Welcome back to Sports Illustrated’s 2026 NFL position rankings, where we’ll stack up the top 10 players across the league at each spot on the field over the coming weeks leading into training camp.

This is the NFL 1000. The 1,000 best players in the league today, ranked by our NFL Scouting Department based on their on-field play and positional value. Up next in the series: linebackers. Tackles.

People often refer to linebackers as the quarterback of the defense, such is their importance. Linebackers play at the second level of the defense, behind the defensive line, and in front of the ...

Despite the offensive woes, the Vikings defens gets a boost in this new mock draft. Four Alabama players have been included in the latest prospect rankings for the 2027 NFL draft, headlined by a ...