2024 Rankings – Linebacker Spotlight

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Get 25% off your subscription by entering Knight25 in the coupon code area. Enjoy!</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 2023 football season is right around the corner and at the conclusion of spring practices across Oklahoma, it's a perfect time to update the prospect rankings! We're wrapping up our ranking updates this week with the state's 2024 class and it went from a Top 125 to a Top 150. If you missed that update,&nbsp;<strong><a href="https://prepredzone.com/oklahoma/rankings/2024-rankings/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">you can check that out right here!</a></strong>&nbsp;Throughout the week, we're diving deep into the rankings with prospect breakdowns. We're discussing why these players are already on our radar and already on the radar for the next level. Keep it locked in throughout the week as we break down more 2024 prospects. And if you missed any of our other ranking updates, you can check those out now!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In this breakdown, we're putting a spotlight on the linebacker position with some of the hardest hitting prospects in the state's 2024 class. These are five of the best linebacker prospects in the state right now and we have guys that will rack up some massive numbers to your prototypical linebackers with high upsides. This is a crew that will try to rip your head off from the first snap to the final whistle. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["487628"],"_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":"Lawton Eisenhower linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='487628' first='Kingston' last='Tito'] is your perfect example of a tweener between defensive lineman and linebacker. Eventually, he'll have to settle in on one position but right now, he has the versatility to play a few different spots and he does them at an incredibly high level. Tito is holding on to the top spot in the state's 2024 rankings once again at the linebacker position and this past spring we got to watch the Lawton Ike prospect in person for the first time. We've seen the production and the film in the past but we watched him in person at the Choctaw team camp and he was very impressive. Tito seemed to have complete control of the offensive lineman he was engaging with at all times and whenever it was time to make a play, he was routinely in the right position. We're looking forward to seeing his continued growth this fall and whether or not Tito is going to start slotting into one position more than the other.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["584540"],"_player_evaluations_1_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"Piedmont linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='584540' first='Brogan' last='Hardy'] is the first of several linebackers that are among the state's absolute best in racking up tackles. Hardy finished his junior season with well over 200 tackles and he has to be one of the top returning tacklers in the state, regardless of class coming into this season. Hardy would earn All State honors because of his ability to track down ball carriers. Hardy is a hard-hitting linebacker where all of the production definitely translates on film. He is all over the field and when we look at this linebacker class as a whole, Hardy is one of the more underrated prospects in the class. Hardy is outstanding and it doesn't make much sense on why he isn't getting more attention for colleges at the next level. The Piedmont standout should take his game to another level this fall and it's going to be interesting to see how much production he ends up having this fall.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["110748"],"_player_evaluations_2_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"Similar to Hardy, Victory Christian linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='110748' first='Teyton' last='Chandler'] is going to be one of the top returning linebackers this season in terms of production. Chandler is going to absolutely shatter the Victory Christian career record for tackles. Chandler should be breaking the record in the first game of the season and then everything after that is going to take the record to the next level. He's probably going to set the bar so high that it might not be touched again. Chandler is an incredibly versatile linebacker and like Hardy, it doesn't make much sense to us why more schools aren't going after the Victory Christian standout. Not only is Chandler one of the best linebackers in the state, he has versatility to his game to play on offense as a tight end and then he is also a standout in wrestling and track. Chandler is a fantastic athlete and he's been on our radar when it comes to the state's 2024 class for several years now.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["519610"],"_player_evaluations_3_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"There was one consistent theme about the Bixby defense last season as they captured another state championship. Hitting. We said multiple times that the Spartans were arguably the hardest hitting defensive unit in the state and one of the leaders of that defense was [player_tooltip player_id='519610' first='Hank' last='Puckett'] at the linebacker position. He's the younger brother of former Bixby standout Jack Puckett and just like his older brother, Hank is one of the hardest hitting linebackers in the state. We think that Puckett and the Bixby front seven is going to be the strength of the Spartan defense after they have to replace everyone in the secondary. Puckett might not have the measurables as some of the other linebackers in the state's 2024 class but that really doesn't matter to us. We've seen him in person and on film and all of the production, plus the way he plays the game is good enough for us. He's one of the best linebackers in the state's 2024 class.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["189939"],"_player_evaluations_4_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"A small town standout that needs more recognition is Woodland's [player_tooltip player_id='189939' first='Jackson' last='Rhodes'] at the linebacker position. Rhodes has been a game-wrecker since he was a freshman and physically, he's one of the more impressive looking prospects on the team. Rhodes has racked up some incredible production over the last few seasons and he's looking for more as we go into this season. The Cougars are once again going to be one of the top teams in Class A and we think that Rhodes and this Woodland defense could be one of the top units in the class. Rhodes is very impressive when we've had some limited opportunities to see him in person and we think that his recruiting stock should start to go in a positive direction this fall. He's the perfect example of a linebacker that is going to help you and he's rarely going to be in the wrong position. He's going to be a good addition to whatever school ends up signing him to the next level.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":5,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-649dc76fe81d4"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->