2026 Virginia Rankings Review The Top 5 linebackers

<p>The linebackers are a very impressive group with nearly 15 cracking our top 100 overall. Please review all our rankings on our homepage, Cole Laing has an outstanding breakdown on the tight end group and Vic Castillo gives you a thorough analysis on many skill positions.</p>    <p class="text-gray-700">Unity Reed's [player_tooltip player_id='1297598' first='Mathieu' last='Kanu'] is blowing up locally here in Prince William County with offers already from Central Michigan and Marshall and more coming. He is our top ranked linebacker for this class and if you do not know about him you are missing out. Covering him several times in person, as I said before he is a sideline to sideline backer. This ranking is well deserved as Kanu is poised to help navigate the Lions through one of the best conferences in the state this fall. </p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/Mathieukanu9/status/1793769183173345770 </div></figure>     <p class="text-gray-700">6'3 and 220 lbs. [player_tooltip player_id='853771' first='Mason' last='Love'] can play both linebacker and defensive end at the next level, he performs very well at both positions for Trinity Episcopal. Strong and athletic enough to play many spots on the Titans defense, Love is everywhere. Notching 72 tackles as a sophomore, his coverage skills are very impressive, I think that is why his ranking is so high. It is one thing to play the run well as a linebacker, but the way he defends the pass and gets out in coverage are big reasons why he is the 31st ranked player in the state. </p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/MasonLov3/status/1727059640125722709 </div></figure>     <p class="text-gray-700">Our third ranked linebacker will play either end or outside at the FBS level and his offers have already started piling in. An honors student Pittman really excels on the outside when he is rushing the passer, too quick for most tackles to handle 1 on 1. He already has multiple offers from Virginia Tech, James Madison and Old Dominion, chances are he stays in state for his college choice. </p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/Jos8uaa/status/1707942972602355974 </div></figure>     <p class="text-gray-700">Fresh off an offer from the reigning National Champions Maury's [player_tooltip player_id='369499' first='Isaiah' last='Simmons'] is a bad man. This dude flies to the football and has top notch speed that very few (if any at all) skill position players can outrun. Simmons is everywhere at linebacker and fullback for the Commodores and I can see him playing safety at the division level. He is 6'0 and 190 lbs. tell me when you watch his tape if his speed and coverage skills do not scream an all American safety?</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/simmons_ike/status/1801410470894834178 </div></figure>     <p class="text-gray-700">Another standout for Kings Fork is [player_tooltip player_id='402772' first='Joey' last='Applewhite'] who like his teammate [player_tooltip player_id='853092' first='Joshua' last='Pittman'] should be a division 1 linebacker in a couple of years. An honorable mention all state selection a year ago, Applewhite is poised for even bigger junior campaign. He is fast to the football and plays the run as good as anyone I have seen on tape. Another kid who with the new recruiting cycle just beginning last weekend that is poised to gain many FBS level offers, stay tuned.</p>   <p></p>

The linebackers are a very impressive group with nearly 15 cracking our top 100 overall. Please review all our rankings on our homepage, Cole Laing has an outstanding breakdown on the tight end group and Vic Castillo gives you a thorough analysis on many skill positions.