4 Unsigned Linebackers Who Will Make An Impact at the Next Level

Taking a look at linemen that had big seasons and will surely help a team at the next level. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="207157" first="Sam" last="Hicks"] – Basehor Linwood, 6’0 195 LB (Prep Redzone Sr LB25)</strong> The immediate impression when turning on Hicks’ film is just how <em>in his element</em> he looks playing the position. The BLHS product possesses excellent vision and anticipation, with unteachable instincts for what an offense is trying to do in the run game. He plays with very good patience and very rarely distrusts his keys. In addition, his triggers are more often than not impeccably timed, which makes him highly adept at running alleys for TFLs. This is an aspect of his game aided by quick and coordinated feet that are in constant motion, and very good stop/start ability, making him difficult for lineman to square up when he’s sifting through traffic. Hicks possesses very smooth and sudden acceleration, allowing him to explode downhill before opposing linemen can get their hands on him. He also utilizes this to erase the back’s angles on outside zone plays. With a naturally low center of gravity and very good lower flexibility, he flashes the ability to deliver jarring hits when he finds the ball carrier. When he develops more core strength to better absorb contact, he has the chance to be an absolute menace at the mike position whoever signs him at the next level. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="89493" first="Clayton" last="Kavlick"] – Blue Valley 5’10 200 LB (Prep Redzone Sr LB22)</strong> Kavlick is a violent and instinctive ‘backer prospect that not only defies height convention for the position, but actually uses his stature to his advantage, and is a more dangerous player because of it. With cinder blocks for legs and a naturally low center of gravity, the Blue Valley product has effortless contact balance, allowing him to maintain body position when playing between the tackles. In addition, Kavlick has a excellent eye discipline, allowing him to ‘see through’ blockers and find the ball. With an explosive first step that requires little to no downhill momentum at his back, he rarely goes backwards when meeting a running back in the hole and possesses the instincts and decisiveness to beat blockers to their landmarks and disrupt plays. A fearless player, Kavlick has no problem using his explosiveness and leverage to launch into blockers and disrupt running lanes. [player_tooltip player_id="89493" first="Clayton" last="Kavlick"] has the makings of a true defensive tone-setter at the mike linebacker position and has the physical development and football savvy to contribute as a true freshman. <strong>Dadrian Montgomery – Topeka High School 6’0 210 (Prep Redzone Sr LB21)</strong> Montgomery is a run-and-hit linebacker prospect that makes plays and affects the game all over the field. He has smooth as silk acceleration, along with very good balance, which in tandem allows him to flow sideline to sideline and maintain favorable body position to bring down ball carriers before they can turn the corner. Montgomery has some considerable untapped potential as a pass rusher, as he possesses a very good first step and lower body flexibility to dip under blockers, as well as sneaky length for a 6’0 backer. Moreover, he has a knack for perfectly timed snap anticipation when blitzing through interior gaps. Montgomery shows good patience in the open field, trusting his ability and technique rather than lunging at ball carriers. He also utilizes his length and agility to rip ball carriers down away from his body. Dadrian Montgomery is a sideline to sideline eraser at the linebacker position, and with some coaching, he can grow into a legitimate threat as a pass rusher. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="209151" first="Quez" last="Lee"] – Lawrence Free State 6’3 190 (Prep Redzone Sr LB33)</strong> The modern game has changed how linebackers are used, and what they are asked to do rather dramatically, and when former Olathe North star Isaiah Simmons signed for Clemson, there was little indication that he would evolve into one of the more intriguing and versatile prospects to come around in a while. Similarly built, Lee’s versatility was epitomized in his team’s upset victory over eventual state champion Mill Valley, where he made plays in the backfield coming off the edge and covered 6’5 Kansas State signee [player_tooltip player_id="35548" first="Kendrick" last="Jones"] 1 on 1, as well as 3^rd down maven tight end [player_tooltip player_id="89233" first="Jared" last="Napoli"], who are two excellent prospects, with contrasting traits, that threaten different areas of the field. Stats in Lee’s case don’t come close to telling the whole story, mainly because of how many different things he is asked to do for his defense. From an athletic standpoint, Lee has everything you’d expect a lanky, uber-athletic safety/linebacker hybrid to possess. He covers tremendous ground with a long, fluid stride, and can accelerate in a blink to obliterate angles in the run game. This also allows him close down space in a hurry in pass coverage, and indeed, his interceptions this season came from plays on which he broke away from his assignment, using his length and stride to cover ground and find the ball. While he’s still developing physically, he is wiry strong, which allows him to reroute and disrupt timing in man coverage. What sets him apart, however, is that for a lanky 6’3 kid, he can drop his pads in a blink and stonewall ball carriers. His lower body flexibility and explosion, coupled with his length and stride, make him very dangerous coming off the edge, especially against the run. From time to time, evaluating players can bring on a bold prediction, and here comes one of those: [player_tooltip player_id="209151" first="Quez" last="Lee"] will play in the NFL. As was the case with Isaiah Simmons, Lee will leave a bunch of D1 coaches wondering what was going through their head when they passed on him, while the coach that signs him will look like a genius.