Azeez Al-Shaair Earns No. 6 Spot in ESPN's Annual NFL Linebacker Rankings

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Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair continues to earn league-wide respect.

In ESPN's annual survey of more than 70 NFL executives, coaches, and scouts, Al-Shaair was ranked as the No. 6 off-ball linebacker in the NFL heading into the 2026 season. It's his first appearance in the rankings after going unranked a year ago.  

The voting also highlighted just how highly some around the league view him. Al-Shaair's highest individual ranking was No. 3, while his lowest was unranked, and he appeared on all but one ballot, suggesting he has become one of the league's most respected linebackers.  

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One NFL personnel evaluator offered perhaps the most memorable description of Al-Shaair's game:

"He's the Dennis Rodman of linebackers. He gets in everyone's head. He can run all day and can play every down."

A breakout year in Houston

After signing a three-year, $54 million extension this offseason, Al-Shaair's impact on DeMeco Ryans' defense has become impossible to ignore.

ESPN highlighted several accomplishments from his 2025 campaign:

• Appeared on all but one top-10 ballot from league voters.

• Recorded nine passes defended, the most by a Texans player with at least 100 tackles since Brian Cushing had 10 in 2009.

• Added two interceptions while serving as the centerpiece of one of the NFL's top defenses.

• Benefits from Houston's dominant front, allowing him to roam the middle of the field instead of being heavily utilized as a blitzer.  

  
  

An NFL coordinator also praised Al-Shaair's versatility, noting:

"He's specialized by scheme a bit, but he's explosive and good in coverage."

Texans continue to receive national recognition

Al-Shaair's ranking is another example of the respect Houston's defense is earning around the league this offseason. ESPN's executive surveys have already placed:

• Derek Stingley Jr. among the NFL's elite cornerbacks.

• Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter in the top tier of edge rushers.

• Now Al-Shaair joins them as the No. 6 off-ball linebacker in football.

  
  

For a player who entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 2019, the recognition is another milestone in one of the NFL's best development stories.