Arizona State Has Top Linebacker Core

Arizona State football is moving into the 2025 season with expectations being set as high as they ever have been in the history of the program.

Head coach Kenny Dillingham enters his third year of running the program with the most talented roster that Tempe has seen in many years.

The well rounded and deep nature of the squad extends to the linebacker core - as they enter the season with multiple players that return from last season's Big 12 championship squad.

The said talent isn't being ignored on a wide scale any longer.

Stephen Vilardo of SuperWestSports slotted the Sun Devil linebacking core in as the fourth best in the western region of the country - only behind Brigham Young, Utah, and Oregon.

More on the group below:

"The Sun Devils will predominantly operate out of a 4-2-5 set on defense, but the duo of LBs they are putting on the field are high quality."

"Keyshaun Elliott is one of the best in the Big XII if not the nation and is a disruption on any play—whether blowing up the run or creating havoc for QBs."

"Pair him with Jordan Crook or Zyrus Fiaseu and the Devils have a stout LB corps. Crook is very good in coverage and Fiaseu is a tackling machine."

Elliott transferred to Arizona State from New Mexico State after the 2023 season and quickly became one of the most vital pieces of a defense that ranked inside of the top five in the conference a year ago, while Crook was seen as a high-risk, high-reward add via Arkansas in the same transfer portal class.

Fiaseu came to Tempe from San Diego State in the same class as well after recording 5.5 sacks and four forced fumbles for the Aztecs in 2023 - the senior is surely one of the most underrated players on the team heading into game one of 2025.

Linebackers coach AJ Cooper has done a phenomenal job in developing the group over his time in Tempe, as well as recruiting - recent victories have included signing 2026 three star Mason Marden.

The Sun Devils are set to put out an incredibly talented and deep defense as a whole in 2025, but the linebacking core could be the strongest out of all three levels.

Read more on Arizona State star Sam Leavitt being named the preseason Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year here, as well as Leavitt, Jordyn Tyson, C.J. Fite, Xavion Alford, and Ben Coleman being named to preseason All-Big 12 honors here.

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