5 Day 2 linebackers to keep an eye on

It feels like linebacker is a perpetual NFL Draft need for the Las Vegas Raiders and heading into the upcoming season, the position group is arguably the weakest it has been in a while. To compound the issue, this year’s crop of prospects lacks top-end talent that would be worth a first-round pick.

However, the Raiders will have options on Day 2 of the draft as there is a cluster of backers who fit into that category and could start right away in the desert. Below is a look is a handful of linebackers who are projected to be second- or third-round picks based on NFL Mock Draft Database’s consensus big board as of April 14.

Drew Sanders

NMDD projection: 39th overall

Career stats: 27 games, 136 total tackles (56 solo), 16 TFL, 10.5 sacks, 1 INT, 7 PD, 3 FFs

Drew Sanders spent the first two years of his college career at Alabama as an edge defender before transferring to Arkansas ahead of this past season and switching to off-ball linebacker. In just a year at the position, he managed to become a Butkus Award finalist and shined in coverage, tieing for the lead among SEC linebackers with 17 defensive stops.

Scouting report from Bleacher Report (full report):

Sanders has a frame the NFL scouts and general managers will drool over, standing at 6’5” and 233 pounds with plenty of room to add the extra size and strength he needs. It was also pretty easy to see on film why he was the No. 1 ranked athlete coming out of high school, as he should light it up at the combine.

The Razorback is able to use his athleticism in both coverage and as a run defender, but his biggest flaw is with the latter. In college, he would often struggle to get extension against offensive linemen, making stacking and shedding much more difficult. That also played a role in him getting pushed around a bit and is his biggest weakness heading into the pros.

Relative Athletic Score (RAS) Profile

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Trenton Simpson

NMDD projection: 43rd overall

Career stats: 33 games, 165 total tackles (100 solo), 23 TFL, 13 sacks, 5 PD, 3 FFs

After playing in the hybrid safety/linebacker role for Brent Venables during his first two seasons at Clemson, Trenton Simpson got to play as a more traditional backer under new defensive coordinator Wes Goodwin this past year. Simpson is an impressive athlete who surrendered just 196 yards and a 63.9 completion percentage that ranked fifth among ACC linebackers in 2022.

Scouting report via B/R (full report):

Simpson has always played with his hair on fire and has been physical at the point of attack against the run. Wide receivers and tight ends working to the second level had trouble blocking him, and the added strength helped him hold his ground and get some extension versus offensive linemen.

However, Simpson still has room for growth in those areas, as bigger and more physical linemen will still be able to push him around a bit in the NFL. He also struggles to get off blocks against the big guys.

RAS profile

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Jack Campbell

NMDD projection: 45th overall

Career stats: 34 games, 299 total tackles (139 solo), 12.5 TFL, 3 sacks, 5 INTs (1 TD), 10 PD, 3 FFs

Jack Campbell is the most accomplished and arguably the most complete linebacker in this draft class. The Butkus Award winner ranked ninth among all FBS backers with an 87.0 PFF grade against the run and topped the position group with a 92.9 mark in coverage. Also, his 51 defensive stops were the second-most in the Big 10 last season.

Scouting report via B/R (full report):

He has impressive speed when coming downhill, which helps him plug gaps against the run and close on pass-catchers in zone coverage. He’s also arguably the best linebacker at stack-and-shedding in this draft class, and he has good instincts in zone coverage.

Schematically, the Hawkeye would be best as a middle linebacker in a system that uses a lot of one-high looks and Cover 3. That would give him some help over the top and keep him from having to carry wide receivers in Tampa 2, while still taking advantage of his ability to tighten throwing windows as an underneath defender in zone coverage.

RAS profile

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Daiyan Henley

NMDD projection: 68th overall

Career stats: 32 games, 249 total tackles (141 solo), 14.5 TFL, 4 sacks, 5 INTs (1 TD), 4 PD, 3 FFs

Daiyan Henley had quite the journey in college. His high school recruiting profile listed him as a quarterback, and he played wide receiver during his first two years at the University of Nevada before switching to safety for a season and playing linebacker as a junior. Finally, he transferred to Washington State and led Pac-12 linebackers with 20 defensive stops in coverage and rarely missed tackles at just a 5.2 percent clip, second-best at the position in the conference.

Scouting report via B/R (full report):

Henley’s background shows up in his movement skills. He’s an impressive athlete as a linebacker, and that helps him in man coverage, as he will be able to mirror and match tight ends and running backs. However, his lack of experience can show up in zone coverage, as he’ll occasionally end up covering grass.

RAS profile

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Noah Sewell

NMDD profile: 105th overall

Career stats: 33 games, 218 total tackles (105 solo), 20.5 TFL, 7.5 sacks, 2 INTs, 9 PD, 3 FFs

To get ahead of the major controversy as I’m sure someone will call me out on this, technically, Noah Sewell has a fourth-round projection and would technically fall out of the Day 3 category. However, he’s close enough to include and I think he’ll be a late third-rounder so the haters will just have to deal with it!

Probably the most significant stat for Sewell this past season is he cut down on his missed tackles from 19 in 2021 to eight in 2022, and his missed tackle rate went from 17.9 percent to 12.5. He also ranked fourth among Pac-12 linebackers with a 72.6 coverage grade.

Scouting report from B/R (full report):

His instincts against the run are impressive, allowing him to quickly diagnose the play design and put himself in a position to make the tackles. Plus, he’s physical and strong at the point of attack when taking on blocks and can deliver a thud.

However, his coverage skills are a different story. Oregon hardly trusted Sewell in man coverage, likely because he isn’t a great athlete and balls would whiz past his ears when playing zone since he doesn’t have good eye discipline.

RAS profile

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