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Brad Penner/Associated Press

Just like the modern inside linebacker, the outside linebackers in today's base 4-3 defenses have different responsibilities than a generation ago.

Outside linebackers still patrol their third of the field around the middle linebacker in base fronts. But in a league where nickel is the new base defense and most teams are taking at least one linebacker off the field and replacing him with a slot defender, the need for flash speed in a much larger circumference is clear.

So, today's 4-3 outside linebackers aren't really outside linebackers in the traditional sense. More often, they are asked to take care of their half of the field from the line of scrimmage to cornerback depth, as well as to blitz from the line of scrimmage and run delayed blitzes from linebacker depth. And just as is the case for every linebacker in the league now, they must take running backs through curl/flat coverage and tight ends up the seam.

Agility has always been a need at the position, but the modern 4-3 linebacker looks more like a strong safety a lot of the time—weighing in at 220-230 pounds, and racing all over the field with those multiple responsibilities. As the line between inside and outside linebacker blurs in any four-man front defense, the standout outside players make their presence known with their ability and willingness to take on a whole new level of athletic responsibility.

NFL1000 linebackers scout Derrik Klassen has been watching the outside men all season, and he has his rankings and scouting reports ready, based on the following criteria:

Pass Defense: 25 points. Does this linebacker have the speed, agility and route awareness to cover tight ends, receivers and running backs, both out of the backfield and in the formation? How is his recovery speed? How are his drops? Does he work well in concert with other defenders? How well does he use his hands when deflecting and intercepting passes?

Run Defense: 25 points. How well does this player read gaps and flow through openings to get to the ball-carrier? What is his awareness when dealing with misdirection? Does he have the play strength to work through blockers? Does he have the sideline-to-sideline speed to deal with outside runners and clean up second-level runs?

Pass Rush: 15 points. Is this player able to add his athleticism to the pass rush when directed? How well does he time his blitzes, whether right off the snap or delayed? Does he show the acceleration and pass-rush moves to be an effective blitzer from multiple gaps?

Tackling: 25 points. No matter how flashy his play might be, how well does this player wrap up and tackle when faced with a ball-carrier?

Position Value: 10 points. A score that takes into account the importance of the position when comparing scores across other spots on the defense. 4-3 outside linebackers are given 7/10 points across the board, making their top possible grade a 97.

Make sure to check out all of the NFL1000 rankings from the 2017 season.