Previously on The Enemy, Ranked: Quarterback, Running Back, Receiver, OL, DL

The Enemy series is beginning to near its conclusion, and today we pick up with the LB group. For this section, we had to again set some ground rules that will outline the piece. As a general rule, teams who employ a hybrid safety/LB saw that position included in this piece, including Indiana's "Husky", OSU's "Bullet", and Nebraska's hybrid space player. 3-4 OLB's who are edge rushers were included in the DL piece and are not featured here. With that in mind, let's dive in with #1 on our list and Wisconsin: 

1. Wisconsin 

Much the way that Wisconsin churns out terrific OL's like butter, they do the same at LB, running their patented 3-4. This year may well be a high tide in terms of great Wisconsin LB groups thanks to the return of every starter off last year's group. The unit starts with Jack Sanborn, the team's leading tackler each of the last two years and a likely lock for 1st team All-B1G. He's a classic do-it-all Wisconsin LB, who can run defend, cover, and blitz. Leo Chenal starts next to Sanborn on the inside and he's also really good, a more aggressive LB which can sometimes get him into trouble but it may well take him to the All-B1G team this season in the process. The OLB's have different responsibilities, with Nick Herbig being the one who has to drop into coverage more often. He had his lumps last season as a true freshman starter but he's undeniably talented: Herbig was a composite top 150 recruit out of Hawaii. I'm betting on big time improvement from him. Noah Burks is the OLB who gets to rush a bit more and the game tape tends to be more promising than the stats he's produced up to this point, but he's a two-year starter who's in his sixth year in the program. That's a lot of reason for optimism. 

The back-ups don't have as much to talk about, but they may well not be needed all that much. The starting four are going to play the vast majority of the snaps. Obviously injuries are a possibility, but this starting group will see the majority of the work, and if they're healthy, they'll be really, really good. Wisconsin was the clear #1 on our list. COVID may still be rattling our world, but Wisconsin having elite LB's suggests that Earth is still somewhat normal. 

[AFTER THE JUMP: You will never guess who's #3]

Edefuan Ulofoshio buoys Washington at #2 on this list [Jennifer Buchanan, USA Today]

2. Washington 

The Huskies show up at #2 on our list even though they only have precisely that many LB starters in their base defense. As mentioned in our preceding piece they run either a 2-4-5, or a 4-2-5, with two true down linemen and then two edge rushers they call OLB's. The rules of our DL piece compelled us to consider those edge guys as defensive linemen, leading us with just two positions for this piece. Luckily for Washington (can I just mention how annoying it is to have to type in "Washington Huskies Football" every time I want to search about the team because typing in "Washington Football" now takes you to the WFT? A real time hinderance) they have two returning starters, one of whom is a legit Dude. That would be Edefuan Ulofoshio, PFF's best returning LB on Michigan's schedule this season, 2nd team All-PAC 12 last season and a good bet to be 1st team this year. He's a quick and fast LB with some doom squirrel in him who makes a lot of plays for a tough Husky defense. Jackson Sirmon starts opposite of Ulofoshio, both of whom are "ILB's" and he's mostly just okay. The experience counts, though. The depth isn't as good, with the frequently injured MJ Tafisi on the two deep, but Washington has produced a lot of good defenses since Chris Pedersen began the program's revival and with a guy like Ulofoshio on the depth chart, depth concerns are only so important. Washington finds a home at #2 on the list. 

3. Rutgers 

Rutgers! #3! LB represents the highest the Scarlett Knights have been on this list and it's because linebacker is the one place they have a legit NFL Draft prospect in WLB Olakunle Fatukasi. He cleans up so many problems that the very bad DL (which we discussed in the last piece) create, with the ability to run defend and cover. As Rutgers' leading tackler a year ago, I think Fatukasi is close to a lock to be 1st team All-B1G this season so long as he's healthy. The dude can play. Tyshon Fogg anchors the MLB spot as a veteran leader for the defense but he has some coverage concerns. The experience is pivotal, though. The rest of the LB room is a bit muddled, but there are options. In typical Rutgers fashion, they have transfer scraps leftover from bigger programs, and that starts with Old Friend Drew Singleton, who went back home to New Jersey, but still hasn't really secured a starting spot. That said, he's gonna play some snaps. Tyreek Maddox-Williams graded out pretty well in PFF's data and is another LB backup. The SAM spot will rotate between those two traditional LB's, as well as more intriguing players, including dynamite pass rusher Mohamed Toure, and hybrid Deion Jennings. Who lines up next to Fogg and Fatukasi will probably depend on situation. 

The Cable Subscribers rank 3rd on our list because they have the impact talent at the top in Fatukasi, as well as plenty of experience between Fogg and the other four names, and also boast versatility in different packages they can put on the field. Rutgers' defense has a lot of questions to answer in 2021, but the one place where very few of those questions are located is at LB. 

4. Penn State

I'm betting big on improvement and track record in slotting in the Nittany Lions at #4 on this list. They start with a high floor at MIKE thanks to Ellis Brooks, the team's leading tackler last season who made it on Seth's 2nd team All-B1G projection for HTTV. He's a fine player and brings the group stability. Also a fine player is Brandon Smith, an ex-high level recruit who oozes talent and who I'm betting on to make a big jump in year #2 as a starter. The big question for the group though is that WILL spot, left vacant by the once-world-crushing Micah Parsons. PSU struggled to replace Parsons last season when the LB opted out of the season to prepare for the drafted. Parsons played a demanding role on the defense with effortless grace and finding someone to plug that hole did not prove easy. They gave Jesse Luketa the ole college try but he was simply asked to do too much and is out of the running to line up there again, apparently being moved to half-DE, half-LB according to recent reports. The new candidate to be Parsons 2.0 is Curtis Jacobs, a top 40 composite player who simmered on the bench last season as a true freshman and now it's go time. He had a good spring and much of my optimism about PSU's LB's simply has to do with how much talent is in this room. Between Brooks, Smith, and Jacobs, that could easily be the most talented LB group in the B1G, even challenging the Buckeyes. 

For depth they have the aforementioned Luketa, who will still probably line up at the second level some, in addition to the hard-working Charlie Katshir, who is fine. Last season was a low point for a school that's produced a lot of great LB's over the years, but I'm betting on the rebound given the high talent level, in addition to the program track record and the experience in getting (nominally) three returning starters back. 

McFadden (#47) is diving to #5 on this list [Patrick Barron]

5. Indiana

The Hoosiers have one of the single best LB's on this list, which is the primary reason for ranking them in the upper half. That linebacker is Micah McFadden, 3rd team All-American last season who is a Cam McGrone type TFL machine. He shoots into the backfield with ease, but sometimes gets hoodwinked rather easily when the offense throws out trickery. He makes things happen, and it was himself and Cam Jones who were partially responsible for generating the majority of the pass rush for the Hoosiers last season due to issues on the DL. Jones is a player who Seth has described in a manner that somewhat reminds me of Khaleke, a safety playing LB who is a good blitzer but has some coverage issues. That said, he is a returning starter and has experience. At the hybrid "Husky" position, we have this article's entrant for the Perry Ellis Hall of Fame For Staying In College Forever in Marcelino McCrary-Ball. He first made his name as a breakout freshman way back in 2016 (!) but since then has had four long and winding seasons littered with injuries and underperforming play, including last season, which saw him miss all the entire year with injury. That's why he's a sorta returning starter (indicated with the plus on the chart). When healthy, he's a fine player although one who will probably never become what it seemed like he would way back in '16. If he's not healthy, then Bryant Fitzgerald starts there. 

This is a positional group headlined by its star in McFadden, and has a pretty high floor with two other experienced starters, but injury concerns and the fact Jones was cyan'd on last season's FFFF of Indiana lands them at a modest #5. 

6. Ohio State 

This is the lowest you're going to see OSU in any positional group during The Enemy series. The Buckeyes have seen enormous turnover at the LB position, more than usual even for a program that typically loses a lot to the NFL on a yearly basis. OSU sees its top four LB's from last season leave, Browning, Werner, Hilliard, and Borland. That means there are a litany of question marks for the Buckeyes, but of course, lots of talented replacement options. Teradja Mitchell looks to be the most secured starter right now, and he's getting praise as a "vocal leader" within the LB room during Ohio State fall camp. Mitchell is a thumper who would seem to have a high floor, although the manner in which they pursued transfer options for the WILL job in the spring may temper expectations a bit. The MIKE job has been a battle between the more veteran Dallas Gant (who missed spring with a foot injury), who OSU would prefer to play outside, and the younger Cody Simon, a RS Fr who Ryan Day & Co. have been beefing up. Both were high-level recruits with tons of talent, of course. K'Vaughn Pope is another traditional LB option to mention, but him ending last year farther down the depth chart is not a great sign for the prospects of Pope starting in 2021. 

Ohio State also has the "Bullet" position in its defense, which we're including here. Ronnie Hickman seems to have the edge as a converted safety, but the rare three-star Craig Young is a factor after gaining a lot of weight as a developmental prospect. There are no returning starters in the LB room and very little returning experience of any kind. The program track record and the wealth of talent available to the coaches still gives Ohio State a respectable grade in the middle of the pack, but on a team that generally has few questions, LB is the rare big unknown. 

Chris Bergin wants to remind you that he's still around [Northwestern Athletics]

7. Northwestern

A year ago, Northwestern would've been #1 on the list. But thankfully (for a multitude of reasons) it is no longer 2020, and as a result, the 'Cats are rebuilding at LB. Last season's Irish Law Firm at LB dominated opponents, but Blake Gallagher (2nd team All-B1G) and Paddy Fisher (1st team All-B1G) are gone, leaving Chris Bergin as the lone Irish lawyer left in Evanston. Bergin was the worst of the three last season but still grades out as one of PFF's five best returning LB's on Michigan's schedule and is a good bet to be All-B1G this season. Beyond that there are a lot of questions. Bryce Gallagher, Blake's brother, will probably get a stab at MLB (if it's not him, it will be Khalid Jones), while the oft-injured Peter McIntyre is the current leader at the other OLB spot opposite Bergin. The back-ups have even less experience than the tenuous starters in front of them (besides Bergin obviously), though they have quite a bit of time in the program. There are a lot of question marks here but Bergin gives NW a high floor and their track record at producing really good LB groups under Pat Fitzgerald leave the Wildcats at a solid #7 on the list. 

8. Michigan State

MSU runs a 4-2-5, and their LB room is littered with names that diehard Michigan Football fans are probably familiar with. For his play on the field for the Spartans, Michigan fans probably remember Noah Harvey who has not become the Next Great MSU Linebacker yet but is still a very solid player who could take another step forward in 2021. From recruiting chases of yesteryear, Michigan fans may remember Quavaris Crouch, a top 100 composite recruit who took a pair of official visits to Michigan in the fall of 2018 before eventually committing to Tennessee. After two years of getting no coaching and another coaching change in Knoxville, Crouch now has wound up in EL, and it seems he has some learning to do because apparently he didn't know Magic Johnson went to MSU (!!). Crouch still has a lot of unfilled potential but he graded out solidly at UT via PFF and should be an asset for MSU's defense. From recent Michigan teams, Michigan fans will remember Old Friend/New Enemy Ben VanSumeren, who transferred to the in-state rival in the offseason. He didn't show a lot at Michigan on the field, but the practice reports were always more promising than the game tape, and maybe the MSU staff can unlock that. Itayvion Brown is a pass-rushing specialist who transferred from Minnesota and sat out last season. Chase Kline is in the mix to play, too. 

The Spartans lose Antwaun Simmons, but they bring in some bodies who should be solid and I don't think this is a terribly bad positional group, but the lack of a Bergin-caliber player lands MSU 8th on the list. 

Scott Frost is smiling because Jojo Domann is the only reason for optimism here [Husker Athletics]

9. Nebraska

The Huskers would be higher on this list if not for the devastating injury to Will Honas, by far their best returning LB, back in May. It's unclear if Honas will miss the full season, but he's going to be out for some time. That hurts because the rest of the names here are not all that great and LB was already a weak point of the defense last season. Jojo Domann lines up at the hybrid OLB/S position that Nebraska has infuriatingly refused to come up with a creative name for, and he's pretty good, All-B1G HM last season leading the team in tackles and TFL. It's outside of Jojo where things get questionable. Garrett Nelson and Caleb Tannor are returners with experience at the other OLB spot, but neither were anything to write home about. Nick Henrich is an in-house replacement option for Honas, while they added Chris Kolarevic from Northern Iowa, but neither of those guys are going to replicate what Honas was. The relatively inexperienced Luke Reimer is penciled in at the other ILB spot, but none of these names are making Huskers fans feel better. The LB's have the possibility to keep Nebraska from returning to a bowl this season and they need someone to step up outside of Domann.  

10. Maryland 

The Terps defense has a lot to prove this season and that includes the LB's, who have to show they can stomach the loss of Chase Campbell, last season's MLB. Ruben Hyppolite II, one of the better names I've covered this series, is the favorite to replace him after marinating as a true freshman last year. Hyppolite was a top 300 composite recruit who gives Maryland some reasons to be excited about him slotting in, but again, a lot to prove. A pair of returning starters suit up at the outside spots, Fa'Najae Gotay and Ahmad McCullogh, who bring with them experience but neither registered in the top 15 B1G returning linebackers. The back-ups aren't really worth discussing besides their names, including the impeccably named Gereme Spraggins as well as Branden Jennings, who should not be confused with the ex-NBAer who I'm still mad the Pistons surrendered Khris Middleton for. 

Maryland slots in 10th on this list because they don't have a headlining piece, were a bad defense last season, and lose their most important LB from last season. They need to show me they're better than the #10 ranking. 

Hey, at least Corvin Moment (#56) is solid! [WMU Athletics]

11. Western Michigan

The Broncos slot in at the natural #11 spot on this list, a tad ahead of fellow MAC school NIU. The good news for this positional group is the return of Corvin Moment, a long-time starter who likes to hit and who should be a competent MLB again. The bad news is the loss of Treshaun Heyward, 3rd team All-MAC last season and the best LB WMU had, who transferred. Ryan Selig is the favorite to fill in after being a back-up last season, while the other spot is simply a question of how fast Zaire Barnes can get back up to speed. Barnes started in 2019 but lost 2020 to injuries and still hasn't quite gotten the starting role back. Until he does, Harrison Taylor is the favorite to start. This isn't a particularly great MAC LB group, which means it has no chance of being higher than #11, but I think it has a slightly higher ceiling than what Northern Illinois can offer if Barnes can get back to 100%.  

12. Northern Illinois

Once again, NIU finds itself in the basement. They do have a good bit of experience, but there are some caveats. Kyle Pugh and Lance Deveaux Jr. are both senior citizen LB's with tons of experience (7th year players!) but who have had plenty of injury issues over the last few seasons, reasons to put an additional asterisk on that "returning starter" asterisk. Nick Rattin, the projected starter at MLB, is not a good athlete and will probably struggle mightily against P5 competition like Michigan. Should either of Pugh and Deveaux get hurt again, they have a pair of hybrid LB's to try and plug-in in Eddie Jackson and Daveren Rayner. All three back-ups on this two deep are second year players with only limited experience. No impact talent, inexperienced depth, injury worries. That's pretty bad and it lands NIU in the cellar.

Where would Michigan slot in? 

Given the confines of this piece, for Michigan we are discussing only the two true LB spots, currently held by Josh Ross and Nikhai Hill-Green, with Michael Barrett in the mix. Defined in that manner, I can't really say this group ranks too highly, probably around #8. The first five on this list all have at least one really high-end LB, Sanborn/Chenal, Ulofoshio, Fatukasi, Brooks, McFadden. Michigan doesn't have that caliber of a player currently. Josh Ross seemed like he was on track to be that years ago, but two disappointing and injury-riddled seasons since then means that Michigan doesn't have a guy who seems like a good bet to be All-B1G at linebacker. Nikhai Hill-Green has a ton of potential but has rarely seen the field yet, and Michael Barrett has some real experience, but the depth beyond those two is paper thin and one or two injuries could really blow things up. This group feels like it has a wide range of outcomes, and slotting them in somewhere around the 6-8 range makes the most sense. MSU at 8 is a decent comparable as both teams have one starter who has played but been moderately disappointing (Harvey and Ross) and one starter who has a ton of potential but is new to the scheme (Crouch and NHG). It's on George Helow to get Michigan's LB's up higher on the list by the end of the season.