The Rams attacked the linebacker position this offseason, adding. 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. He told us last week that 15 sacks are the "minimum" in 2022. According to Stathead's AV tool, Leonard was tied in having the second-best season of any linebacker last year. Now its just a matter of how nice itll be. He may be coming off one of his worst statistical seasons in recent memory, but he also missed five games with injury. I also gave a target round for your rookie drafts, these are just suggestions as all drafts are different. He can chase down the fastest of running backs. Its a rebuilt Jaguars linebacking corps after losing Myles Jack to the Steelers. 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. The ACC consisted of 14 members in two divisions. He signed a monster five-year, $95 million extension last July, and is worth it considering he's just 25. While those grades arent poor, by any stretch, they are a notable step down from these players' excellent career baselines and some way short of their elite best. 17 linebacker in the NFL going into 2022, placing him in the "young. 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 went from having a one-year contract worth $2 million to signing a five-year deal that carries an AAV of $10 million! 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. 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. 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 Atlantic Coast Conference football season - Wikipedia You must be logged in and create a league profile to apply custom fantasy scoring to the stats, projections and rankings pages. 12 among linebackers in 2021 with a PFF coverage grade of 70 in 295 coverage snaps. may surprise some based on his age. . Dean's range at the linebacker position is unparalleled in this draft class. 8:44 am ET. He was good as a true linebacker, but his ability to play two different roles on any given snap made him special and provided a hybrid ability that caused problems for offenses. The Seahawks selected Cody Barton out of Utah with the No. 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. 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. A new defensive coordinator and scheme will help him, though. NFL NFL Home Tools NFL Scores NFL Premium Stats NFL Player Grades Free Agent Rankings QB Annual 2022 NFL Linebacker Rankings 2022 - ftnfantasy.com Seven 49ers listed on PFF Top 101 Players of 2022 ranking The only season in which he did not record at least 100 tackles was his rookie campaign, when he missed two games. Projected contract: One year, $6 million, $4.5 million guaranteed, PFF Free Agency Rank: 75 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. 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. 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. Nakobe Dean was widely considered to be a potential first-round pick before the 2022 NFL Draft. Please try again later. The second linebacker tier features 17 linebackers on teams that are expected to be less zone-heavy than those in the tier above. 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. He recorded 122 combined tackles, four interceptions and a whopping eight forced fumbles, which led the league. These athletes are called upon to be run-stuffing defensive linemen on some downs, and hybrid cornerbacks on others. 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. 2021 PFF grade: 60.4 (30th of 89). Therefore, they are included in our. Rashaan Evans and Mykal Walker are solid players, though, and the team will hope that rookie Troy Andersen can make an early impact. No linebacker corps gets its collective noses dirtier than the Patriots' unit. 6 in the NFL in sacks and No. 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. Contract projection: Available in PFF's free agency rankings. Honorable mentions: Tremaine Edmunds, Matt Milano, Logan Wilson, Shaq Thompson, Alexander Johnson, Deion JonesJeremiah Owusu-Koramoah,Zach Cunningham, Anthony Walker, C.J. Nakobe Dean, LB, Georgia . 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. Oluokun is coming off a PFF run-defense grade of 44.0 and a coverage grade of 54.4. He also frequently lines up at safety, defensive line and nickel corner, and if he had his way . Since entering the league, Warner has 118 or more total tackles in every season and was named First-Team All-Pro in 2020. Pro Football Focus has finalized the regular season grades for the 2022 NFL season. Linebacker Rankings: 2022 Regular Season, Updated: 9/1/2022 Want Custom Fantasy Scoring? Chicago signed Nicholas Morrow from Las Vegas to fill the spot next to Smith for 2022. Post-Draft IDP Rookie Linebacker Rankings for 2022 1 linebacker according to PFF, with a grade of 89.7. 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. The Rams attacked the linebacker position this offseason, adding Bobby Wagner. After looking like he might be the next great linebacker earlier in his career, Deion Jones play has fallen off a cliff. 2022 NFL Free Agency Rankings: Linebackers - PFF 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. Chenal is going to thrive in man-blitz-heavy schemes. his sure hands also need to be highlighted," PFF's Zoltn Buday wrote. Fred Warner, San Francisco 49ers The 49ers struck gold when they drafted Warner in the third round in 2018. Despite what PFF says, I don't think there are that many more linebackers who are better in coverage than Kendricks. He also registered a fourth-best 79.4 PFF coverage grade among linebackers despite playing a whopping 680 coverage snaps. Unfortunately, he took a bit of a step back from his All-Pro and Pro Bowls ways. And even though he hasnt quite been able to maintain an elite level of play every season, his impact on the field is obvious. 2022 NFL Linebacker Rankings and Tiers Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indianapolis Colts outside linebacker Darius Leonard (53) reacts to a play in the first half against the Las Vegas Raiders at Lucas Oil Stadium. 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. 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. PFF Ranks Lions' 2022 Draft Class 3rd Best Within NFL | Heavy.com His first year with the Packers resulted in a whopping 85.0 mark. 3) Demario Davis, New Orleans Saints. Where are Georgia Bulldogs ranked on PFF's 2023 NFL draft big board? Bobby Wagner, Seattle Seahawks Seattle's defense may have deteriorated around him, but Bobby Wagner remains the class of the linebacker position, especially since Luke Kuechly 's retirement. Why drafting Dallas Cowboys LB Micah Parsons among the top-12 may not be the best decision. This ranking may be a surprise after the Seahawks lost future Hall of Famer. His past two years against the run have been horrid, with him posting 39.8 and 30.0 run-defense grades. 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. 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. His elite run-stopping ability was on display against the Packers in the divisional round, too. 6-keys: media/spln/nfl/reg/free/stories, By pressing sign up, I confirm that I have read and agree to the. ECR VS. ADP. 3 Rams make PFF's top 101 players of 2022 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. In 2022, he boasted a pass . He put forth a monster rookie season in 2019 but hasnt quite attained the same highs in subsequent seasons. This is a case of one elite linebacker pulling along another whose narrative hasnt really matched his production. Typically, David is the ideal linebacker for IDP. Devin Lloyd, Utah BIG BOARD RANK: 15 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. Hes earned himself a nice raise. 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. Hes aggressive, has a quick trigger and finds the ball carrier. LB Rankings: 2022 Regular Season - FF Today 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. Hes the complete package for a modern off-ball linebacker. 2021 PFF grade: 53.0 (50th of 89). Andersen is a converted running back and quarterback who, in his lone full season at linebacker, racked up an absurd 67 stops. The Georgia Bulldogs have a 12 players participating at the 2023 NFL combine. That 42.0 mark was his first time dropping below 70.0 since 2015. Here's why that is important: PFF's Fantasy Football Expected Points tool is primarily used for identifying potential over and undervalued players. In this article, I list my top 20 rookie linebacker rankings for your IDP dynasty leagues. There may be no better all-around linebacker in the class. Here's what PFF wrote about Wagner's season. 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. 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. He was. 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. Perhaps no player better sums up the volatility of linebacker play than the newly minted All-Pro, De'Vondre Campbell. We have seen elite play from the seventh-year pro, but we've not nearly seen enough of it, given his physical talents. He is a truly freakish athlete and will be 25 years old throughout his entire sixth NFL season in 2023 after being selected No. Subscribe to PFF+ to unlock An error occured while loading Position Grades. The PFF grades aren't always right on point, but they do serve as a generally effective tool for comparisons . 23 in 2021. 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. After sitting out in 2020, C.J. PFF says the Eagles may have gotten the biggest steal of the 2022 NFL He started in 16 games after starting in only 11 total in his previous three NFL seasons. He subsequently graded out to 76.5 in his first season. After missing most of the regular season. Shaq Thompson is a bona fide star, and he may be playing alongside a diamond-in-the-rough partner in Frankie Luvu. Age: 28. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports. Lloyd, who earned a 90.0-plus grade at Utah in 2021, does look set to start. Projected contract: Two years,$12.5 million ($6.25M per year), $8 million total guaranteed, PFF Free Agency Rank: 139 Now, Brown hits free agency coming off a career-low 421 snaps, though he still maintained a 60.0-plus coverage grade, which is where he derives a lot of his value as an off-ball linebacker. However, both Mike Williams and Tee Higgins didn't get a whole lot of love and are lower on the list. 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. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-USA TODAY Sports. Mosley, Foye Oluokun. There is hope that Channing Tindall, Miami's rookie linebacker out of Georgia, can find his way on the field. 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. Roquan Smith has had an up-and-down NFL career so far, and the team will be hoping he can bounce back from a 47.1 grade last season. The linebacker position in the game of football is one of the most important. 15 overall among NFL linebackers.Bolton was in his sixth tier, which was reserved for "young ascending" players at the linebacker position. But in a vacuum, Much of this unit's potential lies with third-round rookie. 2022 Draft Linebacker Prospects: PFF Grades And Big Board Ranks After Warner's monster 2020 campaign, we thought he could be the No. His 94.1 run defense grade wasn't too far behindMicah Parsons (94.8) PFF college record. Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Chicago Bears inside linebacker Roquan Smith (58) stares into the backfield during pre-game at Nissan Stadium. Divine Deablo had some interesting moments as a rookie in 2021 and is worth keeping an eye on. 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. Johnson finds himself in one of the most unique contract situations in NFL history. Hightower will be 32 years old in Week 1 of 2022, but there's an argument that taking the 2020 season off has his body refreshed and revitalized. Recently, Seth Galina from PFF ranked all 32 linebacker units in the league. Van Noy has now had stints in Detroit and Miami, but his good PFF grades are almost exclusively reserved for his time in the Patriots defense. Lavonte David is still one of the best linebackers in the game . 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. The Titans ask a lot of their off-ball linebackers, and Long can do it all. 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. Chiefs' young linebacker unit breaks into top 10 in PFF rankings 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. You don't do what he did in his rookie season if you aren't a star. March 2, 2023 3:21 pm ET. He has yet to post a sub-70.0 grade, with three out of his four years coming in above 78.0. The grades for the Detroit Lions in their 9-8 campaign offer up an analytically-based glimpse of how the Lions performed. Titans' David Long called a 'young ascending' LB in PFF's rankings 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.