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There's a reason why a lot of the best college football linebackers end up becoming great players overall, well into their professional careers. A linebacker's versatility as a defensive player is one of the cornerstones of their team's success, often making or breaking entire seasons and championship runs.
The NCAA gridiron has seen its share of all-time linebackers. Let's take a look at them:
Top 10 college football linebackers of all time
#10. Ray Lewis
Even as a freshman, Ray Lewis was a major contributor to the Hurricanes. He was good enough to start for Miami's last five games, and his numbers earned him a spot in the freshman All-American team. Down the line, Lewis was the Big East leader in tackles for his final two seasons. He held the school's single-season tackle record by a middle linebacker with a total of 95, tying for second place in total career tackles and assists.
#9. Patrick Willis
In Ole Miss, Patrick Willis played in 13 games as a true freshman in 2003 where he made a total of 20 stops. His stellar college career continued with the Rebels, helping the team beat Oklahoma State in the 2004 Cotton Bowl. While he did face injury problems during his final few years, Willis still played through the pain and averaged 12.8 tackles/game in 2005. His record of 355 total tackles is the sixth-highest in Ole Miss history.
#8. Chris Spielman
Spielman is the only 28th player or coach in Ohio State history to be included in the CFB Hall of Fame. A two-time All-American, 1987 Lombardi award winner, and three-time All-Big Ten selection, Spielman tallied an OSU record of 106 solo tackles in a single season. He was also named the top defensive player in the 1987 Cotton Bowl. He finished his career with 546 tackles, 11 interceptions, and eight sacks.
#7. Luke Kuechly
Named the starting outside linebacker during his true freshman year, Luke Kuechly stepped up and recorded 158 tackles to lead the team and the conference. He was the only true freshman in Boston College history to have led the team in total tackles. This helped him win the 2011 Butkus Award, handed to him by Dick Butkus.
#6. Junior Seau
A low SAT score on his college entrance exam didn't slow down Junior Seau one bit. Once he finally earned eligibility, he hit the ground running. In 1989, he tallied 19 sacks and led USC to a PAC-10 title, as well as a Rose Bowl victory against the University of Michigan. This also earned him a unanimous first-team All-American berth.
#5. Brian Bosworth
In his sophomore and junior years, Bosworth was a unanimous All-American for the Oklahoma Sooners. Despite testing positive for PEDs that disqualified him from the Orange Bowl, he still made a name for making the right plays in the biggest moments. He is still the only player to ever win two Butkus Awards.
#4. Jack Ham
As the starting linebacker for Penn State for three years, Jack Ham recorded 251 career tackles (143 of them unassisted). He also blocked a school-high three punts in 1968, which wouldn't be broken for 21 years. The Big Ten Network put him on their "Mount Rushmore of Penn State Football" with fellow Nittany Lion linebacker LaVar Arrington. His name was added to the College Football Hall of Fame as well.
#3. Derrick Thomas
In Alabama, Thomas consistently shattered defensive records. He had 52 career sacks, punctuated by 27 during his senior season alone. For that, he was awarded the 1988 Butkus Award.
#2. Lawrence Taylor
Almost universally considered as the greatest defensive player of all time, Lawrence Taylor was an All-American at UNC where he also set several defensive records, including 16 sacks in his last year. Fans and experts alike also say that Taylor's intensity on defense is the main reason why the Left Tackle position is the second-most important position in football today.
#1. Dick Butkus
Butkus earned a reputation as a fearsome linebacker for Illinois due to his fierce style of play. Butkus used his 6-foot-3, 245-pound frame to block opponents on defense, giving him the nickname the "Monster of the Midway" by the time he went to the NFL. Named after him, the Butkus Award is an award that is given to the best linebackers in high school, college, and pro levels.
