The linebacker position has become one of the defining strengths of the modern Big 12.
With offenses spreading the field more than ever, today’s linebackers must be able to stop the run, cover in space and create pressure as pass rushers. Several programs enter the 2026 season with elite talent at the second level, while others are searching for answers after significant offseason turnover.
To determine which teams boast the conference’s best linebacker corps, our staff independently ranked all 16 Big 12 teams. Using a 16-point voting system—16 points for a first-place vote, 15 for second and so on down to one point for 16th—we combined the ballots from Matt, Caleb and Zack to create one consensus ranking.
While there were a few major disagreements, one program clearly separated itself from the rest.
Big 12 Preseason Consensus Linebacker Rankings
| Rank | Team | Matt | Caleb | Zack | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas Tech | 1 | 3 | 1 | 46 |
| 2 | BYU | 2 | 8 | 2 | 39 |
| 3 | Arizona State | 3 | 2 | 6 | 37 |
| 4 | Colorado | 8 | 10 | 3 | 27 |
| 4 | Arizona | 4 | 14 | 5 | 27 |
| 6 | Baylor | 11 | 4 | 8 | 26 |
| 7 | Oklahoma State | 7 | 15 | 4 | 25 |
| 8 | Kansas State | 14 | 1 | 13 | 21 |
| 8 | UCF | 5 | 11 | 11 | 21 |
| 10 | TCU | 10 | 5 | 14 | 20 |
| 10 | Utah | 12 | 6 | 10 | 20 |
| 12 | Kansas | 6 | 16 | 7 | 19 |
| 13 | Houston | 9 | 12 | 9 | 18 |
| 14 | Cincinnati | 15 | 9 | 12 | 13 |
| 15 | Iowa State West Virginia | 16 | 7 | 16 | 11 |
| 16 | West Virginia | 13 | 13 | 15 | 8 |
Individual Ballots
Matt
- Texas Tech | Fresh off a Big 12 championship and College Football Playoff appearance, Texas Tech enters the season with the conference’s premier linebacker corps. The addition of former Kansas State standout Austin Romaine gives the Red Raiders arguably the nation’s best linebacker tandem alongside First Team All-Big 12 selection Ben Roberts.
- BYU | BYU once again fields one of the conference’s most fundamentally sound linebacker groups. Cade Uluave was one of the biggest transfer portal additions in the league, and his pairing with veteran Isaiah Glasker gives the Cougars an experienced duo capable of controlling the middle of the field. Their discipline and physicality make BYU one of the toughest defenses in the conference to run against.
- Arizona State | Arizona State continues to build its defense around speed and playmaking ability at linebacker. Newcomer Owen Long arrives after leading the nation in tackles last season, immediately giving the Sun Devils one of the conference’s most productive defenders. His sideline-to-sideline range and instincts elevate a unit that should once again rank among the Big 12’s best.
- Arizona
- UCF
- Kansas
- Oklahoma State
- Colorado
- Houston
- TCU
- Baylor
- Utah
- West Virginia
- Kansas State
- Cincinnati | The Bearcats enter 2026 with plenty of uncertainty at linebacker after significant roster turnover. While Cincinnati added transfer talent and have several promising young players, they lack proven Power Four production compared to the rest of the conference. Until those newcomers establish themselves, this remains one of the Big 12’s biggest question marks.
- Iowa State | The Cyclones sit at No. 16 due to a complete program overhaul following the departure of head coach Matt Campbell. The resulting mass exodus left the Cyclones with over 60 newcomers and zero returning starters, making their linebacker room the most vulnerable rebuilding project in the conference. This total lack of established talent and chemistry was highly visible at Big 12 Media Days, where Iowa State was the only school with zero players selected to the Preseason All-Big 12 teams.
Caleb
- Kansas State | The Wildcats enter the season with the Big 12’s strongest linebacker room thanks to its combination of experience, consistency, and physical play.
- Arizona State | The Sun Devils have one of the fastest-rising linebacker units in the conference after recent recruiting and player development. With Jordan Crook leading the room, and standout transfer Owen Long, Arizona State should have a very strong Linebacker room.
- Texas Tech | The Red Raiders lost their star of the linebacker room and of their defense last year, but Tech loaded up with plenty of talent from the portal. It would not surprise me if they reclaimed the best linebacker room by the end of the year, but the big question is if these transfers can step up and feel the big shoes that were left behind.
- Baylor
- TCU
- Utah
- Iowa State
- BYU
- Cincinnati
- Colorado
- UCF
- Houston
- West Virginia
- Arizona
- Oklahoma State | The Cowboys have traditionally been strong at linebacker, but entering 2026, Oklahoma State faces significant turnover and lack proven experience. There is potential in the room, but it remains a big question mark.
- Kansas | The Jayhawks round out the rankings primarily because of a lack of returning production and overall depth. While Kansas has some promising young players, the linebacker room is still developing and has yet to show if it can consistently compete with the conference’s stronger offenses.
Zack
- Texas Tech | The Red Raiders had the Big 12’s top linebacker unit last season, and they could be even better this year. Ben Roberts is a long-time starter at Tech, and he was Third-Team All-Big 12 last season. Austin Romaine was a Second-Team All-Big 12 linebacker for Kansas State last year, and he decided to wrap up his college career in Lubbock. Lastly, John Curry is another returning starter for the Red Raiders, and while he’s not quite as good as his counterparts, he’s still one of the conference’s best linebackers.
- BYU | The Cougars return Isaiah Glasker, one of the Big 12’s top returning linebackers, and they added Cade Uluave, a transfer from Cal where he was a First-Team All-ACC selection a year ago. Siale Esera, who started 10 games last season, is also back with the Cougars.
- Colorado | The Buffaloes have a brand new defense full of transfers, and the linebacker unit is their best group on defense. Gideon Lampron started all season at Bowling Green last year, and he could make a case for Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year. Liona Lefau started at Texas last year, and he’s another great addition.
- Oklahoma State
- Arizona
- Arizona State
- Kansas
- Baylor
- Houston
- Utah
- UCF
- Cincinnati
- Kansas State
- TCU
- West Virginia | The Mountaineers have a couple of inexperienced returners and a couple of somewhat unimpressive transfers. West Virginia isn’t exactly known for their strong defense, so this unit may struggle this season.
- Iowa State | The Cyclones have completely new guys at the linebacker position, and surprisingly, none of them is especially notable. As good as Iowa State has been in recent history, particularly on defense and especially at the linebacker position, they might be shockingly bad this season.
Biggest Agreements
Despite several notable disagreements, there were a handful of teams where the panel largely saw eye-to-eye.
Texas Tech
This was the easiest decision on the board.
Matt and Zack both ranked the Red Raiders No. 1, while Caleb placed them third. Everyone agreed Texas Tech belongs among the nation’s elite linebacker corps.
Arizona State
All three of us placed the Sun Devils inside our Top 6, highlighting Owen Long’s impact and the overall athleticism of the unit.
Houston
Houston landed ninth, ninth and 12th on the three ballots, making the Cougars one of the conference’s most consistently evaluated teams.
West Virginia
The Mountaineers were viewed as a bottom-tier linebacker group by all three of us, finishing between 13th and 15th on all three ballots.
Biggest Disagreements
Kansas State (13-spot difference)
- Matt: 14th
- Caleb: 1st
- Zack: 13th
Nothing came close to matching the disagreement surrounding Kansas State. Caleb sees the Wildcats as the conference’s premier linebacker corps, while Matt and Zack believe they’re among the league’s weakest units entering the season.
Iowa State (9-spot difference)
- Matt: 16th
- Caleb: 7th
- Zack: 16th
Matt and Zack both point to the Cyclones’ complete roster overhaul and lack of returning production. Caleb, meanwhile, believes the new talent can outperform expectations.
Arizona (10-spot difference)
- Matt: 4th
- Caleb: 14th
- Zack: 5th
Matt and Zack are believers in Arizona’s proven talent, while Caleb isn’t convinced the Wildcats have enough overall depth to justify a Top 5 ranking.
Oklahoma State (11-spot difference)
- Matt: 7th
- Caleb: 15th
- Zack: 4th
The Cowboys produced another major split. Zack views Oklahoma State as one of the conference’s better linebacker groups, while Caleb believes significant turnover creates too many unanswered questions.
Baylor (7-spot difference)
- Matt: 11th
- Caleb: 4th
- Zack: 8th
Caleb is considerably higher on the Bears than the other two voters, believing Baylor’s linebacker room is ready for a breakout season.
Final Thoughts
This year’s voting paints a fascinating picture of the Big 12.
Texas Tech clearly stands alone at the top after collecting two first-place votes and appearing in every voter’s Top 3. The Red Raiders have become the conference’s benchmark at linebacker.
Behind them, however, the conference is remarkably unsettled.
Arizona State and BYU round out the consensus Top 3, but after that the opinions vary dramatically. Kansas State generated the largest disagreement of any team, while Arizona, Oklahoma State, Baylor and Iowa State all produced double-digit differences between ballots.
Perhaps the biggest takeaway is just how competitive the middle of the conference appears. From fourth through 13th, virtually every team has believers and skeptics, making the Big 12’s linebacker rankings among the most unpredictable of any position group heading into the 2026 season.