A list full of animals, Longview has had high quality linebackers since way before 2000. A legacy position, let's look at 10 of the best to play since 2000.
Years: 2008-10
Anthony Wiley was moved up during his sophomore season and provided great depth and athleticism as a sophomore running on kickoffs and backing up at lb. In '09 Wiley found a home at linebacker and was a part of a 3 headed rotation of jrs with Diop Johnson and Thomas Jones. He finished that year with 61 tackles, 6 for loss, 3 sacks, 2 pbus, and 1 int. As a senior, Wiley was a full time starter making 101 tackles, 11 for loss, 2 sacks, 1 FF, 2 FR and 1 INT. As athletic as they come, Wiley could've been a DB, but with his innate sense of not being blocked, Wiley was a force for 2 very good football teams.
Years: 2005-06
College: TJC
Guinn was one of the few underclassmen who got the nod at the beginning of the 2005 season. Unfortunately, that year came to an end in Shreveport as he tore his ACL first game of the year. In '06 Guinn came back healthy, and the meanest linebacker I've ever seen, commenced to whooping ass. Guinn, who missed a couple of games to injury and other reasons, finished the season with 44 tackles, 5 for loss, 3 FF, 1 INT for a TD.
Years: 2006-07
College: ULM
As a defensive end his junior year, Ford made 20 tackles and 2 sacks. His senior year he was stood up and registered 127 tackles, 7 for loss, 2 sacks, 3 FR, 1 PBU, 1 INT for TD, 1 AT for TD, being named honorable mention All-State. Ford dominated c gap to c gap, and could run and fly around all over the field when the ball was stretched wide. He want on to ULM where he spent as a key reserve.
In 2008 Chris Weaver was a second team All-State selection as a junior after a 122 tackles, 15 for loss, 5 sacks, 2 FF, 1 FR, 1 PBU, 1 INT year. Chris Weaver ran a Lobo Ironman 4.3 and that speed was used to make every tackle on the field. Him and Conard Cooks provided one of the steadiest LB duos in school history. Chris's senior year started the year at linebacker but was moved to defensive end where he was All-District caliber. He finished with 66 tackles, 18 for loss, 7 sacks, 1 FF and 1 FR.
College: TCU
Henson made the most out of his senior year racking up 129 tackles, 13 for loss, 2 sacks, 2 interceptions, and 2 blocked kicks. That stat line was good enough to get him named to 2nd Team 5A All-State. Henson selected TCU coming out of high school and produced. After a redshirt year, Henson started 3 years in a row. All 3 of those years he was selected honorable mention Mountain West Conference. In his senior year, he was named 1st team MWC after a 73 tackle, sack and 2 interceptions. His college efforts were enough for him to get drafted by the Washington Redskins in the 6th round in 2009.
Prep All-American who thrived at Longview High School. He was rated as a 4 star linebacker. Byrdsong had the look of the prototypical Mike Linebacker. At 6'2 230, not only did he seem to tower at his linebacker position, his weight gave him the look and feel of a defensive end. Byrdsong left Longview and headed to Mississippi State. After 3 seasons at Mississippi State, Byrdsong transferred to Northwestern State where he finished his career. He got his shot at the NFL with Buffalo, but Byrdsong made a living in Arena Leagues throughout the country.
Years: 2000-02
Years: 2018-19
Years: 1999-2001
College: Mississippi State/Northwestern State
Years: 2020-2022
College: Kilgore
BOone is a 3 year starter who started out in the secondary, and make his way into the box his senior year. Boone's senior year is as special as a season performed here. Boone finished with 112 tackles, 20 tackles for loss, 9 sacks, 3 FF, 2 FR, 10 PBU, 5 INT, 1 BK, and 3 def TDs. He led the team in tackles on a team that went 5 rounds deep in 2022.
Years: 2000-02
College: UMHB
The legendary Boom Stephens comes in at number 3 on the list. Stephens was a 3 year varsity guy, who made his biggest splashes in 2001 and 2002. 44 was a consistent force on defense, flying from sideline to sideline. The nickname Boom wasn't by accident. Stephens was a missile that was aiming to decapitate. Stephens led the team in tackles his senior year on his way to being named 2nd Team All State in 5A football in the early 2000s.
An absolute star at the linebacker position, Taylor posses the speed, strength and tenacity to be an All-American. Tyshawn is the most infectious player on this list. Nobody else represented the heart and embodiment of a defense the way Taylor did. He got the move up late his sophomore year and was absolutely terrific his junior year. In 16 games, he had 121 tackles, 15 for loss, 3 sacks, 2 forced fumbles and 1 fumble recovery. One of those fumbles he forced locked up the win in the 2018 State Championship Game. In 2019, Taylor stood tall as the team's leaders on one of the best defenses in school history. In 12 games, Tyshawn finished with 119 tackles, 19 for loss, and 7 sacks with 2 FF and 1 FR. That's 240 tackles, 34 for loss, 10 sacks, 4 FF and 2 FR in the last 2 seasons of his varsity career.
At 5'7 165 pounds, Lathan was a 3 year starter at Longview and set the school record for tackles during that span. He was East Texas Newcomer of the Year as a sophomore after a 101 tackles and an interception. He stepped up as the starter after Diop Johnson went down went an ACL sprain against Allen. His INT was one of the biggest plays in the 4th round matchup against Mesquite Horn in 2010. As a junior Lathan really made his mark recording, 188 tackles, 9 for loss, 3 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, 2 pbus, 1 interception and 2 blocked kicks. That effort was good enough to be named 5A Defensive Player of the Year, as well as 1st Team All-American by Max Preps. His senior wasn't shabby either. Lathan finished with 138 tackles, 11 for loss, 1 fumble recovery, 8 pass break ups, 1 blocked kick. He finished his high school career with 416 tackles, 10 sacks, 33 tackles for loss, 14 pass break ups, 3 interceptions and 3 blocked kicks for Longview; all playing at the highest classification of football. For a career, Lathan recorded 427 tackles, destroying and resetting the tackle record at Longview.
Years: 2010-12
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