With the 2024 school soccer season within the books, it’s time to show our consideration to 2025 by rating the highest returning gamers at each place.
Subsequent up is linebacker. The place has lacked top-end expertise lately on account of gamers needing to be so versatile — run defending, go speeding and protection. Nonetheless, loads of thrilling star linebackers are returning to varsity soccer.
Beneath is a listing of PFF’s high 10 returning linebackers in school soccer, along with an honorable point out nominee. Please word that NFL projection was not taken into consideration in these rankings.
1. Anthony Hill Jr., Texas
Hill was a five-star recruit and instantly lived as much as the hype, beginning as a real freshman. He’s always across the soccer, whether or not as a run defender, a go rusher or in protection. Since 2023, his 32 protection stops are tied for essentially the most amongst FBS linebackers and his 10 sacks and 5 pressured fumbles are tied for essentially the most amongst Energy 4 linebackers. Hill racked up 127 performs the place he made first contact on a ball service in that very same span, essentially the most of any returning Energy 4 linebacker.
Hill is a flexible athlete who wears many hats for the Longhorns’ protection and will discover his means into the primary spherical of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Always remember when 6’3, 235 pound Anthony Hill Jr. was excessive stepping to shake defenders after an interception
Sadly, the landing was known as again on account of a penalty, however the interception stood pic.twitter.com/XtgzoXhTo7
— One Cease Texas (@OneStopHorns) January 24, 2025
2. Taurean York, Texas A&M
Like Anthony Hill Jr., York has been a starter in every of his first two school seasons. However in contrast to Hill, he was only a three-star recruit popping out of highschool.
York has confirmed these rankings unsuitable so far, main all returning Energy 4 linebackers with 59 run-defense stops since 2023. His 122 performs with first contact on ball carriers are tied for fourth amongst that group. York has a stocky construct at 6-foot and 235 kilos, and he is a wonderful tackler.
Taurean York, Aggies linebacker strips the ball from the Tennessee working again.
Was a fast intuition play by York as a real freshman, coming into his sophomore season with the Aggies.
Elko, Bateman, and Aggie devoted predict huge issues from York this fall!
Gig’em 👍 pic.twitter.com/FzGy7nNrBG
— Kyle Lovinggood 🌵👍🏼 (@kloveaggs) August 4, 2024
3. Whit Weeks, LSU
Harold Perkins Jr. started final season as PFF’s top-ranked linebacker in school soccer, and now it’s a unique Tiger who graces the highest three.
Weeks was a continuing in opposing backfields as a sophomore. His 21 tackles for loss or no achieve have been the fourth most amongst all linebackers within the nation, whereas his 25 pressures have been a top-15 mark. Weeks’ potential to click on and shut is pretty much as good as anybody in school soccer.
4. Austin Romaine, Kansas State
Romaine was the Energy 4’s highest-graded linebacker as only a true sophomore, incomes a 91.0 mark in 2024. His 90.7 run-defense grade (third finest) powered that mark, and his 43 run-defense stops have been the fourth most amongst Energy 4 linebackers.
Romaine is a prototypical Mike linebacker at 6-foot-2 and 242 kilos, and he’s glorious at beating blockers earlier than they’ll get a clear shot on him.
Massive day for second 12 months linebacker Austin Romaine vs Tulane
8 tackles 2 sacks & an enormous pressured fumble pic.twitter.com/UOPqhG9b9b— The Kansas State Fan (@Thekstatefan) September 9, 2024
5. Kyle Louis, Pittsburgh
Louis was one in every of six FBS linebackers to earn 80.0-plus grades as a run defender and in protection final season. The sophomore led the Energy 4 with 22 tackles for loss or no achieve and 4 interceptions in 2024.
Louis’ motion potential in protection is paying homage to a slot cornerback, and he has elite agility at 225 kilos.
PITT BLOCKS THE EXTRA POINT AND RUNS IT BACK FOR TWO 🔥
Kyle Louis went up and received it 💪 pic.twitter.com/cXq7FuV3q6
— ESPN Faculty Soccer (@ESPNCFB) December 26, 2024
6. Sonny Types, Ohio State
Types started his profession as a security for the Buckeyes earlier than transitioning to linebacker this previous season. The transfer paid off for the previous No. 4 total recruit within the 2022 highschool class, as he completed his junior 12 months as one of many 20 most respected linebackers within the nation, based on PFF’s wins above common metric.
Types nonetheless seems to be like a security in protection, tying for fifth amongst Energy 4 linebackers with 16 protection stops final season. He additionally adjusted effectively to the extra bodily fashion of play that taking part in linebacker requires, tallying six sacks and 75 performs with first contact on ball carriers.
Sonny Types 2024-2025 Highlights pic.twitter.com/Q100zlcFAN
— Rocky (@Rockerfellerr_) March 11, 2025
7. Deontae Lawson, Alabama
The Crimson Tide are dropping linebacker Jihaad Campbell, who will possible turn into a first-round decide within the 2025 NFL Draft, however they nonetheless have one other stud patrolling the center of the sector in Lawson.
His eight pressured incompletions since 2023 are tied for essentially the most amongst all returning linebackers in school soccer, whereas his 56 run-defense stops in that very same span stand third amongst returning Energy 4 linebackers. Lawson takes on blocks very effectively on account of his robust construct at 6-foot-2 and 239 kilos and does an excellent job of studying the quarterback’s eyes in zone protection.
0️⃣🦁 pic.twitter.com/aJzHD39YjA
— Deontae Lawson (@Deontae_0) January 7, 2025
8. CJ Allen, Georgia
Allen is a implausible athlete at 6-foot-1 and 235 kilos, putting above the 98th percentile in PFF’s Recreation Athleticism Rating metric. His sideline-to-sideline pace and durable construct make him a wonderful run defender. The sophomore’s 89.8 PFF run-defense grade final 12 months ranked seventh amongst all school soccer linebackers.
Allen can also be an excellent tackler, putting within the 94th percentile on the place with only a 7.1% missed sort out price since 2023.
CJ Allen went up and received it.
📺 ABC #GoDawgs | @therealcjay1 pic.twitter.com/MDA3VbSqxY
— Georgia Soccer (@GeorgiaFootball) November 2, 2024
9. Drayk Bowen, Notre Dame
Bowen is a fair higher tackler than CJ Allen, lacking simply 6.3% of his profession makes an attempt — the seventh-best price amongst 297 linebackers since 2023. No returning FBS linebacker was extra precious than him final 12 months, based on PFF’s wins above common metric.
The rising junior is a really bodily participant who might want to assume extra of a management position in 2025 following Jack Kiser’s departure.
10. Rasheem Biles, Pittsburgh
Between Kyle Louis and Biles, the Panthers have the most effective linebacker unit within the nation getting into subsequent season. Like Louis, Biles is constructed extra like a security at 215 kilos — and he has the protection potential of 1, as effectively. The sophomore tallied 5 pressured incompletions in 2024, tied for essentially the most amongst returning Energy 4 linebackers.
Biles was greater than only a protection linebacker, although, putting among the many high 10 Energy 4 linebackers in sacks (six) and tackles for loss or no achieve (15) final season.
PICK SIX PANTHERS ! 🔥
LB Rasheem Biles intercepte QB Kyle McCord et remonte le terrain sur 35 yards pour sa 1ère INT en carrière. 👏
Pittsburgh prend les devants 7-0.
📺 @espnpic.twitter.com/A9cUGXJLrW
— TBP Faculty Soccer (@thebluepennant) October 25, 2024
Honorable Point out: Wade Woodaz, Clemson
Woodaz spent his freshman season at security for the Tigers earlier than taking part in the previous two years at linebacker. That’s primarily on account of his versatility in protection, as he pressured 5 incompletions final season and has picked off three passes since 2023.
The rising senior can also be a weapon as a blitzer, tallying 22 pressures final 12 months — a top-20 mark within the Energy 4.
Wade Woodaz pic.twitter.com/J7QKkIuQ7b
— Seldom Used Reserve (@seldomusedres) September 21, 2023
