The Film Room: TN2027 Linebackers

<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Diving back into the lab to breakdown more senior prospects, here we go in-depth with five linebackers that displays tools and traits that translate to the college game. All five of these guys are legit talents that should make it to the next level with a few of them destined for the big stage. </h2>     (LB) [player_tooltip player_id='906615' first='Shelvy' last='Clark'] - Germantown   Strengths: Finding the football with intelligence and controlled violence, Clark is one of the more sure tacklers we have from our TN2027 class that still has different levels to his game that he has yet to tap into. New to Germantown for his senior year, Clark is a true inside backer that sifts through blockers to find the ball and once he does, the Red Devils tackler attacks without hesitation that usually results in him making the stop. Clark is well built physically with a broad upper body that opposing blockers have a hard time keeping in-check, especially because of his speed. This guy runs well while showing a secondary burst that puts him quickly on the ball. Stopping the run is a speciality for Clark. He diagnoses the play well, showing high football IQ and the range to track the ball down from anywhere. Clark does show potential to roam in space and cause issues in pass coverage with further development. You don't have to worry about Clark not competing because this dude plays hard with a motor that doesn't stop. Consistency is something you also notice watching his film, which speaks towards his potential as a college captain one day.    Needed Development: Clark does exactly what you want at inside linebacker, so there aren't a ton of traits that need mass development to make an impact on the college stage. One thing Clark can focus on is getting bigger and stronger overall so he can sustain himself throughout games while also making him tougher to block when chasing down the ball. Increasing his agility and speed are also two areas this Memphis area prospect can focus on to push his game to new levels. The simple maturation within all aspects of his game will do a lot towards taking Clark to new heights and becoming more of a problem for opposing teams.    College Potential: If his offer list doesn't already show you what kind of potential Clark has, this guy is a legit Power Four prospect that can develop into an impactful, multi-year starter on the biggest stage of college football. Clark is a heat seeking missile that sniffs out the run while producing some of the most violent hits I've seen on film this cycle. This Memphis area product is someone I can see turning into an All-Conference type player in college as he continues to learn and mature. The Red Devils senior is a tackling machine that can play all three downs while being that beacon that shows his teammates how to compete on a consistent basis. Clark placed within the state inside the top ten last season in tackles and I expect him to be there again this Fall while maybe leading in this category overall.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/12/sclark.jpg?w=683" alt="" class="wp-image-2090365" style="aspect-ratio:0.6669960474308301;width:241px;height:auto" /></figure>   - - - - -    (LB) [player_tooltip player_id='1368155' first='Will' last='Butler'] - Green Hill   Strengths: For several seasons now, Butler has handled the safety role on his Hawks defense but for college, I like his upside best at linebacker where he can become an impactful player that does well versus the run and in pass coverage. This is an athletic young man that runs well, showing sideline to sideline range and the speed to track down the ball from anywhere on the field. The Hawks senior does a good job of pre-reading, diagnosing the play early then attacking before the opposition gains positive traction. His football intelligence is high and so is his athletic potential. The experience in the secondary I think will show up when Butler fully transitions to linebacker in college. He has the ability to work in open space and make plays in pass coverage due to his athleticism, footwork and speed. Butler has good size, a nice frame to pack on more weight and become more of a physical presence from his linebacker position. I do see Butler fitting on the ball in college but he is a versatile guy that I believe could take snaps off the ball when called upon to do so .You don't have to worry about his motor either as Butler plays hard and fast, competing to the very end.    Needed Development: The biggest area of development Butler must focus on is his weight and overall size. The Hawks linebacker does sit at about 6 '2 200 plus but to make a big impact and sustain his health in college, Butler must pack on an additional 20 pounds to hold up and excel against physicality. Getting bigger and stronger will also help with shedding blocks. I can see where Butler may get held up on blocks in college due to the mass and overall size he will find on the D1 playing level. Increasing his explosion, sudden movements is another area where I think Butler can improve upon. Doing that will put him on the ball quicker and make more plays behind the line of scrimmage.    College Potential: I like the upside here with Butler, especially as he continues to grow and learn how to play the linebacker position much further. This guy is a natural athlete with a great feel for the game that can do a variety of things from the second level of the defense. Butler is already established as a D1 guy, holding multiple solid offers but I think he is on the verge of breaking through into Power Four status. This summer camp season and his senior year will dictate a lot when it comes to reaching the highest level of college football. I believe he can get there and I think the best football days are ahead for this Mid-Tennessee product that is dripping with potential.    - - - - -    (LB) [player_tooltip player_id='2090376' first='Carson' last='Pearce'] - Knox. Halls   Strengths: This East Tennessee product is coming off a very productive junior season where Pearce displayed a variety of tools that translate to the college game and the great thing is that the Red Devils linebacker is still far from a finished product. Pearce has the look and overall size to contend on the college stage with room to get much bigger. He plays hard and fast with a nose for the ball, which speaks towards him becoming an impact player against the run. Pearce diagnoses the run well then uses his speed to gain an edge against blocks to either make the play or force the ball carrier into his teammates. He can get better at shedding blocks but does an overall good job of getting enough leverage to make plays. The Red Devils senior displays nice range that can improve further with continued development in the speed department. Pearce does show the ability to potentially work in space against the pass, especially versus tight ends and running backs. I can also see where Pearce has the upside to provide the occasional pass rush from his inside linebacker position. There are a lot of athletic tools about Pearce that I like and think can be developed further as he continues to grow and mature.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/04/cpearce.jpg?w=700" alt="" class="wp-image-2170220" style="width:270px;height:auto" /></figure>   Needed Development: As I mentioned above about Pearce not being a finished product, he still has room to grow and levels to take before he reaches his maximum capabilities. The first thing is adding more weight. Pearce has a nice frame to fill out further and will need to do so if he wants to consistently fight against athletic, massive blockers. While this East Tennessee product runs well, I can see where Pearce can get faster, especially more explosive. Enhancing his lower half would help in getting to the ball faster, making plays behind the line of scrimmage and in open space. He may be asked to play in pass coverage on occasions, so developing his overall athleticism is needed.    College Potential: When you look at his build and overall look, you can see a potential D1 player with Pearce. I don't think he is there just yet but if he can continue developing at a proper rate while showing improvement this coming season, it's not out of the realm of possibility that a low level D1 school comes calling. I definitely think the Red Devils senior is FCS worthy and should land there when signing day arrives. It will be interesting to see how Pearce performs this summer in camps and in the Fall season to see where he has pushed himself and taken his game to new levels. This guy is a tackling machine that has it in him to lead the state in tackles while moving his stock into a possible Top 100 guy.    - - - - -    (LB) [player_tooltip player_id='2124388' first='Mannie' last='Fentress'] - BGA   Strengths: Standing about 6'0 215 pounds, Fentress is a compact, well built young man that flashed strong play last year as a junior and could become a breakout guy throughout the coming Fall football season. Reason's for that is how hard Fentress competes and the kind of motor he brings to the field each and every game. Once he recognizes the play, the Wildcats linebacker attacks quickly with viscous intent. This dude plays a physical brand of football that certainly shows up in run support. Fentress does a nice job of taking the right angles against blockers that allows him to keep eyes on the ball then finish the tackle. His broad shoulders and ability to bend then run makes things difficult for the opposition to lock him up and keep Fentress out of the play. While this Mid-Tennessee product is more equipped at stopping the run right now, I see potential with him working in space against the pass. Fentress is a good athlete that has more levels to his athleticism. He moves well, showing nice range and the ability to track the ball that puts him in the mix to make plays. As Fentress continues to grow and learn the game, I can see him providing a pass rush down the road due to his athleticism, burst and physicality.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/03/Photo-Mar-27-2026-2-46-35-PM-crop-1198x786-1774640898.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-2160004" style="width:288px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photo: BGA LB [player_tooltip player_id='2124388' first='Mannie' last='Fentress'] before a game. Photo from his Instagram.</figcaption></figure>   Needed Development: Speed and lower base explosion should be the main things Fentress works on this off-season to push his game to new heights. While the Wildcats senior does run well, increasing his speed would do wonders for his overall game and allow him to do more things on the football field. Fentress won't be able to develop his height, unless he hits growth spurt, so being undersized is something he will have to manage as he competes on the next level. Knowing that, getting bigger, stronger and faster are key towards the Wildcats linebacker developing into an impactful, multi-year starter in college.    College Potential: This guy is a tough scout because I can see a scenario where Fentress makes it to the D1 playing stage but that all depends on which college staff falls in love with upside and is willing to give him a shot. I do believe this Nashville native might have to begin his college life on the FCS level but that's ok because there is good competition that can make Fentress better and potentially equip himself to compete for a D1 program. It will be interesting to see how he progresses this off-season and into the Fall football year to see where he has improved and how much closer he is towards becoming a legit D1 or FCS competitor.    - - - - -    (LB) [player_tooltip player_id='1849545' first='Germaine' last='Allen'] - Covington   Strengths: Coming from a small area in West Tennessee, Allen is a true inside linebacker prospect that immediately looks the part of a college guy the moment he steps off the bus but he has yet to see his recruitment head into a positive direction. What stands out about this senior linebacker is his ability to stop the run due to his physical build, long arms and aggressive nature. Opposing blockers have a hard time grasping onto Allen due to his broad upper body and physical makeup. Once he diagnoses the run, Allen flows to the ball to either clog up the running lane or make the tackle. He usually makes the tackle and does so with controlled violence. Depending on how Allen develops his speed, I could see him growing into an edge guy down the line due his wide radius, physical build and arm length. That speaks towards his versatility and what defensive college staffs can do to utilize his abilities. The Chargers linebacker plays hard along with strong football intelligence. Allen is a multi-year starter that has a lot of game experience under his belt, so it may not take him long to learn a college system and get himself onto the field early in his career.    Needed Development: While Allen has the physical look needed to contend on the college level, for him to become an impact, every down player, he must further enhance his lower half agility, explosion and speed. The Chargers senior doesn't show explosive speed on film, so that is something he must improve this off-season to boost his stock and gain more college interest. Increasing his athleticism is another area to work on as well. Doing that would allow Allen to become a more well rounded prospect that can shed blocks and chase down the run or give him the ability to work in space against the pass.    College Potential: I think by the time we reach the end of the 2026 football season, Allen could work his way into becoming a FCS level prospect that maybe one day could squeeze into the D1 ranks with further development. The Chargers linebacker has a long way to go before he considers playing on the D1 level but the physical makeup is there for that to happen. Enhancing his athleticism, agility and speed are critical this off-season towards pushing his game to new levels while boosting his college stock. If Allen can do that, he might put forth a breakout senior year that helps get him on the map and gain much more college interest.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/04/gallen-crop-360x237-1776018779.jpg?w=359" alt="" class="wp-image-2170223" style="width:320px;height:auto" /></figure>