Spring football has begun and will be in full swing across the country soon. This leads to a look at the top 10 players returning at each position, continuing today with the linebackers.
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MORE: Top 10 QBs in college football entering the 2022 season | RB | WR | TE | OL | DT | DE
CLASS OF 2023 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State
CLASS OF 2024 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State
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RIVALS CAMP SERIES: Info for 2022 series
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1. Noah Sewell, OregonÂ
Sewell, the former five-star recruit, will get a huge bump this year from having new coach Dan Lanning in place. Sewell has a very similar skill set to Nakobe Dean, although he’s much bigger. I predict a monster season from him.
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2. Trenton Simpson, Clemson Â
The rising junior from Clemson is a disruptive force who is at his best playing downhill in attack mode. He’s also the beneficiary of playing behind Bryan Bresee, who routinely occupies multiple blockers in front of him. That doesn’t take away from the fact that Simpson is an outstanding player in his own right.
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3. Edefuan Ulofoshio, Washington
Ulofoshio had his 2021 season cut short due to injury, but he’s still among the best at his position. In 20 career games he has 147 tackles and possesses the sideline-to-sideline skills that coaches covet.
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4. Ivan Pace, Cincinnati Â
Last year at Miami of Ohio, Pace was simply a wrecking ball. He tallied 125 tackles, 13 tackles for loss and four sacks. Now he heads to Cincinnati, where he’ll have a chance to shine on a bigger stage.
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5. Drake Thomas, NC StateÂ
Thomas was the defensive star for an NC State team that made a big jump in 2021. He finished the season with 99 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, six sacks and three picks. He can do it all.
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6. DeMarvion Overshown, Texas
It was a bit of a surprise that Overshown, the leader of the Longhorns' defense, decided to forego the draft and come back for a fifth year. But the NFL’s loss is Texas’ gain, as he’s got all the athleticism you could want out of a middle linebacker.
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7. Jack Campbell, IowaÂ
Campbell is the epitome of an Iowa linebacker - he’s rugged, instinctive and as sure a tackler as they come. He led the nation with 140 tackles in 2021, and he’s the unquestioned best linebacker in the Big Ten.
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8. Bumper Pool, Arkansas Â
A true thumper in the middle, the man with the best name in college football hits as hard as anyone in the country. The third-leading tackler in the SEC in 2021, he is a guy you simply don’t want to meet in the hole if you’re a running back.
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9. Carlton Martial, Troy Â
Quietly, Martial has been arguably the most productive linebacker in the country over the past three seasons. Despite being only 5-foot-9 and 210 pounds, he’s had three consecutive seasons with more than 110 tackles to go along with 47.5 tackles for loss, 10 sacks and five picks for his career.
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10. Troy Brown, Central Michigan
Brown received PFF's sixth-highest grade among all linebackers in the country last season, and it's easy to see why. He's a fantastic athlete and excels in coverage, rating out as the second-best cover linebacker in the country in 2021.
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Just missed out: KD Davis (North Texas), Jack Kiser (Notre Dame), Deshawn Pace (Cincinnati), Tyrice Knight (UTEP)
