The NFL's Top 5 Linebackers
Though linebackers' overall value has decreased recently, they are still critical to a modern defense. Linebackers are the link connecting the backend to the front and, until within the past few years, were the primary communicators for the defense.
Because of their positioning on the field, the modern linebacker needs to be a '3-D player,' able to fit the run, cover TEs, RBs, and the occasional WR, and efficiently rush the passer. No linebacker is built in the same way, and defenses can require different skill sets determined by the defensive scheme and philosophy.
However, a player's skill set must be balanced to be an every-down player. Elite linebackers are holistic in their play, showcasing a balance essential for their role. Players like CJ Mosley (Jets), Foyesade Oluokun (Jaguars), and Bobby Okereke (Giants) are elite (top-10) in coverage and run-stuffing ability.
Coverage ability might be the most important piece in terms of an 'added value' skill. The NFL has not only moved into the post-Spread Era but has also transitioned defensively into a zone-centric ecosystem.
LBs like the Jets' CJ Mosley, Bills' Matt Milano, and the 49ers' Fred Warner excel at coverage, particularly zone. All three teams are heavily based on zone coverage. However, each of those three teams is in the bottom ten in terms of Blitz Rate (BR), with the Jets and 49ers below 20%.
Rushing the passer is a premium in the modern game, but it tends to be a 'specialist' commodity for linebackers. The best pass rushers at linebacker are usually not considered the 'best' at their position but more like a tool or chess piece, used as a weapon to create matchup issues against weaker linemen or running backs who struggle in pass protection.
Demario Davis (Saints), Frankie Luvu (Commanders), and Mack Wilson Sr. (Cardinals) are all in the top three for pass rush Havoc. Only Davis is in our final top-10. Thus, being an elite pass rusher at the LB position doesn't make you a great box player.
We aim to highlight who is the best all-around at the position, in coverage, and who is the best at stopping the run. As stated, the ability to hold both makes a genuinely elite LB. To see who is the best at the position, reference our article (Link to 'Best LBs' article).
Top 5 LBs in the NFL
Image: Michael Owens/Getty Images
Fred Warner (49ers): Warner is an absolute alien that can cover the entire field. Under Kyle Shanahan, the San Fransisco defense doesn't require him to do much as a pass rusher, so most of his focus can be on coverage. The four down front is required to do much of the work. Last year, the 49ers had the lowest BR in the NFL at ~16%. He's also never hurt. In the past three seasons, no LB has played more snaps, and he sits third in interceptions with seven. Warner is the epitome of the modern LB: athletic enough to carry TEs and WRs in coverage yet sturdy enough to hold up in the box, which is why he sits at the top of our list of the NFL's best LBs.
Bobby Okereke (Giants): We had to have a true #1 for argument's sake. Okereke is arguably the most well-rounded defender in the NFL. Warner is slightly better in coverage, while Okereke is one of the best-run defenders in the NFL. In the Giant's blitz-centric scheme last year, he was asked to play a lot of man coverage and finished #3 for LBs in man coverage Havoc. New defensive coordinator Shane Bowen will bring a more passive approach to the game, allowing Okereke to read and react, something he excels at. With Dexter Lawrence in front of him to keep him clean, Okereke has an opportunity to continue to push for the top spot.
Foyesade Oluokun (Jaguars): Oluokon might be the most underrated player in the NFL. If you haven't heard of him until now, that is understandable. Let me introduce you to one of the best LBs in the league. The Jaguars' middle-man is a tackling machine. He's led the league in tackles over the past three seasons by a large margin with 434; the next closest is the Broncos' Alex Singleton at 364. But tackling can be an overrated stat, and modern LB can't be an A-to-A player. Oluokon is a complete LB who excels in pass coverage as well. He comes in at fifth overall in Coverage Havoc. He does most of his damage in zone coverage, which is another staple of an elite modern defender, being able to play in space. Oluokon should fit in nicely with the new defensive coordinator, Ryan Neilsen, who will bring a diverse system to Jacksonville.
C.J. Mosley (Jets): The Jets arguably have the best tandem of LBs in the NFL, with Mosley as the top one. In '23, Mosley finished #1 in coverage Havoc, dominating in man coverage. Robert Saleh and Jeff Ulbrich utilize Mosley's athleticism in the Quarters and Cover 1 dominant scheme. Typically locked onto a TE or RB, there are few offensive threats that can outrun him. Similar to Warner, Mosley is not asked to blitz the passer. New York, which runs the same system as San Fransico, applies pressure with the front, freeing up the LBs to read and react to what they see.
Roquan Smith (Ravens): Second only to Oluokun in Stops (tackles that result in negative EPA) in the past three seasons, Smith is a dominating force in the box. He's also fifth in interceptions over that time. Smith transitioned seamlessly from the Bears' Tampa 2-based defense into the Ravens' multiple front and coverage structure last year. Considered one of the best athletes at the position, Smith has the ability to cover and stuff the run. With a full offseason under his belt in Baltimore, Smith should regain the elite status he has held the past couple of seasons. In '21 he was the #1 overall LB in Havoc.
Honorable Mentions: TJ Edwards (Bears), Jeremiah 'JOK' Owusu-Koramoah (Browns), Nick Bolton (Chiefs), Demario Davis (Saints), Lavonte David (Buccaneers)
Top Pass Coverage LBs
Image: New York Jets
Fred Warner (49ers): Most regard Warner as one of the best LBs in the NFL, and rightfully so, we have him at #1. He is a freakish athlete who can carry WRs through the deep middle as the '3-Up' (or Weak Hook) defender, allowing the 49ers' Safeties to play even deeper in their zone coverages. A LB that can run with verticals is a cheat code in the modern game. Warner is one of the few LBs (Mosely/Okereke) in our to-10 for man and zone coverage Havoc.
C.J. Mosley (Jets): The former Butkus Award winner (Alabama) and three-time second-team All-Pro established himself as the top coverage LB in the NFL. Though he plays in the Jets' zone scheme, he excels at man coverage, coming in first in the man coverage Havoc category for LBs. The Jets mix variations of Quarters with Cover 1, making man coverage a priority for their players; Mosely is the #1 man coverage and the #9 zone coverage LB in our Havoc score. He's an all-around coverage second-level coverage defender.
Matt Milano (Bills): Milano's season was cut short (five games) last year, but he is still regarded around the league as one of the best coverage LBs. The Bills star LB is elite in zone coverage, a primary feature in Buffalo. Milano is instinctive and is a ball hawk at LB. When Milano got hurt, he had already accumulated two interceptions in five games and, in '22, had three INTs with 11 passes defended (PBUs).
T.J. Edwards (Bears): Chicago's Edwards has quickly become one of the best coverage LBs in the NFL. The former Eagle burst onto the scene in '22, helping Philadelphia to a Super Bowl appearance. Edwards is a perfect fit in the Bears scheme. Head Coach Matt Eberflus wants to run mainly zone coverages, where Edwards is best (fourth in zone coverage Havoc). In man coverage, Edwards can struggle, coming in 79th in Field Vision's man coverage Havoc category. Still, he is a perfect fit within the Bears scheme, finishing the '23 campaign with three INTs and seven PBUs. With another season in the same defensive scheme and heading into his prime, look for Edwards to get even better.
Foyesade Oluokun (Jaguars): Oluokun is typically regarded as a tackling machine and is usually at the top of that list in the NFL. But the Jaguars' LB can cover. His ability to play the box and still be able to drop into coverage adequately makes him one of the top LBs in all of football. He's the only player to grace the list in terms of both coverage and run-stopping ability. Elite in man and zone coverage, newly hired defensive coordinator Ryan Neilsen will easily be able to utilize his skill set.
Honorable Mentions: Bobby Okereke (Giants), Demario Davis (Saints), Kyzir White (Cardinals), Nick Bolton (Chiefs), Tyrel Dodson (Seahawks)
Top Run-Stopping LBs
Image: Tacoma News Tribune
Foyesade Oluokun (Jaguars): Oluokun makes the list again, but this time against the run. As stated earlier, he usually leads the league in tackle and Stops, and is a force to be reckoned with in the box. The Jags have a true enforcer in the box with Oluokun.
Bobby Wagner (Commanders): Washington Head Coach Dan Quinn will finally have a 'box' LB to hold down the middle in his defense. One of the glaring issues in Dallas last year was the lack of any LBs on the roster. In free agency, the Commanders quickly moved to sign two: Bobby Wagner (Seahawks) and Frankie Luvu (Panthers). Quinn and his DC, Bobby Whitt, want to play man coverage. Wagner, at 34, struggles in coverage but is an elite box player. Wagner will likely only be asked to cover occasionally but will focus more on the run, where he still excels. At 34, Wagner has become a true box, Mike, playing opposite the coverage LB and focusing more on fitting the interior of the box.
Quincy Williams (Jets): Williams is the Ying to Mosely's Yang. The Jets arguably have the best pair of LBs in the NFL (to go along with their CB duo). Mosely is an all-around player but is elite in coverage. On the other hand, Williams is average in coverage but elite in the box. Head Coach Robert Saleh and DC Jeff Ulbrich utilize the two LBs' skill sets to offset any issues in their abilities. The modern defense still needs someone who can play in the box, and Williams is that piece for New York.
Bobby Okereke (Giants): The Giants have a complete LB in Okereke. He is among the few LBs in the league that rates highly in coverage and against the run. The transition from man-heavy Wink Martindale (now with Michigan) to zone-centric Shane Bowen (Titans) should be smooth. Okereke ranked third in man-coverage Havoc and tenth in zone, putting him in the same class as Mosley and Warner regarding elite coverage defenders. Okereke has built a resume that makes him one of the best LBs in the NFL. Only Mosely and Oluokon can boast of being in the top 10 in Field Vision's coverage and run Havoc.
Zaire Franklin (Colts): For everything the Colts LB lacks in coverage ability (he comes in at a shocking 123rd), Franklin makes up for the ability to play the box. Under Gus Bradley, Franklin is a primary box defender, holding down the middle of the defense. He is above average in man coverage (31st) and can guard a RB. In Bradley's 'static' Cover 3 system, Franklin's role is simplified, which allows him to focus primarily on tracking the RB regardless of run or pass. Last year, he finished near the top of the league in tackles, enough to garner a contract extension from the Colts.
Honorable Mentions: Ernest Jones (Rams), Roquan Smith (Ravens), Alex Singleton (Broncos), CJ Mosley (Jets), Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (Browns)
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