I also gave a target round for your rookie drafts, these are just suggestions as all drafts are different. 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. With all that said, let's jump in. 15 overall among NFL linebackers.Bolton was in his sixth tier, which was reserved for "young ascending" players at the linebacker position. The folks over at PFF are going through the process of creating rankings and tiers for every position ahead of the 2022 NFL season. Devin Lloyd, Utah BIG BOARD RANK: 15 I agree to receive the "Pick Six Newsletter" and marketing communications, updates, special offers (including partner offers), and other information from CBS Sports and the Paramount family of companies. It was his first season missing fewer than 10% of his tackle opportunities, and he put up an 86.8 overall grade with seven tackles and two defensive stops during a strong playoff run. The ACC consisted of 14 members in two divisions. Our exclusive database, featuring the most in-depth collection of NFL player performance data. Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David (54) reacts after a play against the Carolina Panthers in the fourth quarter at Raymond James Stadium. 2022 NFL Linebacker Rankings 1. He packs a punch as a downhill player, as he can light up offensive linemen with ease. 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. Meanwhile, TJ Watt led the league in sacks (22.5) and was the Defensive Player of the Year. Perhaps most importantly in todays NFL, Tranquill followed up his 74.6 coverage grade in 2021 with a career-high 75.4 mark, with his 18 stops in coverage a top-20 figure among off-ball linebackers. Projected contract: One year, $6 million, $4.5 million guaranteed, PFF Free Agency Rank: 75 Wagner is no longer with the Seattle Seahawks, signing with the Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Ramsthis offseason. 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. Tindall is a true sideline-to-sideline linebacker. Our exclusive database, featuring the most in-depth collection of NCAA 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. He put forth a monster rookie season in 2019 but hasnt quite attained the same highs in subsequent seasons. He has yet to post a sub-70.0 grade, with three out of his four years coming in above 78.0. Teams are afraid to throw at Surtain, and he has one of the lowest target totals among . Muma was one of the most productive defenders in all of college football in 2021, generating 68 total defensive stops, three picks and 21 pressures for the Cowboys. Pro Football Focus supported claims of San Francisco's top-end roster by putting seven of their players in the top 101 of the 2022 season. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports What a find he was for the Packers last year. His struggles come in coverage, where he's allowed nearly 1,000 yards over the past two seasons. 16 at his position by PFF Teams AFC East Bills Dolphins Jets Patriots AFC North Bengals Browns Ravens Steelers AFC South Colts Jaguars Texans Titans AFC West. 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. Age: 28. 2021 PFF grade: 80.1 (3rd of 89). The former No. Typically, David is the ideal linebacker for IDP. AVG. 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. Okereke is a solid stand-in next to Leonard. With that in mind, some of these units have fewer members than others. Give him the freedom to play fast, and he'll excel. Seahawks rookie Ken Walker makes top 20 in PFF's RB grades for 2022 season Tim Weaver January 25, 2023 7:00 am PT Seahawks running back Ken Walker had a special rookie season, posting 1,050. PFF ranked him as one of the 30 best players in the NFL last season, which he certainly was. Expect both young studs to push for 140-plus combined tackles, if healthy. Minnesota Vikings players on both sides of the ball, including Kendricks, have already opened up about the culture change they have felt early on this offseason with Kevin O'Connell. 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. 2022 NFL linebacker unit rankings: Giants come in at 24 (PFF . Pratts 90.1 coverage grade was the best mark in the NFL. It's like your very own digital cheat sheet. Brown appeared to be on his way to a strong free agency in the 2021 offseason after three solid seasons as a starter, but he may have been an unfortunate victim of the salary cap drop, as he ultimately agreed to return to the Titans on a one-year, $4.5 million deal. March 2, 2023 3:21 pm ET. Across the three years prior to joining Green Bay, Campbell hadnt earned a grade higher than 56.6 in any season. 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. 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. Teams could do a lot worse than White if they are looking for a solid weakside linebacker who has the speed to stay with pass-catchers in coverage for the most part. section: | slug: ranking-nfls-top-10-linebackers-entering-2022-new-no-1-as-bobby-wagner-finally-dethroned | sport: football | route: article_single.us | The Rams attacked the linebacker position this offseason, adding Bobby Wagner. This is bizarrely true even when he moves to a defense run by a former New England defensive coach. Milano was a fifth-round draft pick back in 2017 but has dramatically outperformed his first-round teammate. Rookie Devin Lloydand sophomore Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah both project to be every-down linebackers on ideal defenses for expected production. He even hit 107 combined tackles in 2020 despite playing in just 11 games! Diggs had a high EPA and was an all pro who bad habits come from gambling. Both players posted the highest grades of their career, helping the Bengals to a Super Bowl appearance. PFF's exclusive metrics provide matchup previews, position rankings, grades, and snap counts. The Super Bowl has come and gone in 2022 and we have started to turn our attention to the next football season. 2021 PFF grade: 64.2 (24th of 89). The grades for the Detroit Lions in their 9-8 campaign offer up an analytically-based glimpse of how the Lions performed. David also graded out as the No. . Yes, Davis was a late-bloomer, but not many players can make the impact he does in stopping the run, tackling, rushing the passer and working in coverage. 11 among linebackers,) his AV of 8 was tied for No. Subscribe to Sign Up 1. With Smith entering the final year of his rookie deal, Spotrac believes he's in line to sign a five-year, $88.18 million extension. The Seahawks selected Cody Barton out of Utah with the No. Therefore, they are included in our. Click here to view PFFs full IDP rankings for the 2022 season and tiers for the defensive linemen and defensive backs. Tremaine Edmunds has not quite lived up to expectations, but hes still young and can grow into a good player. Vander Esch earned a 90.0-plus grade in three starts in 2021, including two such outings over the final five weeks. The entire schedule was released on January 31, 2022. 1 as Bobby Wagner finally dethroned Ranking the top 10 linebackers for the upcoming NFL season By Jordan Dajani Jun 28, 2022 at. In 2021, Davis was given a career-high AV of 15 while again being named an All-Pro after he recorded 105 combined tackles, 13 tackles for loss and three sacks. The six players in the 1A tier figure to be the favorites to post the highest tackle numbers in the league based on their expected role in their defenses. The second linebacker tier features 17 linebackers on teams that are expected to be less zone-heavy than those in the tier above. 2021 Snaps: 987 Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah put together a great rookie season transitioning from more of an out-of-the-box linebacker at Notre Dame to an in-box linebacker. Contract projection: Available in PFF's free agency rankings. Parsons took the NFL by storm in his rookie season, recording 84 combined tackles and a Dallas Cowboys rookie record 13 sacks. Kendricks is another well-rounded linebacker that can cover, as his 73.8 PFF coverage grade ranked No. Jerome Baker, MIA: I love Baker this season as a Top 15-20 sleeper. Still, the Rams ranked fourth in the NFL last season in zone coverages (82.60%). Milano was a fifth-round draft pick back in 2017 but has dramatically outperformed his first-round teammate, Tremaine Edmunds, within the Buffalo defense. A couple of former Clemson stars made this ranking of the NFL's top wide receivers from the 2022 regular season. Rashaan Evans and Mykal Walker are solid players, though, and the team will hope that rookie Troy Andersen can make an early impact. Hes not great in other facets, but stopping the run is still an important aspect of the position. 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. He told us last week that 15 sacks are the "minimum" in 2022. PFF Free Agency Rank: 86 2021 Snaps: 783 2021 PFF grade: 64.2 (24th of 89) Barr agreed to a pay cut before the 2021 season that also voided the 2022 and 2023 seasons on his five-year extension signed in 2019. #1 - Fred Warner, San Francisco 49ers San Francisco 49ers LB Fred Warner The San. Okereke is a solid stand-in next to Leonard. 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. 2021 Snaps: 979 Consequently, the list of consistently elite players is far shorter than for other positions, and there is much more volatility in this position group. Shaq Thompson is a bona fide star, and he may be playing alongside a diamond-in-the-rough partner in Frankie Luvu. The Rank value requires a minimum number of snaps played. 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. His processing skills took massive steps forward in 2021, causing his grade to jump from 57.1 to 76.3. But in a vacuum, Much of this unit's potential lies with third-round rookie. 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. 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. The Rams attacked the linebacker position this offseason, adding. Login or Register Projections: QB | RB | WR | TE | K | DEF | DL | LB | DB Now its just a matter of how nice itll be. 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. After looking like he might be the next great linebacker earlier in his career. I laid out some of my thoughts on their situations, rambling on longer for some more than others. His 94.1 run defense grade wasn't too far behindMicah Parsons (94.8) PFF college record. This group could rank much higher by the end of next season. Al-Shaair missed a lot of time in 2022 but earned a career-best 67.8 overall grade and 79.7 run-defense grade. 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. He recorded 122 combined tackles, four interceptions and a whopping eight forced fumbles, which led the league. Anthony Brown is an okay slot and Kelvin Joseph was actually the highest rated CB. Projected contract: Four years, $40 million ($10M per year, $22.5 million total guaranteed), PFF Free Agency Rank: 63 A position of concern and potential weakness heading into last season has become a real strength for Kansas City. His first year with the Packers resulted in a whopping 85.0 mark. For the purposes of these rankings, we are looking only at true off-ball linebackers, as 3-4 outside linebackers though designated as linebackers are in truth edge rushers. But neither player made the cut for the top 50, which hurts . The Penn State product ranked No. There is hope that Channing Tindall, Miami's rookie linebacker out of Georgia, can find his way on the field. Research past fantasy performance with sortable player stats including PFF-exclusives like aDOT and fantasy points per opportunity. 9 linebacker in coverage with a 73.9. A new defensive coordinator and scheme will help him, though. If the Cardinals had spent those picks elsewhere and held on to Jordan Hicks in free agency, they would be in a much better spot. Walker is one of the best run-and-hit linebackers in the class. 10 among linebackers last year. One of the five highest-graded linebackers last season in his first year with Carolina, Luvu is another Demario Davis trajectory candidate. 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. 1 on our list. Leonard burst onto the scene with 163 combined tackles, seven sacks, four forced fumbles and two interceptions in his rookie season back in 2018. Rounding out the top-tier of linebackers. He set career highs across the board, notching 146 combined tackles, six QB hits and two interceptions. Within 2021 and 2022's class, Detroit made use of the later rounds to nab names such as wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown, linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez and edge James Houston. Why drafting Dallas Cowboys LB Micah Parsons among the top-12 may not be the best decision. Perhaps no player better sums up the volatility of linebacker play than the newly minted All-Pro, De'Vondre Campbell. 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. Unfortunately, he took a bit of a step back from his All-Pro and Pro Bowls ways. Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Chicago Bears inside linebacker Roquan Smith (58) stares into the backfield during pre-game at Nissan Stadium. heading into 2022, here's how each team's linebacking corps stacks up. He had been one of the more consistent players at the position in the NFL, and so theres a chance he regains his form. However, both Mike Williams and Tee Higgins didn't get a whole lot of love and are lower on the list. Leonard was a beast in stopping the run, as his 91.1 PFF run defense grade was second among all defenders in 2021 -- not just linebackers. 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). Power Rankings are PFFs NCAA power ratings based on weekly player grades in each facet of play. Hes great at every aspect of linebacker play. Recently, Seth Galina from PFF ranked all 32 linebacker units in the league. Davids 88.5 coverage grade this season ranked second among off-ball linebackers, and his elite 93.0 mark over the past four seasons is the top mark at the position. He has top-notch natural coverage skills for a linebacker his size, but everything else is a work in progress. Nevertheless, he may have to play on a one-year prove-it deal as he recovers. 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. Nakobe Dean was widely considered to be a potential first-round pick before the 2022 NFL Draft. With Oluokun one of the few young players available, a market could develop for him that exceeds expectations. 6-keys: media/spln/nfl/reg/free/stories, By pressing sign up, I confirm that I have read and agree to the. However, he's still a work in progress in coverage and didn't tally a single interception or pass breakup in his college career. The linebacker position in the game of football is one of the most important. 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. 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. 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. 2021 PFF grade: 65.1 (22nd of 89). Jewell also provides value on the occasional pass-rush snap and very rarely misses tackles. While Parsons proved to be a stud pass-rusher, some had questions about his coverage ability coming into the league. Jordyn Brooks is an ascending star who will get more snaps this year. You are not logged in. 2021 Snaps: 783 PFF themselves had the Cowboys 2021 secondary in the top 10. the star of the Colts' defense has been rock solid since exploding onto the scene as a rookie. Campbell was one of the big surprises of the 2021 NFL season, as he stepped his game up in a major way for the Green Bay Packers. 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. Linebacker Rankings 2022 NFL Draft Home Positions LB ALL QUARTERBACK RUNNING BACK WIDE RECEIVER TIGHT END OFFENSIVE LINE DEFENSIVE LINE EDGE LINEBACKER DEFENSIVE BACK #1 RANKED - SCOUTING REPORT 17 Nakobe Dean POSITION RANK #1 OUR RATING 90.4 ILB All Scouts Average Overall Rank 20.8 All Scouts Average Position Rank 2 Height Feet 6-0 Here are the top off-ball linebackers slated to hit free agency in 2022. 1 pick, Ex-Patriots star McGinest facing eight years in prison, Commanders rip 'blatantly false' team sale report. This ranking may be a surprise after the Seahawks lost future Hall of Famer Bobby Wagner in free agency this offseason, but Wagner seemed to be on the downslope of his career. Therefore, they are included in our defensive line rankings despite dropping into coverage at times. Hes aggressive, has a quick trigger and finds the ball carrier. Las Vegas brings in Jayon Brown from the Titans to play alongside Denzel Perryman. These athletes are called upon to be run-stuffing defensive linemen on some downs, and hybrid cornerbacks on others. Here are PFF's top 32 linebackers ahead of the 2021 NFL season. 2021 PFF grade: 53.0 (50th of 89). He also made the absolute most of the occasional blitz, tallying 15 pressures, five sacks and three more quarterback hits on 70 pass-rush snaps. Foyesade Oluokun, JAC: New team, new official scorer. Last but certainly not least, Pratt also peaked at the right time, with his 90.1 overall grade since Week 8 the top mark among linebackers. Still one of the more underrated players in the league, Demario Davis has been the heartbeat of one of the league's best defenses over the past five seasons. Jewell is actually more of an all-around linebacker, but run defense has been his best area in the NFL. Unlock all tools and content including Player Grades, Fantasy, NFL Draft, Premium Stats, Greenline and DFS. He tallied a career-high six pass breakups in 2022. Its hard to overstate Fred Warners effect on the 49ers' defense in their run to the NFC championship in 2021. He finished as the highest-graded linebacker in football, recording 140 tackles, two interceptions and a career-high six sacks. The best linebackers in todays league are elite coverage players, but they can also affect the game in other ways. 14 overall linebacker with a 72.3 PFF grade, and the No. In May, Sam Monson of PFF ranked as the league's No.16 linebacker coming into the 2022 NFL season. 16 overall in the 2018 NFL Draft as the second-youngest player in the overall class. This is a case of one elite linebacker pulling along another whose narrative hasnt really matched his production. Seahawks LB Jordyn Brooks ranked No. 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. ECR VS. ADP. He started in 16 games after starting in only 11 total in his previous three NFL seasons. on Pro Football Focus' Top-100 players of 2022 rankings. Our exclusive database, featuring the most in-depth collection of NFL player performance data. Then, he was named All-Pro again in 2020 with an AV of 14 for the second straight season. At age 30, Kendricks should again be one of the best middle linebackers in the NFL in 2022. It had been three full seasons since his best play, and that best play was nowhere near elite. Ranking 10 best NFL landing spots for Richardson, 2023 NFL combine: WR/TE winners and losers, Takeaways from NFL combine measurements for WR, TE, Pete Prisco's top 100 NFL free agents of 2023, NFL combine: Grading top QBs, plus winners and losers, NFL combine 2023 tracker: Top performances, highlights, Ranking the NFL's top 10 linebackers entering 2022, NFL Combine: Grading top QBs; winners and losers, NFL Draft: Top landing spots for Richardson, Mock Draft: Panthers, Colts trade up for QBs, Colossal Richardson sets multiple QB combine records, Pascal robbed at gunpoint, assaulted; WR 'doing fine', Bryce Young measures similar to former No. 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. After sitting out in 2020, C.J. As stated in the article, Galina only included true off-ball . 6 in the NFL in sacks and No. The Rams have a great defense, and the 32-year-old Wagner could find himself rejuvenated in 2022. Defensively, the attrition was less significant; however, one of the unit's leaders did leave in free agency Foye Oluokun. 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. His 913 snaps for the Raiders last season was a career-high mark and more than doubled his previous best. You don't do what he did in his rookie season if you aren't a star. A pair of Seahawks came in at No. 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. Here's the top 10 entering the 2022 season: 1. Kendricks is one of the games best coverage linebackers, able to consistently squeeze throwing lanes and make plays on the ball once its in the air. 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. Let's have a look at them. 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. Put some respect on Demario Davis pic.twitter.com/4jzOf4GYS1. The Falcons defense has fallen apart around him, and he no longer has a free run to the football as often as he did when he was playing his best football. Parsons actually finished No. 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. Wilson showed in the playoffs that he could finally have answered a real problem area for the Cincinnati Bengals, showing up with multiple excellent PFF game grades and making plays in coverage. 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. 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. He ended up making the Pro Bowl by logging a career-high 863 snaps and racking up 121 tackles and 61 defensive stops. You dont want to line him up against an opposing receiving weapon in a one-on-one, but he demonstrated better recognition of route patterns and improved as a zone coverage backer. Wagner gets a new opportunity on a new team with a lot more talent around him this season, so there is good reason to suspect that his grade might bounce back. at He is a fantastic story of earning a job the hard way. 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. 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. His PFF grade of 77.9 ranked eighth last year among linebackers, and he once again showed he's a well-rounded linebacker that doesn't get the kind of credit he deserves. JaWhaun Bentley is a hard-nosed player like his counterpart Mack Wilson. In 2022, he boasted a pass . Here's why that is important: PFF's Fantasy Football Expected Points tool is primarily used for identifying potential over and undervalued players. Projected contract: Two years, $9.5 million ($4.75M per year), $5.25 million total guaranteed. Davis is a player people keep expecting to regress, but he just hasn't. 2 in the NFL, only trailing Fred Warner and the San Francisco 49ers. 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. Johnson finds himself in one of the most unique contract situations in NFL history. 2021 PFF grade: 43.7 (71st of 89). For the purposes of these rankings, we are looking only at true off-ball linebackers, as 3-4 outside linebackers though designated as linebackers are in truth edge rushers. 8:44 am ET. s departure, and his 105 tackles were more than his first three seasons combined. He's a Hall of Famer, no doubt, but the reason he's so high on this list is because he's not done just yet. He signed a monster five-year, $95 million extension last July, and is worth it considering he's just 25. Edmunds made huge strides in coverage in 2022, a major weakness in his game through his first four seasons. His All-Pro season in 2019 was special, but some might have thought it was just a one-year thing. A position of weakness for the Eagles in 2021 might turn into a position of strength in 2022 with the additions of rookie Nakobe Dean and veteran Kyzir White to pair alongside T.J. Edwards, who had a breakout 2021 season. According to PFF, T.J. Edwards was the 10 th-ranked linebacker in 2021 but is still unproven and only has started 30 games in the NFL.

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