The opening quarter of the 2026 NFL season has put the rookie linebacker class at the center of the defensive conversation, with two former Ohio State standouts already making an impact after being selected in the top 10 of the draft.
What changed for the franchise
It remains early to make final judgments on the 2026 draft class, but off-ball linebackers have quickly emerged as the deepest and most productive group on defense. The two highly touted Ohio State products drew major pre-draft attention because of their rare athletic profiles, and both have carried that momentum into the NFL with physical early-season play.
The position’s depth has been evident beyond those two top-10 selections. Several rookie linebackers have delivered enough in the season’s first month to merit recognition among the league’s leading first-year defensive players.
Jaishawn Barham and Harold Perkins Jr. were among the linebackers left out of an early top-10 defensive rookie list despite showing enough promise to be considered. Their omission reflects the crowded field at the position rather than a shortage of early contributions.
Other rookie defensive groups have supplied notable performances, but there has been less early evidence of dominant disruptors along the defensive front. Linebackers, by contrast, have made the strongest immediate imprint on the 2026 rookie defensive class.
