The inside linebacker prospects in the 2024 NFL draft are reviewed from the perspective of the Baltimore Ravens. Previous position analyses are listed below:
Offensive Players:
Running backs are reviewed here.
Wide receivers are reviewed here.
Tackles are reviewed here.
Guards are reviewed here.
Defensive Players:
Defensive linemen are reviewed here.
Edge linebackers are reviewed here.
Cornerbacks are reviewed here.
Safeties are reviewed here.
Ravens Current Inside Linebacker Situation and Need
The Ravens lost both Patrick Queen and Del’Shawn Phillips from their 2023 inside linebacker room. Malik Harrison is always available if need be. They replaced Phillips with Chris Board. Trenton Simpson will get the opportunity to start in Queen’s place. There is clearly at least one backup inside linebacker slot available, and that person should also play special teams.
It’s hard to imagine the Ravens would spend draft capital before the fourth round on a backup linebacker/special teams player. They have too many other significant, larger needs. After all, as we sit here the Ravens are not really looking for a starting-caliber player unless one fell to them. As a result, the list below does not include the top inside linebacker prospects in the 2024 draft. It excludes: Junior Colson, Trevin Wallace, Edgerrin Cooper, and Payton Wilson.
Inside Linebacker Prospects
There are a handful of decent, day two/three prospects. Let’s take a look.
Jeremiah Trotter, Jr.
Trotter is 21.4 years old, 6’0 and 228 pounds from Clemson. Trotter’s father played 11 seasons in the NFL. His athletic testing was uninspiring. Although Trotter is a bit undersized, he has a thick frame and very good play strength. He has a very high understanding of the game and is quick to diagnose. He anticipates well. Trotter has very good footwork and can maneuver through to get to the football. He has good short-area explosion and adequate speed (Trotter didn’t run the 40 due to a hamstring injury). But his top end speed is not elite. Trotter brings very good lateral agility. He takes good tackling angles and wraps well. He can play sideline to sideline. With excellent footwork, he is a good blitzer (12 sacks in the last two seasons) and brings very good stop/start quickness. He has outstanding pursuit range and gets to the edge on runs.
Trotter’s smaller frame subjects him to being engulfed by bigger blockers. But his smarts and anticipation allow him to beat blockers before they get to where they are going. Trotter could use his hands better in freeing himself from blockers.
Trotter’s flaws are mostly in the passing game. He needs more work in his zone coverage responsibilities. Trotter has struggled in man coverages and will be most hard-pressed trying to stay with running backs on third down man responsibilities. He will bring the wood tackling.
Trotter is not the most physical player. His hand usage could improve. And his ability to stack and shed blocks is not elite.
At this point I see Trotter as a very good backer against the run, but a player who will struggle with pass coverages. His smaller size is a bit of a red flag. But if the Ravens continue to structure their front the way they have in the past (focusing on keeping the linebackers clean), his size limitations will recede for them. He could be used as a blitzer. He should be excellent on special teams. Trotter has a lot (but not all) of the qualities Patrick Queen brought, but with a better understanding of the game. Round 3-4. Ravens: Yes.
Cedric Gray
Gray is 21.5 years old, 6’1 and 234 pounds from North Carolina. He’s a decent but not great athlete, and ran a solid 4.64 forty. Although he put up incredibly gaudy tackling numbers over the past two seasons, Gray lacks the functional power to free himself from blockers. His tackling technique is not always perfect, and he’s been spotty on the move. Gray has some difficulty covering runners on wheel routes, and is also a bit challenged when trying to take a receiver down the seam.
Gray brings good speed and will chase runners across the field. He’s a fast processer and has the short-area burst you need to be a good tackler. When in proper form, he’ll take you down. Gray is blessed with great natural agility, which allows him to play with great range. His blitzing ability is unrefined.
Gray is young, so presumably there’s more upside to come. But I’m not sure he can become a three down linebacker in the NFL. I rate him lower than Trotter, and if they were both on the board together I prefer Trotter. He should be a contributor on special teams. Round 4. Ravens: Yes.
Tommy Eichenberg
Eichenberg is 23.3 years old, 6’2 and 233 pounds from Ohio State. He didn’t test all that well athletically. He has comparatively short arms. Like some of the other inside linebackers in this draft, Eichenberg is fairly stout as a run defender; he’s a sound tackler in open space. He’s not great at shedding blockers. He’s very physical and uses his hands well. Eichenberg brings good range across the field and will drive the carrier through contact. He flows well to the ball. But Eichenberg lacks the speed to be a sideline to sideline player, and his change of direction is slow. Eichenberg has some hip tightness and doesn’t have elite agility. He’s a very heady player who brings 100% effort all of the time.
Eichenberg lacks the reactive quickness to be effective in man coverages. He also has some issues in pass defense. His processing is a bit slow as a pass defender and as a result he is slower to react to what he sees.
Currently, I see him as a good run defender who probably can’t stay on the field on third down. Round 5. Ravens: No.
Curtis Jacobs
Jacobs is 22 years old, 6’1 and 241 pounds from Penn State out of Baltimore (McDonogh). Jacobs is a bigger, more old-style type of linebacker. He had a great Combine. He is fast (ran a 4.58 forty). Although he lacked gaudy tackling numbers at Penn State, Jacobs had 16.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks over the last two seasons combined. That’s pretty productive. Jacobs is decent at stacking and shedding blockers, but sometimes gets engulfed. He can get through traffic efficiently, has a downhill burst into the gap, and brings a good tackling technique. Jacobs sometimes loses technique and becomes an ineffective arm tackler.
Jacobs possesses good lateral mobility and plays across the field. He can chase down people. He knows how to get through gaps as a blitzer. Jacobs is ok in man coverage, but still has a learning curve in zone packages, as he doesn’t process as quickly as you need.
Right now, Jacobs only presents as a two-down linebacker who can play a lot on special teams. There is upside to his game, but whether he can take it to the next level to reach his physical potential may well depend on him getting a much better grasp of pass defense concepts. He must become more instinctual in that regard. For the Ravens, he could play special teams immediately and serve as a backup weakside linebacker. Round 5. Ravens: Yes.
Jordan Magee
Magee is 23 years old, 6’1 and 228 pounds from Temple. He tested very well athletically and ran a fast 4.55 forty. Magee lacks the mass that others have at the position, leaving him with average to below average play strength. Too often he’s receiving blocks instead of blasting and then shedding them. He’s not going to drive through you and power you to the ground. He relies on his foot quickness and excellent speed to get to the spot first. Magee brings very good agility. He plays with a hot motor and is tough, though his hand usage needs more work to be consistently effective.
Magee is the type of player who zooms to the football. He was very productive at Temple, with 23 tackles for loss and eight sacks over the past two seasons. Magee brings an explosive force to his blitz capability, particularly coming off the edge. He has a similar play style to Queen. He has the ability to drop into passing lanes, and needs to further develop this and other aspects of his pass coverage ability. Magee has all of the natural ability to be a top force on special teams. Round 4-5. Ravens: Yes.
Others: No
Edefuan Ulofoshio, Washington
JD Bertrand, Notre Dame
Jaylan Ford, Texas
Tyrice Knight, UTEP
Darius Muasau, UCLA
Others: Yes (6th round or lower, or undrafted free agent):
Marist Liufau – Notre Dame
Ty’ron Hopper – Missouri
