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. Vander Esch earned a 90.0-plus grade in three starts in 2021, including two such outings over the final five weeks. Micah Parsons, Dallas Cowboys The first-ever unanimous Defensive Rookie of the Year has quickly become the standard for linebacker play in the NFL. This is likely a polarizing selection. There may be no better all-around linebacker in the class. 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. Much of this unit's potential lies with third-round rookie Christian Harris, who managed 34 run stops at Alabama in 2021 (tied for 36th among 374 qualifying FBS linebackers). 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. What a find he was for the Packers last year. After ranking the best individual linebackers heading into 2022, here's how each team's linebacking corps stacks up. 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. 2021 Snaps: 82 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. The Ravens are still looking for that breakout year from Patrick Queen after two subpar seasons. PFF ranks college football's Top 10 linebacker candidates for the - On3 Jewell also provides value on the occasional pass-rush snap and very rarely misses tackles. He was arguably the best player on the best college defense of all time but slipped into the third round of the draft with some potential medical red flags. 1 as Bobby Wagner finally dethroned Ranking the top 10 linebackers for the upcoming NFL season By Jordan Dajani Jun 28, 2022 at. The entire schedule was released on January 31, 2022. 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. 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. The Rams attacked the linebacker position this offseason, adding Bobby Wagner. Click here to view PFFs full IDP rankings for the 2022 season and tiers for the defensive linemen and defensive backs. Unlock all tools and content including Player Grades, Fantasy, NFL Draft, Premium Stats, Greenline and DFS. There are also linebackers who are at their best in coverage, which is useful for todays NFL. 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. Contract projection: Available in PFF's free agency rankings. 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. Drafting Quay Walker out of Georgia in the first round also helps the Packers' cause. 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. Davis is a player people keep expecting to regress, but he just hasn't. 2021 PFF grade: 83.5 (N/A). 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. 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 Seattle Seahawks in 2015. 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. Linebackers with the most INT's in both man and zone coverage last season Man: Bobby Okereke (2) Zone: Darius Leonard (4) pic.twitter.com/RJ4JbjcbYx Jerome Baker, MIA: I love Baker this season as a Top 15-20 sleeper. 10 among linebackers last year. Wagner is no longer with the Seattle Seahawks, signing with the Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Ramsthis offseason. 15 overall among NFL linebackers.Bolton was in his sixth tier, which was reserved for "young ascending" players at the linebacker position. He told us last week that 15 sacks are the "minimum" in 2022. 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. 2021 Snaps: 712 Chiefs' young linebacker unit breaks into top 10 in PFF rankings This is a case of one elite linebacker pulling along another whose narrative hasnt really matched his production. 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. 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. We thought about if Parsons should even be included in this list since he played a fair amount of pass-rusher last season, but the bottom line is that Parsons is a great linebacker who can wear several different hats on defense. Hes the complete package for a modern off-ball linebacker. Bobby Wagner may surprise some based on his age. 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. Colts linebackers receive high praise in latest linebacker rankings 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. He at least improved upon his 29.7 grade as a rookie with a 43.5 mark in Year 2. His past two years against the run have been horrid, with him posting 39.8 and 30.0 run-defense grades. In May, Sam Monson of PFF ranked as the league's No.16 linebacker coming into the 2022 NFL season. JaWhaun Bentley is a hard-nosed player like his counterpart Mack Wilson. Rookie Devin Lloydand sophomore Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah both project to be every-down linebackers on ideal defenses for expected production. 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. Projected contract: One year, $6 million, $4.5 million guaranteed, PFF Free Agency Rank: 75 His All-Pro season in 2019 was special, but some might have thought it was just a one-year thing. 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. 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. 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. 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. The Rams attacked the linebacker position this offseason, adding. Projected contract: Two years, $14.5 million ($7.25M per year), $8.5 million total guaranteed, PFF Free Agency Rank: 99 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. the star of the Colts' defense has been rock solid since exploding onto the scene as a rookie. Perhaps no player better sums up the volatility of linebacker play than the newly minted All-Pro, De'Vondre Campbell. A pair of Saints defenders were selected for PFF's top 101 players of 2022 PFF predicts Bears will sign three top-50 free agents originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports By Sam Monson May 24, 2022 Josey Jewell and Jonas Griffith should be the starters, with free agent signing Alex Singleton looking for snaps, as well. 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. Lloyd, who earned a 90.0-plus grade at Utah in 2021, does look set to start. Ranking Best Fits for Top Defensive Players in 2023 NFL Free Agency Ranking NFL's top 10 linebackers entering 2022: New No. Hes great at every aspect of linebacker play. Better luck with his health led to a respectable 63.8 overall grade and 72.6 pass-rush grade in 2021. Typically, David is the ideal linebacker for IDP. Linebacker Rankings: 2022 Regular Season - FF Today However, Dean played his role at an elite level, ranking 10th among all corners graded by PFF. Typically, David is the ideal linebacker for IDP. 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. Here are the top off-ball linebackers slated to hit free agency in 2022. Its a rebuilt Jaguars linebacking corps after losing Myles Jack to the Steelers. White was a reliable presence at linebacker following the loss of 2020 first-rounderKenneth Murrayduring Weeks 4-9 and when Murray was battling injuries over Weeks 11-15. 9 linebacker in coverage with a 73.9. However, Georgia wide receiver Kearis Jackson is not ranked in Pro Football Focus' NFL draft big board rankings. 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 Best Cornerbacks in the NFL 2022: Rookie Sauce - Pro Football Network Kendricks is another well-rounded linebacker that can cover, as his 73.8 PFF coverage grade ranked No. Best Bets Tool, PFF Free Agency Rank: 27 Editor's note: For up-to-the-minute updates based on everythingwerehearing around the NFL, go to PFF's free agency rankings, where you can sort by position, team needs, and more all offseason long. Our exclusive database, featuring the most in-depth collection of NFL player performance data. No linebacker corps gets its collective noses dirtier than the Patriots' unit. PFF's exclusive metrics provide matchup previews, position rankings, grades, and snap counts. 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. 11 among linebackers,) his AV of 8 was tied for No. 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. He ended up making the Pro Bowl by logging a career-high 863 snaps and racking up 121 tackles and 61 defensive stops. PFF predicts Bears sign three top-50 NFL free agents He signed a monster five-year, $95 million extension last July, and is worth it considering he's just 25. 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. 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. Smith has recorded at least 101 combined tackles in each of his four NFL seasons, and his last two campaigns have been impressive. Hes aggressive, has a quick trigger and finds the ball carrier. 2022 stats (Chargers): 5 sacks, 146 tackles, 1 forced fumble. He recorded 122 combined tackles, four interceptions and a whopping eight forced fumbles, which led the league. Power Rankings are PFFs NCAA power ratings based on weekly player grades in each facet of play. And even though he hasnt quite been able to maintain an elite level of play every season, his impact on the field is obvious. 2021 Snaps: 323 Fred Warner (San Francisco 49ers) earned the top spot and Darius Leonard (Indianapolis Colts). It had been three full seasons since his best play, and that best play was nowhere near elite. Anthony Brown is an okay slot and Kelvin Joseph was actually the highest rated CB. He set career highs across the board, notching 146 combined tackles, six QB hits and two interceptions. Give him the freedom to play fast, and he'll excel. Milano was a fifth-round draft pick back in 2017 but has dramatically outperformed his first-round teammate. Though he's 32 years old, David hasn't taken a major step backwards just yet. The transition from college football to the NFL used to be smooth for linebackers, but even elite prospects can now struggle in Year 1. 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. When healthy, Johnson is among the best sideline-to-sideline run-defenders at off-ball linebacker in the league. The PFF grades aren't always right on point, but they do serve as a generally effective tool for comparisons . 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. 3 Rams make PFF's top 101 players of 2022 Teams AFC East Bills Dolphins Jets Patriots AFC North Bengals Browns Ravens Steelers AFC South Colts Jaguars Texans Titans AFC West Broncos Chargers. 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. Our exclusive database, featuring the most in-depth collection of NFL player performance data. He was everything for the Green Bay defense, and while he might be the next linebacker to rejuvenate his career with a new team ( la Demario Davis), he very well could also be a one-hit wonder. Here are the best available players remaining heading into Day 2 of the 2022 NFL draft. Kendricks' grade did falter in 2021 a 59.9 mark that was down from 82.6 and 90.1 the past two years, respectively. Nick Bolton and Willie Gay are two young linebackers who came on strong last season. Patrick Surtain II has been quite literally living up to his name as an elite cornerback and has helped the Denver Broncos maintain their position as a top-tier defense even after trading away their star edge rusher. 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. This group could rank much higher by the end of next season. I also gave a target round for your rookie drafts, these are just suggestions as all drafts are different. The former undrafted free agent is in for a big pay raise this offseason after making the absolute most of his one-year deal. 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. Here are PFF's top 32 linebackers ahead of the 2021 NFL season. Fantasy Football Draft Rankings (2023) He was All-Pro just one year ago, and has been a leader for this Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense since the days when the franchise was going 2-14. Parsons was the No. Chiefs' Nick Bolton ranked in PFF's 'young ascending' linebacker tier However, both Mike Williams and Tee Higgins didn't get a whole lot of love and are lower on the list. Rankings&Projections |WR/CB Matchup Chart |NFL & NCAA Betting Dashboards | NFL Player Props Tool | NFL & NCAA Power Rankings 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. After sitting out in 2020, C.J. 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). Unlock all tools and content including Player Grades, Fantasy, NFL Draft, Premium Stats, Greenline and DFS. 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. However, he will have to get better in coverage. By Marc. Here's what PFF wrote about Wagner's season. Foyesade Oluokun was brought in from Atlanta, but there is certainly hope that the team's two rookie picks at the position, Devin Lloyd and Chad Muma, can play early. Then, he was named All-Pro again in 2020 with an AV of 14 for the second straight season. Ranking the best linebackers before the 2022 NFL season 3 linebackers Seahawks should . Edmunds is just 24 years old and entering his fifth NFL season. He pairs with the solid Matt Milano, who posted the second-best season grade of his career (67.0) in 2021. Age: 28. They also signed linebacker Myles Jack and D-lineman Larry Ogunjobi.