is likely another surprise player based on where he tends to go in drafts, but dont let the age fool you. Divine Deablo had some interesting moments as a rookie in 2021 and is worth keeping an eye on. 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. Despite what PFF says, I don't think there are that many more linebackers who are better in coverage than Kendricks. That's still a very good grade, but there should be concerns about his age and a potential decline going forward. Milano was a fifth-round draft pick back in 2017 but has dramatically outperformed his first-round teammate, Tremaine Edmunds, within the Buffalo defense. With that said, an elite linebacker does make a defense better there just arent that many of them in the league at this moment. Los Angeles' overall defense is so good, at least on paper, that it might not matter who plays linebacker. One of the best off-ball linebackers of his generation, David is still playing at an extremely high level and may benefit from, Okereke stepped up in a major way in the absence of fellow off-ball linebacker, The 2022 season was Tranquills first as a full-time starter following. Its a rebuilt Jaguars linebacking corps after losing. Players like T.J. Watt, Matt Judon, Harold Landry and Shaquil Barrett are not included. Jewell missed almost all of 2021 due to injury but is a run-stuffing force when on the field. Potentially losing a step or two with age can be negated by elite play recognition and instincts, both of which David has in spades. 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. Next to him is the underrated Josh Bynes, who returned to Baltimore in 2021 after one season in Cincinnati. Jewell is actually more of an all-around linebacker, but run defense has been his best area in the NFL. 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. The Rams have a great defense, and the 32-year-old Wagner could find himself rejuvenated in 2022. They spent a lot of money on Roquan Smith at the linebacker spot, [so] why not bring in another Georgia guy?" . After looking like he might be the next great linebacker earlier in his career. . 2021 PFF grade: 60.4 (30th of 89). 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. Jack is now trying to reboot his career in Pittsburgh after suffering similar ill-fortune in Jacksonville. 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. NFL's top 10 linebackers in 2022 - sportskeeda.com Gary Cosby Jr./USA TODAY Sports (Dean); Jasen Vinlove/USA TODAY Sports (Ojabo) 1. Our exclusive database, featuring the most in-depth collection of NFL player performance data. 2021 Snaps: 979 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. 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. Luckily for the Philadelphia Eagles, he was still available in the third round. A new defensive coordinator and scheme will help him, though. Pro Football Focus's top linebacker in the 2020 NFL Draft only kind of, sort of plays linebacker. This ranking may be a surprise after the Seahawks lost future Hall of Famer. on Pro Football Focus' Top-100 players of 2022 rankings. 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. 4) Patrick Surtain II, Denver Broncos. The main contributors to a linebackers IDP success are the volume of defensive snaps combined with playing in zone-heavy defenses, which rack up tackles more efficiently. His past two years against the run have been horrid, with him posting 39.8 and 30.0 run-defense grades. No linebacker recorded more coverage snaps than Warner in all of 2021. All of this culminates with the 2022 NFL Draft from Las Vegas, Nevada on Thursday, April 28th. 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. David also graded out as the No. 3 Rams make PFF's top 101 players of 2022 - autos.yahoo.com The former No. Kendricks is another well-rounded linebacker that can cover, as his 73.8 PFF coverage grade ranked No. His 18 quarterback pressures ranked fourth among off-ball linebackers, as Patriots head coach Bill Belichick continued to deploy the 6-foot-3, 260-pounder all over the place in his constantly evolving defense. 9 linebacker in coverage with a 73.9. 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. 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 Edmunds made huge strides in coverage in 2022, a major weakness in his game through his first four seasons. Wagner's resume speaks for itself. Chiefs' Nick Bolton ranked in PFF's 'young ascending' linebacker tier With Oluokun one of the few young players available, a market could develop for him that exceeds expectations. 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He allowed 81.0% of passes thrown his way to be caught and missed 17 tackles in all. 2021 PFF grade: 43.7 (71st of 89). That 42.0 mark was his first time dropping below 70.0 since 2015. Our exclusive database, featuring the most in-depth collection of NFL player performance data. Kendricks' grade did falter in 2021 a 59.9 mark that was down from 82.6 and 90.1 the past two years, respectively. PFF says the Eagles may have gotten the biggest steal of the 2022 NFL 6-keys: media/spln/nfl/reg/free/stories, By pressing sign up, I confirm that I have read and agree to the. Lavonte David is still one of the best linebackers in the game . The Steelers brought in former Jaguar Myles Jack to play alongside him. After looking like he might be the next great linebacker earlier in his career, Deion Jones play has fallen off a cliff. 2021 Snaps: 712 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. Here are PFF's top 32 linebackers ahead of the 2021 NFL season. 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 transition from college football to the NFL used to be smooth for linebackers, but even elite prospects can now struggle in Year 1. 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. 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. Cole Holcomb could yet turn into a solid linebacker, while 2021 first-round pick Jamin Davis could also improve after a poor first season. Diggs had a high EPA and was an all pro who bad habits come from gambling. Our exclusive database, featuring the most in-depth collection of NFL player performance data. Login or Register Projections: QB | RB | WR | TE | K | DEF | DL | LB | DB Then there's the added bonus of playing behind Aaron Donald, who draws all the attention at the offensive line, opening up room for the linebackers for clean tackle opportunities. Fantasy Football: 2022 IDP Linebacker Tiers - PFF 2004-2023 CBS Interactive. The Ravens are still looking for that breakout year from Patrick Queen after two subpar seasons. ECR VS. ADP. 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. Brown has seen his play taper off after a really nice sophomore campaign in 2018 in which he posted an 81.2 grade. 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. Seahawks only have one player in PFF's top-40 graded edge defenders These athletes are called upon to be run-stuffing defensive linemen on some downs, and hybrid cornerbacks on others. 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. The Georgia product was named second-team All-Pro in 2020 and 2021, and recorded a career-high 163 combined tackles last year -- which ranked fifth among all linebackers. Kendricks has long been one of the consistent middle linebackers in the league, and he stepped up his game in 2021 with a career-high 143 combined tackles, five sacks and two interceptions. 2021 PFF grade: 53.0 (50th of 89). Kansas City Chiefs linebacker group ranked as 9th-best in NFL by PFF 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. Click here to view PFFs full IDP rankings for the 2022 season and tiers for the defensive linemen and defensive backs. 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. Something to note is that 3-4 pass-rushers will not appear on this list. His 170 combined takedowns ranked third among linebackers this past season. The top 10 linebackers in NFL currently are dynamic weapons and reliable leaders. 2021 PFF grade: 65.1 (22nd of 89). 1 linebacker on this list entering 2022. You must be logged in and create a league profile to apply custom fantasy scoring to the stats, projections and rankings pages. They happily scooped up the extremely talented Georgia linebacker. 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. PFF themselves had the Cowboys 2021 secondary in the top 10. Perryman was looking for a new contract heading into 2022 but ultimately played out the year, earning a strong 80.5 run-defense grade. Give him the freedom to play fast, and he'll excel. despite dropping into coverage at times. With that in mind, some of these units have fewer members than others. Chenal is going to thrive in man-blitz-heavy schemes. Parsons was the No. 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. Chicago Bears Roquan Smith and Indianapolis Colts Shaquille (Darius) Leonard stock is falling due to availability concerns, making E.J. He also frequently lines up at safety, defensive line and nickel corner, and if he had his way . Though he's 32 years old, David hasn't taken a major step backwards just yet. Johnson got off to an unusually late start to his NFL career and has battled injuries, but he has been an excellent linebacker when he has been on the field. Projected contract: Two years, $15 million ($7.5M per year, $10M total guaranteed), PFF Free Agency Rank: 86 Cole Holcomb, WAS: Impressive young linebacker who could see the numbers improve in 2022. 2022 Atlantic Coast Conference football season - Wikipedia 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. 2022 (146 FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets) Yards per route run: 25th; PFF receiving grade: 12th; YAC: 7th; 2021 (133 FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets) Yards per route run: 94th; PFF receiving grade: 111th . The 12th. 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. PFF's exclusive metrics provide matchup previews, position rankings, grades, and snap counts. 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. 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?. After looking like one of the worst linebackers in the NFL for a few years in Green Bay. 8 in total pressures. 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. However, both Mike Williams and Tee Higgins didn't get a whole lot of love and are lower on the list. 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. 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. NFL 2022 Draft Positional Rankings: Linebackers By Jacob Wayne | Mar 30, 2022, 1:34pm #1: Devin Lloyd - Utah #2: Nakobe Dean - Georgia #3: Chad Muma - Wyoming #4: Leo Chenal - Wisconsin #5: Christian Harris - Alabama #6: Brian Asamoah - Oklahoma #7: Brandon Smith - Penn State #8: Channing Tindall - Georgia #9: Damone Clark - LSU PFFs Fantasy Strength of Schedule (SoS) metric provides a league-wide, season-long view of opponent matchups for each fantasy position. It's like your very own digital cheat sheet. 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. In Eric Kendricks, the Vikings have had a superb all-around linebacker for years. 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. Better luck with his health led to a respectable 63.8 overall grade and 72.6 pass-rush grade in 2021. 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. He put forth a monster rookie season in 2019 but hasnt quite attained the same highs in subsequent seasons. One of the five highest-graded linebackers last season in his first year with Carolina, Luvu is another Demario Davis trajectory candidate. The Vikings also brought in the underrated Jordan Hicks from the Cardinals in free agency. Projected contract: Two years, $9.5 million ($4.75M per year), $5.25 million total guaranteed. PFF ranks 49ers Fred Warner as the top linebacker in the NFL According to PFF's Sam Monson, the 49ers have the best linebacker in the NFL and another top-20 player at the position. 16 overall in the 2018 NFL Draft as the second-youngest player in the overall class. Typically, David is the ideal linebacker for IDP. Projected contract: Four years, $40 million ($10M per year, $22.5 million total guaranteed), PFF Free Agency Rank: 63 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. Meanwhile, TJ Watt led the league in sacks (22.5) and was the Defensive Player of the Year. Projected contract: Three years, $25.5 million ($8.5M per year, $16.5 million total guaranteed), PFF Free Agency Rank: 65 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. 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. 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.