1. Eric Kendricks, UCLA
Kendricks was a two-year captain at UCLA who exudes maturity and positivity, and is the younger brother of Eagles linebacker Mychal Kendrick. A linebacker that thrives off natural instincts, Kendricks is a run-stopper who flies to the ball thanks to his ability to pick up on cues and sniff out plays.
A versatile defender, Kendricks can also step back into pass coverage and cover a lot of ground. He has solid range and the athleticism to keep pace with running backs in space. He’s better at defending in pass coverage than he is rushing the passer.
At 6-f00t-0 and 230 pounds, Kendricks lacks ideal size and power for the position, which leads to him losing at the point of attack at times. Still, he makes up for that with a high football IQ.
