Top 10 of the to-60 NFL inside linebackers
================================
10. Brian Cushing, Houston Texans
Run Defense
27/30
This was another injury-shortened season from Brian Cushing (6’3”, 249 lbs, five seasons), but once again he showed that when healthy he has the talent to be one of the best. Cushing scrapes well, but he does need a big body protecting him up front. If a guard comes free, he can struggle to disengage and make the play. In the open field he’s top-tier and can run down backs with clean, smart angles.
Pass Rush
5/10
Cushing has the athletic skill set to be a good pass-rusher but isn’t as effective as you might expect. The talent is there, but the production isn’t always top-notch. If unleashed as more of a blitzer up the center-guard gap, he could produce big numbers.
Coverage
14/20
Because of his many injuries, Cushing doesn’t show great flexibility and can struggle in man coverage. He’s good in a zone and reacts well to the ball, but he will give up easy catches underneath. He does have good hands and overall athleticism, but he gives up a high number of catches.
Tackle
33/40
As a naturally strong athlete, Cushing is able to lower the boom on ball-carriers. He will go for the big hit too often and can struggle to make simple form tackles. Being better in traffic would go a long way in raising his tackle score.
Overall
79/100
Cushing struggled to stay healthy for a second straight season and was only active for seven games. Given a larger sample size, he could have easily moved up or down the rankings. The Texans need him ready to go for 17 weeks in 2014.
9. Karlos Dansby, Arizona Cardinals
Run Defense
23/30
A top-notch all-around inside linebacker, Karlos Dansby (6’4”, 250 lbs, 10 seasons) had one of his best pro seasons in 2013. The Cardinals defense was a great fit for him, and he flourished while showing the speed to take away outside runs and the vision and power to stop inside plays. Dansby did struggle with getting off inside blocks if left exposed, but he’s quick enough to loop around and make plays in pursuit.
Pass Rush
8/10
Turn on the film and you see Dansby shooting A-gaps and flushing the pocket. He’s not as powerful at the point of attack as he used to be, but he still shows good length and hand use to get past blockers. That’s what allowed him to rack up 6.5 sacks.
Coverage
17/20
Dansby is quick and smart enough to be an impact player in coverage. He gets good depth and shows the awareness to stand out in zone coverage. That resulted in four interceptions and 19 passes defensed. His hip movement is close to ideal too, as he’s able to quickly flip and run to chase the ball.
Tackle
31/40
Dansby may have missed 12 tackles in 2013, but he was the man for the Cardinals defense by locking down 114 solo tackles. He shows incredible range and an athletic, powerful tackle.
Overall
79/100
Now a Cleveland Brown, Dansby will be counted on to be as impactful as D’Qwell Jackson was and anchor the team defense.
8. Sean Lee, Dallas Cowboys
Run Defense
25/30
Sean Lee (6’2”, 234 lbs, four seasons) was expected to have a huge season in 2013, but once again injuries limited him. Grading Lee on the games in which he did perform, we were still impressed. Against the run he’s fluid, fast and smooth in attacking the ball. Lee is able to close on outside runs with top-level speed and doesn’t run himself out of plays. He can stand to get stronger at the point of attack, but he can win on most plays with raw speed.
Pass Rush
6/10
Lee isn’t asked to rush the passer much, as he’s valuable in coverage. When he did pull the trigger and attack, he struggled to get home and create sacks. He did a good job flushing the pocket and opening up secondary rush lanes for teammates.
Coverage
18/20
As one of the better coverage inside linebackers in the game, Lee once again stood out on film. There were some down games in his shortened season, but he turned in four interceptions in just 10.5 games. Lee has good awareness, great hands and the speed to attack the ball. If anything, he has to learn to be more disciplined and not take himself out of the play trying to get a pick.
Tackle
33/40
With 68 solo tackles in his shortened season, Lee stood out for making tackles by the bunches. He’s quick and strong, and he attacks. The only gripe we had was his penchant for going low and missing leg tackles.
Overall
82/100
Lee has upper-echelon talent, but he has struggled to stay healthy in his career. In fact, he’s never played a full 16-game season. For Lee to enter the elite conversation, he has to stay on the field.
7. Stephen Tulloch, Detroit Lions
Run Defense
25/30
A bruising interior run-stuffer, Stephen Tulloch (5’11”, 240 lbs, eight seasons) locks down plays between the tackles. When asked to track outside the tackle box, he can struggle, as you don’t see the elite quickness, agility or speed of an attacking player on the edge. He does a good job working with his hands and keeping blockers off his frame. Tulloch is strong enough to scrape off blocks and still get to the ball, but he’s limited to inside runs.
Pass Rush
4/10
Tulloch added 3.5 sacks in 2013 but didn’t excel on the whole as a pass-rusher. He lacks the burst to explode through gaps on delayed blitzes. You’ll see him flush the pocket, but he’s not a great pass-rusher.
Coverage
18/20
Tulloch played well in coverage, showing good awareness and the ability to limit targets. If matched up against a tight end or running back, he can handle man-coverage duties and be an impact player. You don’t want him matched up against wide receivers, though, due to a lack of speed.
Tackle
36/40
A thumper at middle linebacker, Tulloch is able to square up and put a hurt on ball-carriers. He’s strong enough in his lower body to power through tackles and does a good job wrapping up to secure runners.
Overall
83/100
Tulloch may not be great as a blitzer, but he’s a rock-solid middle linebacker for the Lions’ scheme. How well he works under new head coach Jim Caldwell will be interesting to see. But with Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley in front of him, Tulloch is more protected than most middle linebackers.
6. Kiko Alonso, Buffalo Bills
Run Defense
24/30
Kiko Alonso (6’3”, 238 lbs, one season) walked into the NFL and made an enormous impact from the first game. Against the run, he didn’t have quite as big of an impact on every down. Alonso is a bit undersized for the middle linebacker position and did struggle to get off blocks. His speed and violent style of play make him a solid run defender on outside plays, but on runs between the center and guard or guard and tackle he could get walked back off the ball too often. When Alonso can attack at an angle, he’s great.
Pass Rush
5/10
Alonso was able to put pressure on the quarterback and flush the pocket but didn’t get home much to actually complete a sack. That could change when he’s playing weak-side linebacker in 2014, but his existing game film didn’t show impact plays as a pass-rusher.
Coverage
20/20
Coverage and reading the quarterback are where Alonso was at his best. He was fluid and instinctive, showing the hands and playmaking skills to be a legitimate threat if the ball was thrown his way. He’s athletic enough to line up in man or zone coverage and still has room to improve his route awareness and hand technique.
Tackle
35/40
Alonso is a violent hitter when closing in on the ball. He’s ruthless, but that can lead to him loading up for a highlight-reel hit and bouncing off the ball-carrier. Still, his production for a rookie was incredible.
Overall
84/100
Alonso will make the move to weak-side linebacker in 2014, but his instant impact and big-play ability were a major boost to the Buffalo defense in his first season.
5. Brandon Spikes, New England Patriots
Run Defense
30/30
Brandon Spikes (6’2”, 255 lbs, four seasons) is one of the best tacklers in the game. He’s a massive linebacker and a bit of a throwback in his ability to stack-and-shed blockers, then attack the ball. Where Spikes can get in trouble is on outside runs. He doesn’t have great lateral quickness or top-end speed to run alleys and get outside the tackle box. If the run comes inside, his instincts and reaction time are incredible.
Pass Rush
5/10
Spikes has the power to beat blockers in the interior of the offensive line but doesn’t have the closing speed to offer production as a blitzer.
Coverage
10/20
Spikes doesn’t offer much in coverage and is often replaced in third-down situations. He’s a big man without great speed and shouldn’t be placed in man-coverage matchups against receivers or speedy tight ends.
Tackle
40/40
With just four missed tackles during the regular season and playoffs, Spikes ranks as one of the most adept tacklers in the league. On film you see a big, stout hitter with the power to put down ball-carriers in traffic or in space.
Overall
85/100
One of the game’s best against the run, Spikes is a limited player due to his lack of agility and quickness in coverage. Graded on all the traits of an inside linebacker, he still stands out due to that lockdown ability on first and second down. The Buffalo Bills are betting on that ability with Spikes now their middle linebacker.
4. Derrick Johnson, Kansas City Chiefs
Run Defense
26/30
Derrick Johnson (6’3”, 242 lbs, nine seasons) is always around the ball and is among the more athletic inside linebackers. His speed and instincts are top-notch, as Johnson is quick enough to get outside the tackle box to make plays on tosses and sweeps. He can get walked back by blockers in the Chiefs’ 3-4 scheme, and that can be a problem on inside runs. Johnson is at his best when he’s ripping through a single blocker and taking on the off-tackle or outside run.
Pass Rush
9/10
Johnson is one of the league’s best when asked to shoot the gap between the center and guard and pressure the quarterback. He’s smart about timing and positioning, and he has the burst to stun blockers and get into the pocket quickly. Johnson is great at flushing the quarterback and creating opportunities for outside rushers.
Coverage
19/20
Still one of the best in the game at zone coverage over the middle, Johnson does a good job reading and reacting on the fly. He diagnoses quickly and shows the fluid hips and elite closing speed to get in and make a play on the ball. His two interceptions in 2013 point to that.
Tackle
33/40
Johnson is on the lean side for an inside linebacker, and that shows up when he’s asked to make solo tackles. He missed 22 tackles—including seven in the Week 16 game against Indianapolis. Johnson is a better tackler than that one game shows, but we had to downgrade his tackling with the high number of misses this year.
Overall
87/100
Johnson’s impact on the Chiefs defense has been huge since the team moved to a 3-4 scheme. Now he’s the smart veteran with the young pups growing around him, and that’s a role he’s playing as well as any linebacker in the AFC.
3. Luke Kuechly, Carolina Panthers
Run Defense
30/30
Luke Kuechly (6’3”, 235 lbs, two seasons) has quickly emerged as one of the best middle linebackers in the league. Against the run he’s elite, showing the speed and vision to attack outside runs while packing a big punch if locking down interior gaps. Kuechly has the benefit of playing behind two defensive tackles (as opposed to 3-4 inside linebackers having just one), but his production on rushing downs is remarkable. The former Boston College ‘backer improved a great deal in making tackles closer to the line of scrimmage and not being taken for a ride by ball-carriers before bringing them down.
Pass Rush
5/10
Kuechly plays the large majority of his passing downs in coverage, as he’s not a top-tier pass-rusher. The agility and strength are there, but when asked to shoot gaps he tends to get caught up by blockers and doesn’t have the raw speed to run by linemen.
Coverage
19/20
One of the best linebackers in terms of coverage skills, Kuechly gets depth and shows high awareness playing the pass. He uses those skills to produce too, as he grabbed four interceptions.
Tackle
35/40
It’s difficult at times to separate high tackle numbers from being a good tackler. That’s the case with Kuechly. He did notch an impressive 156 tackles, according to the NFL, but Pro Football Focus tracks that number at a much lower 123 solo tackles. Take into consideration his 15 missed tackles, and you see why the super-productive Kuechly doesn’t have the best tackle grade.
Overall
89/100
Kuechly took home Defensive Player of the Year honors after the 2013 season, but in our system his missed tackles and lack of impact as a pass-rusher keep him ranked lower than those voting for postseason awards might like.
2. Patrick Willis, San Francisco 49ers
Run Defense
30/30
The template from which all inside linebackers are now graded, Patrick Willis (6’1”, 240 lbs, seven seasons) is one of the best all-around athletes at the linebacker position. Against the run he’s strong and able to shed blockers and get to the football. Willis is great at dipping his shoulder and driving to the ball but is also fast enough to simply tuck and run to the ball. Whether it’s an inside lead or an outside toss, Willis has the tools to be a wrecking crew.
Pass Rush
7/10
Willis is able to bring heat on the backfield rushing between the center and guard, and he shows high-level flexibility and agility in his hips to dip and drive around blockers. He isn’t used as much anymore as a blitzer, but he can still get the job done when called to attack.
Coverage
18/20
One of the game’s best in coverage, Willis is able to move well throughout transitions and has upper-level instincts and awareness in the passing game. Take away the Week 16 Falcons game—when
Matt Ryan was throwing underneath on almost every route—and Willis was extremely effective in eliminating targets.
Tackle
37/40
A wrap-up tackler with big range, Willis is a super-productive tackler. He’s great when asked to make solo tackles in space or when gang-tackling in the pile. Our only gripe was his 11 missed tackles, which keeps Willis from a perfect score.
Overall
92/100
Tied for the top overall spot, Willis has the strength, vision and reaction skills to take away whatever the offense throws at him. He’s ranked No. 2 only because of the missed games due to injury.
1. NaVorro Bowman, San Francisco 49ers
Run Defense
27/30
NaVorro Bowman (6’0”, 242 lbs, four seasons) made a strong case for being named the Defensive Player of the Year. Against the run, his speed—especially coming downhill—is impressive. Bowman attacks the ball with speed and power, but more importantly he takes smart angles. Bowman is effective enough against the run that the 49ers can clear out their defensive line, keeping just one down lineman and letting the inside linebackers lock down the gaps between the center and guard plus guard and tackle.
Pass Rush
10/10
Bowman posted a career-best five sacks in 2013 and showed that pressure between the center and guard is the key to frustrating a mobile quarterback. He’s a terrorizing pass-rusher thanks to his blend of speed and strength.
Coverage
20/20
Bowman is so smooth and quick in space that he’s able to take away tight ends or third wide receivers in coverage. He’s able to turn and run upfield or quickly change direction to attack underneath routes. And he has the hands to pull the ball down and create interceptions.
Tackle
35/40
Bowman is a hard hitter, as evidenced by his four forced fumbles in 2013. He’s a sure tackler in space, but he did struggle with running backs coming at him head-on. That led to 12 missed tackles.
Overall
92/100
Bowman’s season unfortunately ended with a gruesome leg injury in the NFC Championship Game, but not before he made yet another huge play. His all-around game and athleticism put him over teammate Patrick Willis in our tie for No. 1 overall.
