The misconception fans have is that drafting a linebacker high in the draft is a recipe for success. Actually, history shows that if you’re patient and scout a player that isn’t as highly touted as the top-prospects, but has the intangibles of being a great player, that’s the player you want to draft.

If you look at last year’s draft, A.J. Hawk (5th overall), Ernie Sims (9th overall), Chad Greenway (17th overall), Bobby Carpenter (18th overall), and Manny Lawson (22nd overall), were all drafted in the first round. But the Defensive Rookie of the Year was a second round pick, DeMeco Ryans (33rd overall), who was the fifth linebacker taken in the draft. Patience paid off for the Houston Texans and teams this year can use the same strategy.

This past college football season, seniors like Patrick Willis, Paul Posluszny, and Buster Davis were touted as the best in the country, and that designation is warranted. But it’s the players you didn’t hear much about that will get NFL scouts excited.

The one aspect of this draft that makes this linebacker class intriguing is the infusion of junior players at the position that declared for the draft. Florida State’s Lawrence Timmons, Miami’s Jon Beason, and Florida’s Brandon Siler, are three juniors that are at the head of the class and are poised to be taken in the first two rounds.

The question that will be asked is, “Who’s the best linebacker in the draft?” Obviously you have to think Willis is the best linebacker in the draft. He’s 6-foot-2, 240-pounds and over the last two years he has had an astounding 265 tackles. Willis is also a tremendous leader, emotionally and vocally, and will become a mainstay on any defense in the National Football League.

Recently, Timmons has gained steam as the best athlete at the linebacker position and has scouts anticipating his workouts at the Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. Statistically, Timmons (79 tackles, five sacks in 2006) doesn’t possess the same kind of production Willis had during his four-year stay at Ole Miss, but he has tremendous upside and we all know that potential outweighs production when it comes to the draft. 

Beason is another intriguing player. Beason is a bit undersized at 6-foot, 236-pounds, but he’s a strong player that plays bigger than his size indicates. Beason’s ability to play sideline-to-sideline has made his draft stock rise and will potentially land Beason with a team at the end of the first round.

If you’re looking for a leader, Florida ’s outstanding inside linebacker, Siler will give a team a boost in that area. Siler is known for his attacking style of play that creates havoc in the backfield. Siler is a player that needs to add bulk to his frame, but he’s a solid tackler and displays great instincts and awareness on the field.

If I were an NFL general manager looking to draft a linebacker, here is the order I’d rank them and select them: