Beckett Headlines an Underrated Linebacker Class

Virginia Tech got a big commitment from Tavante Beckett this weekend, and that improves their future linebacker situation. Today we’ll take a look at Beckett and what both linebacker spots look like in 2016.

Before we get into it, let me note that I’m not including Tremaine Edmunds with the linebackers right now. He could possibly redshirt as a linebacker this year, but I don’t think he’ll stay small enough to play linebacker long term. We snapped this picture of him at the camp on Saturday…

Tremaine Edmunds (left) and Dwayne Lawson
Tremaine Edmunds (left) and Dwayne Lawson

That’s Dwayne Lawson on the right, in case you were wondering. Lawson is listed as 6-5 or 6-6, depending on whom you ask. In person, Edmunds appears about half-an-inch to an inch shorter than Lawson. His frame is just as big, and he’s already filled out more than Lawson. To my untrained eye, it looks like Edmunds is going to top out at around 6-5 or 6-6, and could possibly weigh as much as 260 before it’s all said and done. He’s a big guy now, and he’s barely even met Mike Gentry.

I think Edmunds will end up at defensive end or tight end. If he can remain at linebacker that’s great, but when studying the history of Bud Foster’s defense, Edmunds’ size is against him.

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