New Linebackers Added to the 2025 Rankings, Pt. 2

As we continue exploring the 2025 rankings, this second part of our series focuses on the other standout linebackers added to the list. Each of these players brings a unique set of skills to their team, showcasing everything from impressive speed to incredible strength. As they prepare for their final high school seasons, these athletes are ready to leave it all on the field. Join us as we delve into what they've done to earn their spots on the rankings and why they're worth keeping an eye on.    [player_tooltip player_id='1239643' first='AJ' last='Burnette'], now playing on an uber-talented Desert Edge roster that's fresh off a trip to the 5A State Championship Game, is an imposing presence on the field at a very bulky 6'2" 225 lbs. He plays strong but moves smooth and can really set the tone for a defense with his toughness. Whether its coming off the edge to attack the quarterback or playing in the heart of the defense and following the flow of the play, Burnette has shown the ability to do it all. Coming off a season with eight hurries and five tackles for loss, he's going to find plenty of creative ways to torment his opponents in 2024. Burnette is a player you don't want to miss as Desert Edge makes another run for a ring.      [player_tooltip player_id='1258797' first='Michael' last='Cummings'] put on a nice performance at the PrepRezone AZ Combine back in late April. Running a 4.47 40-yard dash and showing his athleticism with a 9'11" broad jump (and doing so at 6' and 215 lbs), it was quickly clear that he has all the physical tools to play at the next level. He also showed an impressive motor at the event, always giving it his all and that much was very clear. Stepping into a more prominent role for O'Connor's defense this year, Cummings will certainly turn some heads while he's patrolling the middle of the field.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/Md_Cummings14/status/1784810133035548917 </div></figure>     At 5'11" and 210 lbs, [player_tooltip player_id='1232410' first='George' last='Lopez'] plays a bit bigger than that with his powerful first step and relentless persuit of the ball carrier. He get's off the line of scrimmage in a hurry and spends an awful lot of time in the backfield. He does a nice job of using his hands to keep the linemen from getting fully engaged and moving him out of position. In just four games he managed to come up with three tackles for loss, a sack, and a forced fumble last season. With this kind of production in such a short period of time, I'm excited to see what Lopez can do with a full season for Cortez's defense.      [player_tooltip player_id='1283202' first='Ryder' last='Salo'] has a clear feel for the game from the linebacker position and his instincts often take him to the ball carrier. He's very versatile player at 6'1" 195 lbs; he's got quick enough feet to be really effective in coverage while his ability to follow the flow of the offense often outweighs any size disadvantages he faces in the trenches. Salo ends up standing in the hole rather than being pushed out of the frame. He's got long arms that he uses well to keep his opponents from being able to get a good grip on him, making him that much harder to block. Coming off a junior season where he played in four games – averaging 4.8 tackles in those contests – I'd expect his production to take a big jump in his final year of high school football.

As we continue exploring the 2025 rankings, this second part of our series focuses on the other standout linebackers added to the list. Each of these players brings a unique set of skills to their team, showcasing everything from impressive speed to incredible strength. As they prepare for their final high school seasons, these athletes are ready to leave it all on the field. Join us as we delve into what they've done to earn their spots on the rankings and why they're worth keeping an eye on.