2025 Rankings – Linebacker Breakdown

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em><strong>Get 25% off your subscription by entering Knight25 in the coupon code area. Enjoy!</strong></em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>October is here and we have begun updating all of our prospect rankings throughout the website. Last week, we released our first <strong><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://prepredzone.com/oklahoma/rankings/2026-rankings/" target="_blank">watch list for the 2026 class</a></strong>. The first rankings for that class will come out in January. This week, it's all about the 2025 class. We've updated those rankings to feature the top 75 sophomores in the state. You can check out the full rankings <strong><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://prepredzone.com/oklahoma/rankings/2025-rankings/" target="_blank">RIGHT HERE</a></strong>. In this post, we're taking a look at some of the best linebackers in the state's 2025 class. Two of the prospects have been steady as top 15 prospects. Then we have a new face as well. Stay tuned throughout the week for more 2025 prospect breakdowns. And keep it locked in to Prep Redzone Oklahoma throughout the month for the 2024 and 2023 prospect rankings.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"id":"block_63519e7c18e2d","name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["294262"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Wagoner linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='294262' first='Alex' last='Shieldnight'] has been on our radar since the spring when we caught him in person at a team camp. Shieldnight had a very productive freshman season and head coach Dale Condict pointed to him as being the next potential great prospect to come out of Wagoner. And when you're talking about Condict and the Wagoner Bulldogs, when he points to a kid, you make sure to pay attention. Shieldnight became a breakout player for the Bulldogs last season as a freshman and then was dominant for the team in a team camp setting back in May. Shieldnight has all the measurables that you're looking for when it comes to an outside linebacker. Wagoner has had an up and down year on the field this fall but the Bulldogs are still going to be a tough team to get out when the Class 4A playoffs roll around. Shieldnight is definitely going to be a name to remember moving forward.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"align":"","mode":"edit","anchor":"acf-block-649a0327d4ba3"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"id":"block_63519e8e18e2e","name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["211564"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Bethel is going to be a fun team to watch moving forward because despite losing some key playmakers from last year's team, they also started a pair of freshmen in linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='211564' first='Austin' last='Melson'] and quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='211558' first='Bryce' last='Tapley']. Those two can be the cornerstones of what the Wildcats do over the next few season. In Melson's first season as a starter, he finished with well over 100 tackles on the season. The Bethel coaches can't say enough about Melson, who they trusted as a middle linebacker as a freshman. There aren't too many other players that are in that same position. So far this season, it looks like Melson should end up with over 100 tackles for the second straight year as he's averaging right around ten tackles per game. We're wanting to see more of Melson in person to get a gauge of his true size on the field. When it comes to his production, he's been one of the more productive defensive players in the class.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"align":"","mode":"edit","anchor":"acf-block-649a0327d4bd7"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"id":"block_63519ea018e2f","name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["215030"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"When it comes to Rejoice Christian, they have a few players in this 2025 class that we're not sure what position to put them at but we know that they're football players and could end up playing at the next level. Another perfect example of that is [player_tooltip player_id='215030' first='Cooper' last='Auschwitz'], who we currently have rated as a linebacker in our last 2025 ranking update. After checking him out on film and then again in person this fall, Auschwitz might end up being a linebacker or a safety at the next level and we think that he could excel at either. When we watched him in person earlier this season, the thing that jumped off the pages at us was his hitting ability. And it wasn't just on defense. Auschwitz would fly down the field on kick offs and lay the hammer down in a big way. We love his ability to not only deliver a big hit but he tackles and wraps up incredibly well in space. Auschwitz is a versatile defensive prospect we'll be keeping an eye on.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"align":"","mode":"edit","anchor":"acf-block-649a0327d4c01"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"id":"block_63519eb118e30","name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["211549"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Based on talent alone, Beggs linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='211549' first='DJ' last='Strother'] is a top ten and maybe even a top five prospect. Strother has been one of the best linebackers in the state and one of the better defensive prospects overall when it comes to the 2025 class. However, when it comes to Strother as a prospect, we think his height might be a limitation. You see that with players at any of the positions. But again, we can't stress this enough, Strother is an absolute game-wrecker. If he had a few more inches in the height column, we think he would be a top five prospect and would be getting attention as a national prospect. That's just the way recruiting has been. Every time we've seen Strother in person, it seems like he's added something to his game and is continuing to evolve as a prospect. And as we've mentioned plenty of times in other breakdowns, Beggs has a wealth of young talent and Strother is right there among that group.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"align":"","mode":"edit","anchor":"acf-block-649a0327d4c2a"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"id":"block_63519ec118e31","name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["209252"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Our final linebacker on this breakdown is a new face to the 2025 rankings and that's Deer Creek linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='209252' first='Jared' last='Kappenman']. This is a prospect that has been on our radar since early January, when he first came to one of our camps. In fact, he came to three of our Prep Redzone events throughout the first four months and continued to get better every time out. When you look at Deer Creek this year, there's a lot to like when you're watching the defense. A lot of the attention goes to the secondary, but the front seven is talented as well. And one of the young standouts is Kappenman. Taking a look at him on film from early on this season, he really does a good job of reading the quarterback's eyes and then filling the gap in a hurry. We're wanting to see more of his play when it comes to pass coverage and lateral movement, but when it comes to stopping the run, we're very impressed with Kappenman's growth.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"align":"","mode":"edit","anchor":"acf-block-649a0327d4c51"} /-->