Top 10 Outside Linebackers in College Football 2025-2026 Rankings

Ranking the best outside linebackers in College Football for the 2025-2026 NCAA season as Gabe Jacas of the Illinois Fighting Illini leads the way

By Sunday Umoh | February 8, 2026

Fan Rankings Home » NCAAF » Top 10 Outside Linebackers in College Football 2025-2026 Rankings

Top 10 Outside Linebackers in College Football Rankings | NFL Draft 2026 Rankings

When the quarterback takes the snap on third and long, one thought races through his mind, where is the edge rusher? Throughout the 2025 college football season, each of those outside linebackers landing on the Top 10 College Football Outside Linebackers 2025-2026 rankings delivered that nightmare for their opposing quarterback each week.

This group of outside linebackers turned that question into a nightmare for opposing offenses, bringing relentless pressure, game-changing strips, and an intensity that separated contenders from pretenders. From Storrs to Baton Rouge, from Eugene to Tuscaloosa, these edge defenders established themselves as the backbone of elite defenses. They combined raw athleticism with refined technique, explosive first steps with veteran instincts, and individual brilliance with a team-first mentality.

This season delivered performances that will echo through the record books. Double-digit sack totals. Forced fumbles in critical moments. Game-sealing strips. These outside linebackers didn’t just fill stat sheets—they changed games, altered seasons, and cemented legacies.

Here is a look at the Top 10 Top 10 Outside Linebackers in College Football 2025-2026 Rankings:

Honorable Mention

Isaiah Glasker

School: BYU Cougars

Draft Status: Returning to BYU

When compiling the Top 10 College Football Outside Linebackers 2025-2026 rankings, some elite talents inevitably land just outside the list, and the BYU Cougars Isaiah Glasker represents exactly that caliber of defender.

The Cougars’ edge rusher delivered consistent production throughout the season, proving himself as a reliable force off the edge who disrupted opposing quarterbacks with frequency. Glasker’s combination of technique and relentless motor allowed him to generate pressure even when sacks didn’t materialize, making him a valuable asset in BYU’s defensive scheme. The proven junior capped off a second straight strong season for the Cougar posting 66 tackles, three sacks, one pass defended, one forced fumble, and two interceptions.

His decision to return to BYU for another season signals unfinished business to build on his recent success, a desire to improve his overall performance and help the Cougars make a stronger bid for the College Football Playoffs.

Trey Moore

School: Texas Longhorns

Draft Status: NFL Draft

The San Antonio native’s journey from unranked prospect to NFL Draft prospect epitomizes determination and development.

Trey Moore, who transferred from the UTSA Roadrunners after a stellar 2023 season with 14 sacks, made an immediate impact for the Texas Longhorns despite transitioning to a new defensive system and elevated competition level. During the 2025 season, Moore recorded 34 total tackles with 21 solo stops, three sacks, and three pass breakups while starting games for one of the nation’s premier defenses. His versatility proved invaluable as Texas coaches moved him from pure edge rusher to a hybrid linebacker role, asking him to play off-ball more frequently while maintaining his pass rush responsibilities.

Ultimately Moore delivered the Longhorns another star within their defense to slow down opposing running games and disrupt quarterbacks.

Top 10 Outside Linebackers in College Football 2025-2026 Rankings

10. Kip Lewis

School: Oklahoma Sooners

Draft Status: Returning to Oklahoma

Rounding out a stellar list of outside linebackers landing among the Top College Football Outside Linebackers 2025-2026 rankings list is the talented Oklahoma Sooners junior Kip Lewis.

Lewis, who has announced he will be returning for his senior season next year, capped off third straight dominating season for the Sooners. The versatile outside linebacker registered a career high 76 tackles to go along with four passes defended, one forced fumble, and a career high four sacks. The linebacker’s understanding of Oklahoma’s defensive schemes and his familiarity with conference opponents positions him as a veteran presence capable of mentoring younger players while still producing himself. Lewis’s ability to set the edge against powerful running games proved particularly valuable in a conference known for physical, downhill rushing attacks.

His steady presence provided Oklahoma with reliability off the edge, even if his production didn’t match some of the elite statistical outputs seen elsewhere nationally.

9. Joshua Josephs

School: Tennessee Volunteers

Draft Status: NFL Draft

Explosive burst off the line of scrimmage defines the Tennessee Volunteers edge rusher’s game, and Joshua Josephs used that trait to terrorize SEC quarterbacks throughout the 2025 season.

The Kennesaw, Georgia native recorded 33 total tackles with four sacks and three forced fumbles during the regular season, proving himself as one of the SEC’s most disruptive pass rushers. Josephs’s rare combination of length and quickness allows him to win around the edge with bend and tempo variations that offensive tackles struggle to mirror.

Capping off a strong four year run with the Volunteers, Josephs has quickly developed into one of the top edge defenders in the NFL while increasing his overall draft stock value leading into the 2026 NFL Draft.The senior’s final season displayed the complete evolution from rotational player to featured pass rusher, as he led Tennessee’s defense with consistent pressure and game-changing plays

8. Suntarine Perkins

School: Ole Miss Rebels

Draft Status: Returing to Ole Miss

The Ole Miss Rebels linebacker brings a unique skill set that combines speed, coverage ability, and pass rush versatility to Rebels defensive schemes.

Perkins’s decision to return to Oxford for another season provides the Rebels with a cornerstone piece as they continue building toward another run at a SEC Championship and a deep College Football Playoff run. His ability to drop into coverage while maintaining the threat of edge pressure makes him particularly valuable in today’s spread-heavy offensive era, where defenses must defend every blade of grass. Perkins demonstrated consistent production during the 2025 campaign, using his athletic gifts to impact games in multiple phases.

The Rebels defensive standout capped off another big time season posting a career high 81 tackles to go along with five passes defended, 4.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, and one interception. The Rebels’ defensive resurgence correlates directly with Perkins’s emergence as a playmaker capable of changing games with explosive plays.

7. Yhonzae Pierre

School: Alabama Crimson Tide

Draft Status: Returning to Alabama

Breaking out is difficult on the Alabama Crimson Tide, where five-star prospects compete for snaps, but Yhonzae Pierre seized his opportunity and never looked back during his sophomore season.

The Eufaula, Alabama native transformed from rotational player to the Crimson Tide’s premier pass rusher, leading the team with eight sacks and a remarkable 14.5 tackles for loss. Pierre, who has tremendous size, speed, and a strong football IQ demonstrated his ability to play at the highest level each week while helping the Crimson Tide compete within the SEC and a shot at the College Football Playoffs. In addition to his career high eight sacks, Pierre added 52 tackles to go along with one pass breakup and three forced fumbles.

The talented sophomore will look to continue his trend upward among the best outside linebackers during his junior season while helping the Crimson Tide fight for a National Championship during the 2026-2027 College Football season.

6. Harold Perkins Jr

School: LSU Tigers

Draft Status: NFL Draft

Lightning in a six foot one inch, 222-pound frame, Harold Perkins Jr brought an explosive element to the LSU Tigers defense that few linebackers in college football can match.

The versatile defender finished the 2025 season with 55 total tackles, including 26 solo stops, four sacks, three interceptions, three pass breakups, and a forced fumble across 12 games. Perkins’s rare athleticism allows him to line up as a traditional linebacker, rush from the edge, drop into coverage, or even contribute on offense. Despite battling through the wear of a fourth college season, Perkins demonstrated the playmaking ability that made him a first-team All-SEC selection as a true freshman in 2022.

The decision to enter the 2026 NFL Draft caps a decorated LSU career that saw Perkins emerge as one of the most dynamic defensive players in program history, a true three-down linebacker capable of impacting games in countless ways.

5. Bryun Parham

School: UConn Huskies

Draft Status: NFL Draft

Dominance defined Bryun Parham’s remarkable 2025 season, as the UConn linebacker emerged as one of college football’s most productive and impactful defenders landing him at number five among the Top 10 College Football Outside Linebackers 2025-2026 rankings list.

The Long Beach, California native led the Huskies with 126 total tackles while posting 10.5 sacks, 14.5 tackles for loss, three fumble recoveries, three forced fumbles, and an interception across 12 games. Parham’s stat line ranked among the nation’s elite while helping to elevate his own NFL draft value leading into the 2026 NFL Draft. Parharm brought tremendous leadership to the Huskies defense while also delivering the team a player who could do nearly everything on the defensive side of the football.

Despite playing at a smaller program, Parham’s game film and ability to make a play showcased his talents as one of the top defensive players in the country each Saturday this season while looking to help the Hoosiers fight for a chance to repeat as National Champions.

4. Teitum Tuioti

School: Oregon Ducks

Draft Status: Returning to Oregon

Anchoring one of the nation’s most dominant defenses, Teitium Tuioti’s performance lands him among the best outside linebackers in the nation.

The Oregon Ducks dominant defender who many had as one of the top defensive players in the country and a potential top 10 overall pick if he elected to leave for the NFL Draft put together as great of a season as any player in the country. The Hawaii native posted career-high numbers across the board during his junior campaign, recording 68 total tackles, 16 tackles for loss, and 9.5 sacks while playing a pivotal role in Oregon’s defensive renaissance. The performance didn’t stop there as the versatile edge defender also showcased his athleticism in coverage posting five passes defended while also forcing two fumbles.

He’s disruptive. He’s a player impact guy. Plays the run extremely well, rushes the passer well. Electing to return for his senior season, Tuioti has a chance to build on a magical 2025 performance while helping the Ducks potentially compete for a National Championship.

3. Rolijah Hardy

School: Indiana Hoosiers

Draft Status: Returning to Indiana

From overlooked recruit to All-Big Ten performer, Rolijah Hardy’s remarkable rise embodies the Indiana Hoosiers historic 2025 season and National Championship run.

After a solid freshman season last year, Hardy elevated game to elite performance level while providing the Hoosiers a game changer on the edge each week during the season. Standing just 5-foot-11 and 225 pounds, Hardy compensates for any size disadvantage with exceptional instincts, relentless motor, and elite closing speed that allows him to make plays sideline to sideline. On the field, there is nothing Hardy can’t do from dropping back in coverage to chasing down mobile quarterbacks which showed up in stat sheets each week.

The talented sophomore capped off his second season posting 103 tackles to go along with eight sacks and five passes defended while earning Second-Team All-Big Ten honors. Now the talented defender will look to build on his success as he returns for his junior s

2. Romello Height

School: Texas Tech Red Raiders

Draft Status: NFL Draft

Few players maximized their final season of eligibility like Romello Height of the Texas Tech Red Raiders.

Height put together his strongest season of his collegiate career while helping the Red Raiders win the Big 12 Championship and earning a spot within the College Football Playoffs. The talented outside linebacker who had previously posted 6.5 sacks over his first three seasons, capped off his final season posting a career high 10 sacks to go along with 38 tackles, one pass defended, and two forced fumbles.

His quick first step, advanced pass rush moves; including devastating cross chops and spin moves and ability to bend around the edge made him a constant threat that Big 12 offensive tackles struggled to contain. Now the talented Red Raiders defender will look to be one of the top defensive players off the board during the 2026 NFL Draft.

1. Gabe Jacas

School: Illinois Fighting Illini

Draft Status: NFL Draft

Topping the Top 10 College Football Outside Linebackers 2025-2026 rankings, Gabe Jacas culminated his Illinois Fighting Illini career with a dominant senior season that cemented his status as college football’s premier edge defender.

The Port St. Lucie, Florida native terrorized Big Ten offenses en route to 43 total tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, and a team-leading 11 sacks during the regular season. Jacas’s remarkable career production of 27 sacks ranks second in Illinois history behind only the legendary Simeon Rice, eclipsing totals from former stars Moe Gardner, Kevin Hardy, Whitney Mercilus, and Johnny Newton.

Standing at six foot three inches and 275 pounds with a wrestling background, Jacas brings devastating power and technique to his pass rush arsenal, featuring bull rushes, swim moves, and club moves that overwhelm even the conference’s best left tackles. His overall performance during the season now ranked among the best defensive players leading into the 2026 NFL Draft.

How would you rank the Best Outside Linebackers in College Football for the 2025-2026 College Football season? Comment Below!