderbilt, HPFA
Mani Powell, Purdue, HPFA
Jimari Butler, LSU, HPFA
Finn Claypool, Fresno State, HPFA
Andrew Simpson, North Carolina, HPFA
James Jackson, Virginia, HPFA
Desmond Purnell, Kansas State, HPFA
Jhalyn Shuler, USF, HPFA
Shane Whitter, North Texas, HPFA
MacArthur Harris III, South Florida, HPFA
Dariel Djabome, Rutgers, HPFA
West Weeks, LSU, HPFA
Jordan Kwiatkowski, Central Michigan, HPFA
Sam Brown, USF, HPFA
Jaden Dugger, Louisiana, HPFA
Jack Dingle, Cincinnati, HPFA
BSJ LINEBACKER SCOUTING REPORTS
PLAYER PROFILE KEY (How to read the prospect header):
LAST NAME | FIRST NAME | SCHOOL | POSITION | YEAR | JERSEY # | HOMETOWN | PROJECTION
ABBREVIATIONS: HT = Height | WT: Weight | HD = Hand | ARM = Arm | WS: = Wingspan | 40-YD = Forty-Yard Dash | BP = Bench Press | VJ = Vertical Jump | BJ = Broad Jump | SHTL = Short Shuttle | 3C = Three-Cone
**Note**Heights of players are measured to the nearest eighth of an inch – for example, “6003” would stand for 6 ft. and 3/8 inches tall. (The first number refers to the feet, the second two numbers refer to the inches, and the last number refers to eighths of an inch). Arm, hand, and wingspan are written differently – 3012 would mean 30 1/2 inches, 0934 would mean 9 3/4 inches, and 7558 would mean 75 5/8 inches.
1. STYLES, SONNY | Ohio State | LB | Sr | #6 | Pickerington, OH | Day 1
Combine: HT: 6050 | WT: 244 | HD: 1000 | ARM: 3278 | 40-YD: 4.46 (1.56) | VJ: 43.5” | BJ: 11-2 | SHTL: 4.26 | 3C: 7.09
Evaluation: Ohio State linebacker and team captain Sonny Styles roams all over the field, showcasing his versatility and ability to cover immense ground sideline-to-sideline. Styles has also demonstrated his ability to rush the passer or stay in rhythm with running backs, able to track them down with quick closing speed. A reliable open-field tackler, Styles can get skinny and split blocks, constantly showing up around the football. A former safety, he flashes the ability to drop into coverage on pass plays and has great awareness of knowing where the ball is at all times. That is what makes Styles, one of the fastest linebackers in this year’s draft, such a commodity. Some hip stiffness does show up in pass coverage, and Styles isn’t necessarily suited to be an effective pass-rusher. Nevertheless, he possesses elite-level play instincts and speed, along with superb instincts, making him a blue-chip prospect in a 2026 draft class that lacks premium talent. The very mature Styles was highly impressive during team interviews, as NFL teams were blown away with his pro-ready mindset and preparation, he is the real deal.
Background: Named All-American and All-Big Ten First team (2025) and a four-time scholar athlete. CFP national champion and All-Big Ten Second Team selection (2024). Appeared in 53 games (40 starts) in four seasons at Ohio State. Played safety his first two seasons, including 12 starts in 2023, and switched to linebacker in the spring of 2024. A five-star recruit from Pickerington Central, where he also guided the basketball team to a state championship. His community service efforts involve supporting the Huckelberry House, a non-profit that serves at-risk and homeless youth in central Ohio. The son of Lorenzo Styles Sr., who played for the Buckeyes in 1992-94 before a six-year NFL career (Super Bowl XXXIV champion with Rams). His mother is Laverna Styles, also an Ohio State graduate; older brother, Lorenzo Styles Jr., transferred to Ohio State from Notre Dame this year and is also draft-eligible. Has two sisters: Sydney and Tonia Brown.
Stats: Played 14 games in 2025, made 82 tackles, six and a half tackles for loss, one sack, one forced fumble, three pass deflections, one interception. In 53 career games, made 244 tackles, 22.5 tackles for loss, nine sacks, three forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, nine pass deflections, one interception.
2. REESE, ARVELL | Ohio State | LB | Jr | #8 | Cleveland, OH | Day 1
Combine: HT: 6041 | WT: 241 | HD: 0948 | ARM: 3248 | 40-YD: 4.46 (1.58)
Evaluation: As an unheralded prospect heading into the 2025 season, Reese was one of the biggest money makers this season due to an All-World performance as a first-year starter, flashing explosiveness and physicality. A ferocious force both against the run and defending the pass, Reese is a violent, hard-hitting playmaker with elite athleticism and quickness. One of the most explosive athletes in college football, Reese possesses elite speed and range that allow him to pursue the play from any spot on the field. Despite being a tremendous physical threat, he has shown great coverage upside, thanks to his fluidity and plus reaction skills. Although he is still developing in this aspect of his game, the physical traits he possesses grant him every opportunity to be a shut-down coverage linebacker. However, he is even scarier when presented with the chance to rush the quarterback. Much like recent off-ball linebackers that have flashed greatness when chasing the quarterback, such as former Georgia linebacker Jalon Walker, the rising Reese looks like someone who could make a full-time transition to that position. Inheriting a rare speed-to-power conversion, the stat sheet stuffer is capable of overwhelming and making offensive linemen look silly with a powerful bull rush. Although he excels in many areas, the young linebacker still has strides to make in rushing the passer and defending the run. Due to limited opportunities, Reese currently carries a predictable and limited pass rush plan (albeit effective), while also occasionally burying his head into the chest of linemen, which limits his view of the play. It will be interesting to see where the team that drafts him decides to play him full-time. With the recent trend of physical specimens at linebacker making the transition to edge rusher, the same fate could happen for this projected top ten overall selection.
Background: Appeared in 38 games in three seasons at Ohio State. Strictly played special teams as a freshman in 2023 and was limited to eight games due to a concussion. CFP national champion in 2024 and three-time scholar athlete (2023-25). Consensus All-American, Big Ten Linebacker of the Year and All-Big Ten First Team in 2025. A four-star recruit out of Glenville High School; selected to play in the Army All-American Bowl. Parents are Maeko Walker and Alex Reese. Only did position drills at pro day.
Stats: Played 14 games in 2025, had 69 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, six and a half sacks, two pass deflections. In 36 career games, had 112 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, seven sacks, two pass deflections.
3. RODRIGUEZ, JACOB | Texas Tech | LB | rSr | #10 | Wichita Falls, TX | Day 1
Combine: HT: 6013 | WT: 231 | HD: 0918 | ARM: 3078 | 40-YD: 4.57 (1.60) | VJ: 38.5” | BJ: 10-1 | SHTL: 4.19 | 3C: 6.90
Evaluation: