NFL Draft linebacker breakdown: Production galore from this class

The NFL Draft is April 23-25. Each day leading up to the first round, the Tribune-Review is compiling a positional preview of the top draft prospects.

1. Isaiah Simmons

Clemson, 6-4, 238

Simmons earned the Butkus Award as the nation’s top linebacker in 2019 as a redshirt junior. He also was the ACC Defensive Player of the Year and a first-team All-American after amassing 102 tackles, including 16 for loss, eight sacks, three interceptions and nine pass breakups. Simmons flashed his speed at the NFL Combine when he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.39 seconds. Simmons led Clemson with 89 tackles as a sophomore, including nine for loss. He also broke up seven passes and forced three fumbles.

2. Kenneth Murray

Oklahoma, 6-4, 241

Murray made an impact in each of his three years at Oklahoma, culminating with his play for the Big 12 champions in 2019. Murray had 17 tackles for loss among 102 total tackles, and he added four sacks and four pass breakups. As a sophomore, he ranked third nationally with 155 tackles, including 12½ for loss. He also had four sacks. Murray also started as a freshman and compiled 78 tackles, 7½ for loss.

3. Patrick Queen

LSU, 6-0, 229

Queen hopes to follow in the footsteps of Devin White as the next top linebacker from LSU to join the NFL. At 6-0, he is the same height at White, a No. 5 overall pick. Queen left school after playing on the national championship team. He totaled 85 tackles, including 12 for loss, three sacks, one interception and two pass breakups in his junior season. As a sophomore while mainly backing up White, Queen had 40 tackles, including five for loss, and one sack.

4. Zack Baun

Wisconsin, 6-2, 238

Baun came of age as a senior when he had 12½ sacks and 19½ tackles for loss among 76 total tackles. That earned Baun a spot on the second-team All-American list and the first-team Big Ten. He also intercepted one pass, broke up two others and forced two fumbles. In 2018, Baun had 63 tackles, including 7½ for loss, and 2½ sacks.

5. Malik Harrison

Ohio State, 6-3, 247

A high school quarterback, Harrison entered Ohio State with the hopes of playing wide receiver. Instead, he ended up on defense and never looked back. As a senior, he was named third-team All-American and first-team all-conference because of his team-high 75 tackles that included 16½ for loss. He added 4½ sacks and four pass breakups. Harrison also tied for the team lead in tackles as a junior when he had 81, including 8½ for loss. Harrison also played in 26 games over his freshman and sophomore seasons.

6. Troy Dye

Oregon, 6-3, 231

Dye was a mainstay on the field in his four years at Oregon, contributing from his freshman season in 2016 to his senior year when he led the Ducks in tackles each season. In 2019, Dye had 84 tackles, including 9½ for loss, and 2½ sacks, two interceptions, four pass breakups and two forced fumbles. The previous year, Dye surpassed 100 tackles for the second year in a row, accumulating 115 and eight for loss. He had 107 as a sophomore and 91 as a freshman.

7. Akeem Davis-Gaither

Appalachian State, 6-1, 224

Davis-Gaither was named Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year after his senior season thanks to his 104 tackles and team-high 14½ tackles for loss. He also chipped in five sacks, one interception, eight pass breakups and one blocked kick. He also started as a sophomore, again leading Appalachian State with 105 tackles, including 10 for loss. Davis-Gaither did not work out at the NFL Combine because of a stress fracture in his foot that required surgery.

8. Jordyn Brooks

Texas Tech, 6-4, 240

Limited to 11 starts as a senior because of a shoulder injury, Brooks still amassed 108 tackles, including 20 for loss, and three sacks. That was good enough for Brooks to be named first-team all-conference and second-team All-American. Brooks was a four-year starter at Texas Tech and showed remarkable consistency with 84 tackles as a junior, 84 as a sophomore and 86 as a freshman. Brooks ran the 40-yard dash in 4.54 seconds at the NFL Combine.

9. Willie Gay Jr.

Mississippi State, 6-1, 243

No relation to former Steelers cornerback William Gay, the linebacker with the same name left school after a tumultuous junior season. Gay Jr. was held out of eight games because of NCAA violations regarding an academic tutor. In the five games he played, Gay contributed 28 tackles, including 3½ for loss. His best year on campus was his sophomore season when he had 48 tackles, including 5½ for loss, five sacks and two interceptions. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.46 seconds at the NFL Combine.

10. Logan Wilson

Wyoming, 6-2, 241

Wilson showed a knack for finding the ball-carrier during his four years at Wyoming. He started every year since his redshirt freshman season and was named a third-team All-American after his senior season. He concluded his college career with 104 tackles, including 9½ for loss, one sack, three interceptions and six pass breakups. Wilson had a team-high 103 tackles and 11 tackles for loss as a junior. In his sophomore year, Wilson had 119 tackles, and he was the conference freshman of the year after recording 94 tackles.

Best fit for Steelers

Khaleke Hudson, Michigan

At 5-foot-11, 224 pounds, the McKeesport native is oversized as a safety, but he would fit in nicely as a hybrid linebacker, the role that Mark Barron served in his lone season with the Steelers. Hudson did 30 reps on the bench press, tops among linebackers, and ran a 4.56 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine. In his senior year at Ann Arbor, Hudson led the Wolverines with 102 tackles.