Missouri LB Kentrell Brothers: The next great NFL tackling machine?

If you’re an NFL team looking for a linebacker that is always around the football, you might take a long look at Missouri linebacker Kentrell Brothers.

The Tigers of Mizzou have become known for excellent front seven play defensively, especially since they transitioned to the SEC, and Brothers is no exception to that excellence. He currently leads all college football FBS players with 103 tackles through eight games, averaging a whopping 13 tackles per game.

This was one of Brothers’ more productive games of the season, but they’ve all been relatively like this. He shows off some coverage skills in this game with a pair of interceptions.

In addition to the two interceptions in this game (his only two on the season) he has two blocked kicks this season, and is simply making plays anywhere and everywhere on the field.

His production extends well beyond just this season with 122 tackles and three forced fumbles a year ago as a junior. He’s the returning leading tackler in the SEC and will likely end his Missouri career as the leading tackler in the SEC once more.

Some scouts aren’t overly thrilled with Brothers’ coverage skills translating to the next level, but this guy is going to be paid in the NFL to make tackles, and he can do that in bulk. When you see a player with these kind of instincts at the linebacker position, you know it will translate to the next level.

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Brothers is a bit of a bull-headed linebacker who plays with a chip on his shoulder due to the fact that he’s not gotten that much recognition for his excellent play over the last couple of seasons. He’s certainly earned some recognition and NFL hype, but NFL scouts don’t really value the ILB position that highly when it comes to the NFL draft.

You could see a player like Brothers get picked in the 2nd or 3rd round and go on to start immediately in an NFL defense because NFL GMs prioritize other positions over one that might see the field on just first and second down. With so many NFL base defenses moving to a nickel look probably a good 75 percent of the time, it’s hard too justify using your first pick on a thumper at ILB but some team is going to be better for having picked up Kentrell Brothers, who is going to rack up the tackles at the NFL level.

Here’s some thoughts on Brothers from Joe Wedra, one of our resident NFL Mocks staff members:

“Brothers is a solid prospect in the mid-rounds this year. He’s a strong and forceful tackler who has a knack for big plays. On the tape I’ve seen, he’s a bit of a difficult fit because of his lack of being a tree trunk in the middle. Overall, the final stretch of 2015 will be big. I’d say he currently sits in the early Day Three range.”

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