Top 45 linebackers in Texas high school football returning in 2024
Asif Reporter
With the beginning of the 2024 Texas high school football season slowly approaching and practices getting underway across the state, here is a look at the best returners.
It’s point by point, and yes, we are burning through the whole state, covering all grounds, types, affiliations and schools.
We then looked at the defence starting with the defensive ends, tackles, linebackers, cornerbacks and safeties.
In this piece we assessed some of the best cornerbacks, safeties and defensive linemen returning to the Lone Star State this fall. As however, let us examine the middle of the defense.
What prospects should Texas fans be hoping to see perform at the college level as entering 2024?
Here are 45 names to consider:Here are 45 names to consider:
Listing of the Top 45 Linebackers in Texas as they enter the 2024 class.
All given names are arranged in an alphabetical manner.
Cody Adkinson, Center, jr.
Measurables: 6-0, 195
He was one of most productive sophomore in the Lone Star State last year, the standout line backer/running back made 182 tackles, 123 of them solo, and 4A District 8 all-district first team pick as sophomore. All-East Texas selection.
Dillon Arkansas, Denton Ryan, class of senior.
Measurables: 6-1, 190
Junior year, the 3-star TCU commit had 73 tackles (five for loss), two interceptions, two sacks, and one pass break-up. He declared for the Horned Frogs in May and visited Baylor University in June.
Mason Banker, Honey Grove, junior.
More so, as a first-year starting varsity, Banker contributed to 153 tackles and among them 20 tackles for loss and a sack. That earned him 2A District 9 defensive while leading Honey Grove to achieve a season of 10-2.
Elijah Barnes, Dallas Skyline High School year of 2019.
Measurables: 6-1, 220
Weber currently has offers from Texas at the 4 star level and he completed his junior season with 65 tackles and 12 tackles for a loss, four interceptions, six forced fumbles, and three sacks. He also is a 100 metre racer that currently boasts a national rank of sub 11 second status. In his sophomore year, he recorded 131 tackles, of which 15 were tackles behind the line of scrimmage and one interception.
Daquives Beck, Carthage, jr.
Measurables: 6-0, 190
Rode a standout sophomore season to a four-star rating: He has played 132 tackles; nine of them have been for the loss while making six sacks and two fumble recoveries. He was a mainstay on a team that was 13-1 on a team that was a 4A Division II state favorite but was upset in the regional finals.
Bryce Braden, Stratford, sr.
Measurables: 6-3, 230
This cannot be more true that when the collective commitment of the Air Force impact in Stratford’s defense is mind-boggling. His 184 tackles, 20 tackles behind the line of scrimmage, and 11 sacks made the Elks post a 14 and 1 record. That is after the young star had assisted Stratford to a state championship as a freshman, was awarded the defensive MVP in the title match, besides being the quarterback as a sophomore. .
Trevor Brooks, Tyler Chapel Hill, sr.
Measurables: 5-10, 185
How's this for impact? Brooks made 131 tackles of which 37 were of the tackles for loss variety. That and his 16 sacks were a big reason the Bulldogs advanced to the 4A Division I state title game and finished with a 13-3 record.
Hudson Butchee, Stephenville, jr.
Measurables: 6-1, 215
He erupted in his second season and registered 166 tackles, 12 of them for loss, and 3. 5 sacks, and he received honors for 4A District 5 defensive newcomer of the year.
Kaleb Burns, basketball, senior at Cy Falls
Measurables: 6-0, 220
The 3-star prospect committed to Baylor in July after a great junior campaign. He recorded more than six tackles per game and had a total of 73 tackles (18. 5 being tackles for loses), 6 sacks, one 50 yard interception for a touchdown and two fumbles.
Ke’Von Carter (6-6 sr. , San Antonio Wagner)
Measurables: 6-3, 210
The 3-star prospect committed to Texas State in June after the junior year that saw him produce 44 tackles (four of them solo) , forced fumble and interception. He also has timed a 400 meters race below 50secs.
Kaedyn Cobbs, jr. , Denton Guyer
Measurables: 6-1, 205
Cobbs’s sophomore work in Guyer, the team in which he scored 7-4 and took fourth place in 6A District 5, was 60 tackles (5 of them being losses), 1 interception, and one forced fumble. Cobbs has offers from such schools as Baylor and Oklahoma
Lamarcus Cullum, Corpus Christi Miller senior
Measurables: 6-0, 205
Selected to the all-South Texas team as a junior when he was the 5A District 14 defensive player of the year. He made one hundred forty-six tackles which worked out at more than ten per game and had nine. Ten tackles and five sacks, he also accounted for three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.
Wyatt Davis, Canadian, sr.
Measurables: 6-0, 200
The All-West Texas defensive player of the year and the 2A District 3 D-POY, Davis had accumulated 153 tackles that included making 22 tackles behind the line of scrimmage and four sacks for Canadian which saw them post a 14-1 record and reach the 3A division II state semi finals.
Noriel Dominguez, Fort Bend Marshall High School, Junior
Measurables: 6-2, 225
The 3-star junior without any commitment list has more than a dozen including Arkansas, Baylor and Arizona State after sophomore record year that included 92 tackles (12 for loss), 4 forced fumbles, 4 sacks which led the Buffalos to 8-3, playoffs.
Tieson Eliawoko, East View, junior.
Measurables: 6-2, 200
The 3-star prospect committed to Texas Tech on Friday after a breakout sophomore season where he totalled 60 tackles and three sacks.
First team: Brock Golwas, Flower Mound Marcus, sr.
Measurables: 6-1, 215
The 3-star prospect had a strong junior season: 38 tackles (three for loss) and two fumble recoveries and Friday committed to Texas Tech which has been a dream come through.
Bryan Hernandez, Seminole, sr.
Measurables: 5-10, 165
In total the outside linebacker made 166 tackles of which 23 were behind the line of scrimmage, 1 interception and 1 fumble recovery in the junior seasons. That is over 11 tackles and well more than a tackle and a half for loss per game. Second team all-West Texas selection.
Jude Hernandez, Calallen, sr.
Measurables: 6-0, 210
Hernandez had a stellar junior season on defense: 105 tackles with 33 of them being solo and in addition to that six touchdowns through rushing. Of course, that’s while putting up a concurrent 1,573 receiving yards and 13 TDs.
District MVP: Donovan Jones, Waco Midway, sr.
Measurables: 6-0, 200
The 3-star prospect committed to Oklahoma State in June after a junior year in which he made 71 tackles that included six tackles for lost causes, one sack and an interception to help Midway place second in 6A District 12.
Taiyon ‘Tank’ King, Port Arthur Memorial; junior.
Measurables: 6-0, 205
The burly linebacker got key varsity snaps as a freshman and build on it with a productive sophomore season: 138 tackles of which 22 was for loss, eight sacks and a fumble recovery. He has received more than 25 scholarship offers some of which are from Alabama, Florida and Michigan.
Nathaniel Kirksey, Tyler Legacy, senior.
Measurables: 5-9, 175
In his junior year, Kirksey made 160 tackles, out of which 79 were of the solo type. The All-East second team pick of the SBLive helped Tyler Legacy in a relatively challenging campaign.
Agape Lawrence, Frisco Emerson, seniors.
Measurables: 5-11, 215
The Antlers’ Lawrence was probably one of the most effective lineman and definitely one of the most active in the whole state of Iowa in the previous year. Overall he had 170 tackle (102/68), 14 TFLs, four sacks, and two forced fumbles to his credit.
Tristan Lawyer, Frisco Wakeland, senior.
Measurables: 6-4, 225
That is of course, if we are talking about the junior season being productive and how has this one shaped up? Lawyer had 84 tackles, 42 of the which were solo and 3. 5 or loss, whilst contributing to Wakelands 9-3 and a place in 5A Division I area round.
Jaden Manning, Mansfield Legacy High School, senior
Measurables: 6-2, 215
He declared for North Texas in late July alongside Montana, Stephen F. Austin & Lamar following having had six sacks and three forced fumbles as a junior. He also rushed for over 400 yards to go with two rushing touchdowns for the Broncos.
Seth McFarland, Pine Tree, senior
Measurables: 6-2, 225
It appears today / That all you get / Is the blurry image of a Jewish guy. . . is a Houston commit, 3-star prospect, and first team 4A District 9 selection, who managed 122 tackles with three forced fumbles and three sacks during the previous year — at least as far as McFarland is concerned.
Richmond Oguchukwu, Richardson Berkner, sr.
Measurables: 6-0, 205
The three-star prospect committed to Houston in May and has more than a dozen offers to his name now.
Kosi Okpala, Mayde Creek, junior.
Measurables: 6-2, 215
He was a three-star recruit who got scholarship offers from Ohio State, Alabama, Nebraska and others after a sophomoric year in which he made 66 tackles (14 of them for losses), four sacks and a forced fumble.
South Oak Cliff, DB, Jamarion Phillips, junior.
Measurables: 6-0, 220
Phillips made 95 tackles (23 of them solo), 14 sacks, and one forced fumble to lead South Oak the third straight UIL state championship game.
Riley Pettijohn, McKinney, sr.
Measurables: 6-1, 215
The linebacker is committed to Ohio State and is rated No. 1 in his positing with five stars by rivals. He had 125 tackles, eight of which were for loss, three sacks, one interception and one blocked field goal as a junior to help his team McKinney get to the 6A Division II area round of the playoffs.
Weston Polk, Coppell, sr.
Measurables: 6-2, 220
The committed to Kansas State University played a big part in a season that saw Coppel claim the 6A District 6 crown and 12-1 record before being knocked out in the third round of the 6A Division II playoffs.
Kelvion Riggins, Forney, sr.
Measurables: 6-1, 210
A 4-star prospect, Riggins committed to Texas A&M. As a sophomore year for South Oak Cliff, he was granted 5A District 6 first team and he transfer to Forney.
Charles Ross, North Shore, senior
Measurables: 6-2, 205
A rising 4-star LSU pledge, he started for the nationally-ranked and consecutive two-time 6A Division I state finalist, tallying 71 tackles, six sacks and two interceptions on the year. Also a sub 11 100-meter dash runner.
Elliot Schaper, Westlake, sr.
Measurables: 6-3, 210
An all-Central Texas choice, he committed to Duke as a 3-star prospect; he was 6A District 26 MVP after 108 tackles, nine sacks, two interceptions and two forced fumbles on a dominant defense.
Jayden Shelton, South Oak Cliff High School, senior
Measurables: 6-0, 200
The 3-star prospect committed to Arkansas after having put up 119 tackles (13 of which were for loss) in addition to a pick-six during his junior season which concluded in a 5A Division II state title game loss. He was, though, a part of the program’s repeat title as a sophomore. He concluded the season with 56 tackles out of which three were tackles for loss, two sacks and an interception.
Trent Spence, Klein Collins, senior.
Measurables: 6-2, 220
The 3-star committed to Baylor in June, but first came into prominence during his sophomore season when he was named first team all 6A District 15.
Adine Nimitz, Javar Thomas, sr.
Measurables: 6-3, 195
Certainly, that uncommitted perch as a 3-star prospect is blessed with plenty of invitations — double-digit scholarship ones — after first becoming a factor as a sophomore and, then shining as a junior as an outside linebacker with an occasional look on the edge.
Sterling Tomlin, Harlingen, sr.
Measurables: 5-11, 200
In his junior year, he had 139 total tackles; 11 of them were losses, he also had one interception and one fumble recovery. The second team all-South Texas selection played a role to help Harlingen advance as far as the second round of the 6A Division II playoffs.
Cannon Valenzuela, Jacksboro, sr.
Measurables: 6-3, 200
Valenzuela was also one of the state’s most productive receivers with over 1,500 yards receiving; he also had 136 tackles, three interceptions, and two forced fumbles.
Brett Wells, Troup, soph.
Measurables: 5-9, 165
What a team — this is the end of freshman season? He will have had 93 tackles, eight of which were for losses and earned 3A District 9 defensive newcomer of the year and first team all-East Texas honors.
Anthony Williams, Basketball, Shadow Cree, senior.
Measurables: 6-3, 190
This 3 star prospect committed to TCU in May but we have seen his actions on the Texas high school football level for years. As a sophomore, he earned 6A District 23 newcomer of the year and the following season, he registered 30 tackles including 4 tackles behind the line, and one interception, one sack, and one caused fumble.
Ke’Breion Winston, Lancaster, sr.
Measurables: 6-0, 200
Winston, a 3-star commitment to Cal, played for Lancaster that reached the 5A Division I regional finals, and for this he was in the first team all-5A District 7.
CJ Witten of Argyle Liberty Christian high school is a senior.
Measurables: 6-1, 215
Witten was named district defensive MVP and all-state after leading Liberty Christian to its second consecutive TAPPS Division II championship. Former Cowboys’ tight end Jason is his father, and the team coach currently.
Continue with preseason content in the build up to the 2024 season of Texas high school football.
That’s why for the Texas Football Season Preview, we are featured the Returners: the state’s top players back in action this fall – starting with our 50 quarterback, 70 running back, 40 wide receiver, 25 tight end, 25 offensive lineman, 30 cornerback, and 25 safety lists.
High favourites in the district? Top sleepers? We’re selecting both, starting with 6A Districts 1-16, 6A Districts 17-32 and 5A Division I.
In the Absence of a Draft, We Looked at Offseason Player Movement and the 12 Largest Transfers That Will Shape the Fall.
Which are the least appreciated teams in the Lone Star State heading into the season? Here’s a breakdown by regions of the programs that are most likely to perform above expectations: North Texas and Southeast Texas and Central Texas.
Most of the prospects are found within the region of the United States commonly known as the ‘Lone Star State’. We delved into the 20 most committed recruits in the state and the colleges they intend to join. And from there, we defined the 25 best uncommitted players in the state — and their standing in recruiting.
