Though the days of Ray Lewis in a Baltimore Ravens uniform or Brian Urlacher in a Chicago Bears jersey are long gone, the NFL still hosts several extremely talented inside linebackers. As the game has shifted over the last decade in favor of passing-oriented offenses, linebackers who play inside need to come out of college with great range and coverage skills.
Often when all-time greats like the ones mentioned before retire, people wonder if there will ever be another dominant player in the same position. Let’s look at the NFL’s best inside linebackers who are trying to do just that.
10 Kwon Alexander
After playing for years in Tampa Bay with nothing but a high draft pick to look forward to at the end of every season, Alexander will now be suiting up in the bay for the San Francisco 49ers. The 49ers brought in a bunch of defensive talent this offseason and also managed to snag arguably the NFL Draft’s best pass-rusher in Nick Bosa. They’re many NFL analyst’s dark horse playoff team and it’s largely due to the return of Jimmy Garoppolo and the addition of star-studded talent like Kwon Alexander.
9 Alec Ogletree
Alec Ogletree was the one shining light on a less than stellar 2018 New York Giants defense. Ogletree started with the Los Angeles Rams and was a solid player for many years but never received adequate attention due to playing alongside other great players such as All-Pro defensive tackle Aaron Donald.
Despite losing many games Ogletree presented himself as a true playmaker and a force to be reckoned with. The challenge for the Giants is to have players around him that can contribute and help him make the defense a real threat.
8 Roquan Smith
The youngest and most prominent name on this list is the former Georgia Bulldog, Roquan Smith. In 2018 the Chicago Bears suited up the league’s #1 defense in almost every major defensive statistical category. Smith played a role in helping the defense achieve this level of greatness and was quite a surprise in the blitz packages. During the Bears playoff game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Smith also showcased great playmaking and poise for such a young kid. Smith could likely be a breakout star in 2019 and position himself as another superstar in that Bears defense.
7 Benardrick McKinney
When the Houston Texans defense is brought up the first names that come to mind are JJ Watt, Jadaveon Clowney, and Tyran Mathieu (though he’s with the Kansas City Chiefs now). Despite being their healthiest and one of their most consistent playmakers Benardrick McKinney is a name that will likely leave many people scratching their heads.
McKinney isn’t only healthy, he’s an athletic freak who has length and speed with makes him a matchup nightmare. He’s the Thomas Davis or Lance Briggs of the feared Texans defense.
6 Deion Jones
Deion Jones is probably the best linebacker on this list that most people don’t know about. It’s odd considering he plays for a decently large market in the Atlanta Falcons, as well as being the best player on their defense alongside the defensive tackle Grady Jarrett.
Jones received a brand new contract extension during the 2019 offseason and will be returning from injury intending to lead the Falcons back into the playoffs. Matt Ryan and Julio Jones aren’t getting any younger, so Jones and Garrett will need to help take the team to the next level.
5 Jaylon Smith
When Jaylon Smith was playing for Notre Dame many people considered him one of the best middle linebacker prospects of the last decade. Unfortunately, Smith suffered a devastating injury that severely affected his NFL Draft stock and delayed his NFL coming-out party. Since then Smith has taken over the middle of the Dallas Cowboys defense in relief of the often injured Sean Lee and has shown why he was so highly rated. Smith is currently hoping for a new contract extension from the Cowboys and will look to prove his worth once again in 2019.
4 Danny Trevathan
Arguably the NFL’s most underrated inside linebacker, Danny Trevathan has battled assumptions and barriers people have placed on him and he’s managed to carve out a career of consistency and leadership.
After leaving the Denver Broncos and joining his former coach John Fox in Chicago, Trevathan has been a great veteran presence and leader for a Chicago Bears team that saw great success in 2018. Now under Chuck Pagano in 2019, Trevathan will look to be a centerpiece of the league’s returning #1 defense in an attempt to take that spot once again.
3 CJ Mosley
CJ Mosley had the less than ideal task of following in the footsteps of Ray Lewis in Baltimore. The Alabama product was highly touted coming out of the draft and he quickly managed to show Baltimore Ravens fans he was as good as advertised.
Sadly during the 2019 offseason, he decided to take his talents to New York and joined the New York Jets franchise to play alongside Jamal Adams and Leonard Williams. He’s an every-down linebacker with a true sense for the ball and Jets fans are hoping he provides the anchor they’ve missed for some years.
2 Luke Keuchly
Luke Keuchly has a strong case as the NFL’s best inside linebacker, but his recent string of concussions are nothing to scoff at and could result in a shorter career for the sideline-to-sideline coverage freak. Keuchly has dominated in the NFL since first stepping foot into the league after leaving Boston College.
Through its ups and downs, he’s been the shining light in the middle of a respected Carolina Panthers defensive unit. If he’s able to dodge concussions he has a strong case to return to the top of the rankings.
1 Bobby Wagner
The Seattle Seahawks once had the NFL’s most feared defense and suited up some of the best players at their respective position. These days, with Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas, and Kam Chancellor moving on, there’s only one guy from the Legion of Boom left. Bobby Wagner is the only guy left from their Super Bowl-winning defense and he’s still a model of consistency and excellence at the middle linebacker position. He’s currently set to receive a large new contract and Seattle Seahawks fans are hoping the organization rewards him for all that he’s done for the team over the years.
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