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NFL Draft Stock Report: Linebacker

The NFL Draft is far away, but as college football hits its stride for 2017, we take a look at the top prospects at each position. Today, we continue with the linebackers.

MORE NFL STOCK REPORTS: QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | OLs | DTs | DEs

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Recruiting: In the middle of his senior season, Baker flipped his commitment from Florida to Ohio State. He announced his decision on Twitter by saying, “Ohio… I’m staying home.”

Stats: Baker is third on the Buckeyes with 23 tackles (two for loss) including one sack. He has also added two pass deflections and a quarterback hurry.

Farrell’s take: Baker wasn’t that tall or long, but he was sudden, explosive and arrived at the ball with a thump. His instincts were off the charts, and he played bigger than his size and continues to do so. The NFL will love his tape this year, as he continues to improve and his tackling is efficient. He’s also an effective blitzer when needed.

Recruiting: On National Signing Day, Smith committed to UCLA, but did not sign and fax his letter of intent. He decided to reopen his recruitment and less than two weeks later, Smith picked Georgia over the Bruins, Michigan and Texas A&M.

Stats: Smith leads Georgia’s top-notch defense with 38 tackles, and he has one sack, five quarterback pressures and one pass breakup. The Bulldogs are only allowing 9.2 points per outing.

Farrell’s take: When Smith decided not to head west and delayed his process, I didn’t think a ton of it because while I thought he was good and was a Rivals100 prospect, he was undersized and I wasn’t sold on how effective he would be at the next level. Man, was I wrong. He’s an absolute terror, and you could argue that no linebacker in the country arrives to the football faster. He’s a quick-twitch kid, has added good size and someone will covet him highly as a terrorizing outside linebacker. He and Baker are similar.

Recruiting: After USC offered, the Trojans emerged as the frontrunner in Smith’s recruitment, and he committed in the spring before his junior season. UCLA was an early leader and then Oregon and Wisconsin also got looks.

Stats: Smith leads USC with 41 tackles and 5.5 for loss. He also has a fumble recovery and a quarterback hurry.

Farrell’s take: Smith had a very strong freshman season and hasn’t looked back, showing off excellent instincts and pure form tackling. He was just outside the Rivals100 for us mainly because of questions about his lateral ability and quick-twitch athleticism, but he takes such good angles, he's so physical in shedding blocks and he diagnoses plays so well that he overcomes any lack of natural speed. He’s a great example of a guy who struggles in camp settings but kills people with the pads on.

Recruiting: In the spring before his senior season, Kiser committed to Virginia over Maryland. The Cavaliers were considered the frontrunner and the three-star linebacker finalized things early.

Stats: Kiser leads Virginia with 45 tackles and he also has a team-high five sacks. He also has a fumble recovery and has recorded three pass breakups.

Farrell’s Take: Kiser was a high three-star for us after starting off as a four-star because at times his production was underwhelming in high school, and he looked out of position. He also wasn’t that long. That being said, a high three-star ranking is nothing to sneeze at, but he’s overcome a lot and has emerged as a terrific inside linebacker. The angles and false step issues he had in high school are gone from his game.

Recruiting: During a ceremony at his high school, Jefferson committed to Texas along with teammate DeAndre McNeal. Texas A&M and UCLA were Jefferson’s other finalists.

Stats: Jefferson tops Texas with 33 tackles including three for loss and one sack. The former five-star linebacker also has two quarterback hurries.

Farrell’s Take: Jefferson was a fun kid to cover, a driven player who made sacrifices like pushing through family hardship to play in the Under Armour All-America Game when he could have easily gone the local U.S. Army All-American Bowl route. Jefferson was a five-star and he has certainly delivered for Texas. His early impact was a surprise, but the fact that he’s become a defensive leader after two seasons is not surprising at all. He has some work to do on angles and proper tackling form to stay this high in NFL projections, but he’s recovered well from a rough first game.

TWO TO WATCH

Recruiting: In front of his high school team in the weight room, Joseph picked Clemson over Duke and Louisville in the summer before his senior season. He cited defensive coordinator Brent Venables as the main reason he chose the Tigers.

Stats: Joseph is second on the Tigers behind fellow linebacker Dorian O’Daniel with 35 tackles including 3.5 for loss and 0.5 sacks. He also has recorded three quarterback pressures and two pass breakups.

Farrell’s take: Joseph was a big hitter but he wasn’t very tall or long and didn’t cover a ton of space out of high school, so he was a low three-star prospect. He still isn’t the tallest, but he’s a thumper as he was in high school and has improved his change of direction and ability to read and react greatly. This draft isn’t loaded with tall and long outside linebackers, but there are some hitters, and Joseph is one of them.

Recruiting: Okoronkwo was committed to Oklahoma State since the summer before his senior season, but in December he switched his commitment to Oklahoma. Okoronkwo was ranked as a defensive end in high school.

Stats: Second on Oklahoma with 25 tackles, Okornkwo leads the Sooners with 7.5 stops for loss and 4.5 sacks. He has also forced two fumbles.

Farrell’s take: Okoronkwo didn't have great size, but he could get around the edge, was sneaky strong and powerful. He ran track, was a weight room warrior and, as a flip from Oklahoma State, he was an important get in the 2013 class. He has played above his ranking this season and has the athleticism to convert from end to linebacker in the NFL.

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