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Published Jun 9, 2022
Rivals Rankings Week: Breaking down the 2023 LBs
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Nick Harris  •  Rivals.com
National Recruiting Analyst
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@RivalsNick

NO. 1 AT THE POSITION: Anthony Hill

Denton (Texas) Ryan inside linebacker Anthony Hill remains the lone linebacker in the five-star ranks as he continues to hold his high value not only among his position group, but among all prospects in the class. Hill moved up one spot in the state rankings as he now sits just one spot nationally behind Austin (Texas) Westlake five-star offensive tackle TJ Shanahan.

While Hill has some versatility in the pass rush game potentially in a Micah Parsons-type role, he is the lone inside linebacker in the top 50 with Tackett Curtis sliding to No. 61. There won't be much competition at the inside linebacker position, but outside backers such as Malik Bryant and Drayk Bowen remain within striking distance.

Hill's recruitment is starting to get into its final stages as he will continue his streak of four-straight official visits this upcoming weekend at Alabama after tripping to Oklahoma this past weekend. Hill will round out the month of June with official visits to USC on June 17-19 and Texas on June 24-26. However, the perceived leader is Texas A&M as the Aggies continue to do solid work to stay at the top despite not landing a summer official. Hill will return to College Station in late July.

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TWO PROGRAMS TO WATCH: Notre Dame and Texas

Notre Dame already stakes claim to the No. 1 recruiting class in the country following the release of the updated Rivals250, and it's in big part to its pair of linebacker commits in Drayk Bowen and Preston Zinter.

While the Irish's class has begun to fill up just a tad more than usual at this point in the cycle, the need for linebackers still persists, and they remain in the mix for some of the nation's best. Jaiden Ausberry has Notre Dame high on his list, and if he can get pulled out of his hometown of Baton Rouge, I would see the Irish winning out. A new member into the Rivals100, Braylan Shelby has long awaited an offer from Notre Dame, and it could be a game-changer in his recruitment if it comes.

On the Texas side, the Longhorns have S'Maje Burrell, who was able to just sneak into the Rivals250 this time around after a solid performance at the Rivals Camp Series stop in Dallas earlier this spring.

From there, there are a lot of different options for a position group that defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski and linebackers coach Jeff Choate need to load up on in 2023. Anthony Hill, Braylan Shelby, Derion Gullette, Liona Lefau and Jalen Smith are all prospects Texas is getting on campus for official visits this summer, as just landing two of those names would be a step in the right direction for a badly depleted position group in Austin.

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THREE PROSPECTS TO WATCH: Braylan Shelby, Derion Gullette, Tony Rojas

A pair of Texas linebackers made big splashes in their respective debuts in the Rivals250, and Braylan Shelby leads the duo from the No. 83 spot overall. Shelby's frame, athleticism and explosion are all college-ready and his violent streak backs up his impressive physical traits. A big spring in track and field, in which he was able to triple jump a whopping 45 feet at 6-foot-5 and 235 pounds, allowed more athletic context to be applied to what is already impressive at first glance. Texas and USC are seen to be the favorites heading into visits with Tennessee on the outside looking in, but a potential offer from Notre Dame could swing things around.

Derion Gullette follows up Shelby just three spots behind at No. 86 as the two-way small-school Texas star continues to do nothing but impress each time he's in the public eye. Shortly after a junior season where Gullette led his team to its first state semifinal appearance this century, big offers from programs such as Ohio State, Notre Dame, Oregon and more started to flood in to go along with his already impressive in-state offer list from Texas and Texas A&M. His versatility at the second level along with his state-qualifying track speed make him one of the more intriguing and explosive linebackers in the country. The Longhorns and Aggies will both work to keep him in-state with programs such as Ohio State and Alabama remaining in the mix.

Another linebacker that stars on both sides of the ball for his high school team, Virginia native Tony Rojas saw a big shot up in the rankings, more than 100 spots to No. 109. Rojas' athleticism allows for him to rush the passer and cover elusive backs coming out of the backfield, both in the run and pass game. While four schools remain in the top grouping, this recruitment feels like Penn State's to lose this summer.

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