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2026 Draft: Linebacker

Jimmy Rolder on special teams. You might want to turn your volume down - the music is loud.

 
Rolder hasn't run the forty which probably tells you something but beyond speed, he's a good athlete.

He's become one of my mid-round preferred picks.



 
Sorry if these were already shared
 
I really like these Bengals & Brews tweets. Quick scouting report and a cut up for a lot of prospects.

 
I'm just watching James Foster and Cory Kinnen on a podcast and they got round to talking about Michigan LB Jimmy Rolder. Here's what they had to say:

CK - "Rolder rules!"

JF - "He is so awesome"

CK - "you watch his Ohio State tape, some of the best eyes and quickest trigger stuff you'll see from a linebacker. and he's a firm tackler. A little bit light in the lower half, not a lot in coverage but you can say that for a lot of these linebackers.....but working down hill, fitting the run, dude scrapes until he finds the football as well laterally. There's a lot of fun tape out there on Jimmy Rolder this year. He sits 74th on my board right now."

JF - "I've got him a little bit lower but inside my top 100. He's about the best block shedder I've ever seen for a LB with 30.5" arms.....you rarely see the length limitations show up, the punch is phenomenal. I think the tackling...extremely reliable. I have him as my 2nd highest rated tackler to Sonny Styles. I think the range is below average both in coverage and in the run game.
 
JF - I think the range is below average both in coverage and in the run game.
There are a lot of downhill, in-the-box LBs. Especially veterans who have lost half a step. We need a sideline-to-sideline guy.
 
There are a lot of downhill, in-the-box LBs. Especially veterans who have lost half a step. We need a sideline-to-sideline guy.
I'd rather have this

some of the best eyes and quickest trigger stuff you'll see from a linebacker. and he's a firm tackler

Range is great, but the most athletic linebackers who lack the above are just running around with their hair on fire.
 
We need a sideline-to-sideline guy.

That's why I'vd been focusing on Kaleb Elarms-Orr in Manx's 3rd-5th round sweet spot. Kyle Louis if he lasts, but he may go top-75. Justin Jefferson makes sense as a late round alternative, as Manx has been pointing out for those of us too dumb to notice (looking at myself in mirror).
 
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