2008 CFN Preview - Unit Rankings ... LBs

CFN 2008 Preview Unit Rankings - Linebackers Ranked 1 to 119

2008 CFN Unit Rankings

Linebackers

CFN 2008 Unit Rankings
2008 Preview | Offenses | Quarterbacks | Running Backs
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1. USC
Rey Maualuga and Brian Cushing are a pair of NFL-ready linebackers still hanging around the Pac 10. Their presence will help ease the transition of Luthur Brown or Kaluka Maiava into the lineup, while giving the program a couple of intimidating defensive players who opposing coaches will have to account for every Saturday. Led by Maualuga and Cushing, this group has a nose for the football and a gift for fighting through blockers to get to the ball carrier. With the front seven that USC will be rolling out this year, the only tackles the safeties and corners make will be on completed passes.

2. Ohio State
In one of the biggest upsets of the 2008 season, Laurinaitis decided to come back for his senior season. In a weak year for linebackers, he would've been the first one taken and a near-certain top 20 overall pick, but instead he now has a shot to finish up his career as, arguably, one of the five greatest linebackers to ever play college football. A winner of the Butkus Award as the nation's best linebacker, and the Nagurski Award (in 2006) as the nation's best defensive player, he has made 236 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, nine sacks and seven interceptions in the last two seasons, highlighted by a 19-tackle day last year in the win over Wisconsin. With two All-America-caliber stars in Laurinaitis and Freeman, the linebacking corps will be among the best in America. There are good backups to count on in a pinch, but the starting strongside job will be the focus until Tyler Moeller, or possibly Curtis Terry, takes the gig by the horns.

3. Georgia
The linebacking corps supposedly needed a year to get ready, and as it turned out, it needed a half a season. Now the corps is ready to be special with a nice starting threesome led by star Dannell Ellerbe to lead a group of young players with fantastic high school résumés. There's speed, athleticism, and big hitting playmakers to burn, and there’s even more depth in the rotation. The second team isn't quite interchangeable with the first team, but it's not far off. At the very least, the second teamers would form a strong starting trio for about 100 other teams.

4. California
With all due respect to USC, Cal is sneaking up behind the Trojans in the race to determine the Pac-10’s best set of linebackers. All three of last year’s starters are for the Bears, including All-Pac-10 second teamer Zack Follett. From top to bottom, there isn’t a more athletic group of linebackers than the one in Berkeley. Best of all, all of that speed and athleticism doesn’t come at a price, as the top six players on the depth chart average nearly 240 pounds. The starters are proven veterans and the backups are talented underclassmen, who are learning and waiting in the wings to take over in 2009.

5. Kansas
Kansas has three players who'll be on the All-Big 12 team in some way. Joe Mortensen, Mike Rivera and James Holt will combine to make 300 tackles. The KU starting trio started every game last season and didn't like giving up a play of time. That's good, but the reserves are hardly seasoned despite being around the program for a while. One of the team's strongest players, Mortensen is a natural for the middle, while he has great range and could be moved to the outside if absolutely necessary. He's the leader of the defense and a possible Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year if has another season like 2007, and if a knee injury that limited him this off-season isn't a problem.

6. Boston College
An already well-rounded group of linebackers will be even better with the return of 6-0, 252-pound senior Brian Toal, who sat out last season to rehab an injury. Even after losing Jolonn Dunbar to the New Orleans Saints, the Eagles are well-stocked and go two-deep with players capable of stepping into the lineup and making plays. The depth is a little thin, especially in the middle behind Mike McLaughlin, but that’s nitpicking.

7. Texas
The linebacking corps was good against the run, but overall was a disappointment considering all the talent and depth. This year, the talent level is still there, but the veteran depth isn't with questions in the middle and weakside if injuries hit. However, this is a very fast, very athletic, very promising group that should put up big numbers across the board. No one should be able to outrun this group. When defensive coordinator Will Muschamp releases the hounds, the corps should look tremendous. There are too many great athletes and too much speed to not do far, far more to wreak havoc. Sergio Kindle and Roddrick Muckelroy should shine with more work on the outside, while Rashad Bobino should lead the team in tackles in the middle.

8. Florida
The young, talented group came together faster than anyone could've hoped for, and now it should be tremendous. Brandon Spikes is an All-American to work around, while A.J. Jones and Dustin Doe are underappreciated factors on the outside. The depth is there to provide even more of a rotation, and the talent is back to level it was at when Brandon Siler and Earl Everett where dominating.

9. Miami University
This could be the best unit in the MAC for any position. It's not a crazy stretch to think all three starters, Clayton Mullins, Caleb Bostic and Joey Hudson, could fill the top three MAC all-star linebacker spots. There's size, experience, toughness, and a whole bunch of talent. The only downside is a massive drop-off between the ones and the twos. Chris Shula is a nice player who'll fill in where needed, but Ryan Kennedy and David Davis need time, work, and a bit more bulk on the outside.

10. South Carolina
This will certainly be an interesting mix of talents. If Brinkley is close to being Brinkley again, the linebacking corps automatically becomes one of the SEC's best. Norwood has to prove he can handle the move to linebacker, a position he hasn't played since high school, while Gerrod Sinclair could be a breakout performer. The backups are solid, but the hope is that they're not needed like they were last year. Staying healthy is a must. It didn't matter much last year considering the Gamecocks led the SEC in pass defense, but the linebackers are mostly run stoppers going into this year. It's not that they can't run, it's that they're not the best in pass coverage.

11	Auburn
12	Virginia
13	Connecticut
14	Wisconsin
15	West Virginia
16	TCU
17	UCLA
18	Florida State
19	Wake Forest
20	LSU
21	Missouri
22	Pitt
23	Maryland
24	Michigan State
25	Colorado
26	Miami
27	Southern Miss
28	Stanford
29	Washington State
30	Oregon
31	Mississippi State
32	Michigan
33	Cincinnati
34	Tennessee
35	Texas Tech
36	Virginia Tech
37	Oregon State
38	North Carolina
39	Oklahoma
40	South Florida
41	Arizona State
42	Iowa
43	Kansas State
44	Washington
45	Notre Dame
46	Georgia Tech
47	Illinois
48	Indiana
49	Clemson
50	UCF
51	Rutgers
52	Penn State
53	Alabama
54	Purdue
55	Boise State
56	Ole Miss
57	Oklahoma State
58	Hawaii
59	Duke
60	San Diego State
61	Vanderbilt
62	Kentucky
63	Arizona
64	BYU
65	NC State
66	Fresno State
67	Baylor
68	Iowa State
69	Texas A&M
70	Ohio
71	Nebraska
72	Louisville
73	Northwestern
74	Kent State
75	Louisiana Tech
76	Minnesota
77	Colorado State
78	Northern Illinois
79	East Carolina
80	Tulane
81	Utah
82	New Mexico
83	Arkansas
84	Western Michigan
85	Wyoming
86	Air Force
87	Nevada
88	Bowling Green
89	Florida Atlantic
90	Syracuse
91	Tulsa
92	Temple
93	UNLV
94	Akron
95	Marshall
96	Memphis
97	Rice
98	San Jose State
99	Houston
100	Troy
101	Toledo
102	Central Michigan
103	Middle Tennessee
104	UAB
105	UL Monroe
106	Ball State
107	Arkansas State
108	Navy
109	UTEP
110	Utah State
111	UL Lafayette
112	FIU
113	Idaho
114	Eastern Michigan
115	SMU
116	Army
117	Buffalo
118	New Mexico State
119	North Texas