The 2026 draft class is sneaky-strong at the linebacker position. Ohio State’s Sonny Styles is the consensus No. 1 (unless you consider his teammate Arvell Reese an off-ball LB rather than an edge rusher), with a wide array of Day 2 talents behind him.
The Ravens are in an odd spot at the position. They have Roquan Smith under contract through 2027, but his performance has dipped since his spectacular 2023 season. Will he be worth the $18 million in cash he’s owed next year?
In the short-term, Smith
lacks a clear running mate. Last year, it was rookie Teddye Buchanan, but a ACL suffered in December will likely keep him from being ready for Week 1. 2023 third-rounder Trenton Simpson played well when needed last year but has not been able to hang onto the No. 2 linebacker spot during his time in Baltimore. 2025 UDFA Jay Higgins is a wild card after making the 53-man roster for his special teams prowess, though he stood out on defense in the preseason.
In other words, the Ravens could definitely add a linebacker in the draft. There is plenty of talent concentrated on Day 2, but that would still feel a bit high given Smith’s presence and the position’s lower relative value. But Baltimore has a well-documented love of drafting young linebackers, and a strong history of finding quality ones. Don’t rule out a LB pick to happen earlier than you think. It should be one of these players:
1. Sonny Styles, Ohio State (No. 10 on Baltimore Beatdown’s Big Board)
Styles is an incredible player who has no chance of falling to the Ravens. If he were available at No. 14, Eric DeCosta would likely sprint the card to the stage himself, unless another team offers a king’s ransom in a trade. Even then, he is the type of long-term linebacker teams dream for, one that would allow Baltimore to move on from Smith as early as next year. Styles has a great feel for zone drops and closes downhill fast against underneath routes. He has the athletic traits and frame to continue developing as a pass rusher and when taking on guards and centers in the run game.
2. Jake Golday, Cincinnati (No. 56 overall)
3. Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech (No. 61 overall, Red Star from Nikhil)
Outside of his undersized frame (6-foot-1, 231 pounds, 30.9-inch arms), Jacob Rodriguez brings a complete skillset at the linebacker position. He posted elite numbers in college, leading the Big 12 over the last two years with 140 solo tackles (255 total) to go along with 21.5 tackles for loss, 6.0 sacks, five interceptions and 10 passes defended. In 2025, he forced an FBS-high seven fumbles and returned two of his four recoveries for touchdowns. Rodriguez’s instincts and vision consistently placed him in the right position, and his ball skills allowed him to make the most of those opportunities. After sweeping college football’s defensive awards, he answered any remaining questions about his athleticism with an elite Combine showing. He has sideline-to-sideline range as a run defender and can play downhill with physicality. His size is a limitation against bigger blockers and his tackling technique needs work, but he could be a three-down contributor from Day 1 and grow into a long-term leader for a defense.
4. Anthony Hill Jr., Texas (No. 63 overall)
5. CJ Allen, Georgia (No. 64 overall)
6. Josiah Trotter, Missouri (No. 79 overall)
7. Kyle Louis, Pittsburgh (No. 83 overall)
8. Taurean York, Texas A&M (No. 116 overall)
9. Keyshaun Elliott, Arizona State (No. 125 overall)
10. Bryce Boettcher, Oregon (No. 142 overall)
11. Harold Perkins Jr., Louisiana State (No. 147 overall)
12. Kaleb Elarms-Orr, Texas Christian (No. 156 overall)
13. Aiden Fisher, Indiana (No. 180 overall)
14. Jack Kelly, BYU (No. 183 overall)
15. Eric Gentry, Southern California (No. 192 overall)
