2025 NFL Draft Scouting Watchlist: Linebackers
Jamon Dumas-Johnson, 4th-year senior, Kentucky
Dumas-Johnson arrives at Kentucky after three seasons with Georgia. The former four-star recruit is thick, listed at 6'1", 245 pounds. He plays with great physicality and already has 21 starts under his belt entering his senior season. If not for an injury that cost him four games in 2023, he might have declared for this past draft. Instead, he will join Mark Stoops' program with hopes of proving he can succeed in multiple schemes and without the same level of talent around him. His speed is definitely a concern, but he has excellent instincts and a good feel for the game.
Jason Henderson, 4th-year senior, Old Dominion
If you put a lot of stock in bringing the ball carrier down, you are going to love Henderson. He has 436 tackles over the past three seasons, placing in the top 30 among all players since 2005, which is how far back Sports Reference's tracking for tackles goes back. If he records the same number of tackles again in 2024, he will pass Carlton Martial for the most on that list. Henderson is a bit of a throwback at the position, but he is impactful. His 19.5 tackles for loss in 2023, tied for the fifth most in the country. How he tests during the pre-draft process will likely dictate his draft stock.
C.J. Hicks, 3rd-year sophomore, Ohio State
After spending the past two years behind Tommy Eichenberg and Steele Chambers, Hicks steps into a starting role. A former five-star recruit, expectations are high for Hicks. He is a great athlete, having played both linebacker and running back in high school. At 6'3", 233 pounds, he will check a lot of boxes for evaluators when it comes to size. He has big shoes to fill and will need to prove he is up to the task to warrant serious draft consideration, but he has the talent to work his way into the conversation.
Jay Higgins, 5th-year senior, Iowa
The nation's leading tackler in 2023, Higgins is back for his fifth year at Iowa. A true middle linebacker, Higgins has a nose for the football, narrowly edging out Jason Henderson for the most tackles in the country this past season. He is a great cover linebacker who wraps up well in the open field. Higgins has some athletic limitations, lacking great speed and agility, but he can certainly find a role in the NFL. He is poised for another big statistical year.