2025 Linebackers Ready to Breakout

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The linebacker position is one of the deepest in Nevada's 2025 class. There are still a bunch of names to get through, however these five prospects stick out to me as severely underrated. Expect more than one of these prospects to break out in the southwest region after dominant junior seasons. Below, I dive into why these prospects showed next level talent as sophomores on Friday nights. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='1326450' first='Gavin' last='Cummins']","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'2u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2411","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Lake Mead Christian Academy ","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"[player_tooltip player_id='1326450' first='Gavin' last='Cummins'] is a good-sized athlete who may have a dominant season as an offensive playmaker for Lake Mead Christian. Still, Gavin's defensive productivity and natural athleticism could lead to him lining up on the defensive side of the ball in college. Keep an eye on Gavin's recruitment this fall as coaches in the region look to recruit him on both sides of the ball.rnrnGavin is a good tackler whose athletic ability shows changing direction in the open field as a defender or ball carrier. Gavin shows good hand technique and closing speed blitzing in passing situations. Coaches like Gavin's experience as a lineman and linebacker, especially the comfortability he shows rushing the passer from any alignment in the box.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_1_player_details_player_name":"Melvin Whitehead","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_1_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_1_player_details_height":"6'2u0022","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_1_player_details_position":"2496","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_1_player_details_school":"Liberty ","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_1_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_1_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"Melvin Whitehead is a two-time wrestling state champion for Liberty High School. Still, Melvin has a chance to choose whether he wants to continue his success on the mat or play football in college. Melvin has visited Weber State and Utah State this spring. Expect his first offer to come in before 2024 gets here.rnrnMelvin's speed and athleticism allows him to change direction and contact ball carriers on the edges before they cross the line of scrimmage. Good tackling ability consistently shows swallowing ball carriers up on kickoff. Pass rush versatility, special teams productivity, and natural instincts versus the run highlight Melvin's value as a defensive prospect.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_2_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='1326755' first='Hector' last='Nunez']","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_2_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_2_player_details_height":"5'8u0022","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_2_player_details_position":"2496","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_2_player_details_school":"North Valleys ","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_2_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_2_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"[player_tooltip player_id='1326755' first='Hector' last='Nunez'] attended a team camp at UC-Davis last month. Still, I am surprised to see Hector not receive more individual attention. Be on the lookout for his recruitment to pick up steam this fall.rnrnHector's instincts show finding windows to attack in the run game. Quickness and athleticism show slipping blocks before changing direction to make tackles at the point of attack. Hector is a good open field tackler whose three-down versatility shows sniffing out screens and finding threats in zone coverage.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["820674"],"_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":"[player_tooltip player_id='820674' first='Saione' last='Inoke'] is primed to have a big season for Centennial's defense this fall. Saione has met with coaches from Ottawa University in Arizona, but I am surprised to see the talented prospect not receive more regional attention. Look for the versatile defender to connect with more college coaches before his junior year is over.rnrnSaione is a good tackler whose athleticism shows changing direction and squaring up ball carriers in space. Closing speed shows pursuing running backs from a backside outside linebacker alignment. Saione shows the potential to make an easy transition into a leader of the second level with the natural instincts and flashes of good shed technique he displays defending the run.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["820677"],"_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":"[player_tooltip player_id='820677' first='Diego' last='Madrid'] is a rising linebacker out of Shadow Ridge High School. The talented defender had over ninety tackles as a sophomore. He has been invited to several camps, but Diego most recently attended a showcase at Western Oregon University. Expect the good-sized linebacker's recruitment to heat up this fall.rnrnDiego's good tackling ability shows pursuing and mirroring scrambling quarterbacks in the open field. Natural instinctiveness shows patiently mirroring running backs in inside zone runs, then attacking the point of attack with an attitude. Good size, speed, and instincts when playing middle zones in pass coverage highlights Diego's potential to be a true three-down middle linebacker in college.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":5,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6482d98748244"} /-->