2027 LB Report: August Rankings Update

<p>We're churning through 2027 rankings content, having already covered the offensive position groups and the defensive line earlier this week. Now, we're moving to a solid linebacker group. It's a strong position group top to bottom, but I'm focused mostly on the new players and the stock-risers.</p>   <p>Which linebackers tell the story of our August rankings update? Find out in our 2027 LB Report</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">2027 LB Report: Stock-Risers</h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">Barb is a guy we identified early, thanks to a strong Prep Redzone Combine performance a couple of years ago, then he dropped a bit off the radar as he rotated in and out on varsity. He was strong down the stretch last year, with 39 tackles in his final five games, and he moved up accordingly. We've gotten the chance to dive back into his film this offseason, and think the big outside linebacker has a chance for a truly special junior season.</p>     <p class="text-gray-700">Coulibaly plays primarily off the edge for Panther Creek and is one of the top returning pass-rushers in the RDU area with 11 sacks as a sophomore. His bend and dip are excellent, and while his size might prevent him from being a full-time edge rusher at the next level, I feel comfortable projecting a smooth transition to an off-ball linebacker spot, given his fluid movement and high I.Q.</p>    <h3 class="wp-block-heading">2027 LB New Additions</h3>    <p class="text-gray-700">Typically, new additions don't make it so securely into the rankings unless colleges find them before us, and we have to catch up to reflect what the market is saying. That's not the case with Goebbel, who debuts inside the top 150 simply because we think he's an excellent football player. He has the size to project to the Division I level, excellent movement skills, and the early production to back it up.</p>     <p class="text-gray-700">Klieforth came to our attention as a thumper in the middle of a budding Orange defense when I did my RDU Deep Dives series last month. He doesn't have the production some other guys on this list have, but the upside is there and we expect him to have a bigger junior season.</p>     <p class="text-gray-700">Like a couple of the other guys on this list, Lillie popped up on the radar as I went through my RDU Deep Dives series over the summer. Lillie had a productive sophomore year, with just under 50 tackles, and that number should grow as he's added some weight this offseason and should be a force in the running game.</p>     <p class="text-gray-700">A relatively new name to my board, our guy Joshua Graham has been all over Mims as a versatile linebacker who can truly do it all on defense. We've seen him come off the edge as a pass-rusher, man the middle, or even flex out to the slot and cover guys one-on-one. That athletic ability should serve him well as Hoke County searches for playmakers on the defensive side of the ball.</p>

We're churning through 2027 rankings content, having already covered the offensive position groups and the defensive line earlier this week. Now, we're moving to a solid linebacker group. It's a strong position group top to bottom, but I'm focused mostly on the new players and the stock-risers.