By Marc. Overall, Georgia has 11 players in PFF's big board including six players ranked in the top 80 NFL draft prospects. Jewell missed almost all of 2021 due to injury but is a run-stuffing force when on the field. 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. 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. 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. This past offseason,San Francisco 49erslinebackerFred Warnerand subsequentlyIndianapolis ColtslinebackerDarius Leonardreset the market at the position just under $20 million per year after years of stagnation. 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. Los Angeles' overall defense is so good, at least on paper, that it might not matter who plays linebacker. Cody Barton is another interesting player who will finally get a chance to start this season. On Tuesday, PFF's Seth Galina released his linebacker rankings for all 32 teams in the NFL. With that in mind, some of these units have fewer members than others. His 33 run stops in 2020 were a top-10 mark at the position. PFF's exclusive metrics provide matchup previews, position rankings, grades, and snap counts. Dean's range at the linebacker position is unparalleled in this draft class. 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. 1 as Bobby Wagner finally dethroned Ranking the top 10 linebackers for the upcoming NFL season By Jordan Dajani Jun 28, 2022 at. With all that said, let's jump in. 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. 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. 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. Warner had a transformative effect on the 49ers defense when he became the starter. Expect both young studs to push for 140-plus combined tackles, if healthy. Aug 9, 2022. He missed just two tackles in coverage and allowed only four explosive receptions. 2022 NFL linebacker unit rankings: Giants come in at 24 (PFF . 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. After missing most of the regular season, Dre Greenlaw came back for the end of the regular season and playoffs to form the perfect linebacker tandem with Warner. No linebacker recorded more coverage snaps than Warner in all of 2021. Edwards has posted 75.0 grades or better in two of his three NFL seasons and is one of the more underrated players in the league. There are also linebackers who are at their best in coverage, which is useful for todays NFL. Our exclusive database, featuring the most in-depth collection of NCAA player performance data. The Super Bowl has come and gone in 2022 and we have started to turn our attention to the next football season. Here's what PFF wrote about Wagner's season. The transition from college football to the NFL used to be smooth for linebackers, but even elite prospects can now struggle in Year 1. Click here for PFF's full list of top 100 free agents. 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. Let's have a look at them. Jewell also provides value on the occasional pass-rush snap and very rarely misses tackles. 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. One of the best off-ball linebackers of his generation, David is still playing at an extremely high level and may benefit from New Orleans Saints linebacker Demario Davis and Los Angeles Rams linebacker Bobby Wagner playing very good football well into their 30s on recently signed contracts of their own. 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. Oluokun is coming off a PFF run-defense grade of 44.0 and a coverage grade of 54.4. These athletes are called upon to be run-stuffing defensive linemen on some downs, and hybrid cornerbacks on others. However, Dean played his role at an elite level, ranking 10th among all corners graded by PFF. The Rams attacked the linebacker position this offseason, adding Bobby Wagner. The criteria for making the top tier of IDP linebackers is relatively simple: be an every-down linebacker and play in a linebacker-friendly defense that breeds above-average tackle efficiency for the position. 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. Drafting Quay Walker out of Georgia in the first round also helps the Packers' cause. 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. The ACC consisted of 14 members in two divisions. Give him the freedom to play fast, and he'll excel. 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. 7 ranking in Pro Football Focus' list of the top 25 safeties of the 2022 . 2021 PFF grade: 65.1 (T-23rd of 89). No linebacker corps gets its collective noses dirtier than the Patriots' unit. 2021 PFF grade: 84.3 (2nd of 89). 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. 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. 2021 PFF grade: 64.2 (24th of 89). Subscribe to Sign Up 1. David Long, meanwhile, was playing at a solid level before an injury forced him to miss most of the second half of the 2021 season. 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. 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. 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. 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. He also has 30 quarterback pressures over 135 pass-rush snaps the past three seasons and took a quantum leap in coverage in 2022 en route to a 73.0 grade. After missing most of the regular season. Projected contract: Three years, $25.5 million ($8.5M per year, $16.5 million total guaranteed), PFF Free Agency Rank: 65 They also signed linebacker Myles Jack and D-lineman Larry Ogunjobi. Tindall is a true sideline-to-sideline linebacker. 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. 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. There may be no better all-around linebacker in the class. Turn on this feature to cross off players during your draft. Vander Esch earned a 90.0-plus grade in three starts in 2021, including two such outings over the final five weeks. 1 linebacker according to PFF, with a grade of 89.7. Seahawks LB Jordyn Brooks ranked No. Please try again later. Some may think Wagner is too high on this list, and while he took a small step backwards in 2021, he's still one of the best linebackers in the NFL. 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. Zach Cunningham, if nothing else, stops the run. He put forth a monster rookie season in 2019 but hasnt quite attained the same highs in subsequent seasons. . Campbell is a one-year wonder at the moment, but that year was All-Pro caliber and the most recent thing we have seen from him. With Oluokun one of the few young players available, a market could develop for him that exceeds expectations. Walker had a career year for the Browns in 2021, and his 78.2 PFF coverage grade was the highest of his career. Consequently, the list of consistently elite players is far shorter than for other positions, and there is much more volatility in this position group. In this article, I list my top 20 rookie linebacker rankings for your IDP dynasty leagues. The Steelers brought in former Jaguar Myles Jack to play alongside him. 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. 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. 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. You don't do what he did in his rookie season if you aren't a star. The second linebacker tier features 17 linebackers on teams that are expected to be less zone-heavy than those in the tier above. This is bizarrely true even when he moves to a defense run by a former New England defensive coach. That could be a problem for folks expecting the same numbers. 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. With both Bengals starting safeties in Jessie Bates III and Vonn Bell pending free agents, a big extension for wide receiver Tee Higgins likely in play and fellow off-ball linebacker Logan Wilson also eligible for an extension after the season, its possible Pratt hits the market even after a career year. 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. However, both Mike Williams and Tee Higgins didn't get a whole lot of love and are lower on the list. After looking like one of the worst linebackers in the NFL for a few years in Green Bay. Despite the inconsistent offense, the Chicago Bears had the No. The 2022 season was Longs first as a full-time starter at middle linebacker, but hes made the most of opportunities in the past. It's good news, then,. All of this culminates with the 2022 NFL Draft from Las Vegas, Nevada on Thursday, April 28th. But neither player made the cut for the top 50, which hurts . His All-Pro season in 2019 was special, but some might have thought it was just a one-year thing. Las Vegas brings in Jayon Brown from the Titans to play alongside Denzel Perryman. Those tools caused Edwards to go undrafted despite an excellent college career, and he had to fight his way into a starting job by excelling in the preseason and on special teams. 6 in the NFL in sacks and No. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports. This is a case of one elite linebacker pulling along another whose narrative hasnt really matched his production. 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. 1 linebacker on this list entering 2022. 2021 Snaps: 1,148 2021 PFF grade: 43.7 (71st of 89). Click here for PFF's full list of top 100 free agents. Overall, White has had an incredible start to his career, as he's picked up All-Pro honors, a Pro Bowl bid and a Super Bowl ring in just three years. 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. Parsons actually finished No. That flexibility is tremendously valuable to the Dallas defense, but Parsons could take his game to another level if he shows development off the ball in Year 2. He is set to play next to Anthony Walker, who is a solid if unspectacular player. Potentially losing a step or two with age can be negated by elite play recognition and instincts, both of which David has in spades. He put forth a monster rookie season in 2019 but hasnt quite attained the same highs in subsequent seasons. The top 10 linebackers in NFL currently are dynamic weapons and reliable leaders. They happily scooped up the extremely talented Georgia linebacker. 3 linebackers Seahawks should . When healthy, Johnson is among the best sideline-to-sideline run-defenders at off-ball linebacker in the league. He started in 16 games after starting in only 11 total in his previous three NFL seasons. Amid replacement-level cornerback and safety play at times, Warner's gravitas over the middle of the field allowed the team to play a high percentage of zone coverage to protect its outside cornerbacks. He had a career year, helping turn around the Eagles' defense with the second-best grade among off-ball linebackers (84.4). Pro Football Focus's top linebacker in the 2020 NFL Draft only kind of, sort of plays linebacker. The entire schedule was released on January 31, 2022. I also gave a target round for your rookie drafts, these are just suggestions as all drafts are different. 16 overall in the 2018 NFL Draft as the second-youngest player in the overall class. It had been three full seasons since his best play, and that best play was nowhere near elite. Pratt didnt miss many tackles as a run defender, either, whiffing on just 5.9% of opportunities after three straight seasons above 10% to start his career. His 913 snaps for the Raiders last season was a career-high mark and more than doubled his previous best. Login or Register Projections: QB | RB | WR | TE | K | DEF | DL | LB | DB Its a rebuilt Jaguars linebacking corps after losing. Why drafting Dallas Cowboys LB Micah Parsons among the top-12 may not be the best decision. Nevertheless, he is clearly an ascending young player contributing immensely to Tennessees defense that finished first in expected points added per rush allowed on the season. The linebacker position in the game of football is one of the most important. 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. A lot is riding on the development of Zaven Collins and Isaiah Simmons, who have simply not played well enough especially for first-round picks. Rounding out the top-tier of linebackers. 2021 Snaps: 323 Projected contract: Four years, $40 million ($10M per year, $22.5 million total guaranteed), PFF Free Agency Rank: 63 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. 10 among linebackers last year. A couple of former Clemson stars made this ranking of the NFL's top wide receivers from the 2022 regular season. There's no telling what he could be with more reps at the position. 6 defense in the league last year, and Smith was a big reason why. Johnson finds himself in one of the most unique contract situations in NFL history. 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. Jordyn Brooks is an ascending star who will get more snaps this year. Lavonte David has been one of the best linebackers in the league for almost a decade, whereas teammate Devin White has not graded above the 51.9 mark he attained as a rookie. 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. He went from having a one-year contract worth $2 million to signing a five-year deal that carries an AAV of $10 million! Typically, David is the ideal linebacker for IDP. These power rankings are adjusted based on coach, quarterback and the market each season. 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. 1. PFF's exclusive metrics provide matchup previews, position rankings, grades, and snap counts. Power Rankings are PFFs NCAA power ratings based on weekly player grades in each facet of play. 8 in total pressures. 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. 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. 2021 PFF grade: 53.0 (50th of 89). Lavonte David is still one of the best linebackers in the game . Since entering the league, Warner has 118 or more total tackles in every season and was named First-Team All-Pro in 2020. The soon-to-be 30-year-old is a solid all-around off-ball linebacker who has three straight seasons logging at least 750 snaps, and he took a major leap in 2022 with the. Losing Kyle Van Noy, the highest-graded coverage linebacker in 2021, will hurt. The league may be trending ever more toward the passing game, but there is still a place in the NFL for linebackers who are excellent run defenders first and foremost. In two weeks, NFL GMs will begin negotiating with free . He is a truly freakish athlete and will be 25 years old throughout his entire sixth NFL season in 2023 after being selected No. 2021 Snaps: 717 He may be coming off one of his worst statistical seasons in recent memory, but he also missed five games with injury. Andersen is a converted running back and quarterback who, in his lone full season at linebacker, racked up an absurd 67 stops. He had been one of the more consistent players at the position in the NFL, and so theres a chance he regains his form. His elite run-stopping ability was on display against the Packers in the divisional round, too. 23 in 2021. The 2022 Atlantic Coast Conference football season, part of the 2022 NCAA Division I FBS football season, was the 70th season of college football played for the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). 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. may surprise some based on his age. That 42.0 mark was his first time dropping below 70.0 since 2015. Therefore, they are included in our defensive line rankings despite dropping into coverage at times. Al-Shaair is in line to get paid as a free agent after teammatesFred Warner and Dre Greenlawfind themselves among the 16 highest-paid off-ball linebackers in the NFL. 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. Mosley endured the worst-graded season of his NFL career. Tae Crowder and Micah McFadden will look to compete for the spot opposite Martinez. the star of the Colts' defense has been rock solid since exploding onto the scene as a rookie. Chenal is going to thrive in man-blitz-heavy schemes. 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. Edmunds is just 24 years old and entering his fifth NFL season. His 89.0 run-defense grade in 2022 ranked fourth at the position, with his 13 tackles for loss or no gain tied for 12th. After looking like one of the worst linebackers in the NFL for a few years in Green Bay, Blake Martinez rebounded with a solid season in 2020 in New York before succumbing to injury early in the 2021 campaign. 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. In 2022, he boasted a pass . his sure hands also need to be highlighted," PFF's Zoltn Buday wrote. He was. Philadelphia brought Edwards back in 2022 on a one-year, $2.15 million deal at a position they have all but refused to invest in with top draft capital or free-agent dollars in many years, but Edwards may put the Eagles positional value to the test this offseason if they want to keep him around. Although Wagner might be on the downswing of a great career, this unit could push for a top-five spot by the season's end if he rebounds after a poor 2021. The rest of 1A should surprise no one, with this group almost filling out the consensus top-five linebackers in ADP terms,. You are not logged in. And even though he hasnt quite been able to maintain an elite level of play every season, his impact on the field is obvious. Pittsburgh Steelers (94/100) Cameron Heyward was second behind only Aaron Donald in PFF's grades of interior defensive linemen last season. Jayron Kearse was a top 10 strong safety by their own metric. Perryman was looking for a new contract heading into 2022 but ultimately played out the year, earning a strong 80.5 run-defense grade. Nakobe Dean is a dark horse with this group. The PFF grades aren't always right on point, but they do serve as a generally effective tool for comparisons . He might not even start this season. You must be logged in and create a league profile to apply custom fantasy scoring to the stats, projections and rankings pages. A position of concern and potential weakness heading into last season has become a real strength for Kansas City. Those traits have allowed him to make a lot of tackles, but tackles are not always good plays for linebackers if they come after a big gain on the ground or because they were out of position in coverage. Only Micah Parsons graded out higher than Werner among first-year linebackers last season. 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 Devin Lloyd, Utah BIG BOARD RANK: 15 There is hope that Channing Tindall, Miami's rookie linebacker out of Georgia, can find his way on the field. 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. Players like T.J. Watt, Matt Judon, Harold Landry and Shaquil Barrett are not included. 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. Oluokun leads the way for a very underwhelming free-agent class at off-ball linebacker, though his timing of reaching unrestricted free agency could work out nicely in his favor. Campbell recorded the second-highest PFF grade of any linebacker with an 85, and also was the second-highest graded linebacker in coverage with an 82.2. 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. Recently, Seth Galina from PFF ranked all 32 linebacker units in the league. 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. This is likely a polarizing selection. 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. Okereke is now coming off back-to-back seasons with at least 100 tackles and 50 defensive stops. Offensive Line | Quarterback | Backfield | Pass-Catcher | Secondary | Linebackers | Special Teams) 2022 NFL Defensive Line Rankings Below is every team ranked 1-32 by how their defensive line shapes up for 2022. Their tackle efficiency and every-down roles make them the most coveted players at the position. Kendricks' grade did falter in 2021 a 59.9 mark that was down from 82.6 and 90.1 the past two years, respectively. He at least improved upon his 29.7 grade as a rookie with a 43.5 mark in Year 2. The first week of March will see the NFL Combine which will be followed by College Pro Days. 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. Meanwhile, TJ Watt led the league in sacks (22.5) and was the Defensive Player of the Year. After Warner's monster 2020 campaign, we thought he could be the No. Tranquill is coming off a career year in L.A. 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. Nakobe Dean was widely considered to be a potential first-round pick before the 2022 NFL Draft. 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. More Stats. Here are the best available players remaining heading into Day 2 of the 2022 NFL draft. Hes aggressive, has a quick trigger and finds the ball carrier. No linebacker corps gets its collective noses dirtier than the Patriots' unit. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports. Linebacker Rankings: 2022 Regular Season, Updated: 9/1/2022 Want Custom Fantasy Scoring?
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