Four Breakout Candidate Linebackers in the C/O 2025

Alex Pallone July 7, 2023 @ 10:35 PM

<p>Every Michigan High School Class seems to have a bounty of excellent linebackers. These are guys who can cover, blitz, shed blocks, and give out punishment. This article will outline four LBs in the class of 2025 that I'm excited to rank on Monday! </p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='591060' first='Logan' last='Doerr'] | Mason | <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/13605942/Logan-Doerr">Hudl</a></h2>   <p>Logan is a hard-nosed football player with no quit in him. As the starting MLB and FB, he's tasked with taking and giving out a lot of punishment. As a linebacker, he has a knack for following opposing blocks into the backfield, where he gets a free tackle on a ball carrier. I especially like what he was able to do against Detroit MLK, which proved he could be a force against the best teams in Michigan. </p>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Ike Stufft | Milford | <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/15769545/Ike-Stufft/about">Hudl</a></h2>   <p>Ike is a reactive middle linebacker who doesn't let any ball carrier run past him. I like how he always has his eyes in the backfield, and once the ball is handed off, he strikes. He's not the fastest athlete in the world, but he hits like a truck and makes sure there are minimal gains. Ike has a great understanding of his job on every down, and he fills his gaps well. There are also a few passing downs where he effectively covers the flat and makes a strong tackle for minimal gain. I see a ton of college potential in Ike, and I look forward to seeing what his Junior season has in store! </p>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='600195' first='Chase' last='Burnett'] | Goodrich | <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/16373385/Chase-Burnett">Hudl</a></h2>   <p>When I watched Goodrich in last year's state championship, I noted how unrelentingly physical they are. Chase is the embodiment of that physicality. He's a bruising linebacker that always invites contact and doesn't give up a single inch. Although slightly undersized for what colleges will want in an LB, Chase is a fearless player that will meet any ball carrier. I love watching his various blitz plays where he immediately meets the RB or QB for a huge TFL. I fully expect Goodrich to have a smothering defense similar to last season, and Chase will undoubtedly be a huge part of that. </p>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='602030' first='Jack' last='Ferguson'] | Walled Lake Northern | <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/15131435/Jack-Ferguson/about">Hudl</a> </h2>   <p>[player_tooltip player_id='602030' first='Jack' last='Ferguson'] is a quarterback's worst nightmare. Not only can he diagnose a play well, but he can also pass rush and shed blocks. A giant part of playing LB is how fast you can diagnose a play and attack. Jack has great reaction time, and goes full speed once he sees a target. There are so many blitzes where Jack bowls right through a block and sacks the QB. Predictably, there are also plenty of run plays that he diagnosed quickly and attacked. Walled Lake Northern has a few sneaky-good players, so don't sleep on this team! </p>

Every Michigan High School Class seems to have a bounty of excellent linebackers. These are guys who can cover, blitz, shed blocks, and give out punishment. This article will outline four LBs in the class of 2025 that I'm excited to rank on Monday!