Table of Contents
2026 player position rankings: Wide receivers| Cornerbacks| Offensive line| Defensive line| Tight ends| WR2s
Welcome back to Sports Illustrated’s 2026 NFL position rankings, where we’ll stack up the top 10 players across the league at each spot on the field over the coming weeks leading into training camp. We continue with linebackers.
Roaming the middle of the defense are the linebackers. Tough, imposing, intuitive and able to make up ground quickly—those are just some of the traits that define the league’s best at the position. Many of the top linebackers aren’t just great players, they’re also tremendous leaders who own the responsibility of wearing the green dot and calling the defensive plays to their teammates.
In recent years, the play of linebacker has been deemphasized—far removed from the days when Dick Butkus, Mike Singletary and Ray Lewis were the faces of their defenses. As such, the linebacker position has been undervalued compared to others—and the lowest-paid among defensive positions. Over the past several seasons, however, there appears to be a resurgence at the position, particularly with the arrival of a 2026 draft class full of linebacker talent, including No. 7 pick Sonny Styles.
Those, however, are the linebackers of tomorrow. For now, we’re focused on the best of today. We’ve ranked the top 10 linebackers in the NFL heading into the 2026 season. Rankings were determined by a vote between Eva Geitheim, Mike Kadlick and Karl Rasmussen.
10. Carson Schwesinger, Cleveland Browns
The reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year has quickly emerged as one of the best linebackers in the league after just one NFL season. It’s a particularly remarkable feat given that as of two years ago, Schwesinger had never even started a game at the collegiate level. Once the former UCLA walk-on got on the field, however, his talent and instincts proved undeniable as he established himself as an All-American and high second-round pick over his final season in college.
Schwesinger carried that standard of play over to the Browns, where he became the team’s green-dot linebacker after an injury to Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah. He excelled in the role, quickly closing in on ball-carriers to get stops. He tallied 156 total tackles (sixth-most), 2.5 sacks and two interceptions for a top-five defense. – Eva Geitheim
9. Nick Bolton, Kansas City Chiefs
Bolton has been the heartbeat of the Chiefs’ defense over the past five seasons, leading the team in tackles every year he’s been fully healthy (missing eight games in 2023 with both ankle and wrist injuries) while helping them win Super Bowls LVII and LVIII—leading the NFL in postseason tackles during the latter title run.
“I bet if you talk to all the other guys, he makes the other 10 better,” Kansas City defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo said of Bolton during an appearance on the New Heights podcast last year. “He’s telling the D-line what to do, he’s signaling back [to the secondary]. And when in doubt, I tell them, ‘Do whatever Nick says. Do whatever Nick tells you.’ It might not be exactly the way we put it in, but we got a lot of trust in Nick.”
The 26-year-old signed a three-year, $45 million contract extension with the Chiefs ahead of last season, and followed up the payday by tallying 154 total tackles, 86 run stops, six passes defensed, a 21.3% pressure rate and a sack. – Mike Kadlick
<section data-block="SingleChoice"><h2>Who is the Top Linebacker Heading Into the 2026 NFL Season?</h2><ul><li>Azeez Al-Shaair, Houston Texans</li><li>Zack Baun, Philadelphia Eagles</li><li>Nick Bolton, Kansas City Chiefs</li><li>Jordyn Brooks, Miami Dolphins</li><li>Jack Campbell, Detroit Lions</li><li>Ernest Jones IV, Seattle Seahawks</li><li>Devin Lloyd, Carolina Panthers</li><li>Carson Schwesinger, Cleveland Browns</li><li>Roquan Smith, Baltimore Ravens</li><li>Fred Warner, San Francisco 49ers </li></ul></section>
8. Ernest Jones IV, Seattle Seahawks
Jones has had a fascinating career arc since being drafted by the Rams in 2021, winning Super Bowl LVI as a rookie and eventually earning team captain honors before being traded to the Titans ahead of the 2024 season. He was then shipped to the Seahawks at the 2024 trade deadline after a 1–5 start to the season in Tennessee and became an integral part of Seattle’s Super Bowl LX victory last February.
Last season specifically was when Jones truly showed off his versatility as a defender. Over 15 regular-season starts, he tallied 126 total tackles and four tackles for loss while also intercepting five passes—which ranked first among linebackers and second across the entire NFL. – M.K.
7. Azeez Al-Shaair, Houston Texans
While Al-Shaair’s seven-year career has come with its fair share of controversy, most notably his three-game suspension in 2024 for a dirty hit on quarterback Trevor Lawrence, his impact on a defense is undeniable. The 28-year-old has even embraced his role as an NFL villain and was recently described to ESPN as the “Dennis Rodman of linebackers” for his ability to get in everyone’s head.
The 2025 season was arguably Al-Shaair’s best to date. While anchoring the Texans’ league-leading defense, he tallied 103 total tackles, nine passes defensed and two interceptions on his way to his first career Pro Bowl nod. Al-Shaair has since signed a three-year, $54 million contract extension with Houston, tying him to the franchise through the 2029 season. – M.K.
6. Jordyn Brooks, Miami Dolphins
Brooks was a bright spot for the Dolphins during a season of turmoil, turning in a career year for Miami as he earned first-team All-Pro honors for the first time in 2025. He led the NFL in solo (99) and total tackles (183) as he recorded career highs in both categories. He also notched 3.5 sacks and a forced fumble during the year.
After spending the first four seasons of his career with the Seahawks, Brooks signed with the Dolphins on a three-year, $26.3 million contract, which has since proven to be a bargain. As the Dolphins undergo a rebuild, turning over the roster to open up cap space and adjust to Jeff Hafley’s culture and system, the new regime has called Brooks one of three pillars they want to build around. Brooks is entering the final year of his contract and is due for an extension, which could be coming later this summer. – E.G.
5. Devin Lloyd, Carolina Panthers
Lloyd parlayed a big 2025 season with the Jaguars into a lucrative contract with the Panthers in free agency. He was one of the league’s best pass-rushing linebackers in ’25, finishing the year with 25 pressures, the third most at his position. He recorded 10 quarterback hits and six tackles for loss during his final season in Jacksonville, while also recording five interceptions, which was more than he recorded in his first three seasons combined.
Lloyd earned All-Pro second-team honors for his efforts last season and was named to his first Pro Bowl. Now, he’ll aim to replicate his terrific ’25 season with his new team and prove he was worth the franchise’s significant investment in him. – Karl Rasmussen
4. Zack Baun, Philadelphia Eagles
Baun began his NFL career with the Saints as an edge rusher, starting a measly 14 games over four seasons while tallying just two sacks. He then hit free agency in 2024 looking for a fresh start—and found exactly that with the Eagles.
After signing a one-year prove-it deal with Philadelphia, Baun transitioned to inside linebacker and quickly found himself amid a breakout campaign. While helping the Eagles to a Super Bowl LIX victory, Baun tallied career highs in total tackles (151), tackles for loss (11), forced fumbles (5) and sacks (3.5) throughout the 2024 season, earning himself not only first-team All-Pro honors, but a three-year, $51 million extension last offseason. He followed that up with another quality season in 2025—showing off his ability to defend the pass with seven passes defensed and two interceptions.
Baun now enters 2026 as the true leader of Philly’s linebacker room after Nakobe Dean signed with the Raiders in free agency, as Jihaad Campbell is set to begin just his second NFL season. – M.K.
3. Roquan Smith, Baltimore Ravens
Roquan Smith is one of just four inside linebackers selected in the top 10 of the draft over the past decade, and he’s more than lived up to the billing. A second-team All-Pro in 2020 and 2022 and a three-time first-team All-Pro from 2022 to ’24, Smith has been one of the best linebackers this decade. He’s a ferocious tackler, and has great instincts for getting to the ball.
The 2025 season was a bit of a down year for Smith as he dealt with a hamstring injury and the Ravens’ defense underperformed as a whole, but look for him and the unit to rebound in Jesse Minter’s scheme this year. Minter said during mandatory minicamp that he “could not be more pleased” with what Smith has done this offseason and expects him to be one of the best linebackers in the league this season.– E.G.
2. Jack Campbell, Detroit Lions
Campbell was a Lions draft pick that was met with plenty of scrutiny from the media and fans, but he’s proven just about everyone wrong, developing into one of the best linebackers in the NFL. PFF graded Campbell as the No. 2 linebacker in the NFL last season, and his elite run-defense grade (93.0) was the highest PFF has given to a linebacker in its entire existence.
Last season, Campbell posted career highs in sacks (5.0), tackles (176), tackles for loss (9), forced fumbles (3) and fumble recoveries (2). Campbell is excellent in coverage and flies around the field making stops on every level. This offseason, he was rewarded with a well-deserved four-year, $81 million contract extension that will keep him in Detroit through the 2030 season. – K.R.
1. Fred Warner, San Francisco 49ers
A four-time first-team All-Pro, Warner is the standard at linebacker in the NFL. After missing just one game through the first seven seasons of his career, Warner missed the majority of the 2025 campaign due to a broken leg. Even so, he still finished the year as PFF’s highest-graded linebacker. His absence was most certainly felt by the 49ers, especially defensively. Per Next Gen Stats, the 49ers defense allowed a 19.3% explosive play rate when Warner was off the field, compared to a 10.2% rate when he was healthy. They also allowed 2.4 more yards per attempt on play action passes when Warner wasn’t available. The 49ers withstood the injuries to make the playoffs last season, but they will be overjoyed to have him back in 2026.
Because when healthy, Warner flies across the field as he quickly makes up ground to be where the ball-carrier is and finishes off the tackle. He is also stellar in coverage, earning over a 90 in PFF’s coverage grade, the top mark at his position. Simply put, Warner is a playmaker. In 2024, his most recent full season, he tallied 131 total tackles, one sack, four forced fumbles and two interceptions. – E.G.
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EVA GEITHEIM
Eva Geitheim is an NFL writer at Sports Illustrated. Prior to joining SI in December 2024, she wrote for Newsweek, Gymnastics Now and Dodgers Nation. A Bay Area native, she has a bachelor’s in communications from UCLA. When not writing, she can be found baking or rewatching Gilmore Girls.
KARL RASMUSSEN
Karl Rasmussen is a staff writer for Sports Illustrated. A University of Oregon alum who joined SI in February 2023, his work has appeared on 12up and ClutchPoints. Rasmussen is a loyal Tottenham, Jets, Yankees and Ducks fan.
MIKE KADLICK
Mike Kadlick is an NFL writer for Sports Illustrated. He’s also a New England Patriots reporter for CLNS Media, where he hosts the Patriots Daily podcast and covers the beat from Gillette Stadium. Before joining SI, Kadlick worked at WEEI sports radio in Boston. He holds a master’s degree in public relations from Boston University. When Kadlick’s not covering football, he can be found running, spending time with his wife and dog, and enjoying all things pizza.
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