NFL Draft Analysis: Linebackers
STRENGTH OF DRAFT: 3 (On a 10-point scale)
An average of 31 linebackers are selected in every draft. There could be as few as eight taken in the first three rounds of 2008. A linebacker has been selected in the top 10 only once in the last four drafts.
THE BEST
Keith Rivers, Southern California
Rivers considered turning pro after his junior season at USC but decided to return to make a last run at another national championship and finish up work on his degree. He also improved his draft standing, emerging as a potential top-10 pick. Rivers was the team runner-up in tackles on the NCAA's second-ranked defense. His 11-inch-wide hands keep blockers off his body.
SLEEPER
David Vobora, OLB, Idaho
The highest-drafted player from the Vandals in the last 40 years was a mere third-rounder. But Jake Scott was a fourth-rounder in 2004 and Mark Schlereth a 10th-rounder in 1987 — yet both guards wound up starting on Super Bowl championship teams. Vobora was a two-year starter at Idaho, a two-time All-WAC selection and a two-time team captain. He'll be a late-round pick who will play in the NFL.
SPOTLIGHT ON . . .
Keith Rivers, Southern California
When Southern California issues jersey No. 55, there are expectations to be met. The school expects that player to be an All-America linebacker — and the player can expect to be a first-round NFL draft pick.
Keith Rivers is on the verge of scoring with that double, following in the footsteps of Junior Seau, Willie McGinest and Chris Claiborne. Seau was the fifth overall selection of the 1990 draft, McGinest fourth overall in 1994 and Claiborne ninth in 1999.
The No. 55 was one of the inducements USC offered Rivers coming out of Lake Mary, Fla., in 2004, when he was everyone's prep All-American.
"It's kind of a club of guys," Rivers said. "When I got it, they sent a note out to the other 55s letting them know a new person was going to be wearing it. I just tried to live up to it."
Rivers started three years, earned All-Pac-10 honors as a junior and senior and was named to All-America teams both seasons. He was a captain as a senior and the team's Lifter of the Year for his performance in the off-season program.
It all goes with the territory of wearing No. 55.
"Coming from Florida, I didn't understand the importance of it as I do now," Rivers said. "After a while, you develop a sense of responsibility — work hard in the weight room and practice hard every day. The number is so much bigger than you."
The Top 15
Player . . . School . . . Ht. . . . Wt. . . . Noteworthy
Keith Rivers;Southern Cal;6-2;241;Recovered 6 career fumbles
Jerod Mayo;Tennessee;6-1;242;Led SEC with 140 tackles
Curtis Lofton;Oklahoma;6-0;246;Big 12 Defensive Player of Year
Dan Connor;Penn St.;6-2;231;Led Big Ten with 145 tackles
Bryan Kehl;BYU;6-2;242;4.56 speed in the 40
Tavares Gooden;Miami;6-1;234;Started at all 3 LB spots
Xavier Adibi;Va. Tech;6-1;232;11 career sacks
Jordan Dizon;Colorado;5-11;229;Led Big 12 with 162 tackles
Philip Wheeler;Ga. Tech;6-1;248;35 career tackles for loss
Erin Henderson;Maryland;6-2;244;16 double-figure tackle games
Beau Bell;UNLV;6-1;244;No. 2 tackler in school history
Vince Hall;Va. Tech;5-11;232;Four-year starter
Shawn Crable;Michigan;6-4;245;16 career sacks
Stanford Kegler;Purdue;6-1;239;Four-year starter
Jameel McClain;Syracuse;6-0;249;9 sacks in 2006
NOTABLES
Team leader
Some elite players lead by example. USC linebacker Keith Rivers also talks the talk. "He plays his whole game for respect," fellow USC linebacker Thomas Williams said. "He'd tell us, 'I don't know what you're going to do for your respect, but I'm going to go out there and earn mine today.' And he's done that. We say that before every game. I think everyone around college football and the NFL respects him."
Drafting measurables
The NFL likes size at linebacker. Ideally, middle linebackers should be in the 6-2, 250-pound range and outside backers should be 6-3, 240. At 5-11, 232 pounds, Virginia Tech middle linebacker Vince Hall doesn't fit the NFL prototype. "Mike Singletary wasn't tall," Hall said, "but he knew how to play linebacker. Ray Lewis wasn't tall. They look bigger in pads, though. I feel I'm 6-3 in pads." Hall started four years and won the Dudley Award as the top player in Virginia in 2006.
Changing sides
Boston College's Jo-Lonn Dunbar rushed for 2,182 yards as a senior in high school. "I wanted to be a running back," Dunbar said. "When schools told me I'd be a linebacker, I turned them off a little bit." But he made the switch as a freshman because the competition for playing time was so stiff at running back. "
The defensive coaches had been on me to come over and play defense," he said, "so I took the opportunity and ran with it." Dunbar started his final two years at middle linebacker and left Boston College with 269 career tackles.
Offensive defenders
Penn State's Dan Connor was an 1,800-yard rusher as a senior.
Maryland's Erin Henderson was a high school quarterback, passing for 1,500 yards with 20 touchdowns and only four interceptions as a senior.
All in the family
Speaking of Henderson, he's the brother of E.J. Henderson, who starts at linebacker for the Minnesota Vikings. "Having a brother [in the NFL] is a huge benefit," Erin Henderson said. "Just being able to talk to him and having him as a resource, reaching out to him any time I have any questions." Virginia Tech's Xavier Abibi is the younger brother of Nate Adibi, a fifth-round pick by Pittsburgh in 2004. LSU's Ali Highsmith is the cousin of Alonzo Highsmith, the third overall pick of the 1987 draft by Houston.
Tackling machines
Football is a game of blocking and tackling. Here are the top 10 tackling linebackers in this draft:
Player;School;No.
Jordan Dizon;Colorado;442
Dan Connor;Penn St.;420
J Leman;Illinois;407
Vince Hall;Va. Tech;404
Wesley Woodyard;Kentucky;394
Nick Watkins;Clemson;386
David Vobora;Idaho;342
Ben Moffitt;South Florida;335
Beau Bell;UNLV;320
Drew Fowler;Air Force;319
Follow the bouncing ball
Iowa State's Alvin "Ace" Bowen forced five fumbles last season. Louisville's Lamar Myles and Kentucky's Wesley Woodyard forced seven fumbles apiece in their careers. Arizona's Spencer Larsen leads this linebackers board with eight career fumble recoveries.
On the mat
Three-time academic All-Big Ten linebacker Mike Humpal of Iowa State was a state of Iowa wrestling champion at 215 pounds in high school. He's going 244 these days. Humpal, by the way, is tops among linebackers on the draft board with six career interceptions.
Brain game
Speaking of academics, Bryan Kehl of Brigham Young was a two-time academic All-Mountain West selection, Scott Derry of Texas a three-time academic All-Big 12 and J Leman of Illinois a four-time academic All-Big Ten. Leman has a degree in speech communications. He played middle linebacker in a 4-3 scheme at Illinois but isn't flustered by the fact he may have a new position (OLB) or a new scheme (3-4) in the NFL. That's the advantage of drafting smart players. "Football is football," Leman said. "Once I get into camp and have a week or two to learn the schemes, I'll be good to go."
Time off
Kehl and Spencer Larsen of Arizona interrupted their college careers to spend two years on church missions. Kehl went to Toronto and Larsen to Chile. Both returned to become all-conference linebackers as seniors.
Lowering the bar
Bednarik Award winner Dan Connor grew up in suburban Philadelphia and went to college at Penn State. But he didn't aspire to be the next Jeremiah Trotter (Eagles) or LaVar Arrington (Penn State). "My dad coached at Penn and Wagner, so I watched a lot of his players, who were relatively unknown guys," Connor said. "Also the local high school — guys I could meet and see in person."
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