Perkins Jr. paces rookie linebackers at 82.6 grade

Trotter second at 79.2, Reese third at 77.1

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated 1h1 min read

Highest defensive grade among rookie LB this season Harold Perkins Jr 82.6 Josiah Trotter 79.2 Arvell Ree Via @PFF on X

What happened: Josiah Trotter ranks second at 79.2, ahead of Arvell Reese at 77.1, Sonny Styles at 76.9 and Jaishawn Barham at 69.1. Reese was No. 5 overall and Styles No. 7 in the 2026 draft, compared with No. 46 for Trotter and No. 92 for Barham.

Why it matters: Early grades give a first return marker on 2026 linebacker draft capital. Production from Day 2 picks pressures teams to reassess snap splits entering midseason.

By the numbers: Harold Perkins Jr. 82.6; Josiah Trotter 79.2; Arvell Reese 77.1; Sonny Styles 76.9; Jaishawn Barham 69.1. Top-to-bottom 5 points.

What to watch: Watch whether Trotter trims the 3.4-point margin on Perkins Jr. as October workloads expand.

Sources

@PFF 2026-10-06T20:13:14.284468+00:00

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