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With most football teams in the 60s, 70s, 80s, and even part of the 90s, the elite defensive position for pass rushers was the defensive end. However, over the last 20 or so years, the entire NFL seems to have made the switch from 4-3 defenses to 3-4 defenses. With that switch, the new elite defensive position for pass rushers is now the outside linebacker. However, it has also made the inside linebacker important because it has become a position of chase, speed, and stopping the run. With about 25 teams running the 3-4 this upcoming year, LB day has become of the most important days of the combine.

Because this class isn’t filled with so many speed rushers on the outside, there hasn’t been an all-out #1 guy at LB. Early in the scouting process, Joey Bosa from Ohio State and Noah Spence from Eastern Kentucky, who both can play OLB, are both being look at as top 10, if not top 5, type of picks, but both are being listed as a defensive lineman, so I’ll get to them when I review those guys. Keep in mind that there are more than a few guys that are similar to Bosa and Spence where they are listed as d-linemen, but will be playing with their hand up at the next level.

There are essentially 3 pure LBs to mention that should be 1st round picks of the guys listed below. Those guys are Jaylon Smith of Notre Dame, Myles Jack of UCLA, and Reggie Ragland of Alabama. Smith and Miles can play both inside and outside but probably fit best as inside linebackers in a 3-4 defense. Ragland is a pure middle linebacker that doesn’t have too many pass rushing moves and will have to find a system that best utilizes his ability.

Below is a list of all the heights, weights, arm lengths, and hand lengths of all the Linebackers who will be at the 2016 NFL Combine.

Player School Height Weight Arm
Dominique Alexander Oklahoma 6-0 232 32 1/4
Devante Bond Oklahoma 6-1 235 32 3/8
Kentrell Brothers Missouri 6-0 245 30 3/4
Beniquez Brown Mississippi State 6-1 229 31 3/8
De’Vondre Campbell Minnesota 6-4 232 33 5/8
Su’a Cravens USC 6-1 226 32 1/8
Steven Daniels Boston College 5-11 243 32 5/8
Kyler Fackrell Utah State 6-5 245 33 1/4
Travis Feeney Washington 6-4 230 33 3/8
Leonard Floyd Georgia 6-6 244 33 1/8
Josh Forrest Kentucky 6-3 249 33 1/2
Kris Frost Auburn 6-2 240 32 1/2
B J Goodson Clemson 6-1 242 33 1/4
Myles Jack UCLA 6-1 245 33 5/8
Jordan Jenkins Georgia 6-3 259 34 1/4
C J Johnson Ole Miss 6-1 234 32 3/4
Deion Jones LSU 6-1 222 32 3/8
Raphael Kirby Miami 6-0 236 31
Nick Kwiatkoski West Virginia 6-2 243 31 3/4
Darron Lee Ohio State 6-1 232 33 1/4
Cory Littleton Washington 6-3 238 33 3/8
Steve Longa Rutgers 6-1 241 32
Curt Maggitt Tennessee 6-3 247 33
Blake Martinez Stanford 6-2 237 31 5/8
Tyler Matakevich Temple 6-0 238 31 1/4
Cassanova Mckinzy Auburn 6-1 248 31 1/4
Jared Norris Utah 6-1 241 31 1/2
Montese Overton East Carolina 6-2 223 32 3/4
Gionni Paul Utah 5-10 231 31
Joshua Perry Ohio State 6-4 254 33 7/8
Reggie Ragland Alabama 6-1 247 32
Joe Schobert Wisconsin 6-1 244 31 1/2
Jaylon Smith Notre Dame 6-2 223 33
Terrance Smith Florida State 6-3 235 32 3/4
Eric Striker Oklahoma 5-11 227 31 1/4
Nick Vigil Utah State 6-2 239 32 3/8
Stephen Weatherly Vanderbilt 6-4 267 34 1/2
Scooby Wright Arizona 6-0 239 30 1/2