Our exclusive database, featuring the most in-depth collection of NFL player performance data. All of this culminates with the 2022 NFL Draft from Las Vegas, Nevada on Thursday, April 28th. 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. PFF Ranks Lions' 2022 Draft Class 3rd Best Within NFL | Heavy.com From Week 9 of 2020 through Jewells injury in Week 2 of this season, his 79.8 overall grade ranked fourth among off-ball linebackers and his 79.5 coverage grade ranked fifth. 2021 Snaps: 712 Hes a high-upside player now playing with a future Hall of Famer. 2022 Atlantic Coast Conference football season - Wikipedia Edwards was one of just four linebackers to earn grades above 75.0 in run defense and coverage, generating 11 quarterback pressures on just 26 pass-rush snaps, as well. Luckily for the Philadelphia Eagles, he was still available in the third round. There may be no better all-around linebacker in the class. 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. It's funny how taking a "small step backwards" for Wagner is being a second-team All-Pro, a Pro Bowler and setting a career high in tackles even while missing a game. Vander Esch has had an up and down first four years in the NFL, but the talent that made him a first-round pick in 2018 still flashes on occasion and will certainly draw attention. Expect both young studs to push for 140-plus combined tackles, if healthy. Jewell is the other Denver off-ball linebacker who missed the majority of the 2021 season with a torn pectoral muscle, but hes three years younger than Johnson. heading into 2022, here's how each team's linebacking corps stacks up. Better luck with his health led to a respectable 63.8 overall grade and 72.6 pass-rush grade in 2021. Rashaan Evans and Mykal Walker are solid players, though, and the team will hope that rookie Troy Andersen can make an early impact. For IDP fantasy football leagues, there is a ton of variance in preseason player rankings, but utilizing tiers can help us properly value each group of players in 2023 fantasy football drafts. The 12th. despite dropping into coverage at times. The 2022 season was Long's first as a full-time starter at middle linebacker, but he's made the most of opportunities in the past. White backed up his first season as a starter in 2021 with another solid campaign in 2022, earning grades of at least 62.0 against the run and in coverage. David missed five games in 2021 due to injury, but he still had a solid season, recording 97 combined tackles. He had been one of the more consistent players at the position in the NFL, and so theres a chance he regains his form. Alex Anzalone and Chris Board are two depth players who start for the Lions. Rankings&Projections |WR/CB Matchup Chart |NFL & NCAA Betting Dashboards | NFL Player Props Tool | NFL & NCAA Power Rankings PFF says the Eagles may have gotten the biggest steal of the 2022 NFL He put forth a monster rookie season in 2019 but hasnt quite attained the same highs in subsequent seasons. 2022 Draft Linebacker Prospects: PFF Grades And Big Board Ranks 2022 NFL linebacker unit rankings: Giants come in at 24 (PFF . One can make the case that both Wagner and David are still as good as it gets at the linebacker position despite getting up there in age, but each player is coming off a relative down year by their standards, which always brings up the looming specter of decline. Our exclusive database, featuring the most in-depth collection of NCAA player performance data. 2022 NFL linebacker unit rankings: San Francisco 49ers claim the top spot, Seattle Seahawks crack the top 10 Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers middle linebacker Fred Warner (54) lines up over Green Bay Packers center Josh Myers (71) during the first quarter at Levi's Stadium. . 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. Our exclusive database, featuring the most in-depth collection of NFL player performance data. It's like your very own digital cheat sheet. Devin Lloyd, Utah BIG BOARD RANK: 15 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. 3 min read. He might not even start this season. That's still a very good grade, but there should be concerns about his age and a potential decline going forward. Unfortunately, he took a bit of a step back from his All-Pro and Pro Bowls ways. His 75.9 grade two years marked a career high. While Warner recorded a career-high 137 combined tackles (T-No. 4. Pro Football Focus has finalized the regular season grades for the 2022 NFL season. Hightower opted out of the 2020 season, and after a bit of a slow start getting reacclimated to the speed of the NFL game, he was back to his old self for stretches of the 2021 season. The Rams attacked the linebacker position this offseason, adding Bobby Wagner. This is likely a polarizing selection. Titans' LB duo lands smack-dab in the middle of PFF's rankings Projected contract: Three years, $25.5 million ($8.5M per year, $16.5 million total guaranteed), PFF Free Agency Rank: 65 His 913 snaps for the Raiders last season was a career-high mark and more than doubled his previous best. Potentially losing a step or two with age can be negated by elite play recognition and instincts, both of which David has in spades. 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. 2022 NFL Draft Position Rankings: Linebackers - PFF Singleton has had quite the career path to this point, finally reaching unrestricted free agency ahead of the 2023 season after entering the NFL as an undrafted free agent of the, in 2015. The transition from college football to the NFL used to be smooth for linebackers, but even elite prospects can now struggle in Year 1. A defender who can blow up screen plays and make takedowns in the open field. Roquan Smith has had an up-and-down NFL career so far, and the team will be hoping he can bounce back from a 47.1 grade last season. White has had four straight seasons with coverage grades above 60.0, which is not an easy feat for an off-ball linebacker in todays NFL against so many hi-lo concepts and the increase in run-pass options putting a ton of stress on the position. Recently, Seth Galina from PFF ranked all 32 linebacker units in the league. After ranking the best individual linebackers heading into 2022, here's how each team's linebacking corps stacks up. The Tennessee Titans are set to sport a talented and exciting inside linebacker duo in 2022 with David Long and Zach Cunningham, but where do they rank as compared to others in the NFL?. 16 overall in the 2018 NFL Draft as the second-youngest player in the overall class. The Steelers brought in former Jaguar Myles Jack to play alongside him. San Francisco 49ers Projected Starters: Dee Ford, Javon Kinlaw, Arik Armstead, Nick Bosa The 49ers breed defensive linemen. The 2022 season was Tranquills first as a full-time starter following Kyzir Whites departure, and his 105 tackles were more than his first three seasons combined. Tremaine Edmunds has not quite lived up to expectations, but hes still young and can grow into a good player. Rounding out the top-tier of linebackers. Like the Chiefs, the Bengals also went into last season with a lot of unknowns surrounding the linebacker position but found a really good pair in, A position of weakness for the Eagles in 2021 might turn into a position of strength in 2022 with the additions of rookie, The Ravens are still looking for that breakout year from. 2021 Snaps: 679 No. Chenal is going to thrive in man-blitz-heavy schemes. Parsons actually finished No. Therefore, they are included in our defensive line rankings despite dropping into coverage at times. Maybe the most volatile position in football, linebackers have seen their worth in the NFL fluctuate over the years. Now its just a matter of how nice itll be. Anzalone has always shown promise but is probably better coming off the bench, especially after finishing with a bottom-10 overall grade among 94 qualifying linebackers in 2021. He rarely leaves the field, having never played less than 90% of defensive snaps when healthy in a season, and is a lock for triple-digit tackles as a result. Former Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons just wrapped up his second season in the NFL, and he continues to leave little doubt the Dallas Cowboys made the smart decision using a first-round draft pick on him. Bolton, then a rookie, produced one of the highest individual grades for a linebacker. 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. Milano has put up outstanding PFF grades in both coverage and against the run but has struggled to put it all together over one season. Therefore, they are included in our. 6 defense in the league last year, and Smith was a big reason why. He's been an All-Pro each year, and a Pro Bowler for three straight seasons now. the star of the Colts' defense has been rock solid since exploding onto the scene as a rookie. February 24, 2023 7:45 am CT. A couple of New Orleans Saints standouts were recognized on the list of the top 101 NFL players of the 2022 season from Pro Football Focus analyst Sam Monson. Unlock all tools and content including Player Grades, Fantasy, NFL Draft, Premium Stats, Greenline and DFS. They spent a lot of money on Roquan Smith at the linebacker spot, [so] why not bring in another Georgia guy?" . Nevertheless, there were several interested teams last time he was a free agent he came very close to signing with theNew York Jetsbefore ultimately returning to Minnesota so it seems defensive coaches think they can find a way to put him in positions to succeed and utilize his athletic ability. Aug 9, 2022. Cunningham is one of the most run-focused linebackers in the game, but his PFF coverage grade has declined throughout his career, dripping from average at best to outright poor over the last two seasons. Click here to view PFF's full IDP rankings for the 2022 season and tiers for the defensive linemen and defensive backs. Parsons lined up as an edge rusher on 40.6% of his snaps as a rookie, and thats where he did the bulk of his damage. Give him the freedom to play fast, and he'll excel. 2021 Snaps:444 Fred Warner, San Francisco 49ers The 49ers struck gold when they drafted Warner in the third round in 2018. Projected contract: Two years, $10 million ($5M per year), $5.5 million total guaranteed, PFF Free Agency Rank: 163 Their tackle efficiency and every-down roles make them the most coveted players at the position. Okereke is a solid stand-in next to Leonard. Divine Deablo had some interesting moments as a rookie in 2021 and is worth keeping an eye on. Fantasy Football: 2022 IDP Linebacker Tiers - PFF 2021 Snaps: 82 Login or Register Projections: QB | RB | WR | TE | K | DEF | DL | LB | DB Colts linebackers receive high praise in latest linebacker rankings Projected contract: Two years, $18 million ($9M per year, $11.5 million total guaranteed), PFF Free Agency Rank: 55 . Edmunds made huge strides in coverage in 2022, a major weakness in his game through his first four seasons. Tuesday Round-Up: Seahawks No.8 In Pro Football Focus 2022 Linebacker Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports. . So, who's the best off-ball linebacker in the NFL today? San Francisco 49ers . While Chicago lost Akiem Hicks and Khalil Mackin the offseason, this unit could be rather strong again with some of the additions made in the secondary, and with the defensive-minded Matt Eberflus taking over as head coach. Now that we're at the end of the 2021-22 NFL season, the free agency picture is coming into focus and teams are beginning to identify potential targets to improve their roster weaknesses. According to Stathead's AV tool, Leonard was tied in having the second-best season of any linebacker last year. But in a vacuum, Much of this unit's potential lies with third-round rookie. Alabama linebacker Christian Harris is the last player in PFF's top 100, with a plus 60 overall, pass rush, and run defense grade but just above 50 for his coverage grade. Asamoah is undersized at 6-foot-1, 228 pounds, but he possesses sideline-to-sideline range. 2021 Snaps: 323 This group could rank much higher by the end of next season. 2022 NFL Free Agency Rankings: Linebackers - PFF More Stats. Micah Parsons this season: 0 TDs allowed in coverage (284 snaps) 88.7 PFF Grade (1st among all LBs) 93.0 pass-rushing grade (Best in NFL) pic.twitter.com/Lq7G9IVzuU. When healthy, Johnson is among the best sideline-to-sideline run-defenders at off-ball linebacker in the league. Click here for PFF's full list of top 100 free agents. He has top-notch natural coverage skills for a linebacker his size, but everything else is a work in progress. 2021 PFF grade: 64.2 (24th of 89). Unfortunately for Vander Esch, he once again finds himself in the middle of the pack of a deep free-agent group at linebacker, but he should do a bit better this time around. 8:44 am ET. As stated in the article, Galina only included true off-ball . The former undrafted free agent is in for a big pay raise this offseason after making the absolute most of his one-year deal. His PFF run-defense grade over the last two seasons has been in the 30s, and last seasons 47.1 overall grade was the worst of his NFL career. Matt Ryan, Calvin Ridley, Russell Gage, and Lee Smith (don't hate on the importance of the old school tight end) will no longer be suiting up for the team in 2022. Diggs had a high EPA and was an all pro who bad habits come from gambling. Hes expected to return for Dallas playoff run after a shoulder injury knocked him out down the stretch, which will provide a big boost to the ferocious Cowboys defense. Jewell also provides value on the occasional pass-rush snap and very rarely misses tackles. He tallied a career-high six pass breakups in 2022. Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Chicago Bears inside linebacker Roquan Smith (58) stares into the backfield during pre-game at Nissan Stadium. Kansas City Chiefs linebacker group ranked as 9th-best in NFL by PFF Teams AFC East Bills Dolphins Jets Patriots AFC North Bengals Browns Ravens Steelers AFC South Colts Jaguars Texans Titans. They also signed linebacker Myles Jack and D-lineman Larry Ogunjobi. PFF names 7 Ohio State players as top 10 returning at their position Please check the opt-in box to acknowledge that you would like to subscribe. Chicago Bears Roquan Smith and Indianapolis Colts Shaquille (Darius) Leonard stock is falling due to availability concerns, making E.J. This was the last season that the conference used divisions in its football scheduling. If he can play more consistently week to week, teams may view him as a low-risk, high-reward option in a weak linebacker class. The Georgia Bulldogs have a 12 players participating at the 2023 NFL combine. 1 linebacker on this list entering 2022. David has been consistent, as only one linebacker has recorded more tackles since he entered the league, and that player is found later on in this list. The scheme plays a part in them making some plays. Getting outside the . Elandon Roberts and Jerome Baker are average linebackers who have just one 70.0-plus season grade among their 10 combined years in the NFL. Seahawks RB Ken Walker makes top 20 in PFF's rankings for 2022 season The 30-year-old linebacker will be an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career after a delayed start to his NFL career, and now hell be working his way back from a torn pectoral muscle injury. The Saints had been looking for someone to play the linebacker position opposite him for years and seem to have found one in Pete Werner, who was outstanding as a rookie in 2021. The redshirt junior is a dominant run-stuffer, as his 49 run-defense stops in 2022 ranked second among all linebackers in the country while his 20 tackles for loss/no-gain were tied for third. To create this list, we took into consideration basic statistics, Pro Football Reference/Stathead's Approximate Value, PFF grades and a guess on how the player will perform moving forward. Below, we will rank the NFL's top 10 linebackers entering 2022. Where are Georgia Bulldogs ranked on PFF's 2023 NFL draft big board? 2022 NFL Linebacker Rankings and Tiers | NFL News, Rankings and - PFF Our exclusive database, featuring the most in-depth collection of NFL player performance data. And even though he hasnt quite been able to maintain an elite level of play every season, his impact on the field is obvious. Hes not great in other facets, but stopping the run is still an important aspect of the position. He didn't end the 2021 campaign in the best fashion, but did rebound to record 13 combined tackles, two tackles for loss, four QB hits and two passes defensed in Tampa Bay's two postseason games. Leonard is another example of how hard it is to earn those elite PFF grades each season, but he is a turnover machine when he is at his best. Smith is a complete athletic projection. He has yet to post a sub-70.0 grade, with three out of his four years coming in above 78.0. The Ravens are still looking for that breakout year from Patrick Queen after two subpar seasons. Pro Football Focus's top linebacker in the 2020 NFL Draft only kind of, sort of plays linebacker. Vander Esch quietly played some good football in 2022 after signing a one-year flier to return to the Cowboys following a free agency period that didnt pan out as hed hoped. 2021 PFF grade: 60.4 (30th of 89). He, perhaps critically, chose to stay in the defense that helped produce that phenomenal season, but we are all too aware of the folly of using just one season of play to determine everything we know about a player. No linebacker recorded more coverage snaps than Warner in all of 2021. for the folks who say Micah Parsons is an edgethere were four games where he played basically edge only because of injuries, and the rest of the games he was predominantly an off-ball linebackerMicah Parsons is a linebacker who can play edge defender pic.twitter.com/rcjJlM00MS. The Seahawks selected Cody Barton out of Utah with the No. The Rams have a great defense, and the 32-year-old Wagner could find himself rejuvenated in 2022. He pairs with the solid Matt Milano, who posted the second-best season grade of his career (67.0) in 2021. Parsons took the NFL by storm in his rookie season, recording 84 combined tackles and a Dallas Cowboys rookie record 13 sacks. at PFF analyzes every player and every play of every game in the 2022 NFL season. Subscribe to PFF+ to unlock An error occured while loading Position Grades. Here are the top free agents at linebacker, taken from PFF's free agency rankings. Here are the top 10 linebackers scheduled to become free agents in March. Sam Monson of PFF recently ranked the top linebackers in the NFL and organized them in tiers. Still, in a league that continues to throw more and more, Bentley remains best-suited as an early-down run defender who can generate the occasional quarterback pressure. You must be logged in and create a league profile to apply custom fantasy scoring to the stats, projections and rankings pages. Clemson junior Trenton Simpson Simpson had a solid role as a freshman in 2020, totaling 28 tackles with 6.5 tackles for loss and four sacks, in addition to a forced fumble. A position of concern and potential weakness heading into last season has become a real strength for Kansas City. Though he's 32 years old, David hasn't taken a major step backwards just yet. Perryman has been the embodiment of that in his NFL career, to the point where he was often kept off the field on passing downs. NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowler. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports By Sam Monson May 24, 2022 The following tiers reflect which players are in the best situations to produce they're ranked based on the likelihood of doing so every single week. Edwards has shown that as much as linebacker is one of the most athletic-traits-driven positions in football, prospects with marginal physical tools can still become solid NFL starters. PFF ranks college football's Top 10 linebacker candidates for the - On3 Thompson was back to his best in coverage this past season, posting a 74.5 PFF grade in that area, his best mark since his sophomore season. 1 pick, Ex-Patriots star McGinest facing eight years in prison, Commanders rip 'blatantly false' team sale report. Both players posted the highest grades of their career, helping the Bengals to a Super Bowl appearance. 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. 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 two weeks, NFL GMs will begin negotiating with free . Defensively, the attrition was less significant; however, one of the unit's leaders did leave in free agency Foye Oluokun. 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. 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. "Latest Update" refers to when we last checked for . on Pro Football Focus' Top-100 players of 2022 rankings. Parsons is versatile, smart and instinctive.
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