2011 NFL Draft: Top 10 Linebacker Prospects

Whether teams are looking for a linebacker who can rush the edge or plug the middle, the 2011 NFL Draft class of linebackers offers an intriguing mix. Linebacker is one of the most difficult positions to scout, mainly because it's hard to evaluate instinct. The best linebackers react without thinking, it allows them to play fast.

This year's draft class of linebackers includes a handful of potential starters and a possible top five pick. Texas A&M's Von Miller is seen as a player who can be an immediate force as an edge pass rusher. Teams looking for inside linebacker help will find a couple of players worth consideration in the second- or third-round.     

2011 NFL Draft: Top 10 Linebacker Prospects:

1) Von Miller, Texas A&M (OLB)

2) Justin Houston, Georgia (OLB)

3) Akeem Ayers, UCLA (OLB)

4) Martez Wilson, Illinois (ILB/OLB)

5) Bruce Carter, North Carolina (OLB)

6) Quan Sturdivant, North Carolina (ILB)

7) Casey Matthews, Oregon (ILB)

8) Kelvin Sheppard, LSU (ILB)

9) Greg Jones, Michigan St. (ILB)

10) Mason Foster, Washington (ILB)

2011 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Mark Herzlich

Mark Herzlich, OLB, Boston College (6'4" 245 lbs.)

Positives: He's a physical player who plays with a lot of intensity. He's an instinctual player and has a knack for always being around the ball. He's a sure tackler and delivers big hits.

Negatives: He has a tendency to tackle too high. He's not very fast and will struggle to keep up with NFL Tight ends. He comes with health concerns after battling cancer last year.

2011 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Mason Foster

Mason Foster, Washington (6'1' 245 lbs.)

Positives: He's always around the ball. He recorded 162 tackles and 6.5 sacks in 2010. He has decent size and speed. He plays with a good motor and has a great nose for the ball. He's a heavy hitter and doesn't miss many tackles. He has a solid burst and get away from blockers. He has a strong work ethic and high football I.Q.

Negatives: He has a tendency to get out of position. His coverage skills are below-average. He doesn't have an arsenal of pass rushing moves.

2011 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Greg Jones

Greg Jones, Michigan St. (6'0" 240 lbs.)

Positives: He was a four-year college starter and recorded 465 tackles at Michigan State. He's a solid leader and has a high football I.Q. He's a very good tackler and does a solid job of blitzing. He has a good burst and can rush off the edge. He's very active and does a good job in coevrage. He's durable, never missed a game in his four-year college career. He's a hard hitter.

Negatives: He plays so fast that sometimes he misses tackles. He has a tendency to take bad angles. He has difficulty staying with athletic tight ends. He gets fooled by misdirection plays too often. He's a little slow recognizing and reacting to plays.

2011 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Kelvin Sheppard

Kelvin Sheppard, LSU (6'1" 250 lbs.)

Positives: He has good size and speed. He was very production his junior and senior including: 226 tackles, five sacks, three forced fumbles, two interceptions. He's a solid tackler and doesn't miss many tackles. He's a leader on the field and does a good job running the defense. He's a durable player.

Negatives: He has a tendancy to get fooled by misdirection plays. He plays too high and does a poor job of getting off blocks. He's not much of a blitzing linebacker. He needs to work on getting better depth in zone coverage.

2011 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Casey Matthews

Casey Matthews, Oregon (6'0" 230 lbs.)

Positives: Being the brother of Green Bay Packers standout linebacker Clay Matthews will help his draft status. Casey has a lot of the same skills as his older brother including very good closing speed when pursuing quarterbacks. He plays with good body control and has quick feet. He's pretty good in coverage and has enough speed to cover most tight ends. He's solid against the run and has great instincts. He's a hard hitter.

Negatives: He's not the fastest player at linebacker and he'll need to add weight. He has a tendency to play out of control and misses too many tackles. He gets fooled too often by misdirection plays.

2011 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Quan Sturdivant

Quan Sturdivant, North Carolina (6'1" 240 lbs.)

Positives: He was a tackling machine during his college career (310 total tackles). He has very good speed, fast enough to cover NFL tight ends. He gets good depth in zone coverage and plays with good instincts. He does a good job of playing in traffic and always seems to be around the ball. He has loose hips and changes directions very well for a player of his size.

Negatives: He lacks dominating strength. He has a tendency to hit too high and tackle with his arms. He's not a blitzing linebacker and struggles with getting off blocks. He has some character concerns including a marijuana arrest before the 2010 season.

2011 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Bruce Carter

Bruce Carter, North Carolina (6'3" 240 lbs.)

Positives: He has good speed and strength. He's a good tackler and has solid football instincts. He has good footwork and does a good job at getting depth in zone coverage. He has the ability to rush off the edge and get to the quarterback. He's hard worker and has a high football I.Q. He will be able to contribute on special teams immediately.

Negatives: He's a little slow recognizing plays. He's not a heavy hitter and has a tendency to arm tackle. He needs to work on his blitzes up the middle. He had ACL surgery in December.

2011 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Martez Wilson

Martez Wilson, Illinois (6'3" 250 lbs.)

Positives: He had a very good senior season which included 112 tackles, four sacks and three forced fumbles. He has very good speed for a linebacker and does a good job getting off blockers. He's a physical player who likes to throw around his weight. He's a smart player who can play multiple positions. He will be able contribute right away on special teams.

Negatives: He has a tendency to overrun plays and miss tackles. He takes bad angles sometimes. He doesn't play with high energy. He comes with character concerns. He was suspended one game in 2008 for violating team rules and missed most of that season after recovering from a stab wound sustained during a bar fight.

2011 NFL free agent linebackers

-Chad Greenway (MIN)
-LaMarr Woodley (PIT)
-Tamba Hali (KC)
-David Harris (NYJ)
-Stephen Tulloch (TEN)
-Paul Posluszny (BUF)
-James Anderson (CAR)
-Rocky McIntosh (WAS)
-Thomas Davis (CAR)
-Barrett Ruud (TB)
-Takeo Spikes (SF)
-Stephen Nicholas (ATL)
-Mike Peterson (ATL)
-Tavares Gooden (BAL)
-Keith Ellison (BUF)
-Jamar Williams (CAR)
-Pisa Tinoisamoa (CHI)
-Nick Roach (CHI)
-Dhani Jones (CIN)
-Brandon Johnson (CIN)
-D’Qwell Jackson (CLE)
-Chris Gocong (CLE)
-Matt Roth (CLE)
-Jason Trusnik (CLE)
-Landon Johnson (DET)
-Zach Diles (HOU)
-Kevin Bentley (HOU)
-Clint Session (IND)
-Justin Durant (JAC)
-Kirk Morrison (JAC)
-Mike Vrabel (KC)
-Quentin Moses (MIA)
-Ben Leber (MIN)
-Erin Henderson (MIN)
-Tracy White (NE)
-Danny Clark (NO)
-Scott Shanle (NO)
-Chase Blackburn (NYG)
-Keith Bulluck (NYG)
-Thomas Howard (OAK)
-Kamerion Wimbley (OAK)
-Stewart Bradley (PHI)
-Ernie Sims (PHI)
-Omar Gaither (PHI)
-Antwan Barnes (SD)
-Kevin Burnett (SD)
-Stephen Cooper (SD)
-Brandon Siler (SD)
-Travis LaBoy (SF)
-Manny Lawson (SF)
-Will Herring (SEA)
-Leroy Hill (SEA)
-Matt McCoy (SEA)
-David Vobora (STL)
-Quincy Black (TB)
-David Thornton (TEN)

Free agents by position: QB, RB, WR, TE, OL, DL, LB, CB, S