In the past three drafts, Alabama has had 11 players drafted. Middle linebacker C.J. Mosley will push that number higher. Before the college football season starts, the Crimson Tide senior is atop our initial middle linebacker rankings for the 2014 NFL Draft.
2014 NFL Draft middle linebacker rankings
Mike Zarrilli
It’s hard to see another linebacker overtaking Mosley for the top spot. Like Luke Kuechly in 2012 and Patrick Willis in 2007, Mosley should go wire to wire as the best middle linebacker in the class. The question is whether or not he’s as good as those two top 10 picks. As our preseason scouting report notes, Mosley is a do-it-all linebacker with athleticism and fast.
Mosley's teammate Trey Depriest was second on the team with 59 tackles a season ago. Once he returns from suspension, he should quickly show why he's rated highly. While Depriest is just starting to show his potential, Western Kentucky's Andrew Jackson looked ready for the NFL a couple years ago. He's a hard-hitting linebacker in the mold of Brandon Spikes of the New England Patriots.
Here is our initial middle linebacker rankings for the 2014 NFL Draft. Did we miss anyone? Let us know in the comments.
| 1. C.J. Mosley | 6'2, 232 pounds | Middle linebacker | Alabama - Preseason notes |
| 2. Trey Depriest | 6'2, 245 pounds | Middle linebacker | Alabama * |
| 3. Andrew Jackson | 6'1, 265 pounds | Middle linebacker | Western Kentucky |
| 4. Yawin Smallwood | 6'3, 244 pounds | Middle linebacker | Connecticut |
| 5. Max Bullough | 6'3, 242 pounds | Middle linebacker | Michigan State |
| 6. Shayne Skov | 6'3, 245 pounds | Middle linebacker | Stanford |
| 7. Lamin Barrow | 6'2, 232 pounds | Middle linebacker | LSU |
| 8. Preston Brown | 6'2, 257 pounds | Middle linebacker | Louisville |
| 9. Bryce Hager | 6'2, 235 pounds | Middle linebacker | Baylor * |
| 10. Greg Blair | 6'2, 252 pounds | Middle linebacker | Cincinnati |
| 11. Chris Borland | 5'11, 248 pounds | Middle linebacker | Wisconsin |
| 12. Nick Forbes | 6'1, 230 pounds | Middle linebacker | California * |
| 13. Mike Hull | 6'0, 227 pounds | Middle linebacker | Penn State * |
| 14. DeDe Lattimore | 6'1, 237 pounds | Middle linebacker | South Florida |
| 15. Jack Tyler | 6'1, 230 pounds | Middle linebacker | Virginia Tech * |
| 16. Jabari Hunt-Days | 6'3, 252 pounds | Middle linebacker | Georgia Tech ** |
| 17. Telvin Smith | 6'3, 218 pounds | Middle linebacker | Florida State |
| 18. Marquis Spruill | 6'0, 224 pounds | Middle linebacker | Syracuse |
| 19. Erick Kendricks | 6'0, 228 pounds | Middle linebacker | UCLA * |
| 20. Avery Williamson | 6'1, 241 pounds | Middle linebacker | Kentucky |
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- Jason Verrett headlines the top 20 Big 12 prospects
- No Eric Fisher, but top draft prospects remain in the MAC
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