With his last two seasons being defined by injuries, Greenlaw is a tough player to project for 2026 and beyond. He did stand out as a run defender on a small sample size in Denver last season, but he was prone to a few lapses in coverage. It will be interesting to see how the 29-year-old bounces back during his return to San Francisco, as Greenlaw's evaluation is very fluid.

Cashman is a good run defender who is quick to key and diagnose plays, has the athleticism to get to the right spot, and can take on blocks to consistently make tackles for short gains. However, his football IQ doesn't translate to the passing game, as he's slow to recognize route concepts and has subpar ball skills, resulting in a lot of completions when quarterbacks target him.

Landman has an impressive combination of athleticism and instincts against the run to sift through the trash and make stops near the line of scrimmage. That's a big part of how he set career highs in total tackles (132) and tackles for loss (eight) last season. The 2022 undrafted free agent is susceptible to getting beaten in coverage and will get caught taking the cheese in zone, but he managed to record an interception and six passes defended last year to show off some ball skills. That's on top of recording four forced fumbles, with at least two of those coming in coverage. The question is, was the 2025 campaign a sign that the four-year pro is turning a corner and becoming a quality starting linebacker in the NFL? Or is Landman just going to be a one-year wonder?

Injuries have been the biggest factor holding back Dean's career. On the field, he's a highly instinctual run defender who is constantly making stops, and he has the acceleration to be effective at closing in coverage. Also, the former Georgia Bulldog is an excellent blitzer, destroying running backs in pass protection to rack up seven sacks over the last two seasons. The 5'11" linebacker's lack of length limits him in coverage, especially in man coverage, as he doesn't have good ball skills and is susceptible to giving up yards through the air, though. Also, as alluded to above, he's struggled to stay healthy and has missed 25 regular-season games in just four years.

Hindered by a nerve injury in his shoulder, Gray is an up-and-coming linebacker who racked up an impressive 164 tackles last season. He's a pretty good run defender, showing the instincts and speed to shoot gaps and beat blockers to the spot, as well as the ability to take on and defeat blocks. That combination led to the production above and a lot of tackles near the line of scrimmage. In coverage, the second-year pro can rally and tackle, but doesn't offer much more than that. However, Gray does show some potential to contribute on line games when blitzing, as he can find pass-rush lanes and has good closing speed to at least get the ball out of the quarterback's hand.

After a slow start with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Bush revived his career with the Cleveland Browns. The 2019 No. 10 overall pick has been very productive against the run over the last two seasons, using his athleticism and quickness to slip blocks on the second level and make plays near the line of scrimmage. In coverage, Bush can rally and tackle and made a good amount of stops for short gains last year. But he's still growing in this area and is prone to have a coverage lapse or getting beaten due to the 5'11" linebacker's lack of length. He is an ascending player who could shoot up the linebacker rankings with another strong campaign, especially if he develops in coverage.

Anzalone is a solid all-around player who can wear multiple hats on the defense. His game is rooted in athleticism, as he has good lateral movement skills to make blockers miss on the second level and is one of the few remaining linebackers who can hold his own against tight ends and running backs man-to-man. The nine-year veteran can also click and close in coverage and is a decent pass-rusher, either off the edge or when blitzing.

The Cowboys might be the biggest benefactor of the San Francisco 49ers having too many linebackers on the roster, because getting Winters for just a fifth-round pick looks like a steal. He has the makings of someone who is about to burst onto the scene as a well-rounded, starting-caliber linebacker. The 2023 sixth-round pick is a good athlete and accelerates well, which helps him make tackles with his instincts against the run and close to collect stops in coverage. He's also decent at taking on blocks and has recorded nine passes defended over the last two seasons. Winters' awareness in coverage still needs improvement, but look for him to make a name for himself in Dallas this season.

All Oluokun has done over the last six seasons is post triple-digit tackle campaigns. He's a good run defender with the instincts and ability to navigate through the trash as well as the strength to take on blocks, allowing him to rack up the stops in multiple ways. In coverage, the eight-year pro has good ball skills to rack up 40 career passes defended, but he struggles to operate in space, leading to missed tackles and surrendering a good amount of yards.

Henley's instincts are still a work in progress, but his movement skills are top-notch for a linebacker. The former college wide receiver has the change of direction and acceleration to navigate the trash and crash downhill against the run. In coverage, those traits help him be effective at clicking and closing, and Henley has had good ball production with 13 passes defended over the last two seasons combined.

Bolton makes his money as a run defender. He has good instincts to recognize when he can shoot gaps and knows how to control his body to knife through the offensive line and into the backfield. The five-year veteran doesn't impact the passing game much, as he does give up a lot of separation and is scheme-dependent when rushing the passer. But Bolton does have decent ball production with 21 career passes defended, including six in back-to-back seasons.

Last season, Jones established himself as a rising linebacker in the NFL. The 2025 second-team All-Pro has always been a good run defender, showing the instincts and movement skills to mirror running backs and constantly be in the right spot to make stops. But he added a career-high five interceptions to bolster his resume. Jones is still susceptible to giving up a lot of yards in coverage, often being late to recognize threats coming into his area when playing zone. But he will continue to climb up the ranks by building on the ball skills he showed last fall.

Over the past three years, Spillane has quietly crept up linebacker rankings across the league. He's a good run defender who operates well in the box, showing the instincts and lateral movement skills to make tackles for short gains consistently. The former undrafted free agent is limited against the passing game, but he can be a solid middle hole defender with his ability to read the quarterback's eyes and make plays on the ball or close in coverage.

Al-Shaair's combination of instincts and athleticism allows him to navigate the trash and make plays in both phases of the game. He has very good lateral movement skills to move gap-to-gap horizontally and make offensive linemen miss, and his speed gives him impressive sideline-to-sideline range and the ability to close in coverage. The 2025 Pro Bowler also added some ball skills to his repertoire this past season, collecting a career-high nine passes defended. However, he does have a tendency to veer out of his area in zone coverage, allowing a decent amount of catches and yards in coverage.

In the span of about two years, Schwesinger has gone from a linebacker who barely saw the field for UCLA to the 2025 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. That's a testament to his work ethic, which shows up on the field the most through his instincts. Against the run, the former Bruin isn't fooled by eye candy and is constantly in the right spot to make tackles near the line of scrimmage. Coverage is where Schwesinger has the biggest room for improvement heading into year two. His eye discipline and awareness need to improve in zone coverage, as he gave up a good amount of catches by not recognizing threats coming into his area or drifting out of his zone.