Linebacker groups coming back in 2024

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>When I was a kid, my favorite group of football players was the linebackers. I was always more impressed with a big tackle, big hit, or sack than a great run. So, I always look forward to breaking down linebacker cores and watching them do their thing. Here is a breakdown of some linebacking crews that return a lot of talent next season. Note – there was one more prominent group of linebackers I wanted to put on this list, but I was not able to find enough video for most of the players to put together a good analysis.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Cooper</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='362273' first='Emmanuel' last='Karmo'] – a Minnesota commit, Karmo is one of the most explosive edge rushers in the state. His first step is at the top end of his class. He is a somewhat lanky, extremely athletic linebacker who generates a lot of power off his speed. Not just a pass rusher, Karmo has solid instincts in coverage. He is explosive in small spaces, allowing him to generate a good initial punch on blockers. His length also gives him the space he needs to get off blockers. Ball carriers know they have been hit, but Karmo uses good technique and wraps up.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='234778' first='Tony' last='Kollie'] – flows nicely to the ball. He moves well laterally, allowing him to move down the line of scrimmage from his inside linebacker position. That footwork also makes him a solid zone defender. Once he puts his foot in the ground, Kollie has great closing speed. When he reads the play and comes downhill, he quickly closes the gap between him and the running back. Like Karmo, he also uses great tackling technique, wrapping up runners.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='960813' first='Tylaan' last='Thomas']—I couldn't find much tape on Thomas, but the little I did find showed a linebacker with good lateral movement and the athletic ability to play both the pass and run.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Northfield</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='945338' first='Logan' last='Prescott'] – flows nicely to the ball with good lateral movement. Prescott has good closing speed once he reads the hole. He lowers his level well when lining up a tackle. He moves well in space and, while most effective against the run, does a good job reading when dropping into the hook/curl zone.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='603454' first='Owen' last='Murphy'] – sets the edge well and is physical at the point of attack. His hands allow him to throw blockers aside to make a tackle. His lateral quickness allows him to hold the corner but then – again with his hands – get off blocks and bounce outside when the running back tries to bounce out wide. He flattens out nicely when he transitions from pass rusher to closing down on the run.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='945902' first='Nick' last='Eschen'] - plays well in space and, like Murphy, sets the edge well on outside runs. He has good feet, which allow him to be solid in coverage. He is strong enough to hold the edge when offenses run right at him but athletic enough to be trusted to play a nickel corner type of position in some schemes.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Benilde St. Margarets</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='436161' first='Chase' last='Brixius'] – speed immediately jumps out, watching his tape. He fills the hole quickly and can make plays all over the field. When he gets to a ball carrier, he has excellent tackling technique. He keeps his pad level low and wraps up. That low pad level allows him to take on lead blockers without getting moved out of the hole. He does a good job transitioning from his pass drops to attacking running quarterbacks or short throws and moving laterally down the line of scrimmage without losing leverage against blockers.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='234789' first='Will' last='Seymour'] – a long, fluid athlete, Seymour looks as comfortable defending the pass as he is in coverage. In fact, it seems like the coaching staff has him cover slot receivers in some packages. Because of his athleticism, Seymour plays best in space and can play nearly sideline to sideline. As athletic as he is, the soon-to-be senior takes on blockers like a play who is twenty or thirty pounds heavier than he is.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Moorhead</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1204353' first='Jack' last='Olstad'] - has great lateral movement, which allows him to scrape down the line of scrimmage efficiently. As an outside backer, he comes off the corner well, staying tight to the corner and not wasting steps. He breaks on the ball well, both in coverage and when attacking a running back. He can play both inside and outside and diagnose plays quickly. He is most effective in space but can also play tight to the line of scrimmage.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1207418' first='Reign' last='Battle'] – a physical tackler – ballcarriers know when Battle hits them. As physical as he is, Battle is athletic enough to play both linebacker and safety. It often seemed like the Spuds' coaches had him playing a hybrid linebacker/defensive back. He is equally effective playing in space as in confined areas near the line of scrimmage.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>St. Thomas Academy</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1201980' first='Michael' last='Kelecic']—despite playing with a broken hand, Kelecic does a great job getting his arms extended and hands on blockers to keep them off his body. He has good strength to hold up at the point of attack, often putting blockers on their heels with his initial punch. He moves well laterally and is patient. He rarely gets out of position and doesn't run himself out of plays.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1204372' first='Hank' last='Steveken'] – is just a solid all-around linebacker. He is quick to read the play; once he does, he is explosive through the hole. He has smooth footwork and moves laterally well. He is most effective defending the running game, but his footwork and instincts also make him effective in coverage. Like Kelecic, he makes the solid play and rarely gets himself out of position.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Prior Lake</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='500352' first='Sean' last='Nadeau'] – plays well in space and uses his quickness and athleticism to get to his spots. His quickness makes it hard for blockers to square him up. Nadeau is versatile enough to play on the line of scrimmage but also as basically a slot corner. While he is best in space, he has the strength to take on tackles in the running game. He comes off the corner tight in the running game, allowing him to close on inside runs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='490114' first='Dylan' last='Hawley'] – good speed with a quick first step. Hawley is an excellent in-between-the-tackles thumper. He quickly fills the hole and is a solid tackler in tight spaces. He can work his way through traffic to find the ball. He uses good leverage when taking on blockers, using his body and hands well to shed blockers, allowing him to flow smoothly to the ball.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->