PRZIA ’27 Rankings Update Position Breakdown: LB

Get 30% off your first billing cycle with code: OscarGalindo30 in the coupon code area.   The Class of 2027 is officially on the board, and we are here to help put these prospects on your radar with the latest 2027 Class Rankings update! The PRZ Iowa crew hopped into the film room and evaluated hundreds of prospects to bring you our overhauled 2027 rankings, now featuring over 100 ranked players and 200+ watchlist prospects.   Now, to cover these new rankings, we are doing our breakdowns as we cover some of the top prospects in each positional group. I'll start my coverage with the LB group. Linebacker is one of those positions that seem to thrive very well in the state of Iowa, and it shows with a trio already gaining D1 attention and several others set to break out this fall.   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />    <a href="https://x.com/tatewallace_2">(@tatewallace_2)</a>   Holding on to the top LB spot is Regina's [player_tooltip player_id='466364' first='Tate' last='Wallace'], who has emerged as one of the top linebackers in the country and has earned several high-level offers. To date, Wallace has picked up offers from Tennessee, North Dakota, Eastern Michigan, Minnesota, and Miami (OH). Tate had a highly productive season as a two-way star for the Regals, racking up 27.5 tackles, four TFLs, two forced fumbles, a sack, a safety, 51 receptions, 752 receiving yards, eight receiving touchdowns, and a rushing touchdown. Tate has elite size at 6'3" and 225 pounds, with the speed and agility to cover nearly the entirety of the field. He plays with the quick trigger instincts that allow him to fire downhill or flip his hips and drop into coverage, depending on his reads. Wallace plays with a physical mindset, both when making tackles on defense and as a blocker on offense. Big, physical receiver who can elevate to win at the ball's high point, also showing strong hands that allow him to hold on to passes through contact. National prospect who is only starting to scratch the surface!      <a href="https://x.com/gstecker24" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">(@gstecker24)</a>   Bettendorf's [player_tooltip player_id='1609271' first='Gavin' last='Stecker'] had a breakout season last fall and has already started to reap the benefits on the recruiting trail. Gavin recorded 58 tackles and 7.5 TFLs as a sophomore and has since picked up offers from Power 4 schools like Iowa, Iowa State, and Kansas State. Gavin possesses a solid frame at 6'3" and 200 pounds, with the power to blow up RBs when he meets them in the hole and win at the point of contact. Stecker looked solid as a run defender, showing he can effectively fill gaps against the inside run while defending runs to the outside with his closing speed and ability to hold off blockers. I was also impressed with Stecker's ability to play in space, flashing quick instincts in coverage to pick up crossing receivers and identify offensive schemes. Stecker takes proper angles when pursuing the ball and has a great motor that keeps him running from snap to whistle. Won't be surprised if Stecker is sitting at double-digit offers at the end of the season.      <a href="https://x.com/joevinyard11" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">(@joevinyard11)</a>   Waukee Northwest's [player_tooltip player_id='1204438' first='Joe' last='Vinyard'] was one of the biggest risers in this latest update, landing at #11 overall and as LB3. Joe stands out immediately with his monster 6'5", 220-pound frame and an 80" wingspan, giving him measurables that college coaches will highly covet. Joe flashed a ton of potential as a sophomore as he tallied 16 tackles and a TFL, setting himself to take up a big role this fall. Vinyard projects well to many spots on the defense, but I would like to see what he would look like as an EDGE rusher with a few more years of development. He plays with a good motor when pursuing the ball while using his lengthy reach to extend and create separation from blockers. Vinyard can close on the ball very well when he zeroes in on his target and uses great technique when wrapping up his opponent. Joe has already started turning heads this summer with early FCS offers from South Dakota and South Dakota State... buy stock now!      <a href="https://x.com/JohnsonJayden27" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">(@JohnsonJayden27)</a>   Tri-Center Trojans are set to return a solid group of players from their championship season a year ago. One of those is junior [player_tooltip player_id='1654026' first='Jayden' last='Johnson'], who quietly played a key defensive role and is the top returning tackler after recording 50.5 tackles, seven TFLs, three sacks, a fumble, and a 26-yard interception return for a TD. Johnson plays a versatile role on the Trojans' defense, where we saw him play outside linebacker, inside linebacker, near the LOS as a stand-up EDGE rusher, a defensive end with his hand in the dirt, or lined up on WRs/TEs. Johnson is an effective playmaker at all levels of the field, showing he can apply pressure to opposing backfields/run defend while being able to drop back and play in space. Very sharp trigger that helps him break on the ball very well. Good job breaking down blocks on the perimeter to shut down any runs to the outside. Another part that stood out was Jayden's football IQ and the leadership he showed as only a sophomore. Very promising linebacker from a great program!      <a href="https://x.com/brody_johnson32" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">(@Brody_Johnson32)</a>   Here's an exciting under-the-radar prospect out of Spencer with proven production and impressive sophomore tape. Junior [player_tooltip player_id='1644925' first='Brody' last='Johnson'] posted a solid 40 tackles, 11 TFLs, seven sacks, and an interception returned for a touchdown. Brody is a solid linebacker who displays sound gap play with his ability to read offenses and then step into lanes to stuff the run. Johnson uses his quick twitch very well at the LOS to evade blockers and spill into the backfield. Brody is vicious in his pursuit but also does a good job keeping himself from overpursuing and taking himself out of position to make a stop. He has good size at 6'3", 205 pounds, with room to continue maxing out his frame. Very impressive prospect to keep a close eye on this fall.      <a href="https://x.com/KylerVM27" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">(@KylerVM27)</a>   Another new name to the rankings is Pella's [player_tooltip player_id='1644914' first='Kyler' last='VanMaanen'], who played a big part in the Dutch's spectacular 2024 season. As a sophomore, VanMaanen recorded 87 tackles, four TFLs, and a sack, showing his ability to find his way to the ball consistently. Watching Kyler's tape, I saw a linebacker who flows to the ball very well, playing with quick eyes that examine and read the offense in a flash. He can make snap decisions when having to crash downhill or flip his hips to drop into coverage. Good closing speed and effective tackling angles. At 6'2" and 200 pounds, Kyler also possesses the type of frame that projects well to the next level. Solid prospect with tons of upside!      <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   Make sure to follow @PRZ_OscarG for more news on Nebraska and Iowa HS recruiting.

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