2021 NFL Draft Prospects: Inside Linebackers

By Charlie Campbell.
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The top 2021 inside linebacker prospects available for the 2021 NFL Draft. * – denotes 2022 prospect. ** – denotes 2023 prospect.

This page was last updated Feb. 21, 2020. Follow Walter @walterfootball for updates.

1. Dylan Moses, ILB/OLB, Alabama
   Height: 6-3. Weight: 233.
   Projected 40 Time: 4.62.
   Projected Round (2021): 1-3.
   2/21/20: Alabama has been a factory for linebacker talent, and Moses will keep that tradition alive for the 2021 NFL Draft, provided he can stay healthy. Team sources were really excited about seeing him in 2019, but a torn ACL in training camp ended his season before it started. Some sources think that if Moses had entered the 2020 NFL Draft, he still would have been an early-rounder despite the injury. They were very impressed with his performance in 2018, when he recorded 86 tackles, 10 for a loss, 3.5 sacks, one forced fumble and one pass batted while rotating with other linebackers.





2. Micah Parsons*, ILB/OLB, Penn State
   Height: 6-3. Weight: 245.
   Projected 40 Time: 4.70.
   Projected Round (2021): 1-3.
   2/21/20: Parsons collected 109 tackles with five sacks, four forced fumbles and five passes defended in 2019. He was always around the ball and produced some splash plays for Penn State. Parsons broke into the starting lineup as a true freshman and showed he has lot of upside to develop into an intriguing player. For 2018, he totaled 83 tackles with five for a loss, 1.5 sacks and two forced fumbles. Parsons has good size and instincts.



3. Chazz Surratt, ILB/OLB, North Carolina
   Height: 6-3. Weight: 230.
   Projected 40 Time: 4.78.
   Projected Round (2021): 2-4.
   2/21/20: Surratt broke out at linebacker for the Tar Heels in 2019, totaling 115 tackles with 6.5 sacks, one forced fumble, three passes defended and an interception. He has had an interesting college career, having served as North Carolina’s starting quarterback for seven games in 2017 and completing 59 percent of his passes for 1,342 yards with eight touchdowns and three interceptions. He also ran for five scores that season. In 2018, Surratt was suspended for four games for selling team-issued shoes and then had a season-ending wrist injury in his first game after suspension.



4. Paddy Fisher*, ILB/OLB, Northwestern
   Height: 6-4. Weight: 241.
   Projected 40 Time: 4.69.
   Projected Round (2021): 3-5.
   2/21/20: Fisher has been a tackling machine for Northwestern over his collegiate career. In 2019, he had his lowest total at 88, but he had 116 in his sophomore campaign and 111 as a freshman. He has also recorded an interception each season and has a total of eight passes broken up. Fisher has quality instincts and is a solid defender with a knack for forcing the ball loose ,as he has nine forced fumbles in his career.
   
   Fisher may not have the speed, athleticism, and cover skills to be a three-down starter in the NFL. If he shows more pass coverage skills as a senior, he could rise.





5. Tuf Borland, ILB, Ohio State
   Height: 6-1. Weight: 232.
   Projected 40 Time: 4.71.
   Projected Round (2021): 3-5.
   2/21/20: Borland notched 55 tackles with an interception, one sack, and one pass broken up in 2019. In 2018, he played well despite a serious Achilles injury in the spring. He returned to the field in the fall and recorded 67 tackles with nine for a loss and three sacks on the year. Borland could rise over his senior season.



6. Ernest Jones*, ILB, South Carolina
   Height: 6-1. Weight: 235.
   Projected 40 Time: 4.78.
   Projected Round (2021): 3-5.


7. Mohamed Sanogo, ILB, Ole Miss
   Height: 6-2. Weight: 224.
   Projected 40 Time: 4.72.
   Projected Round (2021): 4-6.




8. Colin Schooler, ILB/OLB, Arizona
   Height: 6-1. Weight: 229.
   Projected 40 Time: 4.75.
   Projected Round (2021): 4-6.


9. Blake Gallagher, ILB/OLB, Northwestern
   Height: 6-1. Weight: 235.
   Projected 40 Time: 4.74.
   Projected Round (2021): 4-6.


10. David Woodward, ILB/OLB, Utah State
    Height: 6-2. Weight: 230.
    Projected 40 Time: 4.71.
    Projected Round (2021): 5-7.


11. Caleb Kelly, ILB, Oklahoma
    Height: 6-3. Weight: 229.
    Projected 40 Time: 4.76.
    Projected Round (2019): 7-FA.


12. Ale Kaho, ILB/OLB, Alabama
    Height: 6-1. Weight: 228.
    Projected 40 Time: 4.65.
    Projected Round (2021): 7-FA.

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