The Dallas Cowboys‘ linebacker position is in a position of flux. Early in the offseason the team traded for Kenneth Murray, Jr. and signed free agent Jack Sanborn. They added to Marist Liufau, whom the club used a top-100 pick on last season. Murray, Jr. was a starter for the Tennessee Titans, Sanborn knows the new defensive coordinator, Matt Eberflus’s defense, and Liufau played well as a rookie.
But none of the three are the most talented player at the position in the locker room. DeMarvion Overshown, who became the first Cowboys player to get jersey No. 0, had back-to-back knee injuries end his season. Murray and Sanborn are on one-year deals, and Liufau needs time to develop. So even though there are four viable players, the team could use an infusion of new blood.
Dallas could still be optimistic about its linebacker corps and look to add a Day 3 pick to help with depth and special teams, or it could be trying to find its top linebacker for the future.
5. LB Chris Paul Jr., Ole Miss
Height: 6-foot-1, Weight: 222, RAS: 6.13
Chris Paul Jr. is a jack-of-all-trades. He is solid against the run, in coverage, and as a blitzer, with Pro Football Focus (PFF) grades of 84.6 in run defense, 78.1 in coverage, and 84 as a pass rusher. He is one of only three linebackers in college football to have a grade of 78 or higher in all three categories. Much like his NBA father, Chris Paul, his biggest weakness is his size.
He isn’t going to fill a hole while taking on a pulling guard, shed the block, and make a tackle. But Paul isn’t afraid to maneuver through traffic and make tackles versus bigger offensive weapons. He makes up for his lack of size with great anticipation and decisiveness, as he sees the play before him and gets where he is supposed to go. He is not someone who should be consistently left in man coverage against better backs and tight ends, but he knows where he needs to be in zone coverage to stay in passing lanes.
4. LB Jalon Walker, Georgia
Height: 6-foot-1, Weight: 243 RAS: N/A
Jalon Walker has supporters who believe he is a top-end edge prospect, while others think he is too small to remain at the edge position all game and should be a linebacker. He is a tweener whose best traits revolve around rushing the passer, but his size, length, and athleticism are perfect for him to be a game-changing linebacker if he can develop the needed instincts.
He can get from sideline to sideline and beat any ball carriers to the rush angle, and stay with tight ends up the seam. Walker is at his best when going forward, trying to stop the run or rushing the passer. He doesn’t anticipate well, and play-action or counters can make him hesitant. He needs work against zone and man coverage. He just isn’t sure of what is happening around him. Walker looks like a stud linebacker, and if he can get the proper coaching and scheme to develop, he could be worthy of his top-20 draft projections.
3. LB Demetrius Knight Jr., South Carolina
Height: 6-foot-2, Weight: 235 RAS: 8.17
Three years ago, Demetrius Knight, Jr. wouldn’t be considered a top-100 pick because offenses were trying to isolate linebackers in coverage and attacking them. A good downhill run stuffer was less valuable. Fast forward to a resurgence in the running game, and Knight Jr. is a top-50 option.
He is very intuitive when attacking the line of scrimmage. He sees the play, attacks to fill the hole, and will take on a block and shed it to make a tackle. He was given an 85.4 run defense grade from PFF. He isn’t an athletic freak, but he will get to the outside to stop most ball carriers. Knight, Jr. is a solid player in zone coverage. He does a good job of being in passing lanes, but he shouldn’t be left in man coverage against better running backs and tight ends. The most significant negative for Knight Jr. is that he will be a 25-year-old rookie, so his first contract will end with him being almost 30.
2. LB Jihaad Campbell, Alabama
Height: 6-foot-3, Weight: 235, RAS: 9.87
Jihaad Campbell could end up as the most impactful defensive player in this draft class. He has the talent to be a top-20 prospect, but his injury concerns could drop him out of the top 50. Campbell has it all physically. He has the lateral agility and speed to get sideline-to-sideline even while navigating through traffic. He will go right through blockers when necessary, as long as he sees the play coming and doesn’t hesitate.
Campbell was a five-star recruit as an edge in high school, and it translates in his play when he moves to the edge. He led the team in tackles, sacks, tackles for a loss, and forced fumbles. His issues revolve around a lack of instincts. When he doesn’t know what is coming, he gets flat-footed, allowing blockers to reach and move him. He has the athleticism to get up the field in coverage, but is poor at anticipating routes and needs to get grabby to keep from being beaten. Campbell has every tool in the toolbox to be the next star linebacker if he gets his know-how to match his athleticism.
1. LB Carson Schwesinger, UCLA
Height: 6-foot-2, Weight: 242, RAS: N/A
Carson Schwesinger took a few seasons to get the starting job at UCLA’s linebacker position, but his play suggests he spent that time waiting by living in the film room. He has an uncanny ability to see a play coming and beat blockers to the spot. Play-action or other forms of deception have little impact on him. He is a tackling machine; the only player in the Big Ten, Big 12, ACC, or SEC with over 130 tackles.
If Schwesinger gets to the ball carrier, he rarely misses bringing them down. His great instincts and film work also translate to coverage. He understands route combinations and drops to takeaway throws behind him and has the athleticism to stay with backs and tight ends in man coverage. He was a special teams ace at UCLA in the years before becoming the starter, which helps any team drafting him immediately. He doesn’t have the power like Knight Jr. and Campbell. Taking on blocks and shedding them isn’t his preferred method, but he hasn’t needed to.
You can find Mike Crum on Twitter @cdpiglet or Bluesky @mike-crum-cdpiglet.bsky.social
This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: 2025 NFL Draft: Cowboys’ best 5 fits at linebacker
The Dallas Cowboys‘ linebacker position is in a position of flux. Early in the offseason the team traded for Kenneth Murray, Jr. and signed free agent Jack Sanborn. They added to Marist Liufau, whom the club used a top-100 pick on last season. Murray, Jr. was a starter for the Tennessee Titans, Sanborn knows the new defensive coordinator, Matt Eberflus’s defense, and Liufau played well as a rookie.
But none of the three are the most talented player at the position in the locker room. DeMarvion Overshown, who became the first Cowboys player to get jersey No. 0, had back-to-back knee injuries end his season. Murray and Sanborn are on one-year deals, and Liufau needs time to develop. So even though there are four viable players, the team could use an infusion of new blood.
Dallas could still be optimistic about its linebacker corps and look to add a Day 3 pick to help with depth and special teams, or it could be trying to find its top linebacker for the future.
5. LB Chris Paul Jr., Ole Miss
Height: 6-foot-1, Weight: 222, RAS: 6.13
Chris Paul Jr. is a jack-of-all-trades. He is solid against the run, in coverage, and as a blitzer, with Pro Football Focus (PFF) grades of 84.6 in run defense, 78.1 in coverage, and 84 as a pass rusher. He is one of only three linebackers in college football to have a grade of 78 or higher in all three categories. Much like his NBA father, Chris Paul, his biggest weakness is his size.
He isn’t going to fill a hole while taking on a pulling guard, shed the block, and make a tackle. But Paul isn’t afraid to maneuver through traffic and make tackles versus bigger offensive weapons. He makes up for his lack of size with great anticipation and decisiveness, as he sees the play before him and gets where he is supposed to go. He is not someone who should be consistently left in man coverage against better backs and tight ends, but he knows where he needs to be in zone coverage to stay in passing lanes.
4. LB Jalon Walker, Georgia
Height: 6-foot-1, Weight: 243 RAS: N/A
Jalon Walker has supporters who believe he is a top-end edge prospect, while others think he is too small to remain at the edge position all game and should be a linebacker. He is a tweener whose best traits revolve around rushing the passer, but his size, length, and athleticism are perfect for him to be a game-changing linebacker if he can develop the needed instincts.
He can get from sideline to sideline and beat any ball carriers to the rush angle, and stay with tight ends up the seam. Walker is at his best when going forward, trying to stop the run or rushing the passer. He doesn’t anticipate well, and play-action or counters can make him hesitant. He needs work against zone and man coverage. He just isn’t sure of what is happening around him. Walker looks like a stud linebacker, and if he can get the proper coaching and scheme to develop, he could be worthy of his top-20 draft projections.
3. LB Demetrius Knight Jr., South Carolina
Height: 6-foot-2, Weight: 235 RAS: 8.17
Three years ago, Demetrius Knight, Jr. wouldn’t be considered a top-100 pick because offenses were trying to isolate linebackers in coverage and attacking them. A good downhill run stuffer was less valuable. Fast forward to a resurgence in the running game, and Knight Jr. is a top-50 option.
He is very intuitive when attacking the line of scrimmage. He sees the play, attacks to fill the hole, and will take on a block and shed it to make a tackle. He was given an 85.4 run defense grade from PFF. He isn’t an athletic freak, but he will get to the outside to stop most ball carriers. Knight, Jr. is a solid player in zone coverage. He does a good job of being in passing lanes, but he shouldn’t be left in man coverage against better running backs and tight ends. The most significant negative for Knight Jr. is that he will be a 25-year-old rookie, so his first contract will end with him being almost 30.
2. LB Jihaad Campbell, Alabama
Height: 6-foot-3, Weight: 235, RAS: 9.87
Jihaad Campbell could end up as the most impactful defensive player in this draft class. He has the talent to be a top-20 prospect, but his injury concerns could drop him out of the top 50. Campbell has it all physically. He has the lateral agility and speed to get sideline-to-sideline even while navigating through traffic. He will go right through blockers when necessary, as long as he sees the play coming and doesn’t hesitate.
Campbell was a five-star recruit as an edge in high school, and it translates in his play when he moves to the edge. He led the team in tackles, sacks, tackles for a loss, and forced fumbles. His issues revolve around a lack of instincts. When he doesn’t know what is coming, he gets flat-footed, allowing blockers to reach and move him. He has the athleticism to get up the field in coverage, but is poor at anticipating routes and needs to get grabby to keep from being beaten. Campbell has every tool in the toolbox to be the next star linebacker if he gets his know-how to match his athleticism.
1. LB Carson Schwesinger, UCLA
Height: 6-foot-2, Weight: 242, RAS: N/A
Carson Schwesinger took a few seasons to get the starting job at UCLA’s linebacker position, but his play suggests he spent that time waiting by living in the film room. He has an uncanny ability to see a play coming and beat blockers to the spot. Play-action or other forms of deception have little impact on him. He is a tackling machine; the only player in the Big Ten, Big 12, ACC, or SEC with over 130 tackles.
If Schwesinger gets to the ball carrier, he rarely misses bringing them down. His great instincts and film work also translate to coverage. He understands route combinations and drops to takeaway throws behind him and has the athleticism to stay with backs and tight ends in man coverage. He was a special teams ace at UCLA in the years before becoming the starter, which helps any team drafting him immediately. He doesn’t have the power like Knight Jr. and Campbell. Taking on blocks and shedding them isn’t his preferred method, but he hasn’t needed to.
You can find Mike Crum on Twitter @cdpiglet or Bluesky @mike-crum-cdpiglet.bsky.social
This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: 2025 NFL Draft: Cowboys’ best 5 fits at linebacker
