Top 10 returning linebackers getting into the 2025 season

Top 10 returning linebackers getting into the 2025 season


  • Anthony Hill Jr. is on the high: The rising junior is the perfect returning linebacker in school soccer as a result of his penchant for locating the soccer.
  • Two Pittsburgh Panthers within the high 10: Kyle Louis and Rasheem Biles kind what must be the perfect linebacker unit in school soccer in 2025. 

Estimated Reading Time: 7 minutes

With the 2024 school soccer season within the books, it’s time to show our consideration to 2025 by rating the highest returning gamers at each place. 

Next up is linebacker. The place has lacked top-end expertise lately as a result of gamers needing to be so versatile — run defending, move dashing and protection. However, loads of thrilling star linebackers are returning to school soccer.

Below is an inventory of PFF’s high 10 returning linebackers in school soccer, along with an honorable point out nominee. Please observe that NFL projection was not taken under consideration in these rankings.

Click under to view our different place rankings
QB | RB | WR | TE | OT | IOL | DI | EDGE

1. Anthony Hill Jr., Texas

Hill was a five-star recruit and instantly lived as much as the hype, beginning as a real freshman. He is consistently across the soccer, whether or not as a run defender, a move rusher or in protection. Since 2023, his 32 protection stops are tied for essentially the most amongst FBS linebackers and his 10 sacks and 5 compelled fumbles are tied for essentially the most amongst Power Four linebackers. Hill racked up 127 performs the place he made first contact on a ball service in that very same span, essentially the most of any returning Power Four linebacker. 

Hill is a flexible athlete who wears many hats for the Longhorns’ protection and will discover his approach into the primary spherical of the 2026 NFL Draft.

2. Taurean York, Texas A&M

Like Anthony Hill Jr., York has been a starter in every of his first two school seasons. But not like Hill, he was only a three-star recruit popping out of highschool. 

York has confirmed these rankings flawed to this point, main all returning Power Four linebackers with 59 run-defense stops since 2023. His 122 performs with first contact on ball carriers are tied for fourth amongst that group. York has a stocky construct at 6-foot and 235 kilos, and he is a superb tackler. 

3. Whit Weeks, LSU

Harold Perkins Jr. started final season as PFF’s top-ranked linebacker in school soccer, and now it’s a distinct Tiger who graces the highest three. 

Weeks was a continuing in opposing backfields as a sophomore. His 21 tackles for loss or no achieve have been the fourth most amongst all linebackers within the nation, whereas his 25 pressures have been a top-15 mark. Weeks’ potential to click on and shut is pretty much as good as anybody in school soccer.

Whit Weeks’ 2024 PFF Game Grades; Subscribe to PFF+ to unlock the world’s most superior soccer database!

4. Austin Romaine, Kansas State

Romaine was the Power Four’s highest-graded linebacker as only a true sophomore, incomes a 91.0 mark in 2024. His 90.7 run-defense grade (third greatest) powered that mark, and his 43 run-defense stops have been the fourth most amongst Power Four linebackers.

Romaine is a prototypical Mike linebacker at 6-foot-2 and 242 kilos, and he’s wonderful at beating blockers earlier than they’ll get a clear shot on him.

5. Kyle Louis, Pittsburgh

Louis was certainly one of six FBS linebackers to earn 80.0-plus grades as a run defender and in protection final season. The sophomore led the Power Four with 22 tackles for loss or no achieve and 4 interceptions in 2024. 

Louis’ motion potential in protection is paying homage to a slot cornerback, and he has elite agility at 225 kilos.

6. Sonny Styles, Ohio State

Styles started his profession as a security for the Buckeyes earlier than transitioning to linebacker this previous season. The transfer paid off for the previous No. 4 total recruit within the 2022 highschool class, as he completed his junior yr as one of many 20 most beneficial linebackers within the nation, based on PFF’s wins above common metric.

Styles nonetheless appears to be like like a security in protection, tying for fifth amongst Power Four linebackers with 16 protection stops final season. He additionally adjusted properly to the extra bodily model of play that enjoying linebacker requires, tallying six sacks and 75 performs with first contact on ball carriers.

7. Deontae Lawson, Alabama

The Crimson Tide are shedding linebacker Jihaad Campbell, who will possible change into a first-round decide within the 2025 NFL Draft, however they nonetheless have one other stud patrolling the center of the sector in Lawson.

His eight compelled incompletions since 2023 are tied for essentially the most amongst all returning linebackers in school soccer, whereas his 56 run-defense stops in that very same span stand third amongst returning Power Four linebackers. Lawson takes on blocks very properly as a result of his robust construct at 6-foot-2 and 239 kilos and does an impressive job of studying the quarterback’s eyes in zone protection.

8. CJ Allen, Georgia

Allen is a incredible athlete at 6-foot-1 and 235 kilos, putting above the 98th percentile in PFF’s Game Athleticism Score metric. His sideline-to-sideline pace and durable construct make him a superb run defender. The sophomore’s 89.8 PFF run-defense grade final yr ranked seventh amongst all school soccer linebackers.

Allen can also be an impressive tackler, putting within the 94th percentile on the place with only a 7.1% missed deal with fee since 2023. 

9. Drayk Bowen, Notre Dame

Bowen is a fair higher tackler than CJ Allen, lacking simply 6.3% of his profession makes an attempt — the seventh-best fee amongst 297 linebackers since 2023. No returning FBS linebacker was extra useful than him final yr, based on PFF’s wins above common metric.

The rising junior is a really bodily participant who might want to assume extra of a management function in 2025 following Jack Kiser’s departure.

Try PFF’s mock draft simulator — commerce picks and gamers and mock on your favourite NFL workforce.

10. Rasheem Biles, Pittsburgh

Between Kyle Louis and Biles, the Panthers have the perfect linebacker unit within the nation getting into subsequent season. Like Louis, Biles is constructed extra like a security at 215 kilos — and he has the protection potential of 1, as properly. The sophomore tallied 5 compelled incompletions in 2024, tied for essentially the most amongst returning Power Four linebackers. 

Biles was greater than only a protection linebacker, although, putting among the many high 10 Power Four linebackers in sacks (six) and tackles for loss or no achieve (15) final season. 

Honorable Mention: Wade Woodaz, Clemson

Woodaz spent his freshman season at security for the Tigers earlier than enjoying the previous two years at linebacker. That’s primarily as a result of his versatility in protection, as he compelled 5 incompletions final season and has picked off three passes since 2023. 

The rising senior can also be a weapon as a blitzer, tallying 22 pressures final yr — a top-20 mark within the Power Four.