The 2026 NFL Draft will be a great event for teams to start building for their future. Here is the Jacob Rodriguez NFL Draft Profile.
Position: Linebacker
School: Texas Tech
Size: 6-foot-1, 231 Pounds
Class: Senior
2025 stats: 128 total tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 4 interceptions, 6 passes defended, 7 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries, 1 touchdown
Rodriguez was a three-star prospect in the class of 2021 who signed with Virginia out of Texas. He was originally a quarterback for Virginia, but didn’t play much in his one season with the team. Rodriguez transferred to Texas Tech before the 2022 season. He was a backup and played special teams, recording 29 total tackles on the year. In 2023, he played in five games due to a foot injury, but registered 32 total tackles and one tackle for loss. For the 2024 season, Rodriguez started and was a First Team All-Big 12 performer with 77 total tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and five sacks. He helped the team win eight games that season. In 2025, he was an All-American with 128 total tackles, 11 tackles and seven forced fumbles. He led the Red Raiders to the CFP.
Following the CFP, Rodriguez has been prepping for the 2026 NFL Draft. He is currently projected to be a second or third-round pick.
Rodriguez has great production in multiple ways. He is a tackle machine who shows good pursuit of the football and uses good form to bring ball carriers to the ground. Rodriguez can force fumbles, as he had 13 during his college career. He also had good ball skills for a linebacker with 10 passes defended and five interceptions over the last two seasons. Rodriguez finds himself around the ball a lot.
He shows great play diagnosis skills, as he reacts quickly. Rodriguez reads his keys well and then plays downhill to get to the football. On passing plays he can get a good depth on his drop with a quick first step in the right direction. Rodriguez puts himself in a position to make plays because he sees the field so clearly and processes well.
Even though he isn’t the biggest linebacker, Rodriguez shows the ability to beat blocks. He can get through traffic to make plays. Rodriguez can slip past blocks when he needs to, but he can also shed blocks decently well for his size, although that will be an area for him to continue improving on.
Rodriguez is not the biggest linebacker, as he stands at 6-foot-1 and 234 pounds. With his size, there are some play strength limitations. He also measured in with smaller arms, under 31 inches, at the NFL Combine. The strength and length can make it hard for him to disengage quickly at times.
While he does show good pursuit, he does overpursue some plays. Rodriguez can be too committed to make the play and then overextend himself. This gives ball carriers cutback lanes to pick up extra yardage. Rodriguez can fix this issue, but even now he is able to recover pretty well after overrunning plays.
His coverage abilities are good, but he is better in zone coverage when he can use his eyes well. He can struggle covering shiftier running backs in man-to-man coverage. Rodriguez can struggle to mirror receivers as they get in and out of their breaks.
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