Trent Murphy also returns after his 74.9 grade against the run led all front-7 players for Buffalo last season. Thorn: 2020 Defensive Line Pass Rush Rankings. 29. 14. The Steelers have some of the most proven quality in the league up front, but almost all of those players are coming off the best seasons they have produced to date, so there's reason to expect some form of regression heading into 2020. Share this article 64 shares share tweet text email link Gavino Borquez. He was a first-round talent according to PFF’s Big Board and could be an impact player for Cleveland if he can maintain that level of play. He’s still one of the best leverage tackles in the NFL, able to get under the pads of centers and guards and move them where he wants. Email. It’s important to note that all interior defensive linemen and edge defenders have been grouped together for this exercise, so teams that run a base 3-4 will include their outside linebackers (edge defenders) in this writeup, and they will not be featured with the linebackers. Van Noy set career highs in pass rushes (464), pressures (60) and pass-rush grade (72.1) last season, while also dwarfing his career best with an 83.7 grade against the run, fourth-best among edge defenders. The Bears said goodbye to former first-round pick. His sack total more than doubled in his second season, and his total pressures leaped from 34 to 66, but his pass-rushing grade actually got worse (57.8 from 59.4 as a rookie) because his pass-rushing snaps also almost doubled. Uchenna Nwosu will be hoping to continue his development and steal playing time on the edge after impressing on limited snaps over his first two seasons in the league. The best defensive lines have both high-end players and depth, and that’s what we leaned on when putting together this ranking. 10. And that strategy that could work if they had plus play on the edge — the problem is that they don’t have that proven commodity yet. Dante Fowler Jr., Atlanta Falcons Reader in free agency. Hurst earned a pass-rushing grade of 77.8 last season and racked up 38 total pressures in the process. The Bears said goodbye to former first-round pick Leonard Floyd and have effectively replaced him with veteran Robert Quinn. Telegram. Arik Armstead, San Francisco 49ers Mercilus has top-tier potential, but he hasn’t played to that ability for a while now. He barely featured for the team in the regular season but impressed in the preseason. adds to the run-stuffing expertise along the Rams' line, while, saw almost 500 snaps last season and graded solidly across the board. Veteran edge rusher Justin Houston was quietly back to something like his best last season for the Colts, aided by a reduced role that helped keep him healthy and let him focus on getting after the passer. NFL defensive linemen ranked in NFL Top 100 for 2020: Aaron Donald, DT, Los Angeles Rams (No. His coaches, teammates, and opponents understand his value, though. Facebook. It now relies on the development of the talent the team has earmarked over the past couple of drafts. all on the roster. Meanwhile, Julian was the No. The real X-factor in this group is Aldon Smith, who has been out of the league since 2017. Nobody doubted his dominance and ability, but there were questions as to whether he could be an effective enough pass-rusher at the next level to justify a high first-round pick. Miller isn’t quite the force he was in the mid-2010s when his speed around the edge, ability to bend through the arc and underrated power through blockers made him just about impossible to stop, but he’s far from washed-up at 31. However, the Bills have added plenty of pieces around Hughes, including veteran Mario Addison and second-rounder A.J. PFFELO Ratings are PFF’s NFL power rankings based on weekly player grades in each facet of play. And that strategy that. Matthew Judon, Baltimore Ravens * Take Aaron Donald, for example. And while Maxx Crosby looked impressive as a rookie, a significant portion of his hype stems from the fact that he outperformed fourth overall pick Clelin Ferrell. LINE. could be a dark horse candidate to earn some more playing time. Depth is a concern for this defensive front, as outside of those star players of whom much is expected, there is a lot in the way of journeymen and average starters. 250+ three-page scouting profiles - advanced stats, 3-year grades, player comps, combine data and Senior Bowl grades - for the 2021 draft class. Miller is now 31 years old and posted career-lows in sack total, overall grade and pass-rushing grade for a full-season of play. Simmons is hugely talented, and the team was confident enough in his ability to trade away stalwart defensive lineman Jurrell Casey for a throwaway late-round draft pick, but now is the time Simmons needs to prove them right. 5. He did notch 23 total pressures across 232 pass-rushing snaps, however, and could be a candidate to step into a larger role. Making this defensive line even scarier was that Jones was playing alongside another all-time great in Olsen. Preston Smith, Green Bay Packers The Bengals’ defensive line remains anchored by the best players it has featured over the past decade — Geno Atkins and Carlos Dunlap — but the team does have some more interesting pieces in 2020. The Falcons also drafted Auburn’s Marlon Davidson in the second round of the draft, a player who ranked 44th on PFF’s Big Board. Clayborn is particularly adept at beating up on sub-standard tackles and can dominate games against the right opponent. Collier had just one hurry from 86 pass-rushing snaps in an impressive lack of production. Atkins had 4.5 sacks, 53 total pressures, and 28 run stops, and he should be helped tremendously by the addition of ex-Texans nose tackle D.J. Rasheem Green saw north of 500 snaps a season ago but had below-average grades in all facets of play and just 30 total pressures from 376 rushes. Gerald McCoy and Dontari Poe both come over from Carolina, but neither player is the force he once was. He is now in Arizona, leaving, to be the most likely candidates to bring some heat on the quarterback. He could give the Chargers a useful rotation if he improves further in Year 3. Larry Ogunjobi likely makes up the other starting member of the defensive line, but he will be pushed for playing time by Andrew Billings on base downs, while rookie Jordan Elliott hopes to earn playing time rushing the passer. Brandon Williams remains and needs to return to his best play after seeing his run defense grade drop 10 grading points in 2019. Chicago's defensive front is still led by, Hicks' return should help with that. 15. Harold Landry III, Tennessee Titans, College Football Bowl Projections for 2020-21, NFL Predictions: Week 14 Picks for Every Game, Athlon Sports' College Basketball Top 25 for 2020-21, Athlon Sports' 2020-21 NCAA Tournament Projections, Athlon Sports 2020-21 Preseason All-America Team, March Madness: 2021 Dates for the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, How to Watch and Live Stream NASCAR Online (some for free), 75 Funny Fantasy NASCAR Team Names for 2020, NFL Tight End and Fullback Rankings for 2020. His past two seasons combined have generated just 30 total pressures from over 500 rushes. The Giants have a group of solid options but don’t have much in the way of proven players who can get after the quarterback in a league that has never been more pass-happy. }); When it comes to ranking the best defensive linemen in the NFL entering the 2020 season, it's important to point out that the position assigned to individuals doesn't necessarily tell the whole story. A healthy Hicks is a dominant run defender and power pass-rusher who can create space for Mack and pull attention away from him. Rookie third-round pick Jonathan Greenard was very productive at Florida last season but struggled against the best competition he faced. He had his most defensive stops in a season since 2014 and ended the year on fire with 30 pressures in his final five games. Does Pittsburgh really have the best defensive line in the NFL? Davenport has seen his pressure total, pressure rate, pass-rushing and overall PFF grade improve from his first to his second season in the league, and while he was good in 2019, he could become great in 2020. Whitney Mercilus rediscovering his best play would also go a long way to helping this unit. Alongside Cox inside, the team added former Steeler Javon Hargrave, giving them an incredibly powerful interior duo. */ had the next highest pressure total, at 43. The 49ers might not keep their second of two first-round picks, but San Francisco could land a foundational piece with the No. 31 overall selection. Addison has had at least 45 pressures in each of the last five seasons, while Epenesa is a powerful hands-winner who ranked in the top 32 on the PFF draft board. #washingtonfootballteam #chaseyoung #montezsweat #daronpayne #Jonathanallen #theherd #nfl #nfl2020 #undisputed #httr In 2019, he put up a career-high 7.5 sacks, with 46 pressures and 40 run stops. Shamar Stephen played 580 snaps in the regular season last year and had just six total pressures. These power rankings are adjusted based on coach, quarterback and the market each season. Edge rusher is the key to this team’s performance, as one of their young players needs to become a force offensive lines fear. Other hybrid linebackers include Vince Biegel, who led the team with 34 pressures a year ago, and Curtis Weaver, a fifth-round pick with first-round tape. Traded to the Colts in the offseason for Indianapolis’ 13th overall pick in the 2020 draft, Buckner will give Indy’s defensive line a massive boost in any gap. The team spent back-to-back first-round picks on Josh Allen and Taven Bryan, but both have yet to become impact players. Share. The former first-rounder had only 30 total pressures from 412 rushes, which falls into the category of “good for a nose tackle” but some way short of dominant overall. After an injury-plagued 2018 campaign, he bounced back nicely with 11.5 sacks, 71 total pressures, and 49 run stops. The interior of the Chargers' line has been the issue in recent seasons, and they will be hoping that Linval Joseph helps shore up that group. 21. 16. 13. At his best, Mack is a game-changing force along the defensive front, but it’s now three seasons since he last posted a pass-rushing grade above 90.0, and 2019 was the lowest overall grade of his career. Smith was once one of the best edge rushers in the league and battled Von Miller as the preeminent edge-rushing force of the 2011 draft before personal problems sent his career into a spiral. Inside, former first-rounder Christian Wilkins ranked seventh among rookie interior defensive linemen with a 64.4 overall grade last season. Jeffery Simmons had a debut to remember after recovering from an ACL injury that many thought would sideline him for the entire season. Cox didn’t perform quite up to his 2018 level in 2019, but it’s hard to follow up 10.5 sacks and 101 total pressures when you’re getting double-teamed all the time and your secondary is springing leaks. Jones was a plus run defender and a solid pass-rusher, and he simply needs to have that kind of performance again in 2020. , who has the highlight reel of a first-rounder with incredible burst and flashes of power, though. Whichever teams top the NFL defense rankings will challenge for the championship, and that's a fact. Alex Highsmith was the only significant addition to the defensive front in the draft, and the third-round pick will look to carve out a role for himself as a situational pass-rusher in his first NFL season. Bosa lost a bit of name traction to his younger brother Nick last season, but there was nothing invisible about his contributions to the Chargers’ defense in 2019. Cox continues to be the best power-rusher in the NFL, generating more pressures over the past two seasons than any interior player not named Aaron Donald. Jonathan Allen, Washington Landry has flashed the potential to be a high-end rusher but now needs to show more than potential and the ability to pick off low-hanging fruit. The more impressive stat, however, might be his 40 run stops. Combined, they were on the field for fewer than 750 snaps, and neither player graded particularly well, especially given their past performances. element(); Anyone who thought Watt was overcooked as a first-round pick in 2017 got an education when Watt put up seven sacks and 42 total pressures as a rookie. The talent is there for this defensive front to still be a plus unit, but it is far more of a question mark than it has been in the past couple of seasons. Aaron Donald, Los Angeles Rams The best defensive lineman in the NFL, and the best defensive player on most Sundays. 12. 2020 NFL Draft defensive line rankings: Derrick Brown, Javon Kinlaw headline top-heavy group Let's take a look at the prospects you should know as we head into draft season Last season, the Dolphins' defensive line earned the lowest pass-rush grade in the NFL, at just 57.6. Joseph’s impact as a pass-rusher has slipped over the past couple of years, but of more concern is that his run defense — which was virtually peerless at his best — also slipped to merely above-average in 2019. After being knocked down by the Derrick Henry Titans in the playoffs, the Ravens decided to improve their defensive line during the offseason. He has been an impact pass-rusher and run defender at multiple alignments along the Falcons' defensive front and should be a force in 2020 once more. was impressive as a rookie but played fewer than 300 snaps in his first year. Atkins had his least effective season in 2019 since tearing his ACL back in 2014 and may be on the downswing in his great career. The Detroit defensive line is still trying to find its identity and consistency under Matt Patricia. Fletcher Cox and Brandon Graham remain and are likely still the unit's best two players, though Graham's 2019 PFF grade and pressure total were each the lowest he's had in a season since 2015; he may be starting to show signs of slowing down at 32 years old. Reader was an impact player inside, but he has departed for Cincinnati in free agency, leaving a hole that the Texans will likely hope gets filled by second-round rookie Ross Blacklock. Pierce isn’t coming off his best season, but prior to that was a dominant run defender who had a grade in that area of 92.0 in 2018. Armstead posted an overall PFF grade just below 90.0 last season after a career year where he racked up 62 total pressures. The Vikings' defensive line has undergone significant changes this offseason, with the departure of arguably their best two players from the unit over the past few seasons in the shape of Linval Joseph and Everson Griffen. Hitting the ground running as a rookie is tough, but Kinlaw has the talent to immediately contribute inside. He has earned PFF grades in the 60s over the past two seasons, 20 full grading points lower than his best seasons of 2015-2016. He added nine quarterback hits, 46 QB hurries and 39 run stops, and he was unquestionably a force multiplier in San Francisco’s Super Bowl defense. Vita Vea, Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Las Vegas Raiders begin life in a new city still trying to replace what they had in Khalil Mack. Hunter was a third-round pick in 2015 despite his first-round athleticism because he didn’t know the nuances of the position. Poe never had the consistency of McCoy, but he has settled into a solid run defender who brings little as a pass-rush force. : 2020 #NFLCombine continues 2PM ET on NFL Network Meanwhile, Julian was the No. Last season, he totaled eight sacks and 77 total pressures. 18. 17. Mack, for his part, had something of a down year, but that still meant posting an 86.2 overall PFF grade and ranking inside the top 15 of all edge rushers. There is still the chance that this front could be very good, but it relies on improvement from the players drafted to ensure a smooth succession plan. Hargrave proved last season that he could step into an expanded role when Stephon Tuitt went down, generating career-bests in PFF grade (83.4), pass-rushing grade (76.9) and total pressures (49). And while his run defense was solid, that’s not why you draft a player with the third overall pick. Reed was Seattle’s second-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft and quickly established himself as one of the best interior pass rushers in the game. In addition, Danny Shelton was brought in from the Patriots to anchor the middle of the line. Bravvion Roy was a late-round addition as a rotational nose tackle who has freakish movement skills for such a fire hydrant of a body and could stick around given his ties to new head coach Matt Rhule. Demarcus Lawrence, Dallas Cowboys Selected seventh overall in the 2016 draft, Buckner put up 7.5 sacks in the 2019 regular season, adding 2.5 more in the 49ers’ playoff push. Tarell Basham, Jordan Jenkins and Kyle Phillips all topped 500 snaps in 2019, but none of them were able to generate more than 40 total pressures or earn a pass-rushing grade north of 70.0. 19. Hicks' return should help with that. Gross-Matos is a classic example of a player whose traits have thus far been more impressive than his production or tape, but the Panthers will be hoping they can harness the things you can’t teach and develop the things you can. Isaac Rochell pegs Chargers' defensive line as best in NFL. Brown had back-to-back seasons in college with a PFF grade above 90.0, and he has the kind of power and strength that few other players have. He has notched at least 20 total pressures in all but one of his NFL seasons and has had good PFF grades against the run every season since 2013. Michael Brockers, Los Angeles Rams Year after year, his name is rarely mentioned when it comes to naming the top players at his position. Veterans Mike Daniels and Damon Harrison broke down with injuries and just weren’t the same players they had been in the past. As you will see below, sometimes what a player does and how well he does it, matters more than the position listed next to their name. Last season, defensive end Trey Flowers was the only consistently impressive member, earning an overall PFF grade of 83.0 and notching 63 total pressures. In 2019, he had 62 total pressures and an 87.0 PFF pass-rushing grade, ranking first among nose tackles. Buckner's departure potentially opens the opportunity of one last salvage mission for, Clark came into the NFL as a fairly one-dimensional player, but he has developed into a true every-down force. The Panthers evidently believed he can be, and whether they were right will go a long way to determining how good this group can become. * @see https://support.google.com/dfp_premium/answer/7673898#personalized A couple of years ago, the Jacksonville defensive line — a united that adopted the nickname “Sacksonville” — was among the very best in the game. The team has added Kyle Van Noy to the mix, a player who rejuvenated his career as a classic Patriots hybrid defensive end/outside linebacker. Having a good defense in the NFL is extremely … Lowry can still be a solid contributor, particularly against the run, but he has yet to exceed 30 total pressures over a season. On the edge, Carl Lawson’s play regressed last season, and he earned a career-low PFF grade (55.5) while notching just 35 total pressures on 268 pass-rushing snaps. 2 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft may be the best pass-rusher to come into the NFL in a decade, and we have seen some excellent ones arrive over that time. 21. * 'measurement': 5 > The Bills are throwing many options at the wall along the defensive front, but this unit’s success will be determined by Hughes staying on top of his game and Oliver raising his to the next level. He perfectly fits the mold of a defense that is excellent at putting players in a position to succeed rather than fail, and he could hit the ground running in terms of pass-rush production. Athlon's player rankings are just one of the features that appear in the 2020 Pro Football magazine. Van Noy set career highs in pass rushes (464), pressures (60) and pass-rush grade (72.1) last season, while also dwarfing his career best with an 83.7 grade against the run, fourth-best among edge defenders. Campbell has had four-straight seasons with a PFF grade above 90.0 and done so at multiple different positions along the defensive line for Arizona and Jacksonville. Young gives the team five former first-round picks along the defensive line, each of whom has shown flashes. In tackles for a major step forward in 2020, Fletcher Cox has to be an upgrade Pearce... Development has been playing his best season was in 2018 as the Joseph replacement teammates. Former Panther, star Lotulelei, also returns after his 74.9 grade against the run better Heyward! 2018, he totaled eight sacks and 77 total pressures the top-tier of players his... Decline leaves 42 pressures walking away, Marcus Davenport continuing his development will hoping! 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