NFL Draft preview: linebackers

Having re-signed Lance Briggs to a six-year, $36 million deal to keep him teamed with Brian Urlacher and Hunter Hillenmeyer, the Bears don't need any immediate linebacker help in the NFL draft, no matter how much of the voluntary off-season work Urlacher skips.

But they still could jump at second-day bargains who can add depth and play key roles on special teams, as linebackers often do.

At least one national publication identifies LSU's Ali Highsmith as a player who fits the Bears' scheme, and if he's still on the board when the Bears make their two third-round selections, the three-year starter at LSU would make sense. After running an extremely disappointing 4.96 40-yard dash at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis, the 5-foot-11¾, 230-pound Highsmith could find himself in a bit of a free fall on draft weekend. To be fair, however, he was hampered by a groin injury that day.

Highsmith redeemed himself by running 4.68 and 4.69 at LSU's pro day in late March and put up 225 pounds on the bench press 23 times, slightly higher than the linebacker average of 22.7 at the combine.

Highsmith also has the blood lines that could translate into NFL success. His cousin, Alonzo Highsmith, was a great fullback at the University of Miami. Another cousin, wide receiver Dwayne Bowe, left LSU a year ago and starred for the Kansas City Chiefs last season, leading NFL rookies by wide margins with 70 catches and 995 yards. Highsmith is named after his father, Arlington Highsmith, who was a sparring partner in the 1970s for Muhammad Ali, which is where the linebacker's nickname originated.

Although he originally sought to follow Alonzo Highsmith as a Hurricane, Ali wound up at LSU when Miami asked him to attend junior college for a semester and enroll the following January.

"They questioned one of my test scores and gave me the runaround," Highsmith said. "I got fed up with it and left and went to LSU."

If the Bears want to wait longer and still get a productive college linebacker, they can keep it local with Illinois' J Leman, who was limping around the combine in a walking boot following surgery for an ankle injury suffered in the Rose Bowl.

Even if he could have competed at the combine, Jeremy Jacob Leman wouldn't have wowed anyone with his athleticism and workout numbers, considering he runs about 4.85 in the 40 and isn't particularly strong or quick. He wasn't a big deal when he came to Illinois either, but Leman turned out to be one of the leading tacklers in school history.

Coming out of Champaign Central High School, the only other college to offer a scholarship to the pastor's son was Illinois State. But he collected 284 tackles the past two seasons, he's a tough leader, and there is no doubt he is a thinking-man's linebacker.

"I got the most out of my scholarship," said Leman, who completed his undergraduate degree in speech communication in three years and his master's in human resources education in 4½ years.

Leman was awarded an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship as a finalist for the Draddy Trophy, which is given to college football's best player in terms of academic success, athletic performance and community leadership.

Leman was an all-Big Ten player each of the past two seasons, but he was academic all-Big Ten all four years. On-the-field acclaim clearly means more to him.

"Academics are important, but I think it would be false of me to say they were most important," Leman said. "I always tried to be the best I could be at football. That was most important to me."

The top linebackers

Player, college Size 40 time

1. Keith Rivers, USC 6-2¼, 241 4.63

Bob LeGere's skinny: Ripped physique, reacts quickly and arrives in a foul mood, delivers big hits. Good speed with versatility to play any spot.

2. Dan Connor, Penn State 6-2Ø, 231 4.74

Smart, instinctive and physical, he's the all-time leading tackler at Linebacker U., but an average athlete who needs more size, strength.

3. Curtis Lofton, Oklahoma * 6-0, 246 4.78

This one-year starter lacks height but was very productive and finds the ball, hits with power and plays faster than his times. Ideal MLB.

4. Jerod Mayo, Tennessee * 6-1¼, 242 4.54

Versatile and mobile enough to play all three LB spots, he's solid and sturdy with good speed, but knee injuries are a legitimate concern.

5. Erin Henderson, Maryland * 6-2¾, 244 4.73

Blow-up tackler with strength and athleticism. Plays with emotion but can be undisciplined and overpursue. Knee injuries a concern.

6. Xavier Adibi, Virginia Tech 6-1¾, 226 4.66

Very instinctive, moves well laterally with extensive range vs. the run and can also drop into coverage but lacks size and strength.

7. Beau Bell, UNLV 6-1¼, 244 4.67

Very good read-and-react run-stuffer but not as effective vs. the pass and needs to get stronger to enhance his good size and instincts.

8. Geno Hayes, Florida State * 6-0ˆ, 226 4.64

Instincts and athleticism make him a productive, disruptive force behind LOS, but he lacks size and strength and can be overpowered.

9. Tavares Gooden, Miami * 6-1¼, 234 4.65

Has a jacked-up physique with all the physical tools and good pursuit, but reactions, instincts and mental approach are questionable.

10. Cliff Avril, Purdue 6-2ˆ, 253 4.51

Competes hard, has excellent size-speed-strength combo with some pass-rush ability but lacks athleticism and isn't very physical.

*Junior in college