Seventh in a series of position-by-position breakdowns of the 2018 Wildcats by WildcatReport's Tim Chapman.

A year ago, many Northwestern fans and the covering media were most concerned with the middle linebacker position. All-American Anthony Walker became the first player in the Pat Fitzgerald era to leave early for the NFL draft, and the Wildcats had to replace four other key contributors in their front seven.

Soon after the spring, a name began surfacing as a possible star in the making: Paddy Fisher. By the second game of the year (a loss to Duke that Wildcat fans have already worked on forgetting), it seemed the post-Walker transition was complete.

With help from a better-than-expected front four, Fisher helped lead a youth movement in the front seven that now has people talking about this being one of the top units in the conference. But it’s not just Fisher at the second level. Veteran Nate Hall was quietly one of the most potent LBs in the conference that nobody outside of Evanston was hearing about – until they played against him.

The linebacker corps begins 2018 with a new position coach for the first time under Fitzgerald. Randy Bates moved up the coaching ladder as the new DC at Pittsburgh, a team he helped defeat in the 2016 Pinstripe Bowl. Stepping up is former Wildcat LB great Tim McGarigle, who came over from the Green Bay Packers organization after coaching LBs for five years at Western Michigan and the school in Champaign.

McGarigle brings his respected knowledge and energy to a good situation, stocked with reliable depth for the first time in recent memory. The Wildcats have recruited this position well, and playing for a head coach and position coach who played it about as well as anyone in the game (not to mention one of the game’s best and most experienced defensive coordinators in Mike Hankwitz), look for this unit to be a necessary strength for the Wildcats this season.

As the focal points on a defense that finished in the top 30 in many important defensive categories – rushing defense, scoring defense, takeaways, limiting explosive plays – Northwestern has two returning stars and well-recruited, well-coached supplements, so the needle is pointing up for this band of ‘backers.

They were seventh nationally in defensive power success rate (53.7%); meaning teams only attained a successful amount of the necessary yardage just about half the time. This primarily happens because of a strong front seven – D-linemen that occupy blockers and linebackers that clean up and procure ball carriers.

Because of such strong LB play (three of the top four tacklers on the team), the team was best against the run, finishing in the top 30 in the nation in seven major rushing categories. They were simply an efficient group of tacklers magnetically drawn to runners who tried to crack the second level.

Last year, Northwestern faced four Big Ten RBs who finished in the top 5 in the conference in rushing and none of them ran for more than 100 yards against the Wildcats rush defense.

They had the 28th-best LB havoc rate of in the country, accounting for a sack, TFL, forced fumble or defended pass 5.7% of the time. They also were 23rd in takeaways with 25, and the LBs accounted for one quarter of those thefts.

The Cats topped the conference in eliminating momentum: on fourth down, when teams desperately needed to extend a drive, the Wildcats played lights out, limiting their opponents to a 36-percent success rate, which placed them ninth in the country.

While the defense was robust against the run, they were rather porous versus the pass. Their passing down success rate was 29.9 percent, which put them at 68th nationally. Again, the overall defensive M.O. is to keep the ball in front, swarm and tackle, hoping to create turnovers or benefit from incomplete passes. But at the LB level, recognizing the pass and covering receivers with man technique within a zone scheme is something that needs enhancement. They were ninth in the conference in first-downs allowed (19 per game, 60 percent of them coming by the pass) and third down conversions (36 percent). Those numbers are a little alarming, considering it means the unit is on the field longer, which can demoralize the defense. The addition of some quicker LBs on the outside – Blake Gallagher, Peter McIntyre and Jaylen Rivers – should help in this area.

The defense’s sack rate was 87th overall and 91st on passing downs at a 6.2% success rate, with most of these stats coming from the defensive line. Two things to consider here: 1) Hankwitz does not bring much pressure from the second or third levels, and 2) the RPO offenses make it even riskier, and therefore more difficult, to bring a blitzing LB in passing situations. Hall was the only LB to garner any sacks last year (five), but perhaps an increase in overall speed might improve that stat.

This group is pretty darn good, so the most potent kryptonite is injury. Hall missed the Music City Bowl with a torn ACL; injuries caused Nathan Fox and Jango Glackin to play sparingly last year and Fisher’s knees will likely be the target of barreling cut blocks near the line of scrimmage this season. If this group of tacklers can stay healthy, the overall performance of the defense should replicate or even improve on last year’s numbers.

If the secondary can help to eliminate the deep threats, that will certainly take some of the strain off these LBs, allowing them to concentrate on their mid-level responsibilities and maybe even allow the application of some wanted pressure on opposing backfields.

MIKE Paddy Fisher (6-foot-4, 245 pound redshirt sophomore; 13 starts)

Fisher proved to be a great catch for the Wildcats in his debut season last year. The redshirt freshman led all first-year tackles with 113 stops (8.7 per game), 15 better than the NCAA’s all-time leading tackler and his new position coach, McGarigle (8.1 per game in 2002), produced as a rookie. This is quite incredible, considering Fisher missed FIVE quarters from two questionable ejections on targeting penalties. Supplementing his eye-opening tackle numbers were nine TFLs, 18 run stuffs, four forced fumbles (led Big Ten), an INT and three PBUs.

His 18 run stuffs were second in the conference and his 15.8 percent run stoppage mark is top among all returning FBS LBs this year, according to Pro Football Focus. Essentially, this translates into the notion that Fisher prevents the offense from greatly improving their field position via the run.

These numbers earned him second team All Big Ten honors and the Big Ten Defensive Freshman Player of the Year award – not bad for a rookie three-star recruit. Many still wonder how he could have gone so overlooked. He played for the USA Today’s top-ranked high school team in the country at Katy (Texas) in 2015. He was the leading tackler on a defense that gave up only 62 points in 16 games (that’s only three per game) that year and pitched 10 shutouts. But oversight in hindsight, Wildcat fans are glad he is here and should be for another three years.

Fisher is a hitter, an instinctual tackler with a magnetic gravitation to any potential ball carrier and has the aggression of Texas rattlesnake. His 18 tackles vs. Duke and 17 against Michigan State (14 solo), in addition to two forced fumbles in the same game, are just partial proof of this prowess.

Fisher also showed great leadership abilities as a first year player, but given his tragic teen years, that’s no surprise. He lost his father to cancer when he was in high school and was forced into assuming a leadership role and taking on “big boy” responsibilities before he may have even been ready. But according to family, he succeeded greatly.

So yeah, the guy is good, but he is not Superman (yet). He does need to improve his tackling, as there were a few bad misses last season. His success rate (35.4%) also did not crack the Top 10 in the conference. Still, the folks in Evanston would gladly take him over anyone else.

SAM Nate Hall (6-foot-2, 230 pound redshirt senior; 24 starts)

Hall is one of Northwestern’s most efficient and underappreciated LBs ever. Since bursting onto the scene when he stuffed Penn State’s Saquon Barkley on a key third-down play late in the fourth quarter during his freshman season, the Sylvania (Ohio) Southview product has helped deter offensive gains time and time again.

His 79 tackles (6.1 per game) were second on the team, but what gets lost is the effectiveness of his take-downs. His 26.6% success rate on defense was only bettered by one of the LBs on the first through third all-conference teams as determined by the coaches and media (Hall made honorable mention).

His 16.5 TFLs were fourth in the conference, and his 5 sacks, 12 run stuffs and 8 pass defenses (2 INTs, 6 PBUs) show his versatility in stopping the run and covering the air. He sees and reads plays well as he cases the field. He was a safety in HS and followed his brother Jimmy (2010-2014) to Evanston, where he was switched to LB. Upon being put into the lineup, he has played a crucial part in the Wildcats’ defense in all three of his seasons: second in tackles last year, third as sophomore and fifth as a redshirt first-year.

Still, his ability to move is in question, due to that ligament tear during bowl prep. Reports suggest he is recovering well and should be full go by August camp, but this crew will need his presence on the field, as they are made so much better with his skill and quiet, though profitable, leadership.

WILL Blake Gallagher (6-foot-1, 221 pound sophomore; 1 start)

The WILL position is one that gets a lot of action and requires a solid tackler on the edge. Gallagher is just that. Recruited by Nebraska and many East Coast schools after a productive HS career, this three-time all-state performer has drawn recurring praise from Fitzgerald in his short time here.

He had limited snaps as a backup and special teamer last year, but still had 33 tackles, six run stuffs, and a TFL, while playing at a 33.3% success rate, which was second-best among LBs on the team.

Gallagher is a strong tackler with good leg drive through contact. His quick feet enable him to get downhill in a hurry and change directions with fluidity. Though there’s still competition for the open WILL spot, Gallagher’s previously-mentioned qualities and the fact that he’s a little better in pass coverage than his cohorts make him the expected suitor.

Redshirt junior Nathan Fox (6-foot-2, 230 pounds) was a highly regarded recruit out of Houston’s Clear Lake High School. A tackling machine (400 in his career) and sprinter in high school, Fox led many to believe he might be the next great middle backer in NU lore. One Youtuber even called him a “(Brian) Bosworth rebirth”, paying homage to the former Oklahoma standout LB.

He chose Northwestern over Stanford, Oregon, and Texas, but hasn’t really been able to show what he can do yet. Having played mostly on special teams as well as a reserve at both outside and middle linebacker, genuine talent (Fisher) and experience (Walker and Collin Ellis) ahead of him have kept him out of the spotlight. He made 12 tackles in 2017 and graded out at a 62.5% success rate – numbers that reflect the fact that he was injured sporadically throughout the year.

In describing Fox, Coach Fitzgerald, says he’s “physical, real physical.” Fox has drawn a lot of attention from Fitzgerald lately, and one almost gets a feel that Fox's situation may be akin to Matt Alviti's last season. Fox is a talented guy who is not on the field as much as coaches would like, but only because there is a really talented guy in front of him. He may have a shot at playing more at the WILL spot, but he is (physically) more suited to play the MIKE. Nonetheless, he is an invaluable leader and someone who coaches and fans would like to see get his shots this season.

Giving Fox a run for playing time could be first-year early enrollee Khalid Jones (6-foot-1, 225 pounds) from Duncan (S.C.) Byrnes. A recipient of the Wendy’s High School Heisman, Jones comes in as a four-star, four-year starter and looking to contribute early. A state champion as a freshman and the MVP of the North Carolina/South Carolina All Star game as a senior, he has good vision and the ability to shed blockers, which enable him to perfect his most important trait: being a good tackler.

Redshirt sophomore Jango Glackin (6-foot, 225 pounds) has been injured for the better part of two of the last three years and is working tirelessly to get back. After transferring from Ohio’s Lebanon High School to Florida’s IMG Academy as a senior, there were high hopes of sudden impact at a thin LB position. Now with solid depth, the competition has heightened and Glackin will need to stay healthy to find the field more frequently.

Redshirt first-year Peter McIntyre (6-foot-2, 225 pounds) came to Evanston in the Brian Urlacher (college) mold. At Toledo’s St. John Jesuit High School, he lined up at OLB, SAF, WR, RB, and even K, and in the spring, he ran hurdles. McIntyre suffered a compound fracture of his tibia and fibula during his senior year in 2016. Now fully recovered, coaches look forward to seeing what he can do if he stays healthy as he brings a little more athleticism to the corps and could help shore up the pass defense.

Sophomore preferred walk-on Chris Bergin (5-foot-11, 200 pounds) was a nice surprise who made very efficient use of his limited time last season. He made 12 tackles (many of them very technically sound), to go with a TFL and a run stuff. Many first-year walkons aren’t expected to see as much field time as Bergin, but he turned a lot of heads in practice, earning Special Teams/Defensive Player of the Week a head-turning six times.

Look out for incoming freshmen Grayson Mann (5-foot-11, 211 pounds) and Jaylen Rivers (6-foot-2, 195 pounds) from Texas and Georgia, respectively. Mann, who looks much bigger than his numbers suggest, played many of his high school games at rush DE in a 3-4 scheme and was an all-state wrestler, which suggests he has quick hands and good feet to help free him off of blocks and provide a sure-grappler. Rivers is more of an athletic OLB who played SAF in HS. He reminds us a lot of a 1995 great, safety Hudhaifa Ismaeli, and he may be able to make his mark as a good edge blitzer and someone who will match up well with quicker slot receivers in nickel situations. These two may be players the Wildcats could capitalize on by using the new four-game redshirt allowance, unless productivity promotes more regular use.

Other linebackers in the mix this year are redshirt first-year OLB Chee Anyanwu (6-foot-2, 204 pounds), a converted high school safety; sophomore ILB Erik Mueller (6-foot-2, 225 pounds), a walkon from the Wheaton (Ill.) North program that produced Clayton Thorson, and sophomore ILB Troy Hudetz (6-foot-2, 222 pounds), a walkon from Naperville (Ill.) Central.

Other 2018 Position Previews:

Offense

Quarterback

Offensive Line

Wide Receivers

Superbacks

Running Backs

Defense

Defensive Backs

Tim Chapman is a teacher and former Michigan high school football coach who is currently working on a book titled "ChampioN Underdog" about the 1995 Northwestern Rose Bowl team. Follow him on Twitter: @Champion_Lit.