Rivals Rankings Week: Breaking down the 2024 LBs
With the final 2024 Rivals250 being unveiled Tuesday, it's time to dive into the position rankings. The defensive position rankings are being released today, and the national analyst team – Adam Friedman, John Garcia Jr., Adam Gorney and Greg Smith – is giving their takes on which player is the best fit with the team they signed with. Up next are the linebackers.
NEW POSITION RANKINGS: Pro-Style QB | Dual-Threat QB | All-Purpose RB | Running Back | Wide Receiver | Tight End | Offensive Tackle | Offensive Guard | Center | DT | Weakside DE | Strongside DE | Outside LB | Inside LB
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RIVALS RANKINGS WEEK
Sunday: Who should be No. 1 in the 2024 Rivals250?
Monday: Five-Star Countdown | Meet the new five-stars
Tuesday: Rivals250 released | Biggest movers | Gorney's thoughts
Wednesday: Offensive position rankings released | QB breakdown | RB breakdown | WR/TE breakdown | OL breakdown | Podcast
Thursday: Defensive position rankings released | DL breakdown | LB breakdown | DB breakdown | ATH breakdown
Friday: State rankings released
Saturday: Final thoughts on the 2024 Rivals250
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FRIEDMAN: Myles Graham
There are plenty of holes on the Florida defense so Graham will have the opportunity to come in, show off his leadership qualities and be ready to play. He's a tackling machine, especially between the tackles.
The way Graham is able to quickly diagnose plays and understand the defensive scheme should allow him to see the field very early in his career. It wouldn't surprise me to see Graham become a multi-year starter for the Gators and then go on to become a high draft pick.
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GARCIA: Myles Graham
Not only is the five-star a legacy player who understands the standards in Gainesville, but Graham has been seemingly built-up to this role for most of his football life. The stout inside linebacker has the type of experience to become the play-caller in the middle one day, but plenty of raw athleticism and outside-in work on his resume to make a splash earlier than that.
Graham profiles like a chase-and-tackle, sideline-to-sideline player, but he also excels in space, the type of second-level player Florida needs in the ever-changing SEC. Whether spying a dual-threat quarterback or firing downhill on a ball carrier, Graham is Saturday ready and a great fit on and off the field for Billy Napier as the program looks to bounce back to prominence.
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GORNEY: Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa
The five-star linebacker has all the elite physical tools to be special at any program from running sideline to sideline, the desire to come up and knock people around at the line of scrimmage, and the confidence to lead the defense and make plays all the time.
Why Viliamu-Asa is such a great fit at Notre Dame, though, is that he's serious about academics, he is mature beyond his years and he turned down Ohio State, USC and many others to excel in South Bend. On and off the field, Viliamu- Asa is a perfect fit at Notre Dame and that should only make him an even better football player for the Irish.
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SMITH: Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa
This one might have been the easiest choice of all for me. As a player, Viliamu-Asa can do it all from the inside linebacker position. He’s got enough speed to cover, has good instincts and enjoys striking opposing ball carriers. Viliamu-Asa is a true three-down linebacker at 6-foot-3, 225 pounds.
But more than his fantastic skill set, he brings a physicality and toughness that will fit in perfectly with Notre Dame’s program. He’s a no-nonsense player with a motor that runs hot all the time. He will be a leader and tackle machine for the Irish.