2020 NFL Draft Prospects: Inside Linebackers

By Charlie Campbell.
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The top 2020 inside linebacker prospects available for the 2020 NFL Draft. * – denotes 2021 prospect. ** – denotes 2022 prospect.

This page was last updated April 22, 2020. Follow Walter @walterfootball for updates.

1. Kenneth Murray*, ILB/OLB, Oklahoma
   Height: 6-2. Weight: 238. Arm: 32.75. Hand: 9.5.
   40 Time: 4.52.
   Projected Round (2020): 1.
   4/22/20: Murray ran fast in the 40 at the combine, but he also pulled a hamstring and didn’t finish the workout. Teams say he interviewed well and is all football with great character and work ethic.
   
   Murray is a fast and physical linebacker who flies around the field and is always around the ball. He is put together well and a good tackler. Murray can make mistakes from being overly aggressive and over-pursuing on some plays, but he is a heat-seeking missile who has generated a big buzz in the scouting community for being a future three-down starter and difference-maker. Murray is a sideline-to-sideline run defender, good in zone coverage, covers a lot of ground in pass defense, and is a dangerous blitzer. He reminds this evaluator of a young Thomas Davis. In 2019, Murray had 102 tackles with four sacks and four passes batted.
   
   6/29/19: Murray was a tackling machine for the Sooners in 2018 and was one of the nation’s leaders with 155 stops. He also added 12.5 tackles for a loss with two passes batted. As a freshman, Murray had 78 tackles with 7.5 for a loss.





2. Jordyn Brooks, ILB, Texas Tech
   Height: 6-1. Weight: 240. Hand: 32.88. Hand: 9.13.
   40 Time: 4.54.
   Projected Round (2020): 2-3.
   4/22/20: Brooks has some fans in the scouting community. Some team sources see Brooks as a potential high second-round pick, and he has been a riser during the process. Some think he is a true inside linebacker, but others think he is a Will – weakside – linebacker for the NFL. The ones who have Brooks lower think he is athletic and fast, but has average instincts and does not take on blocks well. The sources who are higher on Brooks think he is a pure middle linebacker who can do it all. Regardless, Brooks will probably be drafted in the second round. He impressed teams with his fast 40 at the combine considering he couldn’t train for the combine due to rehab from labrum surgery and has been a riser during the draft process.
   
   Brooks played very well as a senior in 2019, collecting 108 tackles with three sacks and a forced fumble. He had 84 tackles, 89 tackles and 85 tackles during the previous three seasons.



3. Justin Strnad, ILB, Wake Forest
   Height: 6-4. Weight: 238. Arm: 31.75. Hand: 9.13
   40 Time: 4.74.
   Projected Round (2020): 3-5.
   4/22/20: There are not a lot of non-pass-rushing linebacker prospects who will be chosen in the early rounds of the 2020 NFL Draft, but one linebacker who could sneak into the third round is Strnad. As a senior, he totaled 69 tackles with an interception, two sacks and four passes batted. In 2018, he had 105 tackles with five passes broken up, 1.5 sacks and a forced fumble. Some team sources think Strnad could be a late third-round or fourth-round pick.



4. Anfernee Jennings, ILB/OLB, Alabama
   Height: 6-1. Weight: 252. Arm: 32.75. Hand: 9.38.
   Projected 40 Time: 4.63.
   Projected Round (2020): 3-5.
   4/22/20: Jennings recorded 83 tackles, eight sacks, five passes defended, one interception and a forced fumble in 2019. He is a dangerous blitzer who is a solid run defender in the middle of the field. Jennings has some limitations for the next level, but he could be a solid rotational backup.
   
   6/29/19: In 2018, Jennings totaled 50 tackles with 5.5 sacks, 13 tackles for a loss, one interception and 11 passes broken up. He had a slow start to the season and did not look like the same player, but he improved and was playing better to close out his junior year. Jennings then made the wise decision to return for his senior year.
   
   Jennings was coming on strong in 2017 and looking like a potential dominant force before a knee injury ended his season early in Alabama’s win over Clemson in the semi-final. For the year, Jennings totaled 41 tackles with six for a loss, one sack, two passes batted and two forced fumbles.





5. Troy Dye, ILB, Oregon
   Height: 6-4. Weight: 231. Arm: 32.25. Hand: 9.38
   Projected 40 Time: 4.70.
   Projected Round (2020): 3-5.
   4/22/20: In 2019, Dye recorded 84 tackles with 2.5 sacks, four passes defended, two forced fumbles and two interceptions. He was a solid player for the Ducks and showed his toughness by playing with a cast on his hand at the end of the regular season.
   
   6/29/19: Dye has been a good defender for the Ducks over the past three seasons. His best season came as a junior in 2018 when he totaled 115 tackles with eight tackles for a loss, two sacks, one interception and eight passes defended. Dye has shown progress in pass coverage over his time at Oregon, and as a freshman, he had 91 tackles with 13 for a loss, 6.5 sacks, and an interception. He had 107 tackles in 2017. Dye could be one of the top linebacker prospects for the 2020 NFL Draft.



6. Malik Harrison, ILB, Ohio State
   Height: 6-2. Weight: 246. Arm: 32.88. Hand: 9.88.
   40 Time: 4.66.
   Projected Round (2020): 3-5.
   4/22/20: In 2019, Harrison had 75 tackles with 4.5 sacks and four passes broken up. He was a solid defender for Ohio State and had a good week at the Senior Bowl.
   
   6/29/19: With some more experienced players ahead of him, it took some time for Harrison to become a starter, but he did as a junior and totaled 81 tackles with 8.5 tackles for a loss and one interceptions. Harrison has good size to him and upside to be better now that he has a year of starting experience.



7. Joe Bachie, ILB, Michigan State
   Height: 6-2. Weight: 230. Arm: 31.63. Hand: 10.25.
   40 Time: 4.67.
   Projected Round (2020): 3-5.
   4/22/20: Bachie was a tackling machine for the Spartans prior to a suspension in late October for taking a banned supplement. In 2019, he totaled 72 stops with an interception, four passes defended and 3.5 sacks.
   
   6/29/19: In 2018, Bachie had 101 tackles with 8.5 tackles for a loss, one sack, five passes broken up, two forced fumbles and one interception. He is a tough inside linebacker who defends the run well and shows some ability to cover. Michigan State has produced a lot of pro linebacker talent in recent years, and Bachie will keep that going. He broke out in 2017 with 100 tackles, 3.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, two passes batted and three interceptions. Sources say that Bachie has the potential to grade out in the first four rounds of the 2019 NFL Draft.





8. Jacob Phillips, ILB, LSU
   Height: 6-4. Weight: 229. Arm: 32.38. Hand: 10.
   40 Time: 4.66.
   Projected Round (2020): 3-5.
   4/22/20: In 2019, Phillips was a steady middle linebacker for LSU. He had 113 tackles with one sack, one forced fumble and one pass defended on the year. In 2018, he recorded 87 tackles with a sack, one interception and three passes defended. Phillips’ run defense is ahead of his pass coverage.



9. David Woodward*, ILB/OLB, Utah State
   Height: 6-4. Weight: 247.
   Projected 40 Time: 4.79.
   Projected Round (2020): 3-5.
   4/22/20: Over the past two seasons, Woodward was a tough run defender and a tackling machine. In 2019, he totaled 93 tackles with two sacks, four forced fumbles and two passes defended. He was even better as a sophomore with 134 tackles, five sacks, two interceptions and three passes defended.



10. Michael Divinity, ILB/OLB, LSU
    Height: 6-2. Weight: 41.
    Projected 40 Time: 4.69.
    Projected Round (2020): 3-5.
    4/22/20: Divinity had 22 tackles with three sacks and a forced fumble in 2019. After serving a six-game suspension, Divinity was cleared to play in the National Championship. He also was suspended for two games earlier in the season. A couple of team sources say they see him as a potential late third- or fourth-round talent, and where he goes will also depend on the character evaluation.
    
    6/29/19: Divinity played in the shadow of Devin White but impressed pro evaluators, and some sources said Divinity jumped out at them even though they weren’t doing reports on him in 2018. He totaled 54 tackles with five sacks, one forced fumble, two passes defended and one interception last season.





11. Logan Wilson, ILB, Wyoming
    Height: 6-2. Weight: 250. Arm: 32.38. Hand: 9.5.
    40 Time: 4.63.
    Projected Round (2020): 4-6.
    4/22/20: In 2019, Wilson had 105 tackles with seven passes defended, one sack, one forced fumble and four interceptions. A few team sources believe Wilson is a draft-able, solid player.
    
    6/29/19: Wilson has been a steady tackler and consistently productive linebacker for Wyoming during the past three seasons. As a junior, he totaled 103 stops with 11 for a loss, two sacks, two interceptions, and four passes broken up. He collected 119 tackles as a sophomore and 94 in 2016. Some NFL teams consider him to have the potential to be a pick in the back half of the 2020 NFL Draft or be a worthy undrafted free agent.



12. Evan Weaver, ILB, California
    Height: 6-2. Weight: 234. Arm: 32.38. Hand: 9.38.
    40 Time: 4.76.
    Projected Round (2020): 4-6.
    4/22/20: Weaver was all over the field for California in 2019, making a ton of tackles and picking up where he left off in 2018. He had 181 stops with three forced fumbles, 2.5 sacks and three passes batted in 2019.
    
    6/29/19: Weaver was a tackling machine for California in 2018 as he went from 55 stops as a sophomore to a tremendous 159 tackles as a junior. He also added 4.5 sacks, 9.5 tackles for a loss, two interceptions and eight passes broken up in 2018. Some NFL team sources project Weaver as having the potential to be a pick in the back half of the 2020 NFL Draft or being an undrafted free agent.



13. De’Jon Harris, ILB, Arkansas
    Height: 6-0. Weight: 234. Arm: 31.38. Hand: 9.38.
    40 Time: 4.69.
    Projected Round (2020): 4-6.
    4/22/20: Harris totaled 101 tackles with two passes defended and two forced fumbles in 2019.
    
    6/29/19: Harris is a thickly built linebacker who is a tough run defender. Manning the middle for the Razorbacks, Harris had 118 tackles two sacks, one forced fumble, and five passes broken up in 2018. Harris stayed consistent with his sophomore season, when he recorded 115 tackles and 3.5 sacks. Some NFL teams list him as a player with the potential to be a pick in the back half of the 2020 NFL Draft or be a worthy undrafted free agent.







14. Shaquille Quarterman, ILB, Miami
    Height: 6-1. Weight: 234. Arm: 31.63. Hand: 9.13.
    40 Time: 4.74.
    Projected Round (2020): 5-7.
    4/22/20: Quarterman had 107 tackles with a sack, forced fumble and five passes defended in 2019. Team sources say they see Quarterman as being draft-able on Day 3.
    
    6/27/18: Quarterman is a good run defender who struggles in pass coverage. He needs to improve his pass-coverage skills significantly to be a three-down starter in the NFL. In 2018, Quarterman had 86 tackles with 14 tackles for a loss, six sacks, one forced fumble and two passes broken up.
    
    In 2017, Quarterman totaled 83 tackles with seven tackles for a loss, 2.5 sacks and five passes broken up. He impressed for Miami as a freshman in 2016, recording 84 tackles with 10 for a loss, three sacks and a pass broken up. Quarterman is a quick defender with instincts.



15. Markus Bailey, ILB, Purdue
    Height: 6-1. Weight: 235. Arm: 31.5. Hand: 9.38.
    Projected 40 Time: 4.78.
    Projected Round (2020): 5-7.
    4/22/20: Bailey had 14 tackles with a sack over two games in 2019 before going down with a season-ending knee injury. He probably should have taken a medical redshirt and returned to Purdue for 2020.
    
    6/29/19: Bailey has been a steady linebacker for the Boilermakers over the past three seasons. As a junior, he had 115 tackles with nine for a loss, 5.5 sacks, one interception and three passes batted. He racked up 89 tackles with seven sacks as a sophomore and 97 tackles and four interceptions in his freshman campaign. Bailey is a sleeper to keep an eye on.



16. Kyahva Tezino, ILB, San Diego State
    Height: 6-0. Weight: 235.
    Projected 40 Time: 4.75.
    Projected Round (2020): 5-7.
    4/22/20: Tezino collected 99 tackles with 3.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, two interceptions and one pass batted in 2019.
    
    6/29/19: Tezino was a tackling machine for San Diego State in 2018, ripping off 127 stops, with 14.5 have of them going for a loss. He also added 8.5 sacks and two passes defended. It was a huge jump from Tezino’s sophomore campaign of 59 tackles. Tezino is undersized and showing pass-coverage skills will be important for him as a senior.





17. Dante Olson, ILB, Montana
    Height: 6-3. Weight: 237.
    Projected 40 Time: 4.79.
    Projected Round (2020): 5-7.
    4/22/20: Olson totaled 28 tackles with an interception and four passes broken up in 2019.
    
    6/29/19: Olson was a tackling machine for the Grizzlies in 2018, racking up 151 tackles for the year. He also had 11 for a loss, six sacks, three forced fumbles, two interceptions and five passes defended. That production was a huge jump over his sophomore year of 38 tackles. Some NFL teams consider him a player with the potential to be a pick in the back half of the 2020 NFL Draft or be a worthy undrafted free agent.



18. Shaun Bradley, ILB, Temple
    Height: 6-1. Weight: 235. Arm: 31.75. Hand: 9.5.
    40 Time: 4.51.
    Projected Round (2020): 5-7.
    4/22/20: In 2019, Bradley had 87 tackles with three passes defended and a forced fumble.
    
    6/29/19: Bradley has been a solid defender for Temple over the past two seasons, and that consistency landed him a spot on NFL teams’ preseason watch list for the 2020 NFL Draft. In 2018, he had 78 tackles with four a loss, one sack, one interception and three passes defended. Bradley totaled 85 tackles with 10 for a loss, one interception and two passes defended in 2017.



19. Krys Barnes, ILB, UCLA
    Height: 6-1. Weight: 235.
    Projected 40 Time: 4.63.
    Projected Round (2020): 5-7.
    4/22/20: Barnes got off to a strong start in 2019, and team sources said he impressed them. He totaled 72 tackles with four sacks and seven passes defended on the year. Barnes collected 85 tackles with an interception and six passes broken up as a junior. Barnes is a well-balanced defender against the run and the pass.





20. Korie Rogers, ILB, West Georgia
    Height: 6-2. Weight: 231.
    Projected 40 Time: 4.77.
    Projected Round (2020): 6-FA.
    4/22/20: Rogers recorded 63 tackles with one sack, one interception and three passes defended in 2019.
    
    6/29/19: Rogers was placed on NFL teams’ preseason watch list for the 2020 NFL Draft. He had 68 tackles with five for a loss, three passes broken up and three interceptions in 2018. Rogers had 75 tackles and three interceptions for the previous season.



21. Chapelle Russell, ILB, Temple
    Height: 6-1. Weight: 236. Arm: 32.38. Hand: 10.
    40 Time: 4.69.
    Projected Round (2020): 6-FA.
    4/22/20: Russell totaled 71 tackles with three passes broken up in 2019.
    
    6/29/19: Russell will enter the NFL with a medical red flag after two ACL injuries, but he played well enough in 2018 to earn a spot on NFL teams’ preseason watch list. Russell had 70 tackles with three passes defended last season and showed he was a clutch player to be around the ball with five fumble recoveries. In 2017, he had 70 tackles.



22. Dontavious Jackson, ILB, Florida State
    Height: 6-3. Weight: 228.
    Projected 40 Time: 4.77.
    Projected Round (2020): 7-FA.
    4/22/20: Jackson totaled 43 tackles in 2019.
    
    6/29/19: Jackson had a decent junior season for the Seminoles with 76 tackles, one sack, one forced fumble, three passes defended and one interception. He could improve as a senior. NFL teams put him on their preseason watch list for the 2020 NFL Draft.





23. Tae Crowder, ILB, Georgia
    Height: 6-3. Weight: 235.
    Projected 40 Time: 4.75.
    Projected Round (2020): 7-FA.
    4/22/20: Crowder notched 62 tackles and four passes broken up in 2019.
    
    6/29/19: Crowder had 53 tackles with six for a loss, two interceptions, three passes defended and one forced fumble in 2018. He has upside to be better now and could build off last season now that he has a year of starting experience.



24. John Houston Jr., ILB, USC
    Height: 6-3. Weight: 220.
    Projected 40 Time: 4.79.
    Projected Round (2020): 7-FA.
    4/22/20: In 2019, Houston totaled 104 tackles with 2.5 sacks and three passes broken up.
    
    6/29/19: In 2018, Houston had 67 tackles with one sack, one forced fumble and five passes batted. He recorded 84 tackles and an interception as a sophomore. Houston could stand to get stronger for the NFL. Advance scouts put Houston on NFL teams’ watch list for the 2020 NFL Draft, and some teams were projecting him to have potential to be a pick in the back half of the 2020 NFL Draft or be an undrafted free agent.



25. Drake Spears, ILB, Western Michigan
    Height: 6-1. Weight: 220.
    Projected 40 Time: 4.74.
    Projected Round (2020): 7-FA.
    4/22/20: In 2019, Spears notched 96 tackles with .5 sacks, two passes broken up and two interceptions.
    
    6/29/19: In 2018, Spears totaled 86 tackles with 9.5 tackles for a loss, three sacks, one interception, one forced fumble and one pass defended. Spears needs to develop more weight and strength for the NFL, but advance scouts put him on NFL teams’ preseason watch list.



26. Frankie Griffin, ILB, Texas State
    Height: 6-0. Weight: 205.
    Projected 40 Time: 4.70.
    Projected Round (2020): 7-FA.
    4/22/20: Griffin notched 67 tackles with 1.5 sacks and two forced fumbles in 2019.
    
    6/29/19: Griffin recorded 71 tackles with eight tackles for a loss, two sacks and three forced fumbles in 2018. He had 74 tackles and 46 tackles during the previous two seasons, respectively. Griffin missed the 2015 season with an injury and redshirted in 2014. Texas State has Griffin listed at 205 pounds, and if that is accurate, he is severely undersized for linebacker in the NFL. He has the size of a cornerback or safety, so he will need to add a lot of weight to hold up against NFL offensive linemen and tackle pro backs.

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