As the 2026 football season draws near, it's time to take an early look at the top off-ball linebacker prospects eligible for the 2027 NFL Draft.
While there appears to be a narrative that today's NFL doesn't value or prioritize the position like it once did, ask any defense around the league, and they'll tell you how much an impact player at the second level can transform the entire unit. That's the kind of player teams could be getting in Clemson's Sammy Brown, a first-round talent who enters the 2026 college football season as the clear-cut front-runner in this group.
Beyond Brown, there are other high-upside defenders with early-round potential, such as Georgia's Chris Cole, Penn State's Tony Rojas, and Auburn's Xavier Atkins. Notre Dame's Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa is another promising underclassmen, while LSU's Whit Weeks and Tennessee's Arion Carter are the top senior linebacker prospects in the nation.
As we get ready for the start of a new football season, here's an early look at how I stack the board for the top off-ball linebackers eligible for the 2027 NFL Draft:
| RANK | PLAYER | COLLEGE |
|---|---|---|
1. |
Sammy Brown |
Clemson |
2. |
Chris Cole |
Georgia |
3. |
Tony Rojas |
Penn State |
4. |
Xavier Atkins |
Auburn |
5. |
Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa |
Notre Dame |
6. |
Whit Weeks |
LSU |
7. |
Arion Carter |
Tennessee |
8. |
Luke Ferrelli |
Ole Miss |
9. |
Payton Pierce |
Ohio State |
10. |
Cade Uluave |
BYU |
