Top 7 Wake County LBs

March has been heavy on <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/03/top-8-ol-in-wake-county/">deep dives</a>, and over the last three weeks, we've broken down the <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/03/deep-dive-top-10-tes-in-rdu/">top players in 11 counties</a>, covering over 200 prospects in the RDU area. We're moving further off the ball on defense this week. Here, we're ranking the best linebackers in Wake County.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Best Linebackers in Wake County</h2>   Editor's Note: The ranked linebackers are listed in order from first to seventh. Rankings reflect a combination of 2025 production and predicted 2026 impact.   Other Wake County Deep Dives: <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/03/wake-county-qb-deep-dive/">QBs</a> | <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/03/deep-dive-top-7-wake-county-rbs/">RBs</a> | <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/03/top-10-wrs-in-wake-county/">WRs</a> | <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/03/deep-dive-top-10-tes-in-rdu/">RDU TEs</a> |<a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/03/top-8-ol-in-wake-county/"> OL</a> <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/03/deep-dive-top-6-idls-in-wake-county/">IDLs</a> | <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/03/top-8-edge-rushers-in-wake-county/">Edge Rushers</a>    In arguably the closest battle for a No. 1 spot in any county positional ranking, Alston beats out two other surefire Power Four prospects. Not only has Alston's production matched his hype, but we've heard that several college programs have been so impressed with the rising junior after campus visits that they've increased recruiting intensity because of his demeanor and leadership. Expect another massive season for one of the best players in the state.     Cypher is one of the top two or three linebackers in the entire state, and the Ohio State commit is ready for another huge season for Millbrook. Last season, he picked off four passes, was one of the top tacklers in the state, and added 5.5 sacks, mostly as a blitzer. He's a true do-it-all linebacker with no discernible weaknesses in his game.     We originally ranked Randle as a safety and liked him well enough there. When it was clear that not only had he changed high school positions, but that colleges wanted him to play in the middle, he rocketed up our rankings board. His game speed is way faster than what he's run in combine settings, and his instincts are off the charts.     Wicker missed nearly the entire season last year, and while Middle Creek nearly won a state title on the strength of its defense, the Mustangs missed his steady presence in the middle. Two years removed from a 100-tackle season, Wicker will look to bounce back with a huge senior year.     Adams sometimes gets overshadowed as the undersized linebacker on a defense full of Power Four talent, but he's an elite hybrid backer. I say hybrid not in the sense that he lines up at safety, but in that he brings that skill set, with six interceptions in an All-Conference season. He's one of the more unique linebackers in the state, and a guy we love to watch play.     Middle Creek has a fun habit of giving some of their best rising stars extensive experience on the junior varsity team to prepare them for future starting roles at the varsity level. That means that the Mustangs have a higher percentage of true breakout players. Smith made his varsity debut in August at middle linebacker and made over 100 tackles. He's a brick wall in run defense, and rarely gives ground.     Stevenson has benefitted from playing behind an excellent defensive line, but when that unit's depth was tested, he stepped up. A physical freak, he runs like a safety with the strength of a defensive lineman. He also has linebacker instincts, and he's a guy who could fly up our rankings board as a senior.    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Other Names To Know</h2>   [player_tooltip player_id='1743751' first='Tyler' last='Goebbel'] | Apex Friendship   [player_tooltip player_id='1129854' first='Jaiden' last='Creath'] | Enloe   Tyler Hodges | Willow Spring   [player_tooltip player_id='2102329' first='Cayden' last='Yount'] | Fuquay-Varina   This is the time of year when we have the most time to dive into film, re-evaluate prospects, and revisit past opinions about players across the state. Send your film on Twitter/X (<a href="https://x.com/whelms21">@whelms21</a>), so I can evaluate you. We'll continue Deep Dives over the next month before jumping into our spring rankings update.

March has been heavy on deep dives, and over the last three weeks, we've broken down the top players in 11 counties, covering over 200 prospects in the RDU area. We're moving further off the ball on defense this week. Here, we're ranking the best linebackers in Wake County.