Best linebackers available in the 2023 NFL Draft and free agency

• Lavonte David is the top-ranked free agent: The longtime Tampa Bay Buccaneers standout showed no signs of slowing down in 2022, ranking third among 81 qualifying linebackers in PFF grade (85.1) and sixth in PFF WAR (0.37).

• Tremaine Edmunds in for a payday: After years of disappointing play, Edmunds finally broke out with an 81.9 PFF grade in 2022, fifth at the position, including a 90.0 coverage grade while leading all linebackers with 10 pass breakups.

• Daiyan Henley offers upside: The top-rated linebacker on PFF’s big board played wide receiver his first two years of college at Nevada. He’s still learning the position, but he brings wide receiver traits to the defensive side of the ball, which makes him such a unique player.

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

In recent years, arguably no position has changed as much as linebacker. With the NFL favoring the passing game more and more, the prototype of the big bruiser manning the middle of the defense is becoming outdated in favor of smaller, faster players who can keep up with tight ends and receivers.

This year’s class of available options isn’t particularly loaded with star-caliber players, but there are a lot of guys who can make an immediate impact on their new teams from Day 1.

Best Free Agents (rank among PFF’s Top 100 free agents)

It’s not always the best sign of a class’s strength when its top player is 33 years old, but most classes don’t feature players with the ability and longevity of Lavonte David.

The longtime Tampa Bay Buccaneers standout showed no signs of slowing down in 2022, ranking third among 81 qualifying linebackers in PFF grade (85.1) and sixth in PFF WAR (0.37).

Tremaine Edmunds will likely garner the biggest contract out of this class. After years of disappointing play, Edmunds finally broke out with an 81.9 PFF grade in 2022, fifth at the position, including a 90.0 coverage grade while leading all linebackers with 10 pass breakups. Edmunds also has youth working in his favor, as he turns 25 in May despite having played five seasons for the Buffalo Bills.

One of the more underrated players in this group, T.J. Edwards is about as well-rounded at the position as you will find. He graded out well as a run defender (79.0 grade), pass-rusher (79.5) and in coverage (78.4). While Edmunds may have led all linebackers in pass breakups in 2022, Edwards finished second with eight for the NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles.

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Best LBs in the 2023 NFL Draft (PFF Big Board rank)

There isn’t a Luke Kuechly-level prospect in this year’s linebacker class, but what it lacks in star power, it makes up for in depth, as there are at least a dozen guys who can make an impact out of the gate.

The top-rated linebacker on PFF’s big board is Washington State’s Daiyan Henley, who played wide receiver his first two years of college at Nevada. He’s still learning the position, but he brings wide receiver traits to the defensive side of the ball, which makes him such a unique player.

I talked a bit about Trenton Simpson as a prospect who underwhelmed in 2022, but a big showing at the NFL combine may have reinforced his case to be LB1 in this year’s class. Simpson put on a show as the second-fastest linebacker in Indianapolis, running a 4.43-second 40-yard dash that outpaced all but 10 wide receivers. He was also fourth among linebackers with 25 bench press reps.

Speaking of athletic freaks, Auburn’s Owen Pappoe may have been the biggest standout at the combine at the position. Pappoe topped all linebackers with a 4.39-second 40 and 1.52 10-yard split, both of which are elite numbers for a wideout, let alone a linebacker. On top of that, he showcased his strength with 29 bench press reps, which was the most among linebackers and would have placed as third-most amongst defensive tackles, making him a very intriguing prospect on Day 2 or 3 of the draft.