Top Unsigned 2025 LBs
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There is some serious talent in the Show-Me State. I have been amazed at the depth of front seven prospects in Missouri. All across I-70 there is hard-hitting linebackers who will be playing college football. Below, I explain why these…
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Continue ReadingThere is some serious talent in the Show-Me State. I have been amazed at the depth of front seven prospects in Missouri. All across I-70 there is hard-hitting linebackers who will be playing college football. Below, I explain why these six 2025 LBs are set to be some of the top defensive prospects in the state.
Taylor Fitzgerl
Taylor Fitzgerl
Taylor Fitzgerl is a versatile LB out of Lee’s Summit West. Taylor has made immense progress in the weight room, coming back from injury this offseason. Expect Taylor to be a big riser in the 2025 LB rankings this fall.
Taylor’s size, instincts in the box, and strength in his finish highlight his natural fit for Mike linebacker at the next level. Good quickness and shed technique shows fighting through blockers before finishing tackles on zone runs that are not designed to hit in his vicinity. Good athleticism, length, and tackling ability suggest Taylor has the tools to develop into a versatile pass rushing linebacker in college.
Jayden Weinhardt
Jayden Weinhardt
Jayden Weinhardt had a highly productive sophomore year for Timberland High School. The hard-hitting LB attended a camp at Lindenwood this summer. Expect schools in the region to start inviting Jayden to campus this fall.
Jayden shows good strength and a smooth change of direction redirecting and disposing of blockers before making plays in the run box. Lateral quickness and next level power gets displayed when Jayden flattens defenders who fail to turn the corner on outside runs. Jayden’s football IQ allows him to quickly diagnose misdirection and get into the proper fits as a run defender.
Archie Wesley Archie Wesley 6’0″ | 210 lbs | LB Platte County | 2025 State MO III is a two-sport athlete out of Platte County High School. Archie has visited UNLV and Western Michigan this year. He also has visited Kansas State and competed at a Kansas camp in the past. Watch for schools closer to Kansas City to begin heavily recruiting Archie before 2024 gets here.
Archie consistently shows good instincts, shed technique, and a quick change of direction defending the run. A good combination of closing speed and physicality shows aggressively pursuing ball carriers in the run game. Strength and active hands as a blitzer highlight Archie’s pass rush potential at the next level.
Highlights
Jacob Shinkarevich
Jacob Shinkarevich
Jacob Shinkarevich comes off a sophomore season where he had over 100 tackles for Logan-Rogersville’s defense. The talented linebacker is on a team full of college prospects, so I am surprised to see him not receive more attention via social media. Watch out for schools surrounding Missouri to start recruiting Jacob this fall.
Jacob’s strength and closing speed allow him to fight through contact before disrupting outside runs that are well blocked on the edges. Quick feet and next level power shows as Jacob finishes tackles in space with ball carriers landing on their back. Good awareness in zone coverage and quick pursuit of power runs highlight Jacob’s high football IQ.
Jason King Jason King 6’2″ | 210 lbs | LB De Smet | 2025 State MO is one of the most heavily recruited linebackers in St. Louis. Jason currently holds ten FBS offers. The versatile De Smet defender is sure to draw more attention from schools outside the Midwest. Keep an eye on Jason’s national recruitment to heat up this fall.
Jason’s awareness and athleticism displayed intercepting quarterbacks as a zone defender highlights his three-down potential in college. Coaches like Jason’s combination of power and acceleration that gets displayed exploding through receivers that are targeted underneath. A rare combination of football IQ and closing speed shows flying to the point of attack and disrupting outside runs behind the line of scrimmage.
Highlights
Chase Pearsall Chase Pearsall 6’1″ | 220 lbs | LB Lee’s Summit North | 2025 State MO is a nationally recruited linebacker out of Lee’s Summit North. Chase currently holds nine FBS offers, and I would only expect that number to keep climbing during his junior year. The speedy defender is my top 2025 linebacker, and I am sure college coaches in the region think the same. Keep an eye on Chase to be one of many great prospects to take the field for Lee’s Summit North’s defense this fall.
Chase’s rare combination of power and closing speed shows exploding off the line of scrimmage and running through quarterbacks as a pass rusher. Good shed, strength, burst, and tackling ability highlight Chase’s potential to play either inside backer position in college. Quickness and good instincts consistently get displayed in Chase’s fast diagnosis of run schemes. Athleticism, physicality, and effort displayed on plays like Chase’s field goal block suggest he will be in the mix for a special teams opportunity early on as a college football player.