Will Anderson*, OLB/DE, Alabama Height: 6-4. During his playing days Hendricks recorded 60.5 sacks to go along with 26 interceptions and forcing four safeties.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'fanrankings_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_2',124,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-fanrankings_com-medrectangle-4-0'); A post shared by Lets Talk NFL (@talkfootball34). Those tools caused Edwards to go undrafted despite an excellent college career, and he had to fight his way into a starting job by excelling in the preseason and on special teams. During the shortened 2020 season, Domann was an honorable mention All-Big Ten selection. Chuck Drazenovich 10. What Watt's accomplished in his first five seasons has been historic, as his 150 QB hits over his first 77 games trail only his brother J.J. Watt for the most in league history. He led the NFL in tackles as a rookie, which gave him First-Team All-Pro honors. Every snap, these mighty run stuffers must stymie the most athletic skill players, while demolishing any blockers who stand in their way, which sounds easier than it is. 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. 11 among linebackers,) his AV of 8 was tied for No. A bit undersized linebacker, but can pack a big punch and he has underrated speed. In 10 seasons, he has been named an All-Pro eight times, made the Pro Bowl eight times and led the NFL in tackles twice. For contending teams needing help on the cheap, there's a number of established veterans to choose from in this class, including Jason Pierre-Paul, Carlos Dunlap, Jadeveon Clowney, Melvin Ingram, Justin Houston, Robert Quinn and Bruce Irvin. 9 linebacker in coverage with a 73.9. This tool includes all signings that happen during the Free Agency window only. The veteran has proven that he can thrive whether in Bill Belichick's system or beyond the system with 101 tackles and three forced fumbles last season for Detroit and will be a leader for new coach Dan Campbell. Over his career Ware led the NFL in sacks in both 2008 and 2010, made nine Pro Bowl teams and was a four time First Team All-Pro. 20. 12 among linebackers in 2021 with a PFF coverage grade of 70 in 295 coverage snaps. 6 in the NFL in sacks and No. The linebacker position in the game of football is one of the most important. Top 10 Boxers of the 1990s: Was Roy Jones Jr. the best? Rank Player Pos Ht / Wt Rating Team. Leonard burst onto the scene with 163 combined tackles, seven sacks, four forced fumbles and two interceptions in his rookie season back in 2018. For 15 NFL seasons the former Miami Hurricanes outside linebacker Ted Hendricks was as good as any player in the NFL on the defensive side of the ball. Pass Coverage. Our exclusive database, featuring the most in-depth collection of NFL player performance data. Barrett was Tampa's best defensive player during their 2020 Super Bowl run and he got rewarded with a nice long-term extension this offseason. The 12th pick overall in the 2021 NFL Draft. 2023 NFL Mock Draft: Lions snag QB early in first round, Ex-groundskeeper 'Sodfather' blasts Super Bowl field, NFL combine 2023 snubs and how other non-invites fared, Report: Carr to meet with three teams at Combine, Cowboys address futures of RBs Elliott, Pollard, Fournette landing spots: Bucs releasing RB, per report. Bell might be the most well-rounded outside linebackers ever, and is in the discussion for best 4-3 OLBs ever . A defender who can blow up screen plays and make takedowns in the open field. Bet with your head, not over it. In the off-season, every football workout should be position specific. The strongest players are experts at open-field takedowns and make it hard for quarterbacks to feel comfortable throwing toward the middle of the field. We have the edge rushers that play in a 3-4 scheme like a T.J Watt and Khalil Mack who specializes in rushing the passer. David also graded out as the No. Thomas wouldnt disappoint as a rookie posting 10 sacks and forcing three fumbles en route to winning the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award. Since 2011, J.J. Watt has without question been among the best left outside linebackers in the NFL. 1. However, we regard the top traditional linebackers as Clemson's Trenton Simpson and Oregon's Noah Sewell - both have a chance to hear their name called on day one of the draft. February 28, 2023. Now that the 2022 NFL season is over, it's time to look ahead to an . Parsons took the NFL by storm in his rookie season, recording 84 combined tackles and a Dallas Cowboys rookie record 13 sacks. All Rights Reserved. Pro Football Journal: The Top 3-4 Rushbackers of All-Time Dedicated to reporting mainstream and esoteric aspects of professional football. During his playing days Hendricks recorded 60.5 sacks to go along with 26 interceptions and forcing four safeties. The outside linebacker for these reasons, depending on the scheme, is the most important part of a defense. When you think of the outside linebacker position, it is hard to look past the long time Pittsburgh Steelers great Jack Ham. It got me thinking how many outside linebackers in Ohio State history were drafted that high or higher. Whether its from the Bears or someone else, Smith is sure to get paid next offseason when his rookie deal expires. Yannick Ngakoue, who turns 28 in March, has recorded eight or more sacks in each of his first seven seasons, including 9.5 in 2022, his only season with the Indianapolis Colts. 12 pick in 2021, Parsons was the unanimous rookie of the year last season. Out of that group of four, outside linebacker Za'Darius Smith has turned out to be the best. The Ramsrecently releasedWagner just one season into a five-year, $50 million contract due to salary cap issues. 1. Team Spending. 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. David Long Jr. could be one of the best values of this class at 26 years old since he is a three-down linebacker who is strong against the run and is a surefire tackler. Parsons actually finished No. Another defensive star of the 2000s through 2016 was the Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos pass rush specialist DeMarcus Ware. Something to note is that 3-4 pass-rushers will not appear on this list. 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. Ware recorded 138.5 sacks over his NFL career while forcing 35 fumbles and intercepting three passes. Wagner's resume speaks for itself. 1. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'fanrankings_com-banner-1','ezslot_3',126,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-fanrankings_com-banner-1-0'); Kevin Green often gets overlooked at the outside linebacker position despite a resume that is filled with great defensive statistics including ranking third All-Time in career sacks with 160 total. Brent Venables, Clemson -- $2.4 million 2. He returned to the lineup in 2018 and saw time at both safety and linebacker, making two starts at outside linebacker. Smith has recorded at least 101 combined tackles in each of his four NFL seasons, and his last two campaigns have been impressive. 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. 10. Huff is a priority to the Arkansas Razorbacks, and the Sooners will have no easy fight trying to pull him . 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. Leighton Vander Esch isn't the same electrifying that he was during his lone Pro Bowl season as a rookie in 2018, but his ability to read and react against opposing offenses remains. Oluokun is coming off a PFF run-defense grade of 44.0 and a coverage grade of 54.4. Still, the veteran is always in the right place and often capitalizes on any mistake by an offense. This is likely a polarizing selection. Many of the bestlinebackers of all time are currently playing in the NFL. After Warner's monster 2020 campaign, we thought he could be the No. It had been three full seasons since his best play, and that best play was nowhere near elite. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, JR, Notre Dame. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports. Thomas was a force to be stopped by any opposing offense and one player who forced opposing teams to change their game plans for how they rushed and passed the ball. 17 Reasons why Jordan is greater than Lebron, 16 Reasons why Lebron is greater than Jordan, The 18 greates Coaches in College Football History, The Top 21 Offensive Linemen in NFL History, 19 undeniable Lies in Disney's Remember the Titans. The former second round pick of the Kansas City Chiefs, Bobby Bell was as versatile and athletic as any linebacker to play the position during his time within the NFL. Its a shame that Jack has not been able to play in a Pro Bowl and was not an All-Pro Selection because of the shortcomings of the Jacksonville Jaguars. The defense might decide on . This is bizarrely true even when he moves to a defense run by a former New England defensive coach. This demand however came easily for some of the Greatest Outside Linebackers All-Time including the likes of Lawrence Taylor, Derrick Brooks, Jack Ham, Terrell Suggs, Derrick Thomas and DeMarcus Ware. David missed five games in 2021 due to injury, but he still had a solid season, recording 97 combined tackles. Buy Buckeyes Tickets. Now, Parsons is the highest-rated outside linebacker in the game. Swipe right for Outside Linebacker Fan Rankings. Brad White, Kentucky -- $875,000 8. By Brandon Walker | August 27, 2021 - 11:49 AM. Top 100 Right Outside Linebacks. Jack is now trying to reboot his career in Pittsburgh after suffering similar ill-fortune in Jacksonville. She isn't feeling well and ZaDarius made sure to shout her out if he got a sack. When we look at outside linebackers in the NFL we look at two types. src="https://www.facebook.com/tr?id=674090812743125&ev=PageView&noscript=1"/>. A short, compact 6-2, 265 pounds, Incoom lacks great speed or the typical desired length of a 3-4 outside linebacker, but he compensates for that deficiency with a powerful upper body that allows . After a stellar rookie season, Miller was selected as the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year after posting 11.5 sacks and two forced fumbles. section: | slug: ranking-nfls-top-10-linebackers-entering-2022-new-no-1-as-bobby-wagner-finally-dethroned | sport: football | route: article_single.us | Top 10 Outside Linebackers in the 2022 NFL Draft: Kayvon Thibodeaux remains our top prospect Kayvon Thibodeaux and David Ojabo lead the way as the top outside linebackers in the 2022 NFL Draft, but don't sleep on Sam Williams. Wagner is definitely the best LB in NFL at just 31 years old. Leonard was drafted one round earlier than Warner in 2018, and hes been equally impactful for the Colts. Top247 247Sports Composite. February 24, 2023 12:52 PM. He has prototype size for the position at 6-foot-5, 246 pounds in addition to extensive experience taking on blocks. Jewell is actually more of an all-around linebacker, but run defense has been his best area in the NFL. Milano was a fifth-round draft pick back in 2017 but has dramatically outperformed his first-round teammate, Tremaine Edmunds, within the Buffalo defense. Players like T.J. Watt, Matt Judon, Harold Landry and Shaquil Barrett are not included. For an optimal experience please rotate your device to portrait mode. Madden 23. 8:44 am ET. Micah Parsons, Dallas Cowboys The first-ever unanimous Defensive Rookie of the Year has quickly become the standard for linebacker play in the NFL. 99: 86: 2,167: 3. Bennett recorded 1,190 tackles, 71.5 career sacks and 31 forced fumbles over his career while winning the AFC Defensive Player of the Year award in 1988. Watt . 1 T.J. Watt - LOLB - 96. For new posts and be up to date to win $50 to Fanatics or Amazon. 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. In the first round, the team tabbed Fred McNeill of USC, who became a fixture at the outside linebacker spot for many . Join the contest by ranking below. Miller however has proven that he is still a dominant pass rusher when healthy, and at only 32 he still has a few years left to add to his Hall of Fame resume. Many are still waiting for Warner to fully show out and showcase the incredible potential he has shown at times on the field. He told us last week that 15 sacks are the "minimum" in 2022. Only Donald and Chandler Jones have topped J.J. Watt's younger brother has 47.5 sacks since 2017. There is no debating who is the Top 10 Outside Linebacker All-Time. Aaron Donald once again won the Defensive Player of the Year award in 2020, but Pittsburgh fans had every right to feel robbed. And Davis has been outstanding in all areas since moving to the New Orleans defense. 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. Despite the inconsistent offense, the Chicago Bears had the No. Please check the opt-in box to acknowledge that you would like to subscribe. We adapted Google's Privacy Guidelines to keep your data safe at all times. What we know is that as a linebacker you need to be strong as hell, fast as hell, and mean as hell. Part 3. . Most of the time they will either be rushing the QB, trying to stop the run, or dropping back into zone coverage so we put much more weight on these attributes than others. HONORABLE MENTION: Bob Breunig, Greg Ellis. For 10 seasons, Gildon tormented quarterbacks at outside linebacker. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'fanrankings_com-large-mobile-banner-2','ezslot_5',131,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-fanrankings_com-large-mobile-banner-2-0'); For new posts and be up to date to win $50 to Fanatics or Amazon. The former No. Davids 72.3 overall PFF grade is the lowest mark he has posted in a single season since 2016, and Wagners 71.8 was his lowest since 2015. Monte Coleman 5. That flexibility is tremendously valuable to the Dallas defense, but Parsons could take his game to another level if he shows development off the ball in Year 2. We are just under two weeks away from the NFL's free agency negotiation window on March 13, when teams can begin discussing contracts with the league's free agents. TGT Tips! It is possible, I am sure. Here's the top 10 entering the 2022 season: 1. This site is using Cloudflare and adheres to the Google Safe Browsing Program. However, when he is on the field and healthy he can cause havoc on defense. View Ranking History 2/18/23: In 2022, Anderson totaled 51 tackles, 10 sacks and an interception returned for a touchdown. Up next, our Top 10 linebackers.1. Ham, who played 12 NFL seasons all with the Steelers recorded 32 career interceptions to go along with two defensive touchdowns while helping the Steelers to win four Super Bowls over his career. With Smith entering the final year of his rookie deal, Spotrac believes he's in line to sign a five-year, $88.18 million extension. Neal Olkewicz FAQs Next up on the docket for my top Redskins players series are the linebackers. Clayton White, South Carolina -- $900,000 7. Linebackers are some of the most intense players in football, and with all the new schemes today - athletes are coming in all different shapes and sizes. Of 44.0 and a coverage grade of 54.4 is always in the off-season, every workout... Olb/De, Alabama Height: 6-4 like T.J. 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