Over the past three seasons, his 19.8% pass-rush win rate and 23.8% pressure rate are both the second-best marks among off-ball linebackers with at least 100 pass-rush snaps over the span. Eichenberg was a PFF first-team All-American this past season and is the most valuable returning linebacker according to PFF's wins above average metric. Leighton Vander Esch has not lived up to the hype he created for himself after a monstrous rookie season, and so we may see another linebacker eventually fill in for him. Van Noy also has the complicating factor of being one of the multiple linebackers who only seems to function at a high level within the New England Patriots defense. 2022 NFL Draft Position Rankings: Linebackers By Michael Renner Apr 22, 2022 Devin Lloyd and Nakobe Dean will be the talk of the class and likely the only two first-round linebacker prospects in 2022, but there's still a lot of talent at the position on Days 2 and 3 of the draft. Therefore, they are included in our. . Oluokun is coming off a PFF run-defense grade of 44.0 and a coverage grade of 54.4. Turn on this feature to cross off players during your draft. No linebacker corps gets its collective noses dirtier than the Patriots' unit. While Bobby Okerekes grade has fluctuated over the years, Darius Leonard the star of the Colts' defense has been rock solid since exploding onto the scene as a rookie. Seahawks only have one player in PFF's top-40 graded edge defenders Teams AFC East Bills Dolphins Jets Patriots AFC North Bengals Browns Ravens Steelers AFC South Colts Jaguars Texans Titans AFC. Los Angeles' overall defense is so good, at least on paper, that it might not matter who plays linebacker. This means zone-heavy coverages and, more specifically, a Cover-2 heavy scheme, which proves to be the most effective coverage at propping up linebacker tackle numbers (as illustrated below). Patrick Surtain II has been quite literally living up to his name as an elite cornerback and has helped the Denver Broncos maintain their position as a top-tier defense even after trading away their star edge rusher. He may be coming off one of his worst statistical seasons in recent memory, but he also missed five games with injury. Devin Bush has not lived up to his draft status as a first-round pick, and 2022 might be his last chance to prove himself at the NFL level. After ranking the best individual linebackers heading into 2022, here's how each team's linebacking corps stacks up. Singleton earned a career-best 82.6 run-defense grade that ranked eighth among off-ball linebackers, tallying more than 100 tackles for the second year in a row, with his two-year total of 212 ranking sixth among off-ball linebackers. Mosley, Foye Oluokun. He may be coming off one of his worst statistical seasons in recent memory, but he also missed five games with injury. While Mike Zimmer is gone, new defensive coordinator Ed Donatell is an experienced coach who can get the most out of Kendricks and this defense as a whole. The second linebacker tier features 17 linebackers on teams that are expected to be less zone-heavy than those in the tier above. We have already seen that play from Smith in Chicago, but the decline of the defense around him and perhaps more importantly directly in front of him has led to a decline in his play. For all the young players' struggles, there are a lot of promising linebackers who have the talent to become elite players at this level. Tindall is a true sideline-to-sideline linebacker. Subscribe to PFF+ to unlock An error occured while loading Position Grades. Even, Parsons is already one of the best defensive playmakers in the NFL as he enters just his second season in the league, but its difficult to rank him purely as an off-the-ball linebacker. This is a precarious spot for the Packers to be in, even with 2021 All-Pro DeVondre Campbell back for another season in the same defense he broke out with. Final Season Stats. Hes great at every aspect of linebacker play. Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Chicago Bears inside linebacker Roquan Smith (58) stares into the backfield during pre-game at Nissan Stadium. Bentley improved considerably in his second season as a full-time player, as his 68.1 overall grade was almost 15 points better than his 2020 overall grade. Our exclusive database, featuring the most in-depth collection of NFL player performance data. His past two years against the run have been horrid, with him posting 39.8 and 30.0 run-defense grades. Cole Holcomb could yet turn into a solid linebacker, while 2021 first-round pick Jamin Davis could also improve after a poor first season. 15 overall among NFL linebackers.Bolton was in his sixth tier, which was reserved for "young ascending" players at the linebacker position. Gary Cosby Jr./USA TODAY Sports (Dean); Jasen Vinlove/USA TODAY Sports (Ojabo) 1. Still, the. Projected contract: Two years,$12.5 million ($6.25M per year), $8 million total guaranteed, PFF Free Agency Rank: 139 Anthony Brown is an okay slot and Kelvin Joseph was actually the highest rated CB. Projected contract: Two years, $14 million ($7M per year, $9 million total guaranteed), PFF Free Agency Rank: 61 Rookie Devin Lloydand sophomore Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah both project to be every-down linebackers on ideal defenses for expected production. Projected contract: Two years, $15 million ($7.5M per year, $10M total guaranteed), PFF Free Agency Rank: 86 2021 PFF grade: 84.3 (2nd of 89). Ranking NFL's top 10 linebackers entering 2022: New No. Bobby Wagner, Seattle Seahawks Seattle's defense may have deteriorated around him, but Bobby Wagner remains the class of the linebacker position, especially since Luke Kuechly 's retirement. PFF's exclusive metrics provide matchup previews, position rankings, grades, and snap counts. Seven 49ers listed on PFF Top 101 Players of 2022 ranking By Site Staff follow Feb 23, 2023 at 12:56 PM -- shares Seven San Francisco 49ers landed on Pro Football Focus' Top 101 Players. NFL free agency is a year-round process, as teams scout opposing players in an effort to defeat them during the year and perhaps sign them in the offseason. 2022 NFL Linebacker Rankings and Tiers Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indianapolis Colts outside linebacker Darius Leonard (53) reacts to a play in the first half against the Las Vegas Raiders at Lucas Oil Stadium. Chicago signed Nicholas Morrow from Las Vegas to fill the spot next to Smith for 2022. Here are the best available players remaining heading into Day 2 of the 2022 NFL draft. Tae Crowder and Micah McFadden will look to compete for the spot opposite Martinez. In two weeks, NFL GMs will begin negotiating with free . The scheme plays a part in them making some plays. Edmunds also missed just 6.5% of potential tackles, the lowest rate of his career and another huge sign of continued growth from a football intelligence and play recognition standpoint. In 2019 and 2021 with the Ravens, he graded out to 80.0 and 74.8, respectively. Now, it remains to be seen if Campbell can replicate his 2021 campaign, but based off of how he played last year, Campbell deserves a place on this list. You are not logged in. Even Micah Parsons a Defensive Player of the Year candidate as a rookie put up middling run-defense and tackling grades in his first year in Dallas. David also graded out as the No. After looking like one of the worst linebackers in the NFL for a few years in Green Bay. He told us last week that 15 sacks are the "minimum" in 2022. Nevertheless, he may have to play on a one-year prove-it deal as he recovers. 2021 PFF grade: 65.1 (T-23rd of 89). For all the young players' struggles, there are a lot of promising linebackers who have the talent to become elite players at this level. With that being said, Warner is still an elite linebacker and has recorded at least 118 combined tackles in each of his four NFL seasons. Subscribe to Sign Up 1. Another player without elite physical tools, Jewell reads the game very quickly and is consistently in the right place at the right time against the run. His 62 run stops over the last two seasons ranks ninth among off-ball linebackers, and his 18 tackles for loss or no gain is tied for 14th. In 10 seasons, he has been named an All-Pro eight times, made the Pro Bowl eight times and led the NFL in tackles twice. We thought about if Parsons should even be included in this list since he played a fair amount of pass-rusher last season, but the bottom line is that Parsons is a great linebacker who can wear several different hats on defense. . Some of the players in this group have been All-Pro caliber linebackers in the past, but Jones is coming off a PFF grade in the 30s after once looking like the next great young linebacker in the league. We have already seen that play from Smith in Chicago, but the decline of the defense around him and perhaps more importantly directly in front of him has led to a decline in his play. Nakobe Dean, LB, Georgia . Galina ranked the Colts at No. The former undrafted free agent is in for a big pay raise this offseason after making the absolute most of his one-year deal. Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports. Okereke stepped up in a major way in the absence of fellow off-ball linebacker Shaquille Leonard, with his 72.9 grade ranking 23rd at the position. Going back to our introductory paragraph, versatility is needed at the linebacker position, and his versatility is the reason why Parsons comes in at No. 2021 Snaps: 323 Losing Kyle Van Noy, the highest-graded coverage linebacker in 2021, will hurt. You must be logged in and create a league profile to apply custom fantasy scoring to the stats, projections and rankings pages. Dean's range at the linebacker position is unparalleled in this draft class. With the new league year just around the corner, it's time for all 32 NFL teams to turn their attention to NFL free agency in a bid to improve their rosters for a new campaign. Harris is one of the most physical linebackers in the class who relishes the ability to hit anyone on the other side of the ball. 2022 NFL Linebacker Rankings 1. So, who's the best off-ball linebacker in the NFL today? While Parsons proved to be a stud pass-rusher, some had questions about his coverage ability coming into the league. Gay hasnt graded as well but possesses the characteristics to become a top linebacker. Then, he was named All-Pro again in 2020 with an AV of 14 for the second straight season. Christian Kirksey has not had a season of note since 2016 with the Browns, yet he projects as a starter in this defense once again. His 913 snaps for the Raiders last season was a career-high mark and more than doubled his previous best. The top 10 linebackers in NFL currently are dynamic weapons and reliable leaders. The Super Bowl has come and gone in 2022 and we have started to turn our attention to the next football season. Devin Lloyd, Utah BIG BOARD RANK: 15 In today's NFL, few positions have become as difficult to play as off-ball linebacker. The Ravens are still looking for that breakout year from Patrick Queen after two subpar seasons. Here are the top 10 linebackers scheduled to become free agents in March. Johnson finds himself in one of the most unique contract situations in NFL history. This group could rank much higher by the end of next season. His struggles come in coverage, where he's allowed nearly 1,000 yards over the past two seasons. He was good as a true linebacker, but his ability to play two different roles on any given snap made him special and provided a hybrid ability that caused problems for offenses. PFF analyzes every player and every play of every game in the 2022 NFL season. If you go back and watch him play throughout his rookie season, you'll not only see a talented pass-rusher, but a good linebacker that can read and react quickly. This is bizarrely true even when he moves to a defense run by a former New England defensive coach. He had been one of the more consistent players at the position in the NFL, and so theres a chance he regains his form. In his recent post on linebackers, PFF's Sam Monson ranked Nick Bolton No. Their tackle efficiency and every-down roles make them the most coveted players at the position. 2 in the NFL, only trailing Fred Warner and the San Francisco 49ers. Asamoah is undersized at 6-foot-1, 228 pounds, but he possesses sideline-to-sideline range. Hightower will be 32 years old in Week 1 of 2022, but there's an argument that taking the 2020 season off has his body refreshed and revitalized.
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