However, Dean played his role at an elite level, ranking 10th among all corners graded by PFF. New: Draft Mode! He allowed 81.0% of passes thrown his way to be caught and missed 17 tackles in all. The ACC consisted of 14 members in two divisions. Hes not only straight-line fast, but he also processes and reacts with elite quickness. Unlock all tools and content including Player Grades, Fantasy, NFL Draft, Premium Stats, Greenline and DFS. The first week of March will see the NFL Combine which will be followed by College Pro Days. 2021 Snaps: 323 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. Singleton earned a career-best 82.6 run-defense grade that ranked eighth among off-ball linebackers, tallying more than 100 tackles for the second year in a row, with his two-year total of 212 ranking sixth among off-ball linebackers. He at least improved upon his 29.7 grade as a rookie with a 43.5 mark in Year 2. 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. Best Bets Tool, PFF Free Agency Rank: 27 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. 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. Meanwhile, David will have to get it there himself, given that the Bucs defense wasnt exactly bereft of talent last season. After looking like he might be the next great linebacker earlier in his career, Deion Jones play has fallen off a cliff. 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. 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 . He was. 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. The second linebacker tier features 17 linebackers on teams that are expected to be less zone-heavy than those in the tier above. 3) Demario Davis, New Orleans Saints. Tranquill is coming off a career year in L.A. Recently, Seth Galina from PFF ranked all 32 linebacker units in the league. There are a lot of unknowns in this group due to inexperience. That's still a very good grade, but there should be concerns about his age and a potential decline going forward. 2 in the NFL, only trailing Fred Warner and the San Francisco 49ers. In Eric Kendricks, the Vikings have had a superb all-around linebacker for years. Hes not great in other facets, but stopping the run is still an important aspect of the position. 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. Over the past decade, virtually every stage of the offensive evolution has increased stress on linebackers, putting them in a bind and asking them to account for multiple things on the same play. The 2022 season was Longs first as a full-time starter at middle linebacker, but hes made the most of opportunities in the past. on Pro Football Focus' Top-100 players of 2022 rankings. 3 linebackers Seahawks should . 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. The entire schedule was released on January 31, 2022. 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. 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. 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 Packers long searching for a reliable off-ball linebacker brought Campbell aboard on a one-year, $2 million contract, and his 86.7 overall grade was second among linebackers through Week 8 while his 90.7 run-defense grade ranked first, leading to a Pro Bowl nod. 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). 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. You don't do what he did in his rookie season if you aren't a star. Parsons was the No. 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. He has not graded above 70.0 since. He went from having a one-year contract worth $2 million to signing a five-year deal that carries an AAV of $10 million! 2022 stats (Chargers): 5 sacks, 146 tackles, 1 forced fumble. 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. Rashaan Evans and Mykal Walker are solid players, though, and the team will hope that rookie Troy Andersen can make an early impact. Cody Barton is another interesting player who will finally get a chance to start this season. He was not as good a coverage or run-stopping linebacker as he was as a pass rusher, but his talent makes you think he will figure it out shortly. January 18, 2023 8:22 pm ET. Click here to view PFF's full IDP rankings for the 2022 season and tiers for the defensive linemen and defensive backs. 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. However, he earned an additional $500,000 in incentives along with a trip to the Super Bowl, so it couldve been worse, all things considered. 8:44 am ET. Fred Warner, San Francisco 49ers The 49ers struck gold when they drafted Warner in the third round in 2018. NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowler. These athletes are called upon to be run-stuffing defensive linemen on some downs, and hybrid cornerbacks on others. So, who's the best off-ball linebacker in the NFL today? Projected contract: Four years, $40 million ($10M per year, $22.5 million total guaranteed), PFF Free Agency Rank: 63 "Latest Update" refers to when we last checked for . 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. 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. Still, the Rams ranked fourth in the NFL last season in zone coverages (82.60%). He also frequently lines up at safety, defensive line and nickel corner, and if he had his way . 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. 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. He tallied a career-high six pass breakups in 2022. The linebacker position in the game of football is one of the most important. Tae Crowder and Micah McFadden will look to compete for the spot opposite Martinez. 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. . The folks over at PFF are going through the process of creating rankings and tiers for every position ahead of the 2022 NFL season. 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. Smith has recorded at least 101 combined tackles in each of his four NFL seasons, and his last two campaigns have been impressive. Getting outside the . By Marc. Adam Holt. He is a fantastic story of earning a job the hard way. His struggles come in coverage, where he's allowed nearly 1,000 yards over the past two seasons. 2022 NFL Linebacker Rankings 1. For all the young players' struggles, there are a lot of promising linebackers who have the talent to become elite players at this level. At age 30, Kendricks should again be one of the best middle linebackers in the NFL in 2022. After missing most of the regular season. This was the last season that the conference used divisions in its football scheduling. The former third-round pick still has room to grow as a coverage player, but at 6-foot-1 and 235 pounds, he moves well enough in space to not be a liability in coverage. All Rights Reserved. Projected contract: Two years, $15 million ($7.5M per year, $10M total guaranteed), PFF Free Agency Rank: 86 Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports Milano was a fifth-round draft pick back in 2017 but has dramatically outperformed his first-round teammate. It had been three full seasons since his best play, and that best play was nowhere near elite. 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. He is set to play next to Anthony Walker, who is a solid if unspectacular player. They happily scooped up the extremely talented Georgia linebacker. He has yet to post a sub-70.0 grade, with three out of his four years coming in above 78.0. 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. White landed with the Philadelphia Eagles on a one-year, $3 million flier last offseason after his market didnt pan out too well. Jayron Kearse was a top 10 strong safety by their own metric. Projected contract: Two years, $14 million ($7M per year, $9 million total guaranteed), PFF Free Agency Rank: 61 March 2, 2023 3:21 pm ET. 1 pick, Ex-Patriots star McGinest facing eight years in prison, Commanders rip 'blatantly false' team sale report. In 2022, he boasted a pass . Josey Jewell and Jonas Griffith should be the starters, with free agent signing Alex Singleton looking for snaps, as well. 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. He may be coming off one of his worst statistical seasons in recent memory, but he also missed five games with injury. 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. Its a rebuilt Jaguars linebacking corps after losing Myles Jack to the Steelers. He put forth a monster rookie season in 2019 but hasnt quite attained the same highs in subsequent seasons. Our exclusive database, featuring the most in-depth collection of NCAA player performance data. Barr is a bit of a unique player, generally deployed as a Sam linebacker in a 4-3 scheme who occasionally gets his hand in the dirt. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-USA TODAY Sports. While Warner recorded a career-high 137 combined tackles (T-No. Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Chicago Bears inside linebacker Roquan Smith (58) stares into the backfield during pre-game at Nissan Stadium. The transition from college football to the NFL used to be smooth for linebackers, but even elite prospects can now struggle in Year 1. At 6-foot-3, 242 pounds, he has legit NFL size and athleticism. 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. The Rams attacked the linebacker position this offseason, adding. There's no way he was going to get better, right? 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. 2021 PFF grade: 80.1 (3rd of 89). 2021 Snaps: 979 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. I also gave a target round for your rookie drafts, these are just suggestions as all drafts are different. You must be logged in and create a league profile to apply custom fantasy scoring to the stats, projections and rankings pages. 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. 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. Jerome Baker, MIA: I love Baker this season as a Top 15-20 sleeper. 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 Here are the top off-ball linebackers slated to hit free agency in 2022. Then, he was named All-Pro again in 2020 with an AV of 14 for the second straight season. 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. Despite the inconsistent offense, the Chicago Bears had the No. 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. 2021 PFF grade: 53.0 (50th of 89). Parsons is versatile, smart and instinctive. Asamoah is undersized at 6-foot-1, 228 pounds, but he possesses sideline-to-sideline range. He ended up making the Pro Bowl by logging a career-high 863 snaps and racking up 121 tackles and 61 defensive stops. Subscribe to PFF+ to unlock An error occured while loading Position Grades. Turn on this feature to cross off players during your draft. 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. 2021 Snaps: 717 Their tackle efficiency and every-down roles make them the most coveted players at the position. 4) Patrick Surtain II, Denver Broncos. Wagner's resume speaks for itself. Typically, David is the ideal linebacker for IDP. 6 defense in the league last year, and Smith was a big reason why. Jewell is actually more of an all-around linebacker, but run defense has been his best area in the NFL. Nakobe Dean is a dark horse with this group. One of the most underrated linebackers of the past several years, Demario Davis' late-career emergence as an elite LB has been fun to watch. 88 selection in the 2019 NFL Draft. After looking like one of the worst linebackers in the NFL for a few years in Green Bay.