The inside linebacker position was once one of the most glamorous positions on defense. It was the domain of Dick Butkus, Ray Nitschke, Willie Lanier, Mike Curtis and Mike Singletary, and they would roam the field with a sense of justice and foreboding. “You come into my area, you are about to get punished severely.” The position has evolved dramatically. While the responsibility of stopping the running game is still there at the inside linebacker position, there is more control and more discipline associated with the position. Also, in addition to the power, it’s all about the speed that an inside linebacker launches his attack.
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Silverman: Kuechly, Johnson, Wagner At Top Of ILB Class
