​Are you ready for football?Because we are.With the 2026-27 FHSAA athletic calendar officially getting underway recently with the start of fall practice, the excitement, sights and sounds from Friday Night Lights are so close, you can almost taste it. Many area teams will play their respective preseason Kickoff Classic games on Friday before kicking off the regular season the following week. The area’s SSAA teams are a week ahead, with their regular season beginning Friday.As that journey begins, TCPalm is forecasting the players at their respective positions who are expected to shine during that stretch. Whether they’ve put up solid stats the previous season(s) or have the interest of schools at the next level, these athletes are expected to have starring roles in 2026. We’ll break down all position groups, from skills positions to the guys in the trenches. Today, we examine the players that navigate the middle of the defense.Here are TCPalm’s best area linebackers entering this upcoming season, in alphabetical order.Best Florida high school football LBs on the Treasure Coast for 2026Chris Bazile, Sr., Fort Pierce CentralPrior to transferring to Fort Pierce Central, Bazile excelled last season for a first-year Legacy program without any seniors. As a junior, the 6-foot, 190-pound linebacker led the Lions in total tackles (92), tackles for loss (20) and forced fumbles (6). He also had two sacks, two fumble recoveries and four passes defended.David Beasley, Sr., Jensen BeachBeasley’s arrival at the Birdcage brings an added element to the Falcons defense. With Beasley patrolling the middle, other players such as Alex Thornton and Gage Wilson will be free to create disruptions elsewhere on the field. The 5-foot-11, 185-pound senior last played for St. Lucie West Centennial, where he collected 52 tackles and one sack.Vance Brandes, Sr., Vero BeachThe first of three Vero Beach linebackers on this list, Brandes was the leading tackler for a Centennial team that qualified for the FIT 4A-7A playoffs last season. He recorded 65 tackles to go with two sacks and an interception. Brandes currently holds an offer from Chowan.Marquez Burgess, Sr., Fort Pierce CentralThe Cobras lost numerous players up front and in the secondary from last season’s outstanding team. However, Burgess is a returning contributor to a linebacker corps expected to be a strength. He recorded 74 tackles in 2025, good for second among returning players. Burgess also had five quarterback hurries, four tackles for loss and one sack.Anthony Correa, Sr., John Carroll CatholicNicknamed “Chucky,” Correa was the second-leading tackler for a Rams team that reached the regional quarterfinals for the second consecutive season. The 6-foot, 200-pound linebacker recorded 59 tackles, more than four times his total from the previous season. He had a season-high 13 tackles in the team’s postseason loss to American Heritage.Quinten Dacres, So., South ForkDacres recorded an interception in the first f