2025 NFL Draft prospect rankings: Top 5 linebackers

theScore's NFL draft prospect rankings series gives you everything you need to know about the top players on the board. Check back as we break down new position groups leading up to April's draft.

QB | RB | WR | TE | OL

EDGE | DL | LB

Campbell is the top linebacker in this draft and a slam-dunk first-round talent. He's an explosive athlete who is relentless in pursuit, demonstrating speed and range from the second level. He offers an ideal skill set in the passing game, as he plays with good instincts in coverage, provides pass-rush value as a blitzer, and even has the ability to kick out and get after the quarterback off the edge.

Campbell navigates traffic well as a run defender and has the lateral agility and hand usage to defeat blocks and make a play on the ball. He also plays with the physicality and tenacity to take on climbing linemen. He'll likely need to improve his processing speed in the run game to consistently get downhill on time. A post-combine surgery to repair a torn labrum in his shoulder could put his summer availability in question, but there's just so much to like here. Campbell could be a Pro Bowl regular before long.

Schwesinger might be the ideal modern linebacker. The UCLA product is an excellent athlete with the fluidity and coverage instincts to be a real plus contributor in the passing game. His physical gifts were also put to use as a blitzer from the second level, as he finished the 2024 season with 4.5 sacks. Schwesinger isn't the most physical presence at the position, so he likely won't be the kind of player to stack against opposing offensive linemen. He still finds a way to make it work in the run game, though, making good reads and using his agility to navigate confined spaces and work around blocks. Tackling isn't an issue, either, as he consistently wraps up the ball-carrier with good technique. Schwesinger has a chance to be an impact pro who plays every down.

Stutsman is a highly productive run defender. He processes the game well, reading his keys efficiently and getting downhill. He shows the ability to either take on and shed blocks from offensive linemen or slip past them laterally to put himself in a position to make a play. And he's a reliable finisher when it comes to tackling. But Stutsman likely won't be a big-time playmaker in coverage. His instincts in that regard aren't quite in line with what he's shown in the run game, and he may not have the short-area quickness to match running backs in man-to-man assignments. That said, he's still more serviceable than you might expect as a zone dropper, and an impressive combine performance confirmed that he's got plenty of speed for the position. He's got the ability to impact the game as a blitzer, too. Stutsman should be a key contributor on early downs while also doing enough to stay on the field in passing situations.

Mondon is a really interesting linebacker prospect. The Georgia product is an impressive athlete with coverage skills that could immediately make him an impact player in the passing game. He's fluid and instinctive in zone while also offering the ability to match up with tight ends and running backs in man-to-man. He even held his own with some occasional work lined up in the slot in college. Mondon is also a physical and reliable tackle who can offer some upside as a blitzer from the second level. He doesn't quite have the size to be taking on blocks between the tackles, and he could stand to improve when it comes to making reads and getting downhill more efficiently in the run game. But the coverage ability will play in sub packages from Day 1. Any development in other areas could make Mondon one of this year's best value picks at the position.

Knight brings the energy and physicality you want from your leader in the middle of the defense. The South Carolina standout is a good athlete with sideline-to-sideline range and impressive burst in pursuit. He reads his keys well in the run game and is eager to throw his weight around. He's one of the few college linebackers who can stack and shed against linemen, and he's a consistent finisher when he has the opportunity to make a play on the ball-carrier. Knight is smooth in coverage drops, but the lateral quickness and an apparent lack of feel for routes developing behind him could limit his playmaking ability on passing downs. It's also worth noting that he's older than the average prospect, as he'll turn 26 near the end of his rookie season. The traits should translate, though, making Knight a potential starter who does his best work in the run game.

Dan Wilkins is theScore's senior NFL writer.