Ohio Big 50 countdown: Who are the state’s best linebackers in high school football?

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Following Monday’s look astatine quarterbacks astir Ohio, it’s clip to gauge nan leaders of nan defense astatine linebacker.

This linebacker watch database is portion of cleveland.com’s caller Ohio Big 50 series, which will rank nan state’s apical precocious schoolhouse shot players sloppy of classification later this summer. We are starting pinch position-by-position looks astatine nan apical recruits passim nan spring.

Here are nan apical linebackers (class years based connected autumn 2026):

• Vote: Who is nan champion area infielder successful Ohio precocious schoolhouse softball successful 2026?Apr. 8, 2026, 6:00a.m.
• Vote: Who is nan champion catcher successful Ohio precocious schoolhouse softball successful 2026?Apr. 7, 2026, 6:00a.m.
• Vote: Who is nan champion pitcher successful Ohio precocious schoolhouse softball successful 2026?Apr. 6, 2026, 12:23p.m.

Judah Blair, Lakota West, jr.

Blair tin play connected nan extracurricular aliases wrong and is considered a four-star prospect, according to 247Sports. His offers see Indiana, Cincinnati and North Carolina. As a sophomore, Blair had 57 tackles pinch 25 solo and 15.5 tackles for loss. He besides scored erstwhile connected defense pinch 3 sacks and an interception.

Mason Cerovac, Olmsted Falls, sr.

Cerovac will beryllium a third-year starter and is simply a multi-sport standout who besides plays hoops and lacrosse. He led nan Bulldogs done nan regular play pinch 79 tackles, 8 TFL and 5 sacks arsenic a junior. Cerovac has offers from West Virginia, Kent State and Miami (Ohio).

James Conrad, St. Ignatius, sr.

In six games past year, Conrad had 21 solo tackles and 5 TFL pinch 2 sacks. The 6-foot-3, 225-pounder has offers from Toledo and Massachusetts.

Jahmiere Daniels-Portis, Springfield, sr.

An All-Ohio prime past twelvemonth successful Division I connected nan 2nd team, Daniels-Portis has offers from Cincinnati and Illinois. He totaled 88 tackles pinch 14.5 TFL past twelvemonth and had 5 sacks, 2 interceptions and six forced fumbles.

Brayton Feister, Archbishop Hoban, sr.

A 2,000-yard backmost arsenic a sophomore, Feister concentrated connected linebacker past play and earned All-Ohio first-team honors successful Division II. That is wherever he is projected to play astatine nan adjacent level, arsenic a four-star imaginable pinch offers that see Ohio State, Indiana, Michigan, Oregon, Notre Dame and USC. He totaled 133 tackles pinch 39 TFL, 13 sacks and 2 interceptions arsenic a inferior astatine Hoban (10-2). He besides rushed for 1,098 yards and 17 TDs.

Brydon “Squeak” Feister, Archbishop Hoban, jr.

The younger relative of Brayton Feister, Brydon besides made nan All-Ohio first squad past season. He had 110 tackles pinch 22 TFL and 5 sacks. At 6-3 and 210 pounds, he has offers from Ohio State, Indiana, Michigan and Arizona State. He besides is simply a two-time authorities wrestling champion.

Karsen Fisher, Nordonia, sr.

He led nan Knights pinch 103 tackles, including 51 solo hits, 17 TFL and 3 sacks. Fisher has tremendous upside astatine 6-3 and 230 pounds and utilized that framework to artifact 2 kicks past year. Miami (Ohio) has offered him a scholarship. Fisher besides plays tight extremity and had 587 yards pinch six TDs connected 32 receptions.

Evan Foust, Highland, sr.

Foust mightiness not travel disconnected nan section much. He made nan All-Ohio 2nd squad successful Division II and had 73 tackles pinch 3.5 sacks connected defense, positive 255 yards pinch 4 TDs connected 14 receptions astatine tight end.

Antwoine Higgins, Cincinnati Anderson, sr.

Higgins has been portion of 2 defenses that helped Anderson to nan Division II authorities finals against Avon successful 2024 and ’25. Higgins made nan All-Ohio first squad past twelvemonth aft compiling 67 tackles pinch 8.5 TFL and 3 sacks. He holds offers from Alabama, Indiana, Kentucky and Ole Miss.

Tommy Kopec, Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy, jr.

With older relative Joey now astatine Rutgers, Tommy will beryllium nan large man connected field astatine CVCA. He had 61 tackles pinch 5 TFL and 3 sacks for nan Royals to make All-Ohio honorable mention successful Division III.

Josiah Pouncy, Cincinnati Taft, sr.

Pouncy put up large numbers past twelvemonth for Taft pinch 126 solo tackles, 186 full and 42 TFL. He forced 3 fumbles and had a prime six, receiving honorable mention All-Ohio successful Division IV. Pouncy committed successful February to Louisville.