2021 NFL Draft Prospects: Outside Linebackers

By Charlie Campbell.
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The top 2021 outside 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, OLB/ILB, 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*, OLB/ILB, 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. Joe Tryon*, OLB/DE, Washington
   Height: 6-5. Weight: 262.
   Projected 40 Time: 4.73.
   Projected Round (2021): 1-3.
   2/21/20: After serving as a backup during his freshman season, Tryon broke out in 2019 as one of the top pass-rushers in the Pac-12. He totaled eight sacks with 41 tackles and one pass batted on the year. Tryon has a lot of upside and could be a player who develops well under Jimmy Lake.



4. Quincy Roche, OLB/DE, Miami
   Height: 6-4. Weight: 235.
   Projected 40 Time: 4.69.
   Projected Round (2021): 2-4.
   2/21/20: Roche decided to transfer from Temple following the 2019 season and landed at Miami. Over three seasons in Philadelphia, he totaled 26 sacks.
   
   Roche has created a buzz in the scouting community, and scouts feel he will get bigger. Team evaluators really like his initial explosion off the snap and how he closes on the quarterback. They feel he will get develop as he ages and grows in a pro strength and conditioning program.
   
   One team source said they had graded Roche as a fourth- to fifth-rounder, but three others said Round 3 and one said third- to fourth-rounder. However, Roche could rise if he works out well. There are a few issues that keep teams from grading him in the early rounds, and the most cited one is lower body stiffness. Source feel there is a lack of lower body strength and believe he doesn’t play hard all the time. Thus, Roche could improve his grade if he gets stronger in the lower body while also showing an improved motor in 2020.





5. Chazz Surratt, OLB/ILB, 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.



6. Jonathan Garvin, OLB/DE, Miami
   Height: 6-4. Weight: 256.
   Projected 40 Time: 4.79.
   Projected Round (2021): 2-4.
   2/21/20: Garvin wasn’t as effective in 2019 as he was in the previous season. He totaled 37 tackles with five sacks and two forced fumbles for 2019. Joe Jackson was supposed to be the Hurricanes’ top edge defender in 2018, but Garvin was their best defensive end in a breakout sophomore season. Garvin totaled 17 tackles for a loss, 60 tackles, five passes batted and 5.5 sacks on the year. Garvin could bounce back as a senior due to his increased experience and developing physically.



7. Merlin Robertson*, OLB, Arizona State
   Height: 6-3. Weight: 235.
   Projected 40 Time: 4.62.
   Projected Round (2021): 2-4.




8. Brenton Cox Jr.*, OLB/DE, Florida
   Height: 6-4. Weight: 247.
   Projected 40 Time: 4.69.
   Projected Round (2021): 3-4.


9. Paddy Fisher*, OLB/ILB, 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.



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




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


12. Daelin Hayes, OLB/DE, Notre Dame
    Height: 6-3. Weight: 260.
    Projected 40 Time: 4.70.
    Projected Round (2021): 4-6.


13. Terrel Bernard*, OLB, Baylor
    Height: 6-1. Weight: 222.
    Projected 40 Time: 4.69.
    Projected Round (2021): 5-7.


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


15. Big Kat Bryant*, OLB, Auburn
    Height: 6-5. Weight: 247.
    Projected 40 Time: 4.69.
    Projected Round (2021): 5-7.


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

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