Rivals Rankings Week: Breaking down the 2024 LBs
With the updated 2024 Rivals250 being unveiled this week, it's now time to dive into the position rankings. The defensive position rankings are being released today and here we focus on the linebackers.
NEW POSITION RANKINGS: Inside linebacker | Outside linebacker | Strongside DE | Weakside DE | Defensive tackle | Offensive tackle | Offensive guard | Center | Tight end | Wide receiver | Running back | All-purpose RB | Pro-style QB | Dual-threat QB
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RIVALS RANKINGS WEEK
Sunday: Who should be No. 1?
Monday: Five-Star Countdown | Meet the new five-stars
Tuesday: Rivals250 revealed | Biggest risers | Gorney's position-by-position
Wednesday: Offensive position rankings revealed | Teams that should be pleased | Recruiting update on top 25 players | QB rankings spotlight | RB rankings spotlight | WR/TE rankings spotlight | OL rankings spotlight
Thursday: Defensive position rankings revealed | Will there be another five-star QB? | DL rankings spotlight
Friday: State rankings revealed
NO. 1 AT THE POSITION: TJ CAPERS
In what is still a developing linebacker class, even at the top, Miami (Fla.) Columbus five-star linebacker TJ Capers is the most proven prospect which has earned him the spot as the No. 1 linebacker in the country and the No. 6 overall recruit nationally.
At 6-foot-3, 208 pounds, Capers possesses the physical profile to play the position at both the college and NFL levels with consistent development, and he pairs it with the ability to excel in both the run and pass game. His downhill pursuit puts him in the backfield before a play can fully develop, making his presence at least a nuisance to the flow of an offense. In the pass game, he can cover with the twitchiest of backfield threats while also being able to man the middle of the second level in zone coverage.
With consistent development, there is a high chance Capers maintains his high ranking with the ability to bump even further up the ranks.
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TWO TEAMS TO WATCH: Georgia and Florida
With there not being many committed linebackers around the country, it makes sense to take a look at programs that benefit geographically from linebacker talent, and two programs immediately stand out.
Georgia benefits from an insanely loaded group of talent in the Peach State all the way through the Rivals250 with Jefferson (Ga.) four-star linebacker Sammy Brown leading the way at the No. 21 spot nationally. Going just a couple spots further, College Park (Ga.) Woodward Academy four-star Myles Graham checks in at No. 25, although he announced his commitment to Florida in August. The state also features Ja'Qualin Birdsong, Andrew Hines and Wendell Gregory in the Rivals250. With a deep in-state pool to choose from and consistent development tearing through Athens at the position group, there's no reason why the Bulldogs shouldn't haul in yet another strong linebacker class.
The same could be said for Billy Napier's squad at Florida, which has one of the largest in-state pools of talent at the linebacker position in the Rivals250 of any state in the country. Now, there is more competition when it comes to pulling in that talent with Miami, Florida State and others also recruiting well within state lines, but the Gators have already built some momentum in 2024 at the position group by landing Graham from across the state border.
Capers leads the way up top while Adarius Hayes, Timajay Hayes and Rodney Hill are sprinkled throughout the rankings update. The 2024 class is loaded in the Sunshine State in multiple position groups, and Florida is in dire need of a program-defining class early in the Napier period. The linebacker class along with the wide receiver class in-state could help the Gators set the foundation for just that moving forward.
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THREE PROSPECTS TO WATCH
Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco four-star outside linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa saw a two-spot bump within the top 100 as he gets his junior season started. Despite missing his sophomore season due to a knee injury, his return to the field for Bosco along with camp performances has college coaches excited about what he can do on the field this season. Programs that have been in consistent communication early include Oregon, Ohio State and USC.
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Speaking of the Trojans, USC commit Dylan Williams saw another rise in the rankings after his big summer bump, as he moved to the No. 78 spot nationally. His length at 6-foot-2, 195 pounds is impressive, and his frame has a lot of room to fill in. His athleticism doesn't take sacrifice to his physicality as he combines both to create a true threat at the second level.
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Jasper (Texas) outside linebacker Tyanthony Smith currently sits outside of the Rivals250 and is still ranked as a three-star prospect, but the athletic Southeast Texas defender is a prospect that college coaches are excited to see on the field in 2022. His summer saw him pick up offers from five Power Five programs including LSU and Texas, as a big junior season could see programs such as Alabama that have been monitoring finally pull the trigger.