The Rivals250 for the 2026 class has been updated and now it’s time to break down each position. We move to the linebackers by looking at four big storylines moving forward.
NEW POSITION RANKINGS: Cornerback | Safety | Athlete | Inside Linebacker | Outside Linebacker | Strongside Defensive End | Weakside Defensive End | Defensive Tackle | Offensive Tackle | Offensive Guard | Offensive Center | Wide Receiver | Tight End | Running Back | All-Purpose Back | 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: New Rivals250 unveiled | Gorney goes position-by-position | Biggest risers
Wednesday: New offensive position rankings released | QB rankings breakdown | RB rankings breakdown | WR/TE rankings breakdown | OL rankings breakdown
Thursday: New defensive position rankings released | DL rankings breakdown | LB rankings breakdown | DB rankings breakdown | ATH rankings breakdown
Friday: New state rankings released | Who is No. 1 in each state?
Saturday: Roundtable on the new Rivals250 rankings
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TYLER ATKINSON MANTAINS HIS SPOT AT LINEBACKER
Tyler Atkinson, the No. 9 overall overall player in the Rivals250 for the 2026 cycle, is the lone five-star prospect at the position so far. Despite a quiet offseason, the Loganville (Ga.) Grayson blue-chipper has phenomenal sophomore film and is already off to a fast start to his junior season.
Atkins is deemed the quarterback of his high school's defense and has the unique ability to drop back in cover, get after the quarterback and defend sideline to sideline at a high clip.
Georgia, Auburn, Ohio State and Florida State are among the teams in pursuit.
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AUBURN ALREADY HAS A DYNAMIC 1-2 PUNCH
Auburn has a strong presence at the linebacker position in the updated Rivals250. That, like much of the Tigers' recent success on the recruiting trail, is a product of Big Cat Weekend, which yielded early verbals from four-stars Shadarius Toodle and JaMichael Garrett from the Mobile, Ala., area late last month.
Toodle and Garrett rank Nos. 47 and 198, respectively, in the updated Rivals250 for 2026.
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NFL LEGACY AMONG TOP INSIDE LINEBACKERS
Thomas Davis is a familiar name in and around the Carolinas, and his son Thomas Davis Jr. is stepping into his junior season this weekend at Charlotte (N.C.) Myers Park. The younger Davis is the No. 123 overall player in the Rivals250 and among the best inside in the country.
We love the NFL bloodlines – and so does Notre Dame, Miami, Michigan, Ohio State, USC and others.
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THERE'S A LOT OF BUZZ SURROUNDING YOUNGEST WEEKS BROTHER
Zach Weeks is the third in line at Watkinsville (Ga.) Oconee County – filling in the shoes for older brothers Whit and West Weeks – now linebackers in Baton Rouge playing for the Tigers. The 6-foot-3, 225-pounder is entrenched in the Rivals250 at No. 196 overall.
During live evaluations this offseason, we loved what we saw from Weeks moving around in coverage. He's already one of the country's best defending against and sniffing out run plays.
