Scouting The Top Linebackers in Division II-A

Spring practice is right around the corner. A lot of prospects across Tennessee have emerged and etched their names as stars in their respective classifications. With much of the transfer portal calmed down for now, I'm scouting the top players at each position in each class.   Next in this series, I'll discuss Division II-A linebackers. Here's a scouting report of my top five backers in DII-A.   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   <figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/12/bprater.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-2088862" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photo: Friendship Christian LB [player_tooltip player_id='1721153' first='Bruno' last='Prater'].</figcaption></figure>   2029 [player_tooltip player_id='1721153' first='Bruno' last='Prater'] – Friendship Christian School   Friendship Christian School's [player_tooltip player_id='1721153' first='Bruno' last='Prater'] is coming off a standout freshman season, where he was the best 2029 linebacker in Tennessee. The 6-foot, 215-pound athlete played in all 12 games, totaling 85 tackles, 15 for a loss, two sacks and one fumble forced.   Prater was highly productive, but his already polished skills are incredible. Very rarely do you see a player in Tennessee come into his freshman season with the abilities that this prospect has.   He's capable of doing everything on the gridiron, but shines in the run game. Prater has nice wiggle, athleticism and tackling skills that give opposing players nightmares. The talented linebacker also plays solid coverage and possesses high football IQ.   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   2028 [player_tooltip player_id='1895564' first='Ford' last='Bowman'] – Providence Academy   [player_tooltip player_id='1895564' first='Ford' last='Bowman'] was a first-year starter in 2025, turning in a terrific year. The 2028 linebacker totaled 155 tackles, 19.5 for a loss, 16 sacks, two forced fumbles and one interception, while taking home PRZ Division II-A Defensive Player of the Year honors.   He offers good size for his age, standing 6-foot and weighing 200 pounds with a longer frame that will fill out over the next two years. Bowman is obviously a tackling machine, but he's not just a small-school merchant; he has legit technique and plays sound football. His athleticism is impressive, along with a high football IQ and an extremely high motor.   More often than not, the rising junior gets through with ease due to how quickly he reads offenses. Then, he uses his elite athleticism to tackle the ball carrier or bounce outside if the play goes that way.   Bowman is an impressive all-around linebacker, likely No. 1 at his position heading into 2026.   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   <figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/03/Photo-Mar-04-2026-11-03-54-PM-crop-1320x867-1772687759.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-2145053" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photo: Trinity Christian LB [player_tooltip player_id='1187358' first='Joe' last='Cole']. Photo from his Instagram.</figcaption></figure>   2028 [player_tooltip player_id='1187358' first='Joe' last='Cole'] – Trinity Christian Academy   [player_tooltip player_id='1187358' first='Joe' last='Cole'] is another 2028 linebacker who terrorizes the rest of Division II-A. In his second season playing for Trinity Christian Academy, he was one of the most productive defensive players in the state of Tennessee.   Across 13 games, Cole totaled 115 tackles, 19.5 for a loss, 2.5 sacks and one interception, while earning PRZ All-State honors. He's a compact outside linebacker, standing 5-foot-10 and weighing 208 pounds, but the rising junior is highly athletic and uses that to his advantage.   Cole is an excellent run stuffer, consistently living in the backfield.   He showed spurts of being able to rush the passer at a high level last season, but he needs to become more consistent. The biggest thing for him is just filling out his frame and potentially adding some height.   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   <figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/03/Photo-Mar-04-2026-11-02-52-PM-crop-1320x867-1772687995.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-2145055" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photo: USJ LB [player_tooltip player_id='2121649' first='Eli' last='Yandell'] during a game. Photo from his Instagram.</figcaption></figure>   2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2121649' first='Eli' last='Yandell'] – University School of Jackson   [player_tooltip player_id='2121649' first='Eli' last='Yandell'] is coming off a good season at University School of Jackson. The 6-foot, 205-pound linebacker totaled 115 tackles, 14 for a loss, two sacks and five pass deflections in 12 games.   The rising senior is a versatile player with significant value across the field. Yandell is at his best when they slide him inside, but the 2027 prospect can jump outside and patrol the area.   He's a terrific, hard-hitting run stuffer that possesses a high football IQ and quick instincts. Yandell also showed the ability to rush the passer, totaling a few sacks with a handful of QB pressures in his junior season.   He plays sound coverage at the second level of the defense, while keeping his eyes on the signal caller to ensure a big play isn't made on the ground.   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   <figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/01/Photo-Jan-04-2026-4-39-01-PM-rotated-crop-4284x2813-1767639647-crop-640x421-1772688070.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-2145056" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photo: MTCS LB [player_tooltip player_id='2136593' first='Cooper' last='Jones'] at a Prep Redzone camp.</figcaption></figure>   2028 [player_tooltip player_id='2136593' first='Cooper' last='Jones'] – Middle Tennessee Christian School   Last, but certainly not least, we have [player_tooltip player_id='2136593' first='Cooper' last='Jones'] from Middle Tennessee Christian School. The linebacker has been highly productive in both seasons with the Cougars, including 2025, when he posted 100 tackles, 6.5 for a loss, 0.5 sacks and five pass deflections.   He's a smaller player, standing 5-foot-11 and weighing 180 pounds. However, the 2028 prospect moves well, plays with a high motor and is relentless on the field, despite being undersized. He's shown the ability and willingness to add good weight, so that doesn't bother me.   Jones has the potential to be a complete player once he adds some weight and becomes more polished in a few areas. The rising junior is a tackling machine, plays sound coverage all over the field, rushes the QB well and possesses a smart football mind.   With another offseason to develop and get better in the weight room, I can't wait to see how he looks in 2026.

Spring practice is right around the corner. A lot of prospects across Tennessee have emerged and etched their names as stars in their respective classifications. With much of the transfer portal calmed down for now, I'm scouting the top players at each position in each class.