With the season fast approaching, here is our full preview of every inside linebacker group in the Big Ten entering 2025.
Today, July 22, 2025, marks the start of Big Ten media days in Las Vegas, Nevada. If the closing stretch of July doesn't already create anticipation for the upcoming college football season, let headlines from media days ignite that feeling.
The Big Ten Conference is again set to boast some of the sport's best teams in 2025. Ohio State reloads after a national title run with another wave of top-tier talent. Oregon, despite last year's disappointing Rose Bowl loss to the Buckeyes, appears set for annual contention. Those two and Michigan may be looking up at Penn State, which appears to have every star aligning for a program-best season.
Those top teams unsurprisingly rank well in all of our preseason position rankings. That is true in the big picture on both defense and offense, then also with a specific focus on quarterback, offensive line, defensive line and other critical positions.
Position Previews: Defense -- Offense -- Quarterbacks -- Running Backs-- Wide Receivers -- Tight Ends -- Offensive Line -- Defensive Line -- Pass-Rushers
That theme continues with our latest position preview: inside linebackers. Several of those top four contenders even boast multiple All-Conference-caliber players at the position. For more, here is our in-depth look at all 18 Big Ten inside linebacking corps entering the 2025 football season.
18. UCLA Bruins
Starters: Jalen Woods, JonJon Vaughns
UCLA lost a first-team and third-team All-Big Ten ILB in Carson Schwesinger (136 tackles, nine for loss, four sacks, two interceptions, three pass deflections, one forced fumble) and Kain Medrano (72 tackles, 11 for loss, 1 1/2 sacks, two interceptions, four pass deflections, three forced fumbles), respectively, after the 2024 season. It's nearly impossible to recreate their combined production, which led a Bruins defense that allowed only 96.2 rush yards per game and 3.3 yards per carry.
Woods tallied 22 tackles, two for loss and one sack in limited action last season, while Vaughns was injured in 2024, but had a 53-tackle season back in 2022. Even if both play up to their ceiling, it's hard to imagine the duo nearing the impact of the 2024 unit.
Get more (UCLA) news, analysis and opinions on UCLA Wire
17. Michigan State Spartans
Starters: Wayne Matthews III, Jordan Hall
Michigan State lost impact starters Jordan Turner (66 tackles, 11 for loss, three sacks, two interceptions) and Cal Haladay (58 tackles, five for loss, one sack and one forced fumble) after the 2024 season. Matthews is set to step into a starting role after recording 33 tackles in limited action last year, while Hall is set for the same jump after a 24-tackle, one-tackle-for-loss, two-pass-deflection season. This is an unproven group, but one that can rise quickly with strong play.
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16. Maryland Terrapins
Starters: Michael Harris, Daniel Wingate
Maryland is set to start two juniors in Harris (34 tackles, two for loss, one sack, one forced fumble in 2024) and Wingate (50 tackles, seven for loss). The team lost honorable mention All-Big linebacker Ruban Hyppolite II (66 tackles, seven for loss, one interception, two pass deflections) -- its leading tackler last season. Harris and Wingate should form a formidable duo. They just don't quite compare to the conference's best at the position.
15. Purdue Boilermakers
Starters: Sanders Ellis (transfer), Mani Powell (transfer)
The strength of Purdue's defense might be its inside linebacking corps. Powell transfers in from UNLV after recording 59 tackles, nine for loss and 3 1/2 sacks in 2024. Ellis, meanwhile, is an interesting wild card. He was named a FCS Freshman All-American after an 86-tackle, 15 1/2-for-loss, 2 1/2-sack, three-fumble-recovery, two-pass-deflection campaign at Tennessee State in 2024. If his game translates to the Football Bowl Subdivision level, he could be a future anchor of the Boilermakers defense.
14. Illinois Fighting Illini
Starters: Kenenna Odeluga, Dylan Rosiek
Illinois gets an All-Conference-caliber inside linebacker in Rosiek back for 2025. He tallied 63 tackles, three for loss, 1 1/2 sacks and two forced fumbles in eight-plus games last year before a leg fracture ended his season. Now healthy, he'll line up next to Odeluga, who will be asked to step into a big role after recording only eight tackles, three for loss and three sacks in 2024.
13. Wisconsin Badgers
Starters: Christian Alliegro, Tackett Curtis
Wisconsin's defense has a clear statistical leader in Alliegro, who tallied 66 tackles, five for loss, three sacks and one pass deflection as a sophomore in 2024. He'll likely finish 2025 in the range of a third-team All-Big Ten selection. Curtis, meanwhile, is a major question mark after an up-and-down first two collegiate seasons. While the unit has upside if Curtis, a former blue-chip recruit, hits, the group is far from its former standard under defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard from 2017-22.
12. Nebraska Cornhuskers
Starters: Marques Watson-Trent (transfer), Javin Wright
Wright is set for an increased role after he recorded 34 tackles, two for loss and one pass deflection in nine games in 2024. Watson-Trent is the wild card of the room. He transfers in from Georgia Southern after totals of 114, 122 and 120 tackles over the last three seasons, respectively. He also tallied 27 combined tackles for loss, six sacks and six forced fumbles during that time. As is the case with any high-profile move up to a premier conference, it's a question of if his production will translate.
Get more (Nebraska) news, analysis and opinions on Cornhuskers Wire
11. USC Trojans
Starters: Eric Gentry, Desman Stephens II
USC lost leading tackler Easton Mascarenas (95 tackles, five for loss, three sacks, two interceptions, two pass deflections) after the 2024 season. It returns Gentry to lead the unit, who was pacing for a terrific season with 33 tackles, seven for loss, two sacks and a forced fumble in five starts before missing extended time due to injury. Stephens is the room's question, as he totaled just 13 tackles, one for loss and one interception in limited action as a freshman in 2024. Big-picture, it's still a Lincoln Riley USC team, which means the defense is a major question.
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10. Iowa Hawkeyes
Starters: Jaden Harrell, Karson Sharar
Iowa lost arguably the nation's best inside linebacker duo in All-American Jay Higgins (124 tackles, three for loss, one sack, four interceptions, five pass deflections, two forced fumbles) and Nick Jackson (91 tackles, five for loss, 2 1/2 sacks, one interception, seven pass deflections) after the 2024 season. Projected starters Harrell and Sharar combined for just 20 tackles and one TFL in 2024. This ranking is a bet on Iowa being an inside linebacker factory.
Get more (Iowa) news, analysis and opinions on Hawkeyes Wire
9. Northwestern Wildcats
Starters: Yanni Karlaftis (transfer), Mac Uihlein
Uihlein continues a line of classic veteran Northwestern inside linebackers. He'll look to push for an All-Conference selection after an 85-tackle, four-for-loss, two-sack 2024 campaign. Karlaftis is a low-floor, high-ceiling option after consecutive seasons of 50-plus tackles as a starter at Purdue. He could reach his potential as a former blue-chip recruit in the middle of a disciplined Northwestern defense.
8. Washington Huskies
Starters: Taariq Al-Uqdah (transfer), Xe'ree Alexander (transfer)
Washington lost standout linebackers Carson Bruener (104 tackles, two for loss, three interceptions, five pass deflections, one forced fumble) and Alphonzo Tuputala (81 tackles, four for loss, 3 1/2 sacks, one pass deflection) after 2024. Their replacements: Washington State transfer Al-Uqdah (76 tackles, five for loss, three interceptions, three forced fumbles in 2024) and UCF transfer Alexander (68 tackles, six for loss, two pass deflections). The new duo will have trouble matching Bruener and Tuputala's combined production, although it still projects as a top-half unit.
Get more (Washington) news, analysis and opinions on Huskies Wire
7. Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Starters: Moses Walker, Dariel Djabome
Rutgers boasts one of the Big Ten's best linebackers in Djabome, who broke out in 2024 with 105 tackles, eight for loss, 3 1/2 sacks, one pass deflection and two forced fumbles. Walker is the room's question entering 2025 after he sat behind standout starter Tyreem Powell last season. Even if Walker doesn't pan out, Djabome alone can keep this group in the top half of our rankings.
6. Minnesota Golden Gophers
Starters: Jeff Roberson (transfer), Maverick Baranowski
Minnesota lost leading tackler Cory Lindenberg (94 tackles, five for loss, one sack, one interception, six pass deflections) after 2024. Baranowski returns after a strong 65-tackle, five-for-loss, one-sack season as Lindenberg's running mate. Roberson, an Oklahoma State transfer, is set to fill the other starting role. He wreaked havoc in the middle of the Cowboys' defense in 2024, finishing with 58 tackles, nine for loss and three sacks. This is an extremely high-floor group with a ton of proven production.
5. Indiana Hoosiers
Starters: Aiden Fisher, Rolijah Hardy
Indiana may have the Big Ten's most productive linebacker in Fisher, who earned first-team All-Conference honors in 2024 with an 118-tackle, six-for-loss, 1 1/2-sack season. Hardy's play will be critical to the defense's success. He fared well in 2024, with 22 tackles, six for loss, one sack, two interceptions and two forced fumbles. However, that production came in mostly limited action.
Indiana's inside linebacking duo begins our tier of the conference's elite.
4. Penn State Nittany Lions
Starters: Tony Rojas, Amare Campbell (transfer)
Rojas is a popular pick for a further breakout after he tallied 58 tackles, six for loss, one sack, three interceptions and four pass deflections in 2024. He'll be tasked with leading the Nittany Lions' defense with 2024 top tacklers, safety Jaylen Reed, linebacker Kobe King and linebacker Abdul Carter all gone to the NFL. Campbell, a North Carolina transfer, is an intriguing starting option. He broke out in 2024 with 76 tackles, 11 for loss, 6 1/2 sacks, two pass deflections and one forced fumble.
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3. Oregon Ducks
Starters: Bryce Boettcher, Devon Jackson
Oregon returns a top-tier starting linebacker in Boettcher, who will challenge for the conference lead in tackles after registering 94 tackles, eight for loss, two sacks, one interception, four pass deflections and a forced fumble in 2024. Jackson, who is unsurprisingly a former blue-chip recruit, will grow into an even larger role after a 47-tackle, three-for-loss, 1 1/2-sack 2024 season.
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2. Michigan Wolverines
Starters: Jaishawn Barham, Ernest Hausmann
Michigan's defense may be flying under the radar at this stage of the offseason. It ranks exceptionally well at inside linebacker, where both Hausmann and Barham will be preseason All-Conference selections. The two were Michigan's leading tacklers in 2024, with Hausmann finishing with 89 tackles, seven for loss, two sacks, one interception and one pass deflection, and Barham totaling 66 tackles, four for loss, one sack and two pass deflections.
Get more (Michigan) news, analysis and opinions on Wolverines Wire
1. Ohio State Buckeyes
Starters: Sonny Styles, Arvell Reese
Inside linebacker may be the only position on the Ohio State roster that has some continuity entering 2025. Styles returns to lead the room after a terrific 100-tackle, 12-for-loss, six-sack, five-pass-deflection, one-forced-fumble output in 2024. Reese, a rising junior, joined the Buckeyes as a five-star recruit in 2023. After recording 43 tackles, four for loss and 1/2 sack in 2024, he's set for a major breakout in 2025.
Get more (Ohio State) news, analysis and opinions on Buckeyes Wire
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This article originally appeared on Badgers Wire: Power ranking Big Ten inside linebacker duos from worst to first
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