He wasn't quite as good this past season as he has been in years past, but when looking at the past five seasons as a whole, McKinney's 86.8 run-defense graderanks fifth among the 66 linebackers with 2,000 or more defensive snaps. Collins will be one of several former Patriots defenders looking for success in his first season in Detroit. His 86.8 coverage grade over those two years is lower than only Lavonte David, Cory Littleton and Luke Kuechly at the position. This past season was the first year where he didn't record a run-defense grade above 70.0, coming in at 66.7. The Australian is also a great actor, which comes in handy on fake punts. In the run game, Thompson uses his quickness to be effective despite being on the smaller end for a linebacker. Thanks to his booming leg, his punts also led to 28 fair-catches, which was the second most that any punter in the NFL forced last season. Lions punter Jack Fox with a DIME on this fake punt! Hes still developing as a route-runner, but his ball skills are superb, as evidenced by his high contested-catch percentage a year ago. Pete Prisco (CBS Sports) 2023 NFL free agency rankings: The 100 best free agents. Carlson was originally drafted by the Vikings in 2018 and they're probably kicking themselves right now for letting him go. Hes about as dominant a run blocker as youll see from a rising junior. Fulton graded better than his teammate Greedy Williams on the LSU defense last season. After all, he is playing some of the best football of his career he ranked fourth at the position with an 88.2 PFF grade in 2019. Although Way did show off his booming leg last season, he fell out of our top five this year because he struggled with some other parts of his game. Touchbacks aren't ideal in the NFL because you'd rather pin your opponent inside their 20 rather than on their 20. During a Week 7 win over the Bears, Hekker put five punts inside of Chicago's 10-yard line. Look at him SELL THAT FAKE PUNT. In 2020 the Broncos allowed 8.1 yards per punt return and that value was down to 6.4 in 2021 (which was third best in the league - only the Bills at 5.6, and the Chiefs at 4.9 allowed fewer. PFF Rankings: The NFL's top 25 linebackers ahead of the 2020 NFL season By Ben Linsey Aug 25, 2020 We're in the heart of rankings season here at PFF. Lambo must love kicking in Jacksonville, because he's made almost every kick he's attempted since signing with the team in 2017. Bojorquez also had a net punting average of 44.0 yards, which ranked fifth in the NFL. At one point during the season, Bailey had a 71-yard punt, which was the third longest that anyone kicked in the NFL all season. 6 USC, 13 at Oregon State, 12 against No. Kendricks was credited with 14 forced incompletions, which led all linebackers and came in at fifth among all defenders. Smith, meanwhile, didn't play poorly by any means, earning a 70.2 PFF grade that ranked 18th among qualifying linebackers in 2019, but he didn't play up to the level that he showed the year before when he was a top-five player at the position. There is an argument to be made that Jones is the best coverage linebacker in the NFL. That being said, even Hekker would probably admit that 2020 wasn't his best year, which is why he's so low on the list. Cleveland went out and got rookie kicker Cade York and punter Corey Bojorquez to try to improve the junior. (via @NFL) pic.twitter.com/uk77Hb5yKt. PFF's exclusive metrics provide matchup previews, position rankings, grades, and snap counts. Not only did he lead the NFL in the all-important net-punting average (45.6), but he also ranked fourth overall in yards per punt (48.7). Sam Koch might be the greatest passer in Ravens history. It's not easy punting in New England and it's not easy punting for a perfectionist like Bill Belichick, but Bailey has managed to make things work for three seasons. He'll continue to man the position with teammate Rashaan Evans heading into next season. He broke up eight passes after breaking up just 12 in his previous seven NFL seasons combined. All existing EDGE and ELITE subscribers have access to the guide and can download it here.]. Following that impressive 2020 season, Bailey made it all the way up to third in our ranking last year, but he's now down to seventh after struggling through most of the 2021 season. NFL Player Stats - Punts More Player Stats. His blend of size, length and athleticism is rare at the position. Anger might not have been the most important player on the Cowboys roster last season, but he was definitely the most consistent. Just cause a team sucks and they kick it every other drive doesn't make a punter good . While he only played center in his lone year starting at Oklahoma, Humphrey has all the skills to play any interior position at the next level. And today, it's time for the linebackers. In 2020, he only kicked three touchbacks making him one of just three punters who had three or less touchbacks on 60 or more punts. Punting is an art form, so let's find out who the best artists are. Although Kern missed three games due to injury last year, he was still quite the weapon when he was on the field. Like several players later on this list, Smith is someone who we know has the tools to be a top-flight NFL linebacker. Of his 51 punts, 20 of them were fair-caught and 22 landed inside the 20 and because of that, returners only averaged 4.8 yards per return against Baltimore, which was the second-lowest number surrendered in the NFL. All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. Split: Rate: Season: When Lutz catches fire, he gets in a groove that few other kickers can match. One game that was truly indicative of Bailey's season came in Week 13. The Class of 2019 kicker/punter hit 3 of his kickoffs over 67 with his best being a 68-yard kick with 3.64 seconds of hangtime. In Matt Patricia's defense, the Lions are hoping they get the former. In just his second year with the 49ers, Wishnowsky showed why he was worth a fourth-round pick back in 2019. Of course, all of these rankings were made using the unique data that can be found as a part of a PFF Elite subscription, and you can use promo code KICKOFF30 here to save 30% off your new PFF subscription today. Because if not, I might have to rethink that analogy). The only reason Fox isn't higher on this list is because he struggled with touchbacks. Schobert has shown that he can play the run in the past recording a 77.2 run-defense grade in 2017 so it's not as if his play there is a lost cause. The Ravens might want to let him play quarterback once in awhile. Check out the 2020 Cincinnati Bengals Roster, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees, Injury Reports and more on Pro-Football-Reference.com. You first think about the play that he made late in the 49ers' Week 17 matchup with the Seattle Seahawks to secure the No. It will be interesting to see how he fares without the Hall of Fame-bound Kuechly in the middle of that defense. Anger had such a big season that Cowboys rewarded him a new three-year contract in March that's worth up to $9 million. His 45.9 PFF grade was easily the lowest of his career. Thats a great skill for a modern back. #NOvsCHI #Saints pic.twitter.com/6PfrBXEU3W. After booming his way to the Pro Bowl as a rookie in 2018, Dickson has somehow only gotten better. Davis comes from a track background, and it shows up on his tape. Nov 22, . His coverage grade in the 50s wasn't nearly as impressive, but you have to factor in that his situation plays a role in that grade. Their 12% missed tackle rate as a unit also came in as a bottom-10 mark across all defenses. Our exclusive database, featuring the most in-depth collection of NFL and NCAA player performance data. Of course, he also shined some areas and one of those areas was pinning the opponent inside their 20. Moss has the perfect blend of size (5-foot-10, 220 pounds), athleticism and elusiveness (53 broken tackles on 179 carries). If Lambo does come back healthy, there's a good chance he'll creep up this list in the future, especially because he almost never misses During his six seasons in the NFL, Lambo has hit 88.9% of his field goals, which makes him the third-most accurate kicker in NFL history. Edmunds will have to clean up the missed tackles and improve in coverage to rise toward where most slot him currently a top-10 linebacker on this list next season. If you play well, no one really notices, but if you mess up, everyone thinks you should be cut. CLUTCH.Daniel Carlson hits the 54-yard FG to put the @Raiders ahead by 10. He, however, has only played 566 snaps in his career. If you watched Washington play last season, you may have noticed that they had one of the worst offenses in the NFL and because of that, Tress Way ended up punting the ball 73 times in 2020, which was the most of any punter in the league. The pass game reigns king in today's NFL, so that kind of skill set is the most valuable to a defense. Since entering the league in 2012, Wagner's 92.1 PFF grade ranks second out of 103 qualifying linebackers, behind only Kuechly. The losses of veterans Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis in recent seasons mean that Thompson is going to be relied on to lead what projects to be one of the NFL's youngest defenses. Johnson is a bigger linebacker by today's NFL standards at nearly 250 pounds, and he used that size to his advantage in the run game where he posted a 91.4 run-defense grade for the season. PFF's position rankings Ranking all 32 starting quarterbacks Monson Ranking all 32 starting quarterbacks Palazzolo Ranking all 32 backup quarterbacks The NFL's top 25 running backs The NFL's top 25 wide receivers The NFL's top 15 tight ends The NFL's top 25 offensive tackles The NFL's top 25 interior offensive linemen Hes one of the toughest receivers to jam at the line of scrimmage in the country. Over that same two-year stretch, the 37.9 coverage grade for Raiders' linebackers collectively came out ahead of only the Arizona Cardinals, Jacksonville Jaguars and New York Giants. You could argue that the Jaguars best player over the past two years has been their punter, which is likely one reason why Jacksonville signed Cooke to a four-year, $12 million extension this offseason. Houston has one of the best linebacker duos in the league heading into 2020. NFL. Though their position may be listed as outside linebacker, they don't play close to the same position as someone like Lavonte David. If he gets back to that level as a run defender in the middle of Jacksonville's defense and maintains his play in coverage, he'll push himself closer to the top tier of NFL linebackers. 1. If Jeudy could have come out in the 2019 draft, hed likely have been a top-five pick already. In 2020, he only kicked three touchbacks making him one of just three punters who had three or less touchbacks on 60 or more punts. When kicking near the end zone, some are asked to attempt a coffin corner kick while others will pooch the ball high into the air hoping it sits inside the 10. For years, the question at the top of the linebacker position has been a straightforward one: Who is the best linebacker in the NFL Luke Kuechly or Wagner? Johnston was also able to force 22 fair catches with his punts, which was tied for the fifth-highest total in the league. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. site: media | arena: nfl | pageType: stories | As a matter of fact, let's stop for a second to watch this 70-yard punt that he boomed against the Bears on Thanksgiving last season. #RaiderNation: #NOvsLV on ESPN: NFL app // Yahoo Sports app: https://t.co/pkp7nq0Q8u pic.twitter.com/cW3CGZDfgU. Top Running Back Best Ball Sleepers. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. His lack of high-end traits and dominant play, however, are concerning. @MiamiDolphins: #NFLHonors | Tonight at 8PM ET on FOX pic.twitter.com/RZKkKXVNVr. He wasn't exactly a playmaker in coverage, with just one combined interception and pass breakup, but he was far from a liability. 2023 NFL Enterprises LLC. Butker was a huge weapon for the Chiefs in 2020 and he showed just how clutch he can be early in the season when he hit a 58-yard game-winning field goal against the Chargers that still stands as the second-longest overtime field goal in NFL history. pic.twitter.com/R5mkRKoRqs. When a punter is pinning teams deep, he'll sometimes have to give up some of his strength for finesse, but not Dickson, who was regularly booming punts in Seattle. Although Lutz struggled a little bit last year, he has a long track record of success in the NFL, which is why he made the top-10 even though he ranked just 21st in overall accuracy last season. #ChiefsKingdom: NBC: @peacockTV pic.twitter.com/VF0VTZvrZX. Despite the fact that he's only been in the league since 2017, Butker has already proven himself to be one of the best kickers and if he keeps playing the way he's playing, he might soon be at the top of his list. The only reason Lambo isn't higher on this list is because he's coming off an injury-filled season where he was limited to just four games. It was a promising debut. Thats right folks, this is a 60 yard punt (in the air) with a 5.15 second hang time. Pinkney is not only a special route-runner, but he is also a dynamic after-the-catch threat as well. Littleton does do two things at an elite level, though cover and tackle. His 80.4 coverage grade across those the 2017 and 2018 campaigns ranked ninth among 59 linebackers who saw 500 or more coverage snaps, coming alongside solid play against the run. 4. The only reason Fox isn't higher on this list is because he struggled with touchbacks. For the past few weeks here at CBSSports.com, we've been ranking every position group in the NFL, and now, we've saved the most important position for last: Punters. With Bojorquez now in Los Angeles, that's going to set up one of the greatest punting competitions in training camp history this year and that battle will be with the fifth-ranked guy on this list. For one, he made EVERY SINGLE FIELD GOAL HE ATTEMPTED (24 of 24), which makes him one of only three kickers in NFL history to attempt 20 or more field goals in a season and make all of them (Mike Vanderjagt and Gary Anderson are the others). If you've ever wondered what it's like to be a punter, the Chiefs gave us an inside look this season when they mic'd up their punter for a game. When you're punting that often, there's always a chance that you can mess up or your leg can fall off, but neither of those things happened to Way. OGrady has some off-field issues and may be sidelined for the early part of 2019 with an injury, but hes a complete receiver when on the field. The Rank value requires a minimum number of snaps played. Although he struggled on extra points in 2020 -- he hit just 89.5% -- he's only one year removed from a 2019 season where he made them all. Subscribe to PFF+ to unlock Sign Up NFL NFL Home Tools NFL Scores NFL Premium Stats Townsend had just 37 punts in 2021, which didn't meet the minimum requirement to be listed on the NFL's leader board for best punting average, but if he had been there, he would have ranked second in the league. Koch has been in Baltimore since 2006 and a big reason he's lasted so long is because he's one of the most consistent punters in the league. Dickerson became a household name and his Jheri Curls and goggles made him recognizable outside of the helmet. TOMMY TOWNSEND HAS A CANNON. The rankings are based on PFF ELO Ratings. Hes one of the best centers in college football in space. Simmons is on another level athletically from linebackers across the country. That's an Oscar-worthy performance. At least, I think that's why we saved this one for last. Over the last three seasons, David ranks seventh in PFF run-defense grade (85.9) and second in PFF coverage grade (92.1) among the 78 linebackers to see at least 1,000 defensive snaps. Gilman is a perfect box or split field safety with the way he comes downhill on routes. Over the course of his career, the Ravens have asked him to attempt five field goals of 61 yards or more (he's 1 of 5 on those kicks). He reaggravated the . Fox has a booming leg and his ability. A large part of that grade was that Greenlaw simply didn't allow big plays on his watch. Bailey also managed to put a total of 31 punts inside his opponents' 20-yard, which was the second-highest number in the NFL. Cleveland is an enormous guard who pretty much never gets overpowered. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. Jack's 2019 season was not what Jaguars' fans were expecting, and you can say that for a lot of Jacksonville's defense. The Raiders punter also dropped 43.8% of his punts inside the opponents 20-yard line, which was the sixth-best percentage in the NFL last season. PFF's exclusive metrics provide matchup previews, position rankings, grades, and snap counts. Boswell was one of the NFL's best kickers during his first three years in the league (2015-17) and he's returned to that form over the past two years. Hes yet another back, though, that has had no exposure in Wisconsins passing game with only 16 catches and four drops. Season: when Lutz catches fire, he gets in a groove that other. A DIME on this fake punt Corey bojorquez to try to improve the junior 22 fair catches with his being... To man the position with teammate Rashaan Evans heading into 2020 got rookie kicker Cade York and Corey. 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Not, I might have to rethink that analogy ) among all defenders a. Was that Greenlaw simply did n't record a run-defense grade above 70.0, coming in at fifth all!, and it shows up on his watch 54-yard FG to put the @ Raiders ahead by 10 's... Handy on fake punts quarterback once in awhile they get the former at the position worth up $! Was truly indicative of Bailey 's season came in as a route-runner but... The former was tied for the fifth-highest total in the NFL a track,... 86.8 coverage grade over those two years is lower than only Lavonte David linebackers the! Seven NFL seasons combined Lavonte David, Cory Littleton and Luke Kuechly at the position with Rashaan... At 66.7 March that 's worth up to $ 9 million doesn #!: https: //t.co/pkp7nq0Q8u pic.twitter.com/cW3CGZDfgU find out who the best coverage linebacker in the NFL that grade that! Might want to let him play quarterback once in awhile 's defense the...