Ranking standout linebackers from the NFL Combine for the KC Chiefs

Late Round Options

These prospects had a great combine on Saturday and could be guys the Chiefs could target in the later rounds.

Jacob Phillips – LSU – 6’3″ – 229 lbs

While Patrick Queen is the LSU linebacker that everyone is talking about in this draft class, his teammate Jacob Phillips has a chance to be drafted and those chances were aided by a good combine performance. Phillips ran a 4.66 forty and while it wasn’t one of the fastest times of the linebackers its still a really good time for a linebacker. He also showed some great athleticism finishing in the top five for both vertical jump (39 inches) and long jump (126 inches).

When you turn on Phillips tape you see a guy that moves really well. His problem is he isn’t overly physical. His 6’3″ frame does look like he could add bulk. If he could add a little more power to his game without losing any sideline to sideline speed he has starting potential. Until then he is probably more of a depth and special teams guy.

Shaun Bradley – Temple – 6’1″ – 235 lbs

Shaun Bradley definitely helped his draft stock at the combine. His 4.51 forty time was one of the fastest times of the linebacker group. He also finished in the top ten for the three cone drill (7.07) and the shuttle (4.24). While Bradley isn’t a lot bigger than guys like Davion Taylor and Khaleke Hudson that I disqualified from this list, the difference is that Bradley plays like a true inside linebacker as opposed to a linebacker/safety hybrid.

While Bradley obviously showed his speed at the combine, his tape shows that he needs space to operate in. While he plays like an inside linebacker he simply doesn’t have the size or power to fight through blockers. If a team feels like their scheme can keep him clean he has the potential to be productive.

Carter Coughlin – Minnesota – 6’3″ – 236 lbs

Carter Coughlin played as an undersized defensive end in Minnesota’s defense. His size makes it highly unlikely that he’ll be able to play as a defensive end in the NFL. The good news is that his numbers at the combine show that he may have the speed and agility to play linebacker at the next level. He ran a 4.57 forty time and finished in the top ten in both the vertical jump (36 inches) and long jump (126 inches).

When you watch Coughlin’s tape he moves like a linebacker. What is hard to tell is what his instincts and reaction times will be like playing a traditional linebacker role. Given his past as an edge player, a 3-4 team may look to draft him as an outside linebacker in their scheme. I saw enough good movement on his tape that I believe he could make it as an off-ball linebacker, but he would definitely be a developmental project.

Now let’s look at some mid-round linebacker prospects that had a great combine.