Braylon Hodge

Physical Profile

Listed at 6-3, 212 lbs. Taller than 71% and heavier than 49% of 2026 Linebacker prospects in the SEC Scouts database (207 with a listed size).

Play Style

Hodge is a fast, instinctive every-down linebacker who reads run keys, fits downhill and finishes at a high rate. His junior tape shows a player still learning; by his senior year he was the centerpiece of an undefeated defense's tackle chart. He has enough length and hips to carry backs and tight ends in man coverage and to get depth in zone drops, which is why evaluators saw him as a fit at either inside or outside linebacker. He plays more on speed and angles than on power: he beats blocks by getting to his spot first rather than stacking and shedding, which fits a spread-heavy league as long as his strength catches up.

Strengths

• Tackle volume and finishing: 111 tackles (37 solo) as a senior, more than double his 50 as a first-year junior starter. The jump shows fast growth in diagnosing plays and running to the ball, and the high assist total says he arrives with the rest of the swarm on almost every snap
• Plays downhill from linebacker depth: 9 tackles for loss as a senior (4 as a junior) show he triggers fast on run keys and can shoot gaps, not just clean up at the second level
• Coverage range and ball skills: an interception in each of his two varsity seasons, plus a 6-3 frame that lets him play inside or outside, point to a three-down linebacker who doesn't need to come off the field on passing downs
• Proven in big games: started on back-to-back Colorado 5A championship teams (13-1, then 14-0) at a program that sends players to Power 4 schools every year, so he has seen the best competition in the state

Areas to Improve

• Play strength and taking on blocks: at 211 lbs he needs to add mass and hand strength to beat climbing guards head-on instead of running around them, which is the biggest hurdle to playing inside linebacker in the Big Ten
• Limited starting experience: he only started for two seasons, and his production spike came mostly in 2025, so his coverage eye discipline, play-action recognition and pre-snap communication are still developing. That matters because SI projects him as a future Mike and signal-caller
• Pass rush: 1 career sack across two seasons. Even as an off-ball linebacker, more pressure plays would expand what Oregon's defense can do with him

College Projection

He enrolled early at Oregon and is listed as a backup inside linebacker behind Jerry Mixon and Devon Jackson. For 2026 that means special teams plus developmental defensive snaps, with a redshirt year still possible under the four-game rule. A realistic timeline is a rotation role in 2027 once he reaches about 225 lbs, and a push to start by 2028. SI's view of him as a Mike with green-dot (defensive play-caller) upside is the ceiling if his processing keeps improving the way it did from his junior to senior year.

NFL Outlook

His NFL projection is a Day 2-3 prospect, with upside beyond that if he makes his college production jump again. NFL teams want off-ball linebackers with his traits: 6-3 length, range to cover, and a steady tackling record. Whether he becomes more than a mid-round pick depends on two things: adding about 20 lbs of functional strength without losing speed, and becoming a multi-year starter and play-caller at Oregon. If he does both, he fits the three-down WILL/MIKE profile the league pays for. If he doesn't, his length and special-teams ability still give him a realistic path as a backup and core special-teams player.

Best Fit

His best fit is a multiple, speed-first defense that plays two off-ball linebackers and asks them to cover as well as fit the run. Oregon's Lanning-era scheme is close to ideal because it values length and position flexibility, has an elite strength program to add the mass he needs, and can bring him along behind experienced linebackers instead of forcing him into early snaps inside.