NFL Combine 2013: Top linebackers invited

Arthur Brown and Jarvis Jones headline the linebackers working out at the 2013 NFL Combine on Monday. Also, a little-known ‘backer from Notre Dame by the name of Manti Te’o.

by Griffin Gotta

Feb 25, 2013, 1:30 PM UTC

Dale Zanine-US PRESSWIRE

Monday is the day linebackers get to take the field at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind., for the 2013 NFL Combine workouts, and the group features a few potential first round picks in the upcoming NFL Draft.

Let’s take a look, in no particular order, at five linebackers to watch at the Combine:

- Jarvis Jones. The playmaking linebacker from Georgia is predicted by SB Nation's Dan Kadar to be the first at his position selected in the draft, with the eighth overall pick by the Buffalo Bills. Jones began his collegiate career with the USC Trojans, but transferred to the Bulldogs following a neck injury that put a damper on his freshman year.

Jones spends most of his time in the backfield, getting sacks, forcing fumbles or knocking down passes, and the Combine will be important for him to assure NFL teams that any injury concerns are behind him.

- Arthur Brown. Also a transfer player -- he spent two seasons with the University of Miami (Fla.) -- Brown will likely be an inside linebacker at the next level. Hard-nosed and versatile, Brown piled up over 100 tackles this season for the Wildcats. Largely considered undersized for an inside linebacking spot, Brown could use the Combine to make his athleticism impossible to ignore, regardless of his size.

- Alec Ogletree. Ogletree, another defender from the Georgia Bulldogs, is a blend of safety and linebacker that many NFL defenses covet these days. After also playing inside linebacker for the Bulldogs, Ogletree, with his speed, seems capable of covering any position within the unit.

He will undoubtedly have to answer questions about his decision-making off the field at the Combine, after a report came out Sunday stating that Ogletree was recently hit with a DUI charge. This adds to a list of issues including suspensions for failed drug tests and a theft arrest as a freshman.

- Kevin Minter. The former LSU Tiger notched 130 total tackles, 15 of those going for a loss, in 2012. Minter racks up so many tackles because he specializes in run defense, finding his way through piles of linemen to find and destroy the running back.

Minter’s speed and skills in covering both running backs out of the backfield and downfield receivers, will be challenged at the Combine.

- Manti Te'o. Te'o has work to do in reminding people of the linebacker that led the Notre Dame Fighting Irish to the National Championship game rather than the guy who fell in love with a fake girl on the Internet. Good against the run with a flair for big plays at Notre Dame, Te'o still remains one of the better inside linebacker prospects in the draft.

His speed will be watched closely at the Combine along with his strength, as Te'o was dominated for much of the night against the physical, bruising Alabama Crimson Tide offense in the national title game.

Here’s a complete list of the linebackers who’ll be working out at the Combine:

Brown, Arthur ILB Kansas St.

Jones, Jarvis OLB Georgia

Te’o, Manti ILB Notre Dame Scouting Report

Ogletree, Alec ILB Georgia

Minter, Kevin ILB LSU

Porter, Sean OLB Texas A&M

Thomas, Chase OLB Stanford

Greene, Khaseem OLB Rutgers

Hodges, Gerald OLB Penn

St. Mauti, Michael ILB Penn St.

Reddick, Kevin ILB North Carolina