2025 Senior Bowl: Linebacker Preview

The 2025 Senior Bowl has a collection of talented off-ball linebackers among its brethren of skill and speed. Are any “green dots” that could go in the first three rounds as teams look to find the next star inside and outside men? Who could fly up the boards after a great week in Mobile?

You can find the other positional previews linked below:

Quarterback

Running Back

Wide Receiver

Offensive Line

Defensive Line

American

Linebackers

1. Eugene Asante | Auburn

2. Shemar James | Florida

3. Demetrius Knight II | South Carolina

4. Smael Mondon, Jr | Georgia

5. Karene Reid | Utah

Top Prospect

Demetrius Knight II

Knight is the third front-seven transfer from Georgia Tech in this year’s Senior Bowl. That’s a testament to Tech’s evaluation ability, but retention isn’t too good. He transferred to Charlotte for the 2023 season, where he posted 96 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and three interceptions. South Carolina plucked him from the portal in 2024, and he thrived in big-time SEC play, cementing himself as a bonafide star. He has all the physical tools and is a throwback type of off-ball linebacker. If he can prove he can be an adequate pass defender, he can fly up the boards. The 2025 Senior Bowl will be crucial for this linebacker’s evaluation process.

Big Name

Smael Mondon, Jr

Mondon was the prince who was promised years ago but didn’t deliver on the hype to a certain extent. Like most Georgia defenders, he’s a primetime athlete who can cover anyone and everyone. He was on track to better his 2023 numbers, but injuries derailed his 2024. The former five-star recruit has all the tools; can he translate them into actual practice time? He could move into the first round for good with a big week.

Sleeper

Karene Reid

Reid is the prototypical Utah linebacker who earned his promotion from the Hula Bowl. As is usually the case for Utah defenders, he’s a solid athlete with well-schooled fundamentals. One concern is that his production declined every season, so teams will question why it happened. If he can rebound during the week, he can start climbing back on the boards as a middle Day 3 selection.

National

Linebackers

1. Justin Barron | Syracuse

2. Jeffery Bassa | Oregon

3. Cody Lindenberg | Minnesota

4. Nickolas Martin | Oklahoma State

5. Keondre Jackson | Arkansas*

Top Prospect

Nickolas Martin

The outstanding linebacker from Oklahoma State is arguably one of the most talented off-ball linebackers at the 2025 Senior Bowl. He’s a primetime athlete who translates his physical gifts with good instincts and burst. A quick, twitchy athlete can turn and run with just about anyone. He burst onto the scene as a legitimate NFL prospect in 2023 with 140 combined tackles, 16 tackles for loss, and six sacks. Injuries, unfortunately, took a bite out of his 2024 campaign, so he’ll be on the lookout to prove his health.

Big Name

Jeffery Bassa

Bassa was an impactful player for all four seasons of his college career. He was used as a roaming chess piece for which opposing offenses had to account. The former Ducks star is a big-time athlete who should test well in coverage and rushing the passer. His size is a concern at just 6’1 226, so that may turn some teams off. Bassa is a converted safety who moved down a level to linebacker in college. He could project as a dime linebacker at the next level and the general of the defense. He’ll go within the first five rounds if he can prove that his size isn’t detrimental during the week.

Sleeper

Cody Lindenberg

Lindenberg has a big 2024 bounce-back season after playing just three games in 2023. He posted 94 tackles, five tackles for loss, six passes defended, and one sack. He is a fundamentally sound tackler whose athletic profile may not be ideal for teams, but he’s consistently in the picture. The former Golden Gophers star linebacker’s profile screams what the Ravens look for in their linebackers. If he can prove that he can do well in coverage, he should be drafted in the middle of Day 3.