The Post’s Ryan Dunleavy gives his top 10 linebackers in this year’s NFL draft, based on evaluations and conversations with people around the league:
Want sacks? He had eight. Want coverage?
He can man-up tight ends and backs (eight pass breakups over last two seasons). Want tackling?
Ball-carriers felt his 83 stops last season. Knack for spying dual-threat quarterbacks.
Guilty of over-pursuit.
Big, physical run-stuffer who sheds blocks and finds crevices to sniff out the ball.
Wrap-up tackler won’t let many get away.
Adequate enough in pass coverage over the middle to be a three-down player.
Zero interceptions in 43 career games.
All the physical and mental attributes to be a first-rounder.
Extensive injury history but returned from all to win 2023 Chuck Bednarik (college football’s top defensive player).
Tackling machine still has his speed and range. Alcohol-related arrest in 2019.
Needs no introduction after his father’s Pro Bowl career with Eagles.
Instinctual and powerful player who always is first on the scene.
Creates disruption as a blitzer. Always under control but concerns about his size and coverage ability.
Filled the box score with a third straight 100-tackle season, five sacks, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and an interception in 2023.
Charges downhill and takes the correct angles.
Might get swallowed up by bigger-body blockers.
Best season was 2022 (12 of 120 tackles for loss) Always plays at full speed — sometimes overrunning the ball to be stuck arm-tackling — and can run in space with a tight end.
Slow-breaking on intermediate routes.
A throwback football junkie.
Led SEC in sacks (10) and tackles (137) last season, upping two-year total to 25 for loss.
Owns the box, but less of a factor in edge pursuit and in spread coverage.
Twice arrested (DUI, assault). Can be lured into personal fouls.
Polarizing prospect whose alluring traits include footwork, physicality, quickness and range.
Will let small gains become bigger because he is going for the ball.
Possibility to grow into a three-down player with better down-and-distance recognition.
Noticeable closing burst, especially behind the line of scrimmage (24 career tackles for loss).
Broad-jumped 10-feet, 4-inches.
Could be a two-down defensive player if field awareness doesn’t improve in coverage — but also a core special-teamer.
Turned down FCS offers to play college quarterback.
Three-year starting middle linebacker who never asked off punt coverage.
Accelerates into ball-carriers. Looks for ways around blocks rather than through them.
Underwent biceps surgery last November.
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Former running back still thinks like a ball-carrier, showing a nose for the ball, especially sniffing out screens. Packs a punch but doesn’t always wrap ball-carriers. Athleticism suits coverage versatility once he learns how to better read quarterbacks’ eyes.
Attended Hawaii school known for producing NFL talent. Never runs out of energy despite covering tons of ground. Lives the “all-11-to-the ball” tackling mantra. Too many missed one-on-one tackles when he is impatient. Reactive more than instinctive.
Lined up all over the formation and collected 140 tackles. Better as a blitzer than in coverage. Was allowed to freestyle more than he will be in most NFL defenses. Not easily juked, shook or faked.