10 Linebackers to Watch in 2024

<p>The 2024 season in the Natural State is just weeks away, with Week Zero set to commence on August 25th. Hundreds of talented prospects in the class of 2025 and beyond have the potential to play at the next level, including FBS, FCS, DII, DIII, NAIA, or JUCO. Prep Redzone conducts thorough research and evaluation to uncover under-the-radar athletes poised to leave their mark on the upcoming season. Here are 10 linebacker prospects for coaches and recruiters to add to the recruiting board.</p>    <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1395233' first='Markeice' last='Stafford'] is a sideline-to-sideline linebacker. Stafford displays good read and react ability with good speed and change of direction, showcasing his mental processing skills to attack the ball quickly. He's athletic with a good feel in zone coverage, locking down underneath and locating routes coming across the top, and intercepting the football. Against the run, he can attack blockers head-on, staying square while disengaging and making a play on the ball carrier in space.</p>   <p>Note - 2x 7A All-Conference</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/MarkeiceStaffod/status/1748192394229551492 </div></figure>     <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1339310' first='Rahmaij' last='Ware'] showcases good athletic ability due to good speed, COD, and lateral agility, along with good football IQ. Ware displays good read and react ability, attacking downhill quickly vs the run while staying square with good pad level, angles and hand placement to shed blocks and make a play at the LOS or in the backfield. Sideline-to-sideline motor with the physicalness and speed to shoot gaps and make a play in the backfield or chase down ball carriers. Solid open-field tackler with good technique and pad level. Solid feel in zone and man coverage, keying the quarterbacks' eyes and reacting to arrive at the catch point and force a PBU. His good change of direction and lateral agility allow him to transition through assignments and stay on his man.</p>   <p class="text-gray-700">Note – 3.5 GPA / Experience at Running Back</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/rahmaij_ware/status/1721506596507840996 </div></figure>     <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1339539' first='John-Michael' last='Fisher'] is a physical linebacker at the point of attack. Fisher displays a quick first step with a solid read and react ability to attack downhill vs the run or drop into coverage quickly. Vs the run, he stays square with good technique, pad level, and physicality to make tackles in space or at the LOS. </p>   <p class="text-gray-700">Note – 3.6 GPA</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/JohnMichaelFish/status/1814056271772868744 </div></figure>     <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1395982' first='Cooper' last='Bahnks'] brings a solid sideline-to-sideline motor with good work ethic and effort on each rep. Bahnks displays a quick first step to read and react while making a play on the football downhill or in the air. Good, consistent tackler in space while being a true disruptor in both the running and passing game. He has good athleticism, upper and lower body power, and solid foot quickness to disengage from blockers and make a play on the ball carrier.</p>   <p>Note - 4.2 GPA</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/Cooperbahnks33/status/1804666970538926345 </div></figure>     <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1346209' first='Jakori' last='Lumsey'] has solid mental processing and can quickly read and react to both the run and passing game. Lumsey's ability to read and react with a quick first step, good speed, and power allows him to take good angles and disengage from blockers when attacking downhill. He also demonstrates a good feel in zone coverage, keeping things underneath while making a play on the ball and forcing a PBU.</p>   <p>Note - 3.4 GPA</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/JakoriLumsey26 </div></figure>     <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='411501' first='Brooks' last='Williams'] plays sideline-to-sideline with solid lateral agility and good change of direction ability. He's always making a play on the ball with a good read and reaction to the run or pass. He's impressive in coverage, where he can transition to run with a receiver in Man. He has a solid feel in zone coverage, keeping his area on lockdown. Attacks blockers head-on, staying square with good pad level and use of hands to disengage and make a play at the LOS or in the backfield. </p>   <p>Note - 4.8 40</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/BrooksW13505690/status/1754282159911632936 </div></figure>     <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1287330' first='Malachi' last='Summons'] penetrates the backfield consistently due to his ability to shoot through gaps during blitzes and work off blocks while staying square to make plays at the LOS. Summons showcases good use of hands to shed blocks or disrupt receivers on their routes. With his sideline-to-sideline motor and a good change of direction, he controls his zone and shuts down underneath routes quickly.</p>   <p>Note - 3.7 GPA</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/Malachi_M24/status/1820510094615777755 </div></figure>     <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1033379' first='Zimran' last='Phelix'] is a high-motor prospect who plays sideline-to-sideline, allowing himself to make a play on the ball consistently. Phelix is a versatile athlete, able to move around multiple positions with athleticism and quickness. He displays a good read and react ability, attacking downhill consistently with physicality. He demonstrates solid football IQ in the second level. </p>   <p class="text-gray-700">Note – 3.7 GPA</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/zpoffical12/status/1823381004742004904 </div></figure>     <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1116824' first='Chris' last='Hatcher'] is another underrated linebacker who brings a sideline-to-sideline motor each rep. Hatcher possesses a good read-and-react ability, coupled with good speed and change of direction to attack the ball, highlighting his mental processing skills. He is an athletic linebacker with a good feel for zone coverage, effectively securing underneath and communicating with his teammates on defense. Against the run, he works sideline to sideline, diagnosing plays, staying square, shedding blockers, and quickly making stops in the backfield or at the line of scrimmage. </p>   <p class="text-gray-700">Note – 3.1 GPA</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/chrishatcher0/status/1735345456614363377 </div></figure>     <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1068022' first='Ricky' last='Regina'] showcases a relentless motor and attacks downhill with good technique and angles to pursue the ball carrier. He has a quick first step with good footwork and lateral agility. Regina displays good hand placement to work off of blocks and make a stop at the LOS or in the backfield. He has good read and react ability and an impressive feel in coverage. His ability to change direction quickly and effectively allows him to arrive at the catch point to force a PBU.</p>   <p>Note - 3.8 GPA</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/RickyRegina25/status/1817018058034008200 </div></figure>

The 2024 season in the Natural State is just weeks away, with Week Zero set to commence on August 25th. Hundreds of talented prospects in the class of 2025 and beyond have the potential to play at the next level, including FBS, FCS, DII, DIII, NAIA, or JUCO. Prep Redzone conducts thorough research and evaluation to uncover under-the-radar athletes poised to leave their mark on the upcoming season. Here are 10 linebacker prospects for coaches and recruiters to add to the recruiting board.