They happily scooped up the extremely talented Georgia linebacker. Cole Holcomb, WAS: Impressive young linebacker who could see the numbers improve in 2022. Drue Tranquill. 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. 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. In two weeks, NFL GMs will begin negotiating with free . 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. Parsons actually finished No. His processing skills took massive steps forward in 2021, causing his grade to jump from 57.1 to 76.3. Adam Holt. Parsons is versatile, smart and instinctive. This is bizarrely true even when he moves to a defense run by a former New England defensive coach. Our exclusive database, featuring the most in-depth collection of NFL player performance data. Potentially losing a step or two with age can be negated by elite play recognition and instincts, both of which David has in spades. Chicago signed Nicholas Morrow from Las Vegas to fill the spot next to Smith for 2022. Since entering the league, Warner has 118 or more total tackles in every season and was named First-Team All-Pro in 2020. He is a fantastic story of earning a job the hard way. Okereke is a solid stand-in next to Leonard. In Eric Kendricks, the Vikings have had a superb all-around linebacker for years. The Steelers brought in former Jaguar Myles Jack to play alongside him. 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. is likely another surprise player based on where he tends to go in drafts, but dont let the age fool you. Expect both young studs to push for 140-plus combined tackles, if healthy. Here are the top 10 linebackers scheduled to become free agents in March. 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. 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. Mosley endured the worst-graded season of his NFL career. 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. Harris is one of the most physical linebackers in the class who relishes the ability to hit anyone on the other side of the ball. 1 on our list. 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 Penn State product ranked No. The 49ers applied the second-round restricted free agent tender at a price tag of $3.986 million to Al-Shaair for the 2022 season, perhaps illustrating that they feared he would get signed to an offer sheet elsewhere if they went with the right of first refusal tender. It had been three full seasons since his best play, and that best play was nowhere near elite. Hes the complete package for a modern off-ball linebacker. 1 linebacker on this list entering 2022. All of this culminates with the 2022 NFL Draft from Las Vegas, Nevada on Thursday, April 28th. 2022 NFL Draft Position Rankings: Linebackers By Michael Renner Apr 22, 2022 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. He has not graded above 70.0 since. He can chase down the fastest of running backs. Here are the top free agents at linebacker, taken from PFF's free agency rankings. Aug 9, 2022. Typically, David is the ideal linebacker for IDP. The transition from college football to the NFL used to be smooth for linebackers, but even elite prospects can now struggle in Year 1. 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. 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. His past two years against the run have been horrid, with him posting 39.8 and 30.0 run-defense grades. His 62 run stops over the last two seasons ranks ninth among off-ball linebackers, and his 18 tackles for loss or no gain is tied for 14th. Micah Parsons is one of the best young talents in the league, but he does split his time between off-ball linebacker and edge rusher, where he's at his best work. 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. 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. His elite run-stopping ability was on display against the Packers in the divisional round, too. The scheme plays a part in them making some plays. 2021 Snaps:444 Give him the freedom to play fast, and he'll excel. 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. at 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. That 42.0 mark was his first time dropping below 70.0 since 2015. 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 4. 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. Nick Bolton and Willie Gay are two young linebackers who came on strong last season. 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. Still one of the more underrated players in the league, Demario Davis has been the heartbeat of one of the league's best defenses over the past five seasons. PFF's exclusive metrics provide matchup previews, position rankings, grades, and snap counts. 23 in 2021. Nakobe Dean was widely considered to be a potential first-round pick before the 2022 NFL Draft. 70 & No.71 on PFF's Top-101 players for the 2022 NFL season. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports. Seahawks only have one player in PFF's top-40 graded edge defenders Teams AFC East Bills Dolphins Jets Patriots AFC North Bengals Browns Ravens Steelers AFC South Colts Jaguars Texans Titans AFC. Pro Football Focus's top linebacker in the 2020 NFL Draft only kind of, sort of plays linebacker. He went from having a one-year contract worth $2 million to signing a five-year deal that carries an AAV of $10 million! This is a case of one elite linebacker pulling along another whose narrative hasnt really matched his production. With that in mind, some of these units have fewer members than others. His struggles come in coverage, where he's allowed nearly 1,000 yards over the past two seasons. 2021 PFF grade: 83.5 (N/A). This is a case of one elite linebacker pulling along another whose narrative hasnt really matched his production. However, Georgia wide receiver Kearis Jackson is not ranked in Pro Football Focus' NFL draft big board rankings. Linebacker Rankings: 2022 Regular Season, Updated: 9/1/2022 Want Custom Fantasy Scoring? Jewell missed almost all of 2021 due to injury but is a run-stuffing force when on the field. With that in mind, some of these units have fewer members than others. Zach Cunningham, if nothing else, stops the run. The ACC consisted of 14 members in two divisions. David also just put forth his worst season since 2016, posting a 72.3 grade. Oluokun is coming off a PFF run-defense grade of 44.0 and a coverage grade of 54.4. 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. 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. 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. 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. Our exclusive database, featuring the most in-depth collection of NFL player performance data. Perhaps no player better sums up the volatility of linebacker play than the newly minted All-Pro, De'Vondre Campbell. Fred Warner, San Francisco 49ers The 49ers struck gold when they drafted Warner in the third round in 2018. No linebacker corps gets its collective noses dirtier than the Patriots' unit. 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. The PFF grades aren't always right on point, but they do serve as a generally effective tool for comparisons . The former undrafted free agent is in for a big pay raise this offseason after making the absolute most of his one-year deal. Milano was a fifth-round draft pick back in 2017 but has dramatically outperformed his first-round teammate, Tremaine Edmunds, within the Buffalo defense. . PFF's top linebackers in the 2023 NFL Draft 1. 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. All Rights Reserved. Chenal is going to thrive in man-blitz-heavy schemes. . Unlock all tools and content including Player Grades, Fantasy, NFL Draft, Premium Stats, Greenline and DFS. White landed with the Philadelphia Eagles on a one-year, $3 million flier last offseason after his market didnt pan out too well. 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. 1 as Bobby Wagner finally dethroned Ranking the top 10 linebackers for the upcoming NFL season By Jordan Dajani Jun 28, 2022 at. 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. may surprise some based on his age. 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. Nevertheless, he may have to play on a one-year prove-it deal as he recovers. 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. In May, Sam Monson of PFF ranked as the league's No.16 linebacker coming into the 2022 NFL season. It's good news, then,. 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. 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. Like the Chiefs, the Bengals also went into last season with a lot of unknowns surrounding the linebacker position but found a really good pair in, A position of weakness for the Eagles in 2021 might turn into a position of strength in 2022 with the additions of rookie, The Ravens are still looking for that breakout year from. Alex Anzalone and Chris Board are two depth players who start for the Lions. 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. Speed and Matthew Adams late-round dart throws. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports Subscribe to PFF+ to unlock An error occured while loading Position Grades. 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. The best linebackers in todays league are elite coverage players, but they can also affect the game in other ways. Leonard was a beast in stopping the run, as his 91.1 PFF run defense grade was second among all defenders in 2021 -- not just linebackers. Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) runs the ball against Green Bay Packers inside linebacker De'Vondre Campbell (59) during the second half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Its a rebuilt Jaguars linebacking corps after losing. 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. Micah Parsons, Dallas Cowboys The first-ever unanimous Defensive Rookie of the Year has quickly become the standard for linebacker play in the NFL. He packs a punch as a downhill player, as he can light up offensive linemen with ease. 10 among linebackers last year. despite dropping into coverage at times. 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. Its hard to overstate Fred Warners effect on the 49ers' defense in their run to the NFC championship in 2021. 2021 PFF grade: 50.6 (51st of 89). 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. Devin Lloyd, Utah BIG BOARD RANK: 15 Campbells 90.4 tackling grade is his fifth straight such mark above 75.0, and that sure tackling goes a long way in Green Bay. Meanwhile, David will have to get it there himself, given that the Bucs defense wasnt exactly bereft of talent last season. For all the young players' struggles, there are a lot of promising linebackers who have the talent to become elite players at this level. 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. 2021 Snaps: 783 The rest of 1A should surprise no one, with this group almost filling out the consensus top-five linebackers in ADP terms,. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports. 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. The top 10 linebackers in NFL currently are dynamic weapons and reliable leaders. 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. A position of concern and potential weakness heading into last season has become a real strength for Kansas City. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports. Jordyn Brooks is an ascending star who will get more snaps this year. Now its just a matter of how nice itll be. In today's NFL, few positions have become as difficult to play as off-ball linebacker. His 913 snaps for the Raiders last season was a career-high mark and more than doubled his previous best. PFF ranked him as one of the 30 best players in the NFL last season, which he certainly was. 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. Divine Deablo had some interesting moments as a rookie in 2021 and is worth keeping an eye on. 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.