Underrated LBs Scattered Across the State

We return to our pre-Showcase series where we dive into each position rankings and identify the top athletes that are flying under the radar. A couple may have an offer or two, but this group is worthy of so much more. By the end of the summer this entire group should each have a handful of offers ranging from the D2-D3 level, and a couple may even break into that next level tier of offers. This group alone has the versatile athletic kids, the downhill physical punishers, and athletes that are legitimate three down athletes. Let's dive in, and coaches make sure they are on your radars as we head into the summer.    The steal of the position is Bay Port's [player_tooltip player_id='533161' first='Brock' last='Gauthier']. Checking in at 6'2" and now 215 lbs, the 2026 has successful experience at safety and OLB. Having the athleticism to play safety, and now the size and strength to play OLB has morphed Brock into one of the best in this loaded position. He is right at home dropping into coverage. His able to flow, change direction, and close quickly allow him to shine in zone coverage. Plus he has the speed to blitz from a wide alignment and still get to the QB. You can also rely on him to set that strong edge vs the outside run. Brock is a well rounded athlete that is quickly becoming one of the top overall steals in the state.     Another massive steal at the LB position is [player_tooltip player_id='1610038' first='Liam' last='Mayer']. He has now grown to 6'1" 225 lbs, adding even more power to his frame. Liam dominates from his ILB position. His downhill burst and power leads to hard hits on ball carriers and that power also helps him quickly shed the block attempts of OLs. Liam's lower body strength also provides him with an explosive burst that has made him a very effective blitzed. The junior dominates tackle to tackle, flowing with the play and mirroring backs until he meets them in the hole. I can't wait to see him get some official numbers at camps to round out the array of talent that he brings to the table.     Brody is the first athlete in this article that has earned an offer. His first came a couple weeks ago from UW-Oshkosh. You have to love the athleticism that Brody brings to the field. He can knife through traffic, untouched, to the football with his burst, lateral agility, and vision to find the path of least resistance. The junior also shows off the speed to get outside the tackle and corral RBs one on one in space while also getting off or avoiding the blocks of a leading OL. I think we are set to see things pick up over the coming weeks at these early June camps.     An LB that is in that hybrid OLB/nickel mold is Arrowhead's [player_tooltip player_id='529766' first='Ethan' last='Kirley']. He is a chess piece that you can put on the edge or out over a slot receiver and he will be able to impact the play. Ethan brings range to be seemingly be everywhere at once. He will fly into screen chasing down a play from behind and the next play be 10 yards deep making a play in zone coverage. His first step quickness of the edge allows him to create plenty of disruption in the backfield despite being undersized for the traditional edge position. Kirley finds a way to make an impact in every situation he is put in. His versatility should have a lot of teams excited and I'm expecting some very impressive numbers this camp cycle from him.     I don't know what it is about Germantown LBs, but they have a knack for being devastating tacklers. [player_tooltip player_id='1570910' first='Jon' last='Murkowski']'s highlights show a kid that is going to run through every tackle attempt. That leads to him driving his man backwards or putting them quickly into the dirt with force. The hard-hitting 2026 also brings range to blitz from the off-ball OLB position and still be able to chase down plays from behind. The lateral agility to avoid blockers on the edge also shines throughout his junior highlights. While he may be undersized, Jon plays with a strong base of athleticism/power. Keep an eye on this one.     The ILB out of Oregon HS is a versatile playmaker. He can be a physical defender that hits ball carriers with punishing power. Power that instantly ends forward progression. Then the next play he is in coverage showing off how suddenly he can move side to side and then accelerate. Kaiden has strong instincts, flowing with plays and doing a great job of meeting the ball at the line of scrimmage without getting hung up in traffic against the run game. While he doesn't have the size for the next level, yet, Kaiden brings the right mindset and athleticism for the position. Give him time and he will be a difference maker.     Watch the tape long enough and you will see Devin at every LB position you could think off. ILB, off-ball OLB, edge rusher, and there are examples of him winning at each of them. Devin brings size, athleticism, and a strong base of instincts to the LB position. His speed to diagnose plays and his range work together to help him almost always be in the right place at the right time. His burst to close flashes over and over in the highlights. The versatile athlete could really make some noise this summer.

We return to our pre-Showcase series where we dive into each position rankings and identify the top athletes that are flying under the radar. A couple may have an offer or two, but this group is worthy of so much more. By the end of the summer this entire group should each have a handful of offers ranging from the D2-D3 level, and a couple may even break into that next level tier of offers. This group alone has the versatile athletic kids, the downhill physical punishers, and athletes that are legitimate three down athletes. Let's dive in, and coaches make sure they are on your radars as we head into the summer.