2021 NFL Draft ILB rankings: Alabama’s Dylan Moses leads a deep group
By John Blair
13. Tuf Borland, Ohio State
6-foot, 229 pounds
2021 NFL Draft grade: Sixth round
Of the three Ohio State linebackers on this list, Turf Borland has been the most productive. Borland finished second on the team in 2020 with 26 tackles and over his career he accounted for 228 tackles. While Borland might not have a high upside he has the character to make an NFL team. He is only the second player in Ohio State history to be named team captain for three straight years and shows the toughness and football IQ coaches crave.
14. Anthony Hines, Texas A&M
6-foot-2, 230 pounds
2021 NFL Draft grade: Sixth round
Hines is another highly recruited high school product who never really established himself as a star at the college level. His best season was in 2019 when he recorded 73 tackles including 10.5 for loss. He decided to sit out the 2020 season which could really hurt his NFL chances because if he could have had a strong 2020 season he could have been a day two selection.
15. Tony Fields II, West Virginia
6-foot-1, 220 pounds
2021 NFL Draft grade: Sixth round
Tony Fields II is a productive linebacker who might lack the physical skills to play in the NFL. Over his career at both Arizona and West Virginia, he accounted for 375 tackles. Unfortunately, Fields is undersized and lacks great testing numbers. At the West Virginia pro day, he posted a below-average 4.49 shuttle time and a 7.1 three-cone time. He will likely be a late pick in the 2021 NFL Draft and try and make a living on special teams in the NFL.
16. K.J. Britt, Auburn
6-foot, 239 pounds
2021 NFL Draft grade: Seventh round
A player with the classing middle linebacker mentality is K.J. Britt of Auburn. Britt plays with great passion and was one of the team’s leaders the last couple of seasons. Unfortunately, he likely lacks the physical skills to do much in the NFL. At his pro day, he ran a 4.75 40-yard dash so speed is obviously a concern. He also lacks much agility which causes him to miss tackles at times. Hopefully, his passion and love for the game will be enough to overcome these limitations.
Next. Two-round 2021 NFL mock draft. dark
Players with free agent grades
17. Paddy Fisher, Northwestern
18. Buddy Johnson, Texas A&M
19. Amen Ogbongbemiga, Oklahoma State
20. Ernest Jones, South Carolina
21. Erroll Thompson, Mississippi State
22. Elijah Sullivan, Kansas State