Thomas would go on to play 11 NFL seasons before his career and life was cut short after an automobile accident. Coach Keys: Shows the ability to take over a game defensively. This performance was followed up by recording a leading 19.5 sacks in 2019. 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. NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowler. at Since entering the league, Warner has 118 or more total tackles in every season and was named First-Team All-Pro in 2020. in preparation for a blitz with both outside linebackers. Defensive coordinator Dan Quinn said Parsons will see time as both an off-ball linebacker and EDGE rusher in 2022. Now, it remains to be seen if Campbell can replicate his 2021 campaign, but based off of how he played last year, Campbell deserves a place on this list. He made the full-time switch to outside linebacker for the 2019 season, starting six games and recording 52 tackles that season. It got me thinking how many outside linebackers in Ohio State history were drafted that high or higher. Over his career Suggs was a two time Super Bowl Champion, NFL Defensive Player of the Year and Defensive Rookie of the Year. He led the NFL in tackles as a rookie, which gave him First-Team All-Pro honors. 6-keys: media/spln/nfl/reg/free/stories, By pressing sign up, I confirm that I have read and agree to the. Study Offenses This might sound a little odd, but if linebackers are going to properly identify offensive plays, formations, and tendencies, then they're going to have to spend some time learning how offenses are run. Despite the inconsistent offense, the Chicago Bears had the No. 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 defensive side of the football is built with a surrounding cast with the goal of slowing down opposing offenses. All Rights Reserved. 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. Thomas plays in a defensive back/linebacker hybrid role, which means he covers better than most linebackers. 12 among linebackers in 2021 with a PFF coverage grade of 70 in 295 coverage snaps. His 2021 campaign wasn't his best, but he seems like a player that's just going to get better, and someone who could end up becoming the next Lavonte David for the Bucs. Follow. So, whos the best off-ball linebacker in the NFL today? Parson will revolutionize linebacker in the same way as Lawrence Taylor. 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. Top 13 Indiana High School Players of all Time, The 6 greatest Indiana Highschool pure Shooters, The 8 greatest IHSAA Championship Games in History. Which of the best NFL linebackers 2022 do you love? There's no way he was going to get better, right? Cornelius Bennett just missed out on the Top 10 Outside Linebackers All-Time and was once a key member of the group until some of the players of the last 10-15 years came along. 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. Clayton White, South Carolina -- $900,000 7. Mack may not have the gaudy sack numbers from the past couple of years, but Pro Football Focus has graded him above an 85 in each of his seven seasons in the NFL and is outstanding against the run. One player on each defense is allowed to wear the green dot, a helmet device that allows communication between a player and coach. Since entering the league, Warner has 118 or more total tackles in every season and was named First-Team All-Pro in 2020. Miller and Aaron Donald could not be blocked with Miller recording two sacks. At 6-foot, 232-pounds, hes quick enough to stay with receivers but strong enough to handle tight ends. 11 among linebackers,) his AV of 8 was tied for No. 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. Knocks blockers and ball-carriers backward and/or off their feet. 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. To create this list, we took into consideration basic statistics, Pro Football Reference/Stathead's Approximate Value, PFF grades and a guess on how the player will perform moving forward. That responsibility often falls on middle linebackers. 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 . He is a typical 4-3 linebacker who can cover, tackle, and run. It's also noteworthy that David is good in coverage, something other linebackers can struggle with. Now with the, , Wagner has the chance to compete for a second Super Bowl. Position: Outside Linebacker Height: 6-foot-3 Weight: 190 pounds College: Undecided 13 Wesley Bissainthe [jwplayer lpqhoLGb-BmKM743H] Photo: Andrew Ivins, 247Sports High School: Miami Central. So, who are the best linebackers of 2022? 15 overall and the top outside linebacker in the 2024 cycle, pledged his commitment to Louisville and Jeff Brohm on Saturday. Junior T.J. Capers, No. Billy Napier and his coaching staff have been in the process of offering prospects in the Class of 2024 and beyond during the dead period as they look to set their recruiting . For 10 seasons, Gildon tormented quarterbacks at outside linebacker. 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. A post shared by Forever 80's Giants Football (@forever80sgiantsfootball). Find out where your favorite Linebackers stacks up against the 2023 class and view expert mock drafts. Even, 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. The Steelers couldnt function on defense when Watt was away from the field. Going into his fifth season at the age of 26, Warner will be smack in the middle of his prime, and just signed a monster extension this offseason. Here's a look at the top linebackers hitting the market, both edge rushers and traditional, inside linebackers. With that said, here is our list of the Top 10 Outside Linebackers All-Time. Players like T.J. Watt, Matt Judon, Harold Landry and Shaquil Barrett are not included. This list isnt based solely on performances from the 2020 NFL season. Here are some tips for players who want to be a good linebacker: 1. Copyright 2023 FanRankings. The Jaguars replaced Jack with Oluokun, who also has outstanding physical traits. He was First-Team All-Pro in 2019 before making Second-Team All-Pro in 2020 and 2021, showing no signs of aging while leading the Saints defense. Davis was solid in his first six seasons before joining the Saints, but Dennis Allens defense has truly unleashed him. In the off-season, every football workout should be position specific. Watt has graded at a 91.3 and 91.6 respectively. All Rights Reserved. 2004-2023 CBS Interactive. Wagner, an eight-time Pro Bowler and six-time First-Team All-Pro, registered a career-high 6.0 sacks in 2022 at age 32, showing he still has plenty of gas in the tank. Ham was a six time First Team All-Pro and eight time Pro Bowler during his 12 year career. There aren't any superstars in this year's group of edge players and outside linebackers, but there is a solid starter whose sack totals have him in the company of all-time greats. The transition from college football to the NFL used to be smooth for linebackers, but even elite prospects can now struggle in Year 1. Top 10 Outside Linebackers Myles Jack Team: Jacksonville Jaguars 2020 Stats: 72 Solo, 1 Sacks, 1 FF, 1 INT The lone holdover from the "Sacksonville" Era of the Jaguars defense, his play has been forgotten during the team's downturn and it has been a shame that Jack has never made a Pro Bowl in his career due to lack of team success. 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. with 1,383 total tackles since 2012, 161 more than second-place. Trent Williams LT | 49ers | Power. The Bears have fielded four of the best middle linebackers in NFL history: Dick Butkus, Bill George, Mike Singletary and Brian Urlacher. He allowed 81.0% of passes thrown his way to be caught and missed 17 tackles in all. 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. Sammy Brown Jefferson (Jefferson, GA) LB. Bobby Wagner, Seattle Seahawks. 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. Out of that group of four, outside linebacker Za'Darius Smith has turned out to be the best. 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. Smith had recorded 26 sacks over the last two seasons. That number one option is the former New York Giants great Lawrence Taylor who the team selected number two overall during the 1981 NFL draft. The Yellow Jackets need to bounce back to make a bowl game in 2022, but having a versatile player like Thomas helps. Bennett, who was drafted number two overall during the 1987 NFL draft by the Indianapolis Colts was traded to the Buffalo Bills before the start of the season. Milano was a fifth-round draft pick back in 2017 but has dramatically outperformed his first-round teammate. Vote up the best NFL linebackers in 2022, and help decide who is the best LB of 2022! He also registered an absurd pass-rushing grade of 93. Consistently getting between 120 to 130 total tackles and even registering a sack or two a season. His 913 snaps for the Raiders last season was a career-high mark and more than doubled his previous best. 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. 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. Los Angeles Rams inside linebacker Bobby Wagner, an All Pro who was scheduled to earn a $7.5 million base salary and count $12.7 million against the . 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. If he is drafted to play in a 4-3, he still will be a good player. The lone holdover from the "Sacksonville" Era of the Jaguars defense, his play has been forgotten during the team's downturn and it has been a shame that Jack has never made a Pro Bowl in his career due to lack of team success. Von Miller finally showcased his dominance in the postseason, during the Rams' 2021 Super Bowl run. How would you rank these Outside Linebackers going into the 2021-2022 season? While Mike Zimmer is gone, new defensive coordinator Ed Donatell is an experienced coach who can get the most out of Kendricks and this defense as a whole. With all that said, let's jump in. Walker had a career year for the Browns in 2021, and his 78.2 PFF coverage grade was the highest of his career. After relaying the play call to his teammates, off-ball linebackers can be responsible for defending the run, covering receivers or rushing the quarterback. 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. Swipe right for Outside Linebacker Fan Rankings. Miller proved that last postseason, that he can be an effective pass rusher, especially in Super Bowl 56. Follow us on Twitter: @NFL_Journal - Email us at: profootballjournal@gmail.com Follow @NFL_Journal Tuesday, November 6, 2018 The Top 3-4 Rushbackers of All-Time OPINION By John Turney When you think of the outside linebacker position, it is hard to look past the long time Pittsburgh Steelers great Jack Ham. By Brandon Walker | August 27, 2021 - 11:49 AM. Both Barr and Danielle Hunter are keys to a bounce-back season for the defense in Minnesota. Rank Player Pos Ht / Wt Rating Team. Wonnum, Patrick Jones II and Luiji Villian during the 2022 season. For an optimal experience please rotate your device to portrait mode. He was integral in the team's championship and led the NFL with 18 tackles for loss, after joining the Rams in Week 10. Wilber Marshall 7. In his two seasons with the Packers, Smith has totaled 107 combined tackles, forced five fumbles, hit the quarterback 60 times, and registered 26 sacks. For new posts and be up to date to win $50 to Fanatics or Amazon. The linebacker position in the game of football is one of the most important. Only four others have done that since individual sacks have been recorded, since 1982: three Hall of Famers (DeMarcus Ware, Derrick Thomas, Reggie White) and Los Angeles Rams defensive Aaron Donald, a future Hall of Famer. One of our representatives will be in touch shortly. Parsons actually finished No. Watt led the league in sacks in 2012 (20.5) and 2015 (17.5). Whether its from the. The 33-year-old Davis begins a string of veterans on this list. 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. Miller is not what he once was, but he is still one of the best at his position. 1. 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. In today's NFL, few positions have become as difficult to play as off-ball linebacker. Watt is as dominant as they come, and he literally keeps the Steelers in games they should be losing. View Ranking History 2/18/23: In 2022, Anderson totaled 51 tackles, 10 sacks and an interception returned for a touchdown. 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Pro day and the top linebackers hitting the market, both edge and... Missed 17 tackles in every season and was named First-Team All-Pro honors Pro, having...