Nebraska Madness: Linebackers
In the spirit of March Madness and the stage set between the Final Four teams, I decided to make a final four made up of 4 different Nebraska area teams. We divided the state into Team Omaha, Team Lincoln, Team…
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Continue ReadingIn the spirit of March Madness and the stage set between the Final Four teams, I decided to make a final four made up of 4 different Nebraska area teams. We divided the state into Team Omaha, Team Lincoln, Team 402, and Team 308. The goal is to expand on past “All-Nebraska” teams and bring exposure to players from all corners of the state. The winner of the final four will be determined through a Twitter poll vote. Stay tuned to see which squad becomes the “Kings of the Corn.”
- Team Omaha – Omaha schools, Gretna, Elkhorn, Bennington, Bellevue, etc.
- Team Lincoln – Lincoln basically.
- Team 308 – All 308 schools (inc. Grand Island)
- Team 402 – All 402 schools minus Omaha and Lincoln schools. Includes Waverly, A-G, Fremont, Plattsmouth, etc.
Team Omaha:
Ethan Stuhr Ethan Stuhr 6'2" | 200 lbs | LB Gretna | 2023 State NE (2023) | Gretna | 6’2″ 200 lbs
Season Stats: 67 tackles, 4 tackles, 1 sack, a forced fumble
Gretna has been pretty well represented on Team Omaha. Stuhr is another talented member of Gretna’s excellent 2023 class. Ethan reacts very quickly to the play and is tireless in pursuing the ball. He is a very versatile player who can line up at inside and outside backer and took snaps with his hand in the dirt. He fights through his blocks and always keeps his legs chopping. Expect even more production out of Stuhr in 2022.
Christian Jones Christian Jones 6'3" | 220 lbs | LB Omaha Westside | 2025 State NE (2025) | Omaha Burke | 6’3″
Season Stats: 49 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, 3 fumble recoveries, 2 forced fumbles, 4 passes defended
One of the biggest freshman stars, Omaha Burke’s Christian Jones Christian Jones 6'3" | 220 lbs | LB Omaha Westside | 2025 State NE burst onto the scene as a freshman with a dominating season. Jones is already showing polish beyond his years with his ability to adapt to every play. He can provide run support, rush the passer, and helps in pass coverage. He has excellent size already and will only continue to add to his frame.
Curt Cubrich Curt Cubrich 5'11" | 185 lbs | LB Omaha Westside | 2023 State NE (2023) | Omaha Westside | 5’11” 190 lbs
Season Stats: 61 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 4 sacks, and a fumble recovery.
Cubrich is a player that started to come into his own in 2021. Curt still managed to stand out with his excellent play, alongside a great cast of linebackers and defenders. One thing that Cubrich and most Westside linebackers do well is make plays in the backfield. Cubrich knows how to break through the protection and make tackles for loss or sack the QB. Curt is automatic when he tackles and uses excellent form to wrap up and bring the ball carrier down.
Tyler Stewart Tyler Stewart 5'10" | 225 lbs | DL Omaha North | 2023 State NE (2023) | Omaha North | 5’10”
Season Stats: 65 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, an interception, and a fumble recovery.
Tyler is a bad dude! Recently, he claimed his second state championship in wrestling. Stewart uses his wrestling prowess when he’s on the gridiron. He has a great sense of leverage and did a great job overpowering linemen. He doesn’t have many tapes on Hudl, but both times I watched North, I walked away impressed with Tyler Stewart Tyler Stewart 5'10" | 225 lbs | DL Omaha North | 2023 State NE .
Team Lincoln:
Kade Seip Kade Seip 6'3" | 245 lbs | DL Lincoln North Star | 2023 State NE (2023) | Lincoln North Star | 6’3″ 235 lbs
Season Stats: 71 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries, a fumble recovery for a touchdown.
Kade is an exciting prospect because of his unique skill set and athletic frame. In 2021, Seip played primarily inside linebacker, while also getting a few snaps at outside linebacker and defensive end. I think his potential is most significant coming right off the edge and applying pressure on the QB. He has a long, stacked frame and plays with excellent game speed. He has excellent field awareness and showed that he also has a nose for the football. Kade is the top-ranked linebacker in the 2023 class and has the potential to be one of the best overall players in his class.
Brogan Ling Brogan Ling 6'3" | 200 lbs | LB Lincoln Southwest | 2023 State NE (2023) | Lincoln Southwest | 6’3″ 200 lbs
Season Stats: 45 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 4 sacks, an interception, and a forced fumble
Seip and Brogan Ling Brogan Ling 6'3" | 200 lbs | LB Lincoln Southwest | 2023 State NE edge-rushing together…. sheeesh! Brogan is a player that I have been lobbying hard for because I think he will be a monster edge rusher. He has great size and a strong frame to take on linemen. Ling can use his speed off the edge, but he’s also very patient when rushing and makes sure he doesn’t run himself out of the play. He’ll have more chances to show off his skills with a bigger role in 2022.
Will Jesske Will Jesske 6'0" | 200 lbs | LB Lincoln Southeast | 2023 State NE (2023) | Lincoln Southeast | 6’0″ 200 lbs
Season Stats: 77 tackles, a half-sack, an interception, and a forced fumble.
Will is a stud athlete that is somewhat of a tweener for his position. He plays outside linebacker but has the fluidity and coverage skills to play safety/nickel. Jesske doesn’t get asked to pressure the QB much, but that doesn’t stop him from being a playmaker and finding his way to the ball. I think he’s especially good at covering the flats and shutting down pass plays to running backs out of the backfield. Will’s versatility will be essential for Team Lincoln and Southeast’s 2022 defense.
Cooper Jackson Cooper Jackson 5'11" | 190 lbs | LB Lincoln Southwest | 2023 State NE (2023) | Lincoln Southwest | 5’11” 190 lbs
Season Stats: 83 tackles, 7 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 2 forced fumbles
Cooper is another great player from the Silverhawk’s star-studded 2023 class. Cooper is a non-stop competitor and is the returning tackles leader for the Lincoln Southwest. He can play sideline to sideline and downhill against the run. I especially like how he plays against the run. He is strong when he makes his tackle, and he doesn’t get pushed around by bigger backs and linemen. Cooper, like Ling, is a player that I think will start to blow up on the recruiting circuit.
Team 308:
Jayce Wilkinson Jayce Wilkinson 6'0" | 180 lbs | LB Scottsbluff | 2023 State NE (2023) | Scottsbluff | 6’0″ 180 lbs
Season Stats: 57 tackles, 6 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 3 interceptions, 3 batted passes, 2 fumble recoveries.
The Scottsbluff linebacker room is one of the best in the state, and one of the key members is outside linebacker Jayce Wilkinson Jayce Wilkinson 6'0" | 180 lbs | LB Scottsbluff | 2023 State NE . Jayce is a versatile player that can do it all on the field. One thing that I think Wilkinson is underrated in is his pass coverage skills. He does a great job sticking to his receiver and can make plays on the ball. He had three interceptions and three more batted passes to show that he can be aggressive when the ball is in the air. Jayce is a well-rounded player who can also play the run and rush the passer. Jayce will be a player circled on the scouting report every week.
Kolten Tilford Kolten Tilford 5'9" | 165 lbs | ATH North Platte | 2023 State NE (2023) | North Platte | 5’10” 165 lbs
Season Stats: 106 tackles, 2 interceptions, blocked punt
Linebacker, safety, receiver, punter… did we miss any? Kolten is a machine on the football field and was an x-factor on the Bulldog’s offense AND defense. Tilford is a player that can line up anywhere on the field because he is so quick and athletic. He played a Safety/middle linebacker role and was consistently in the thick of the action. Kolten has excellent closing speed and plays a lot bigger than his size when he comes up to tackle. I’m excited to see what he has in store for 2022.
Jace Chrisman Jace Chrisman 6'0" | 210 lbs | LB Grand Island | 2023 State NE (2023) | Grand Island | 6’0″ 220 lbs
Season Stats: 59 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, a sack, 2 interceptions, and a fumble recovery.
Jace is an underrated linebacker from the Grand Island area. He has a solid frame and knows how to use it when delivering some tough tackles. He has a great motor and has the quickness to close spaces between himself and the ball carrier. Jace is a versatile prospect that can play in the Mike, Will, and Sam roles with no issues. Chrisman is a linebacker that coaches should consider giving a deeper look into.
Josiah Mobley Josiah Mobley 6'0" | 175 lbs | LB Scottsbluff | 2023 State NE (2023) | Scottsbluff | 6’0″ 175 lbs
Season Stats: 87 tackles, 7 tackles for loss, a sack, 2 forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery.
Josiah Mobley Josiah Mobley 6'0" | 175 lbs | LB Scottsbluff | 2023 State NE is a top-tier athlete and another member of the vaunted Scottsbluff linebacker group. The Panhandle backer plays inside linebacker and does a great job commanding the middle of the field. He has a quick reaction time, especially when he plays the run. Mobley shoots his gaps with lots of explosiveness and brings the booms when he makes contact with the ball carrier. Like the other backers, Mobley has tons of athleticism and can play sideline to sideline.
Team 402:
Benny Alfaro Benny Alfaro 6'0" | 200 lbs | LB Fremont | 2023 State NE (2023) | Fremont | 5’11” 210 lbs
Season Stats: 68 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries, and a pass defended.
Benny is a very tough football player who has continued developing into a well-rounded inside linebacker. Alfaro is physical, a solid tackler, and does a great job tracking down the ball carrier. Benny is an underrated blitzer where he times his blitzes very well before exploding through the gap and making a stop. Very underrated ‘backer!
Tristan Kuehler Tristan Kuehler 5'10" | 160 lbs | LB Pierce | 2023 State NE (2023) | Pierce | 5’10” 160 lbs
Season Stats: 157 tackles, 5 tackles, for loss, a sack, and an interception.
Tristan, the 2021 state leader in tackles, had a huge season in 2021. He amassed over 150 tackles and constantly flew around the field for the Bluejay’s defense. He may be a little undersized, but his heart and drive can’t be matched. Tristan is a fiery player who always hustles to the ball and makes sure he gets his nose in the ball carrier’s chest.
Jackson Bos Jackson Bos 6'3" | 225 lbs | DL Norfolk | 2023 State NE (2023) | Norfolk | 6’3″ 225 lbs
Season Stats: 60 tackles, 6 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, a fumble recovery, and a pass defended.
Jackson is a versatile defender that can play multiple roles on defense. He can play defensive end, inside linebacker, and outside LB/edge rusher, and he does it all at an exceptional level. Jackson knows how to get after it and displayed a great motor during his 2021 season. I think Bos would fit just fine as our outside linebacker for this exercise.
Dane Larsen Dane Larsen 5'9" | 175 lbs | RB Blair | 2023 State NE (2023) | Blair
Season Stats: 60 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 2 forced fumbles
Dane is a solid two-way player poised for a break-out year. Dane is a punishing ‘backer that loves to bring the pain. Dane is a versatile linebacker that can play inside linebacker or be bumped to the outside or the edge. He has a solid frame and moves very well. He’s very underrated when it comes to making plays behind the line of scrimmage. Dane will make some noise whether on offense or defense… probably both.
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