The 10 Best LBs in the State in 2026

Code Johnson30 saves you 30% on an annual Prep Redzone subscription*   Wisconsin is well known for building athletes with grit and toughness. Especially at positions where those traits are at a premium. Positions like OL, DL, RB and LB. So are the best at those premium positions then? With the entire list of Class rankings nearly done we can now look and each position and each graduating Class and compile these types of lists. We start with a look at my choices for who the Top 10 overall LBs in the state will be in 2026. Coaches, these are the dudes at the top of the position rankings for the Class of 2027 & 2028. Make sure they are all locked onto your recruiting boards.    At the top of our charts is Evansville's [player_tooltip player_id='1733710' first='Harker' last='Larsen']. The junior is long, strong, and has plenty of room to continue to add the necessary bulk to play at the highest level effectively. Harker brings inside/outside versatility and has production on tape to support that. Harker brings natural athleticism that allows him to slice through the trenches to close quickly on the ball. The 2027 LB flashes power to bull rush OL and his length gives him space to disengage and get around OL. The natural, raw tools are great building blocks to develop a D1 LB around.     Cayden has done a fantastic job of developing at the high school level. He spent the early part of his career showing his physicality and instincts against the run game. He is so violent shedding blocks and delivers big hits on the ball. The sideline to sideline range allows him to easily read and track down the ball. In his junior season we saw more of Cayden's growth as a three down LB. He can drop into coverage, slide and move within a zone comfortably, and has flashed ball skills to create turnovers. The thumping LB is proving to be a force in the middle of his defense and has a very high ceiling.     Will is an interesting recruit. He holds our #1 LB/DB ranking for 2028s and the more I watch him the more I believe he could play LB or safety at the next level. In the end it will come down to what his frame best fits into. Currently at 6'2" 210 lbs, the sophomore could go either way. Playing off the edge, Will brings the athleticism to dominate. He can crash in off the edge and chase down the ball from behind. His first step off the line and closing speed make him a nightmare to get an OL out to and also for the RB/QB to try and elude because he gets on top of them too quickly. Over and over the tape shows him taking on blocks and still making the stop. His athleticism, football IQ, and block shedding are going to make him a versatile defender that several teams should want.     Relentless. Violent. Disruptive. Those are the first three words that enter the mind as I watch through his sophomore highlights. Whether it is special teams or defense, Brady does everything at 100 mph and with bad intentions behind every hit and block shed. Brady does a great job of turning his quickness and speed into power when engaged with a blocker or when tackling. The sophomore is already so well developed in his instincts and his range allows him to make the plays that he is seeing develop before the offense can fully execute their plan. I have a strong feeling that big things are ahead for Brady. He is a special talent.     I love the way Keaton plays the ILB position. He is only 205 lbs, yet the junior is so physical, tough, and violent. The tape is loaded up with dominant run stuffs on his way to 125 tackles on the season. Keaton is so quick through the trenches, shooting gaps before any OL even has a chance to get a hat on him. That really shines in short yardage situations. That ability to play invisible in traffic is a special trait that has led to so many of his biggest stops. The 2027 has so much room to continue to bulk up at the next level too, so he could get even better as a downhill run defender.     All of last summer, and the early part of this offseason we have seen Connor repeatedly verify his athletic tools. Speed, quickness, and explosiveness aid him in tracking down the football all over the field. On the field that athleticism is key to his success. He does really well flowing with the ball while also avoiding blocks or flashing the power to quickly shed an OL. Connor is a well rounded athlete at the LB position. He will need time to continue to build on him frame, but the tools and production point towards him being able to play and succeed at the next level.     Drew is another LB standout who projects as a hybrid S/LB at the next level. Taber plays on the edge or just off the edge in the slot depending on the offensive alignment. Drew has a well rounded combination of power and athleticism that allows him to win as an edge setter, playing in space, or blitzing the edge. Drew has a solid frame, but is usually at a disadvantage vs OL. Yet we see him constantly be able to fight through blocks to the football. You will find the junior all over the field and is a key defender to know in the Class of 2027.     The 6'1" 195 lbs junior out of Verona is a monster in the middle of their defense. Jack is relentless. He isn't the biggest athlete, but he plays much bigger than his frame suggests. All while still bringing outstanding athleticism for the position. That athleticism is a cheat code for him. Both on his blitzes and with his pursuit to the sideline or dropping into coverage. Jack is an easy mover in space, but then he has that violent mentality to be able to flip a switch when blitzing or filling against the run. I'm looking forward to Jack putting together a big summer.     This Redbird defense is going to be something special with this being our 3rd member of the defense making this list. Liam actually plays a lot of safety for De Pere, but also has the talent to step down in the box and provide support. Liam brings fantastic range to roam the back end or fly downhill in run support. When he does start in the box it is a major mismatch for OL trying to cut him off as he flies into the backfield with his speed. The junior is able to pack a punch when he hits, turning that speed into power. Liam is a very reliable tackler in space on top of it all. I'm excited to see how he performs this offseason, in the season, and where he lines up at the next level.     The one underclassman in this Top 10 is Sun Prairie East LB/ATH [player_tooltip player_id='1611461' first='Jack' last='Ostrenga']. Jack has built up that frame over the past year, now checking in at 6'1" 220 lbs. The sophomore has been seeing interest and visiting the FBS level this past year. Unfortunatley Jack faced injury in his sophomore season, but that hasn't deterred any excitement or projections for the rising LB/ATH. This summer is a great launching point for the 2028 standout.

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