In this post we take a look at the inside linebacker prospects in the 2025 draft from the Ravens viewpoint. Previous positions reviews are listed below with links:
Defensive tackle prospects can be found here.
Cornerback prospects are located here.
Edge linebacker prospects are found here.
Safety prospects are located here.
Currently, the Ravens have only two inside linebackers on their roster: Roquan Smith and Trenton Simpson. They were disappointed in Simpson’s 2024 play (more than I was). Jake Hummel was recently signed but he’s there as a special teams ace. There is a clear need for at least two additional inside linebackers for the 2025 roster. However, this is not a particularly gifted or deep class of prospects. But let’s dig into the 2025 inside linebacker prospects, such as they are.
Jihaad Campell
Campbell is 21.2 years old from Alabama, 6’2 and 235 pounds. He ran a 4.52 forty, and is a very good athlete. He’s not the biggest of linebackers, and there’s some limitation with his ability to take on and shed blockers. He doesn’t always hold the point of attack when he jumps into the hole. But he has elite range and can cover the entire field, is very physical, has excellent diagnosis skills and is an outstanding and powerful tackler. Campbell is well adapted to play underneath middle of the field zone coverages, with a good understanding of when to attack forward.
Campbell does not play with as much confidence in what he sees as he should. He needs to polish his play recognition abilities. Campbell was a very impactful blitzer in college, particularly off the edge. However, he’s probably better suited to get his pressures in the NFL through schemes and on the inside. He’s a bit reminiscent of Patrick Queen in that regard. Campbell is not going to shock blockers or knock them on his heels. He’s not the second coming of Ray Lewis.
The consensus view of Campbell is as a first round selection. I’m certainly not going there from the Ravens perspective, and I don’t see them utilizing draft capital at this position before the third round at the earliest. Round 1. Ravens – No.
Carson Schwesinger
Schwesinger is 22.2 years old from UCLA, is 6’2 and 242 pounds and didn’t run a forty. He had a grand total of ten college starts. Don’t let those lack of starts fool you. Schwesinger is a bit of a virtuoso on the field, with excellent play recognition ability, an outstanding tackling ability, and fantastic explosiveness. His super awareness allows him to get to the best angles to beat blockers. Schwesinger will chase down backs on the outside with the power delivery in his tackles to bring down big guys on the inside. He plays hot, hot, hot.
As a blitzer Schwesinger’s headiness allows him to trigger with excellent timing. He’s a big time threat. In zone coverages, he can get fooled by quarterback’s at time because he’s to eager to outsmart them. But he’s well adapted to play underneath, in the flat, and down the field, and he will hit the crosser with power. To this point, the weakness in Schwesinger’s game is man coverage down the field, where he has yielded too much separation. He’s not yet fully ready to handle NFL running backs in the variety of routes that they run.
Schwesinger is a very talented player who could stand to add a little more power. With more reps, he has the ability to be a full-time three down linebackers, and a complete one at that. In certain respects, he has more upside than Jihaad Campbell. I can’t see him having any chance of lasting to the Ravens in round three, and I don’t think the Ravens, given their needs, can afford to take him in round two. Round 2. Ravens – No, in round two, but anywhere in round three, yes.
Jeffrey Bassa
Bassa is 22.6 years old from Oregon, 6’1 and a very light 228 pounds. He ran a 4.63 forty. Bassa is a former safety who is made to play in space. Right now, he’s not where he needs to be in the run game, as his understanding of blocks and schemes is still a work in progress. But he’s a smart player and an excellent athlete with the range to be a very effective cover linebacker. He can run up the seam and match the receivers, but he also has some trouble on comeback routes where his eagerness can be used against him.
In the run game he doesn’t attack instinctually and can be slow to read and react. His small size leaves him at a disadvantage in stacking and shedding, and he has trouble getting off blocks in time to hit the angles. Without more mass he’ll likely need to be kept clean in order to be consistently effective.
In all, his strength is as a coverage linebacker on third down. I don’t see him as ready for first and second down reps at this point, where he’ll need a lot of work to earn those reps. Frankly, the Ravens are comfortable playing those passing downs with only Roquan on the field from the inside position. Round 4. Ravens – No.
Smael Mondon Jr.
Mondon is 22.2 years old, 6’2 and 224 pounds from Georgia and ran a 4.58 forty. There are legitimate health concerns regarding Mondon, as he missed two games in 2022 with an ankle injury, two games in 2023 with a left foot injury (requiring post season surgery), four more games in 2024 with another foot injury, and had meniscus surgery in high school. That’s a lot of medical red flags, and probably enough to keep him off my board if I was drafting. Doctor reports are key.
As a player, Mondon is an outstanding athlete. Like Jeffrey Bassa, he is super light for the position, and by definition he almost certainly needs to play behind a gap control front to be consistently successful as an inside run defender. There were times when Georgia took him off the field in favor of stronger run defenders. Mondon has very good sideline to sideline range, has a good burst, and is a strong tackler. He chases very well. Unsurprisingly, he has difficulty getting through the wash, leaving him in trailing catch-up position or simply at an inferior tackling angle. He is not so much instinctual as he is just reactive.
Mondon has some good coverage tape. He’s well equipped to take on running backs circling out of the backfield. He’s been able to handle assignments in the middle of the field and has more than enough speed to match-up down the seam. However, he can be slow to understand the route and susceptible to play action.
I don’t see Mondon as an elite prospect. He could wind up just being a coverage backer with special teams playing time. I think he’s over-rated as a prospect. And then there’s the medicals. Round 4. Ravens – No.
Danny Stutsman
Stutsman is 22.1 years old, 6’3 and 233 pounds from Oklahoma with a fast 4.52 forty. He averaged 113 tackles over his three starter seasons. Stutsman is in many ways the opposite of Jeffrey Bassa and Smael Mondon. He’s a very good run defender but currently profiles as a liability in pass coverage.
Stutsman is another player who plays with great intensity and a very high motor. He’s a thumper, but has had some high missed tackle rates. Stutsman knows how to use his hands to rid himself of blockers. He has excellent speed and is a natural leader. Stutsman covers a lot of territory sideline to sideline. He’s smart and knows how to attack run lanes. He has excellent lateral mobility, even when he’s fooled by misdirection.
Stutsman struggles a bit in man coverage. He’s not as fluid when tasked with turning and running down the field. He’s better in underneath zones.
At this point I see Stutsman as not offering enough to warrant being a three down linebacker. He’s very effective in the run game. Is he worthy of a third round selection if he only plays first and second down? Round 3. Ravens – No (unless he falls further down the board).
Chris Paul Jr.
Paul is 22.5 years old from Mississippi, 6’1 and 222 pounds and ran a 4.63 forty. Paul is very small for an inside linebacker, which brings obvious physical limitations. He has trouble shedding larger and longer blockers; he’s not great at stacking and shedding. In the NFL, his effectiveness is likely tied to his ability to be kept clean. He’s not yet an elite processor, and as a result can find himself in the wrong position.
Paul is adequate in coverage, both in man and in zone. He has contested well against backs out of the backfield and has the speed to carry them up the field. However, he’s not always the best in taking the proper tackling angle, allowing too much YAC as a result. He has the speed to be an effective rusher but doesn’t really possess rush tools beyond that.
I don’t see a lot to recommend him for the Ravens. He’s not a dominant run defender, not a gifted blitzer, and adequate in pass coverage. More development is needed, and I don’t see him as ready to take the field as a starter in 2025. Round 4-5. Ravens – No.
Kobe King
King is 22.25 years old from Penn State, 6’ and 243 pounds and ran a 4.67 forty. To this point, King is more of a one-dimensional run stuffer, but a top-level one at that. Though short, he has a muscular, powerful build. He punishes runners, though his technique is just functionally effective (13% missed tackle rate in his career). He’s very good at stacking and shedding. King has the ability to knock back blockers with his powerful hands. He plays a violent style of football. King diagnoses run plays very well and has the lateral mobility to jump between the gaps. His one weakness evident on film was a few struggles against cutbacks.
King was a team captain, something I always like to see.
On the other hand with King, he’s not naturally gifted in coverage, as his transition ability is just average (making it problematic in zone schemes), and he has challenges staying connected with running backs. His best effectiveness in the pass game is as a blitzer, and he understands the nuances of complex blitz schemes.
King would meet the need of having another thumper on the inside linebacker corps. He doesn’t project as a three down inside linebacker, but should be very effective on first and second down. He would be a complementary player for the Ravens at this point. Round 4. Ravens – Yes.
Demetrius Knight Jr.
Knight is 25.3 years old from South Carolina, 6’1 and 235 pounds and ran a 4.58 forty. He brings a very long wingspan for an inside linebacker (80.5”). Knight was a team captain with excellent personal traits. He is a powerful, throw-back inside linebacker. Knight hits very hard. He has excellent speed, allowing him to get to the sidelines and attack a scrambling quarterback, though he is sometimes heavy-footed. Knight is effective at stacking and shedding.
In the run game Knight understands what he sees. He knows how to get through gaps and take the proper angles. Knight showed an ability to play inside at the Senior Bowl. In the passing game he has a hot trigger as a blitzer, and has been very effective. His lateral agility is not elite. Knight is capable of covering running backs and tight ends, though he seems more effective with zone assignments. He struggled in man assignments at the Senior Bowl practices. Knight also has extensive special teams experience.
Knight is a very old prospect. He’s certainly a player with the potential to play on three downs in the NFL. There are aspects to his game that should play well in the NFL. I think he would fit well with the Ravens current needs. Round 3. Ravens – Maybe (age being a factor).
Kain Medrano
Medrano is 24.2 years old from UCLA, 6’2 and 222 pounds and ran an excellent 4.46 forty. Medrano just doesn’t have the body to play on first and second down on any consistent basis. He’s not going to stack and shed nor take on blockers with any real success in any event. Plus, he’s not the world’s greatest tackler, with misses all over the place.
What Medrano offers is coverage ability and special teams value. He’s fast with short area burst, moves easily, and is well suited to take backs up the field and with the quickness to handle underneath routes. Medrano should just as well be able to handle tight ends down the field.
To the extent the Ravens visualize Trenton Simpson as a first and second down backer, Medrano offers the ability to take the field on third down and in situations where the running back deserves man coverage. And he will be a major contributor on special teams. Round 4. Ravens – Maybe.
Barrett Carter
Carter is 22.5 years old from Clemson, 6’0 and 232 pounds and ran a 4.63 forty on his pro day. Carter’s qualities are much like Kain Medrano’s. He struggles against runs on the inside, with difficulty stacking and shedding, and is fairly easily pushed out of his gap. He’s never going to be one to hold the point of attack. Carter is just not that physical. But he will chase and has sideline range to get to the outside. At this point, he needs to be kept clean to be effective on the inside.
On the other hand, Carter plays very well in space. He has excellent range and presents well in zone coverage, handling the flat and tracking down receivers. He has man coverage ability against backs and tight ends in the flat and up the field. Carter has been a frequent blitzer in his career but does not demonstrate any particular special ability. He is also a seasoned special teams contributor.
Carter is yet another inside linebacker prospect in this years class who is incomplete. For the Ravens, he can be utilized as a WILL linebacker on third down and a special teams contributor. But he’s not someone you would trust at this point on running downs. Round 4. Ravens – Maybe.
Shemar James
James is 20.8 years old from Florida, 6’1 and 222 pounds and ran a 4.69 forty. James had one excellent day at the Senior Bowl practices in coverage, as he shut down running backs all over the field. He demonstrated that ability on game tape as well, showcasing excellent range and lateral mobility in space. James is an excellent athlete who brings top-end quickness.
Unlike some of his similar-sized peers, James is competitive in the interior running game. He brings some physicality and with additional mass on a not-yet 21 year old body that can likely take it, he could have another level of power to become a solid interior defender. He has the speed and lateral agility to beat blocks to the outside. As his ability to read blocks improves, James has a good chance to become a sideline-to-sideline defender given that his twitch and speed are excellent. James has some natural ability as a blitzer as well, relying on that speed as his most effective weapon but also with the skill to elude blockers, showing very good body control.
James is already a sturdy pass defender. He can cover in space and is effective against anyone who comes into the middle of the field, with the ability to match speed down the seam. He also has the ability to trigger forward on passes in front of him, which should allow him to develop into a very effective zone defender.
James plays with a hot motor. He was a team captain at Florida and he’s well suited to be a special teams player while he is developing. I prefer James as a prospect over most of his other peers. He has more upside in the run game, and is at the top tier of natural gifts in the pass game. Round 3-4. Ravens – Yes.
Jack Kiser
Kiser is 24.6 years old from Notre Dame, 6’1 and 229 pounds and ran a 4.67 forty on his pro day. By all accounts a high character player, Kiser is another smaller inside linebacker but doesn’t quite have the athletic gifts that some of the others possess. He’s smart and understands what he needs to do to be effective. Kiser doesn’t miss tackles once he gets there. But his range is comparatively limited and he lacks the explosive burst and lateral agility that you’d like to see in an inside linebacker.
His physical limitations don’t bode well for his ability to play in space. Nor does he profile as a stack and shed player on the interior. Kiser has a ton of special teams experience, and I suspect that’s where he will be most impactful in the NFL. But I just don’t project him as a starter on a competitive team. Round 5-6. Ravens – No.
Nick Martin
Martin is 22.5 years old from Oklahoma State, and is 5’11 and 221 pounds. He ran an excellent 4.53 forty but possesses short arms. Martin is yet another inside linebacker prospect who is a very good athlete with excellent speed and range, but who is not stout at the point of attack. Even though he is an aggressive, physical, and productive tackler, he’s likely to have trouble stacking and shedding against the large interior linemen in the NFL. At the Senior Bowl practice he struggled doing just that. He missed the last seven games of 2024 with a right knee injury
Martin will chase runners down all over the field. He’s a two-time captain who uses his athleticism to avoid blockers when he can. His best attribute is his ability to play away from the line in space. He brings excellent burst when he attacks. There was not much on tape to recommend Martin at this point as a coverage defender; there’s plenty of work to do there.
I see Martin as having a limited role in the NFL. I just don’t see how he could help the Ravens this year, and don’t rate him as having enough upside to warrant him as a developmental pick. Round 6. Ravens – No.
Other Inside Linebacker Prospects
Teddy Buchanan, California – He is 22.6 years old, 6’2 and 233 pounds and ran a 4.60 forty. Destined to be a special teams player and depth piece only. Ravens: No.
Cody Lindenberg, Minnesota – He is 23.25 years old, 6’2 and 236 pounds and ran a 4.71 forty. He has some utility against the run but there’s no exceptional trait. Ravens: No.
Eugene Asante, Auburn – Asante is 24.25 years is, 6’ and 223 pounds and ran a 4.48 forty. A likely special teams contributor with a lot of range on defense and surprising power, he has some value. Round 6. Ravens – Maybe.
