The college football season is approaching. There is always debate over ranking the best players in the sport. Here are the top 25 college football linebackers heading into the 2026 season.
Note: There is some projection in these rankings for the upcoming season. These are not NFL Draft rankings, but rather focus on the best players in college football.
25. Owen Chambliss, Nebraska Cornhuskers
Chambliss is transferring to Nebraska after a very successful 2025 at San Diego State. He is coming off a season with 110 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss and four sacks, but the Big Ten will be a new test.
24. Amare Campbell, Tennessee Volunteers
Campbell played two seasons at UNC then played last season at Penn State. As a Nittany Lion, he registered 103 total tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss and three sacks. He will try to lead a Tennessee defense that has a lot of new faces on it.
23. Owen Long, Arizona State Sun Devils
Long had a whopping 151 total tackles last season at Colorado State. He joins an influx of transfers at Arizona State and now will test himself at the power conference level.
22. Maverick Baranowski, Minnesota Golden Gophers
Baranowski has improved every season at Minnesota, registering 103 total tackles and nine tackles for loss last season. He will lead the defense that has a few NFL-level players on it.
21. Payton Pierce, Ohio State Buckeyes
Pierce hasn’t been a full-time starter yet, but did have 43 total tackles loast season. Now, he will get his chance to show if he can produce on a great defense.
20. Raylen Wilson, Georgia Bulldogs
Wilson has been a decent part of Georgia’s defense over the last two seasons, but now he will be asked to lead. He totaled 74 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks last season.
19. Owen Heinecke, Oklahoma Sooners
Heinecke partook in the NFL Combine last cycle, but then was granted another year of eligibility. He registered 74 total tackles and 12 tackles for loss last season and will bolster a good Sooners’ defense.
18. Kip Lewis, Oklahoma Sooners
Lewis will be joined by Heinecke to lead the linebacker room for Oklahoma. Lewis had 76 tackles and 10.5 tackles for loss, giving Oklahoma plenty of returning production at the position.
17. Jaxton Eck, New Mexico Lobos
Eck is the son of head coach Jason Eck and showed his football smarts last season for the Lobos. He tallied 129 total tackles and 6.5 tackles for loss as one of the better group of six conference players.
16. Luke Ferrelli, Ole Miss Rebels
After some portal controversy this offseason, Ferrelli joined Ole Miss. As a freshman at Cal last season, Ferrelli had 91 total tackles and showed solid potential.
15. Keaton Thomas, Ole Miss Rebels
Thomas had over 100 tackles in each of the last two seasons for Baylor. Now, he will join Ferrelli to give the Ole Miss defense a strength at linebacker.
14. Daniel Wingate, Maryland Terrapins
Wingate had 103 total tackles and 6.5 tackles for loss last season for Maryland. The Terrapins have a decent amount of returning talent and Wingate should be able to lead them to more success than last season.
13. Mohamed Toure, Miami Hurricanes
Toure is one of the most experience players in the sport, having started his college career in 2019. He had 84 total tackles for Miami on their CFP run last season.
12. Cade Uluave, BYU Cougars
Uluave developed into a good linebacker at Cal, registering 100 tackles and 12 tackles for loss last season. He transferred to BYU this offseason, where he will be a part of a team looking to win the Big 12.
11. Isaiah Jones, Indiana Hoosiers
Jone specialized in splash plays for Indiana last season on their national championship run with 15.5 tackles for loss and seven sacks. He will now be the leader of the defense with other players moving on to the next level.
10. Ben Roberts, Texas Tech Red Raiders
Roberts has 280 total tackles over the last three seasons for the Red Raiders. He is a captain that will be hoping to help the team make back to back CFPs.
9. Rolijah Hardy, Indiana Hoosiers
Hardy racked up 102 total tackles, 15 tackles for loss and eight sacks to help Indiana win the national championship in 2025. He and Jones will pair to make one of the best linebacker duos in the country.
8. Austin Romaine, Texas Tech Red Raiders
Romaine had 184 total tackles over three seasons at Kansas State. He now transfers to Texas Tech and will join Roberts to make a great tandem.
7. Drayk Bowen, Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Bowen has shown to be a good run defender during his time at Notre Dame. Last season he had 67 total tackles and will be part of a great defense again in 2026.
6. Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa, Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Viliamu-Asa projects to be a good NFL linebacker who has shown great potential at the college level. He had 48 tackles for loss, 7.5 tackles for loss and three sacks last season, but should do more next season.
5. Xavier Atkins, Auburn Tigers
Atkins spent one season at LSU, but then transferred to Auburn last year. He had 84 total tackles and 17 tackles for loss, showing how big of an impact he can make.
4. Whit Weeks, LSU Tigers
Weeks played in only eight games with an injury last season, but in 2024, he had 125 total tackles and 10 tackles for loss. He will be the leader on an LSU defense that has a lot of stars on the field.
3. Suntarine Perkins, Ole Miss Rebels
Is he an edge rusher or a linebacker? Wherever Perkins lines up, he can be effective. He has 179 total tackles, 32 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks in his three seasons of Ole Miss. Another good season could see him become one of the Ole Miss all-time greats.
2. Rasheem Biles, Texas Longhorns
Biles is a bit undersized, but he makes plenty of plays. He had 101 tackles, 17 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks last season for Pitt. Now, he can bolster a defense that could end up winning a national championship.
1. Sammy Brown, Clemson Tigers
Brown has played well for Clemson the last two seasons after being a heralded recruit. He has 186 total tackles, 25 tackles for loss and 10 sacks so far and could help Clemson rebound from a bad year if he improves.
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