2024 Rankings: Next Level Linebackers
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On Monday, we finished off our prospect ranking update with the unveiling of the Top 200 for the state’s 2024 class. In case you missed it, you can check out the complete rankings RIGHT HERE. Also, be sure to go back and check out the other ranking updates and breakdowns of the 2025, 2026 and 2027 classes. In this post, we’re putting the spotlight on the linebacker position. This is an incredibly deep class this season and these are five of the best at the position. Be sure to keep it locked in to Prep Redzone Oklahoma for more 2024 prospect breakdowns this week!
Whenever you’re talking about statistical records at the high school level, there’s never going to be a complete record of that. But what records we do have, Victory Christian senior Teyton Chandler Teyton Chandler 6’1″ | 200 lbs | LB Victory Christian | 2024 State OK is sitting at the top of the list for more tackles in a career. Chandler has been one of the top linebackers in the state for a while now and the production has backed that up. He’s been dominating opposing offenses since very early on in his high school career and earlier this season, he eclipsed what was the record for most tackles in a career. Chandler and the Conquerors have a massive game on Friday night against Kiefer to decide the district championship. We’re looking forward to seeing what kind of impact he can have on that game and where he ends up at the next level.
Highlights
Out of the five prospects on this breakdown, you can make the argument that Choctaw’s Tae Bulock Tae Bulock 6’3″ | LB Choctaw | 2024 State OK might end up at a different position at the next level. Technically, Bulock lists himself as a nickel back and there’s certainly some versatility in his game where he can back up and play more in the secondary or more of a traditional outside linebacker. When we saw Bulock and Choctaw back in the spring, he really impressed us with his ability near the line of scrimmage. And that’s whether he was in pass coverage or getting after the quarterback or an opposing running back. you throw on the film from him this season and see the same thing. He has the background of working as a defensive back but the physicality and size of a linebacker. He’s a very intriguing prospect to watch.
Bixby linebacker Hank Puckett Hank Puckett 5’11” | LB Bixby | 2024 State OK is one of the best linebackers in the state. He proved that once again in the season opener against Owasso with a standout performance and has backed it up in every game since. Puckett is still leading the Spartans in tackles by a wide margin and is an absolute menace on the football field. Puckett also has an incredibly high on-field IQ and because of that, he seems to always be in the right place at the right time. A few years ago, his older brother Jack was one of the best linebackers in the state and it was a similar situation. He always knew where to be and always found a way to the ball. Hank plays the same style and should get an opportunity to play at the next level. He leads a Bixby defense that has been lights out all season long.
We’ve been a fan of Woodland standout Jackson Rhodes Jackson Rhodes 6’3″ | 185 lbs | LB Woodland | 2024 State OK for about two years now. We think that he’s one of the best two-way players in Class A and you can always tell who the best football players are when you get down to the smaller schools. They are the guys that do just about everything for their team. Rhodes has been just that and then some over the last few seasons and he has the Cougars as a serious contender for the Class A state championship. Last week, we got a chance to see Rhodes in person for the first time on a Friday night and he impressed. Like some of the other prospects on this breakdown, he is a tackling machine and caused a lot of problems against the top-ranked team in the class. But what makes Rhodes a strong prospect is that combined with his overall size and length.
Highlights
We close out the breakdown with another prospect that’s going to be interesting to watch moving forward. Casady linebacker Connor Phelps Connor Phelps 6’2″ | 220 lbs | LB Casady | 2024 State OK is a prospect we wrote about this offseason and the curiousity would be how he looked when he was back to 100 percent. Phelps was anything but that last season as a junior and yet he still found a way to make an impact. This season, Phelps has been healthy and the production has absolutely taken off because of it. We’re impressed with the numbers that he’s put up in the tackling department but then you include some other numbers to know and it definitely has us intrigued. Phelps was clocked at 22 MPH at one point a few weeks ago and that is absolutely moving at the linebacker position. We’re interested to see his recruitment with his senior film making the rounds.