Photo: USA Today Sports

The 2024 NFL Draft is behind us, and it’s time to take a look at some of the impact IDPs out there, with a few sleepers mixed in for good measure.  Let’s move on to the linebackers.

If you want to reference our defensive rookie rankings, they can be found here.

High-Impact IDP Rookie LBs With Great Landing Spots

Edgerrin Cooper, Green Bay

Cooper is slated to start for the Packers but will share tackle and big-play opportunities with the very talented Quay Walker.  The fact that Cooper’s penciled in at middle linebacker, though, makes him the most desirable linebacker (and IDP, overall, probably) in this draft class.  Cooper is incredibly rangy, standing at 6-foot-3 and 230 pounds, and even at that size exhibits excellent speed and change of direction to be able to get to the ball carrier.  Even competing with Walker for fantasy production, Cooper should provide his owners with solid value in redraft and dynasty formats alike from the get-go. 

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Junior Colson, LA Chargers

This is a good spot for Colson to land in, joining his old college coach, Jim Harbaugh.  For now, Colson will sit and learn behind Denzel Perryman, but Perryman has bounced around for the past several years and will turn 32 during the upcoming season (and Perryman is only signed to a one-year deal).  Look for Colson to likely be the green dot linebacker for the Bolts after this season.  Colson has an adequate size and speed profile and exhibits strong instincts to get to the ball carrier.  He may not produce Year 1, but by next season, he should be a strong LB2 in most formats.