2023 NFL Draft Prospects: Outside Linebacker

4/24/23: Anderson has done well in the team interviews and ran well in the combine 40. In 2022, Anderson totaled 51 tackles, 10 sacks and an interception returned for a touchdown. He had some painful penalties against Texas, but he also made some clutch plays for the Crimson Tide. Anderson was clutch against Texas A&M as well, but he was unusually quiet versus Tennessee.

A number of team sources told WalterFootball.com, however, they do not see a freak athlete or generational talent with Anderson. “I love Will Anderson but have some question as to how well his dominance will translate to the NFL,” said an AFC director of player personnel. “What is his dominant trait other than instincts? Size? No. Speed? No. Strength/power? No. He’s not special athletically, so are these sack numbers inflated? Then, you ask yourself could he be an anomaly guy like a Shaq Barrett? You aren’t sure how he’s getting all those sacks, but you can’t argue with the production.”

7/7/22: Anderson was the rare freshman to start on Nick Saban’s defense, but Anderson proved his special ability with a superb 2020 season. He was third in the SEC in sacks, with seven, while also recording 10.5 tackles for a loss and 52 tackles. Anderson was phenomenal in 2021 and the most dominant defensive player in college football, recording 101 tackles, 17.5 sacks and three passes defended. Not only was he a overwhelming pass rusher, but he was a strong, tough run defender.

Anderson has size, speed and athleticism, plus is an explosive playmaker. He lines up as an outside linebacker and will put his hand in the ground as a defensive end. Known as “The Terminator” by his teammates, Anderson is said to have a serious work ethic with an intensity that he expects his teammates to match. Anderson is a true “Alpha Dog” prospect for the NFL.

The NFL advance scouts gave Anderson the highest grade of any player eligible for the 2023 NFL Draft on the preseason watchlist of 2023 prospects. Anderson has the look of a No. 1-overall caliber prospect, like Myles Garrett or Jadeveon Clowney, and the only issue that might cause him not to go first overall could be the quarterback needs and market.

4/24/23: Smith totaled 18 tackles, three sacks and a pass batted for 2022. His play disappointed, and he did not make a big impact as a pass rusher. However, Smith has gotten a lot of first-round hype for the 2023 NFL Draft even though he never produced first-round production or impact at Georgia. Smith helped himself with an excellent combine workout. He also has great character and is a leader, so he impressed in the team interviews.

7/7/22: In 2021, Smith was a dangerous edge rusher for Georgia. He played hard and totaled 55 tackles, 3.5 sacks, one interception and three forced fumbles. In 2020, Smith had 22 tackles and 2.5 sacks.

Smith is quick off the edge, but he needs to grow stronger for the NFL. He flashed ability as an underclassman and should improve as he gains experience. Smith’s bigger role as a pass rusher and run defender should only grow in 2022.

4/24/23: McDonald recorded 36 tackles, five sacks and a pass batted in 2022. Team sources rave about his speed, athleticism, and natural quarterback-hunting talent. They think he could be a 15 sacks-per-year player in the NFL. However, they also view him as limited to being a designated pass rusher because he struggles significantly as a run defender. McDonald is said to be a good, nice kid, but one who needs a lot of babysitting and escorting to be where he is supposed to be. Multiple pro team sources think McDonald will go in the back half of the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft and won’t last long if he slips to Round 2.

7/7/22: Team sources rave about McDonald’s pass-rush ability and his natural skills at getting after the quarterback. He is fast and athletic, allowing him to shoot past blockers and put steady heat on the signal-caller. NFL teams, however, say McDonald is terrible versus the run and even bad opponents can destroy him in the ground game. Hence, he might be more of a designated pass rusher as a pro. McDonald totaled 36 tackles, 11.5 sacks, five forced fumbles and three passes batted in 2021. He recorded 10.5 sacks and 33 tackles in 2020 after recording six sacks in 2019.

4/24/23: Simpson notched 73 tackles, two forced fumbles, 2.5 sacks and three passes batted in 2022. He then decided to enter the 2023 NFL Draft. Team sources say they like Simpson’s size and speed, which remind some evaluators of Panthers linebacker/safety Jeremy Chinn. They feel Simpson might be a better safety/linebacker flex defender, like Chinn. While Simpson has a first-round skill set, his play on the field was second-day caliber.

7/7/22: Simpson played well in 2020, recording 28 tackles, four sacks and one forced fumble. In 2021, Simpson recorded 65 tackles, six sacks and two passes broken up. He has a ton of ability, plus excellent size to go along with quickness and athleticism.

4/24/23: In 2022, Hall totaled 60 tackles, 6.5 sacks, an interception and two forced fumbles. He was a tough player for Auburn, but he has size limitations for the NFL.

7/7/22: Hall was an edge-rushing presence for the Tigers in 2021, recording nine sacks, 52 tackles and two forced fumbles. It was a big jump in production from 2020, when he had 21 stops and 3.5 sacks. If Hall can continue to build his productivity, he could be a riser for the 2023 NFL Draft.

4/24/23: Ojulari recorded 58 tackles, one forced fumble and 5.5 sacks in 2022. He is a good pursuit player with speed and athleticism, but he has problems getting off blocks. Ojulari declared for the 2023 NFL Draft, but he probably should have returned for his senior year.

7/7/22: The NFL advance scouts expected Ali Gaye to be the top edge defender for LSU in 2021, but Gaye ended up getting hurt, leaving the role to Ojulari, who put together an excellent season. On the year, Ojulari collected seven sacks and 54 tackles. In his impressive freshman season, he recorded four sacks, one forced fumble and 16 tackles. Ojulari could be a good fit in the NFL as a 3-4 outside linebacker.

4/24/23: Carter had a lot of scouting eyes on him for the 2022 season, but his production declined. He recorded 37 tackles, three sacks and two passes defended on the year. Carter had a solid week at the Senior Bowl to help solidify his status as a second-day prospect for the 2023 NFL Draft.

7/7/22: Carter was a beast for the Black Knights in 2021, ripping off 15.5 sacks in a stellar season. He also racked up 44 tackles, four forced fumbles, an interception and two passes batted. Carter is a long, tall defender, and he received a favorable rating from the NFL advance scouts.

4/24/23: Team sources say they were impressed with Anudike-Uzomah. In 2022, he collected 8.5 sacks, 46 tackles, a pass batted and two forced fumbles. Some sources who like Anudike-Uzomah feel he could be a quality pick on Day 2 of the 2023 NFL Draft.

7/7/22: Anudike broke out as a sophomore for the Wildcats in 2021, ripping off 11 sacks, six forced fumbles and 52 tackles. It was only his first season of significant playing time, and he could improve as he gains experience. Anudike-Uzomah might fit best in the NFL as a 3-4 outside linebacker.

4/24/23: In 2022, Young notched 37 tackles and seven sacks. He is a dangerous edge rusher with speed and athleticism. If Young weren’t undersized, he would be ranked higher.

7/7/22: Young had a solid 2021 season for the Volunteers with 5.5 sacks, 46 tackles and an interception. He has quality size and a skill set to develop. Young could easily be better in 2022 thanks to having a year of starting experience under his belt.

4/24/23: Hampton played well for Appalachian State in 2022, recording 39 tackles, seven sacks and three forced fumbles. He could be a sleeper mid-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.

7/7/22: Hampton had a big 2021 season for the Mountaineers, ripping off 11 sacks and 68 tackles. He flashed pass-rush ability in 2020, with three sacks, and 2019, with a half sack, while totaling 66 tackles and three forced fumbles over that time. For the NFL, Hampton could stand to get stronger and add weight to his frame to help him get off blocks.

4/24/23: Thomas racked up 112 tackles, two interceptions, two forced fumbles and two sacks in 2022.

7/7/22: Thomas was a solid run defender for the Yellow Jackets in 2021, recording 70 tackles, three sacks, one forced fumble and two interceptions. He needs to get stronger and bigger to play linebacker in the NFL, but he has upside to develop.

4/24/23: In 2022, Herbig recorded 47 tackles, 11 sacks, two forced fumbles and two passes defended.

7/7/22: Herbig recorded 61 tackles with nine sacks, four passes batted and one forced fumble in 2021. He was a tough defender for the Badgers and showed upside to be a versatile defender who can rush the passer or drop into coverage.

4/24/23: Cox played well for Florida in 2022, putting more pressure on the quarterback than his numbers – two sacks and 35 tackles – indicate. However, Cox’s draft stock was dealt a serious blow when he was kicked off the team at the end of October. Cox has serious strength with good length and plays tough on the edge. He can rough up and challenge offensive tackles. If Cox were a little faster and more athletic, he would be a early-rounder – if his character were not a concern.

7/7/22: Cox recorded 41 tackles, 8.5 sacks and four passes batted in 2021. Almost half of his sacks came versus Florida State, but Cox ended the year with 7.5 sacks over the final four games. Cox recorded 41 tackles, four sacks and two passes broken up in 2020, but he played better than the numbers indicate.

While Cox has improved from 2020, he was wise to go back to Florida for his junior year and work on his pass-rushing moves before heading to the NFL. He plays hard and shows the ability to power rush with heavy hands.

4/24/23: Orji was a tough defender in 2022, racking up 106 stops along with one sack, one forced fumble and one interception.

7/7/22: Orji has been a solid defender for the Commodores over the past two seasons, recording 65 tackles in 2020 and 71 stops in 2021. As a senior, Orji needs to produce more splash plays to help him rise.

4/24/23: In 2022, Williams amassed 131 tackles, two interceptions, five sacks and seven passes broken up. He played really well for the Green Wave.

7/7/22: Williams recorded 73 tackles, a sack and three passes broken up in 2021. He was more productive in 2020 with 97 stops, 4.5 sacks and three passes defended. Williams could stand to get stronger for the NFL.

4/24/23: Horton totaled 48 tackles, 10 sacks and four pass breakups in 2022. Team sources say they have Horton graded on Day 3 of the 2023 NFL Draft.

7/7/22: Horton is a thick outside linebacker who can set the edge. In 2021, he had 51 tackles and four sacks. Horton needs to show more pass-coverage ability as a senior.

4/24/23: Banks totaled 53 tackles, four passes broken up and a forced fumble in 2022.

7/7/22: Banks is an undersized linebacker, but he was a tackling machine for the Volunteers in 2021. He racked up 128 tackles with 5.5 sacks, an interception and four passes broken up on the year. Banks has the potential to rise if he stays consistent and shows improved strength to take on blocks. Depending on how well he runs in pre-draft workouts, he could be looked at as a safety/linebacker tweener who might fit as a sub package or dime linebacker in the NFL.

4/24/23: Plant recorded 55 tackles, seven sacks and three forced fumbles in 2022.

7/7/22: Plant notched 3.5 sacks in each of the past two seasons to go along with 76 tackles over that time. He has good size to him and needs to produce a big season to grade out as draft-able.

4/24/23: Nelson recorded 65 tackles, 5.5 sacks, two passes defended and one forced fumble in 2022. He was a non-factor and disappointing versus good offensive tackles in games against Northwestern and Oklahoma.

7/7/22: Nelson showed some ability in 2021 with five sacks, 57 tackles and two passes batted. As a junior in 2022, it would help Nelson to show pass-coverage ability to fit in the passing-driven NFL.

4/24/23: Leota did not produce a big senior year, notching just 17 tackles and two sacks, but he only played in five games. In early October, he suffered an arm injury that ended his season. In 2021, Leota recorded seven sacks, 23 tackles and a forced fumble. He displayed enough edge-rush ability over the past two seasons to earn an invitation to the Senior Bowl.

4/24/23: Richardson recorded 73 tackles, five passes broken up and a forced fumble in 2022.

7/7/22: Richardson is an undersized linebacker who will need to add weight for the NFL. He had a 65 tackles with two sacks, one forced fumble, one interception, and three passes defended in 2021. Richardson might need some developmental time at the next level while serving as a backup and special teams contributor.

4/24/23: Heyward totaled 93 tackles, two sacks and eight passes defended in 2022.

7/7/22: Heyward has been a quality defender for Duke over the past three seasons. His best season came as a junior in 2021, when he had 97 tackles, three sacks and an interception. He racked up 79 tackles in 2020 and 68 stops in 2019. Heyward could be a backup linebacker and special teams contributor in the NFL while seeing if he can develop into a starting role.

4/24/23: Amaewhule recorded 23 tackles, two sacks and a pass batted during 2022.

7/7/22: Amaewhule showed some pass-rush potential in 2021, recording 38 tackles, 5.5 sacks, five passes batted and two forced fumbles. He also played well in 2020 with seven sacks, eight passes batted and one forced fumble. Amaewhule would be rated higher if he weren’t very undersized for an NFL defensive end.

4/24/23: Anoma totaled 18 tackles, four sacks and two passes defended in 2022.

7/7/22: After starting out his college career at Houston, Anoma had a solid 2021 season for UT-Martin with six sacks, 36 tackles, 9.5 tackles for a loss and one forced fumble. Anoma redshirted in 2019 and had to sit out 2020 because of NCAA transfer rules.

4/24/23: In 2022, Graham recorded 52 tackles, one sack, five passes broken up, an interception and a forced fumble.

7/7/22: Graham made his presence felt for the Boilermakers in 2021, recording 64 tackles with one sack, two interceptions and seven passes defended. If Graham can build on his junior year, he has the potential to rise as a senior.