KINGOFDAARCADE
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42. Ray Edwards [DE, Minnesota Vikings, 25]
Stats: 51 tackles (43 solo), 8.5 sacks, 6 STF, 1 FF, 1 FR, 1 BLK, 2 PD
Edwards reminds me a lot of a former division rival, a young Aaron Kampman. It wasn’t until his 5th season as a pro where Kampman truly became a good pass rusher and in Edwards’ 4th season, he finally started to put that aspect of his game together. The young Aaron Kampman would win battles against offensive tackles with leverage, hands, and persistence, much in line with Ray Edwards does. Finally giving the Vikings good production as a pass rusher from the left side (right from an offensive’s perspective), Minnesota’s line is now completely dominant. Edwards had 12.5 sacks in 18 games a season ago with 6 in his last 4 games including the playoffs. A lot of credit is given to Jared Allen and the twin Williams tackles in the middle, but it wouldn’t be ludicrous to call Ray Edwards the team’s best run defender. Offenses ran on Edwards less than they did Allen and the results according to Football Outsiders overwhelmingly agree with that tendency. He does an outstanding job of setting the edge and shows explosiveness in disengaging from blockers to attack the ball. If he can add a little more flavor to his arsenal of rush moves, he could become every bit as feared as Aaron Kampman was in his prime. His mobility on the list is somewhat limited by the amount of attention drawn from his teammates on the defensive line.
41. Justin Tuck [DE/DT, New York Giants, 27]
Stats: 59 tackles (44 solo), 6 sacks, 7 STF, 5 FF, 8 PD
Tuck may have had a subpar season by his standards, but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t a nightmare to contend with week after week. His length and strength cause too much trouble for tackles to neutralize on the outside, but his quickness and agility make him a headache on the inside. The 6 sacks may seem a little alarming considering the nature of the players on this list, but Tuck is a premier run defender first and foremost. He does an outstanding job setting the edge as a 4-3 defensive end and disengaging from blocks to make plays, often in the backfield. Tuck’s 16 tackles characterized as “Wide” show his expansive range in the run game, which extends all the way to the sideline, something most ends are incapable of tracking down with such consistency. According to Football Outsiders, the Giants’ defensive line was 1st in runs up the middle and over right tackle, the two areas Tuck covers. His drop-off last season came as a pass rusher, where he wasn’t able to apply as much pressure as normal. He typically gets off the ball quickly and has the burst to get to the quarterback. Maybe it was because the Giants’ line as a whole wasn’t as productive, which meant more focus on Tuck, or maybe he just didn’t perform. Regardless, his versatility, run defense, and ability to jar free footballs excuse one below average season as a pass rusher. Finally, Tuck’s productive snaps at defensive tackle should keep him in the league longer than the average defensive end. Once he loses a slight step to get around offensive tackles, he should still have an upper hand on the inside against the less nimble guards.
40. Calais Campbell [DE, Arizona Cardinals, 23]
Stats: 48 tackles (37 solo), 7 sacks, 3 STF, 1 FF, 2 BLK, 5 PD
After playing sparingly in his rookie campaign, Campbell developed into a potential future star after his breakout season a year ago. Though overshadowed by his teammate Darnell Dockett, Campbell was the more consistent of the Cardinals’ linemen in 2009. Though the Cardinals love changing alignments, they were toughest versus the run where Campbell most often resided. According to Football Outsiders, the Cardinals’ DL was 3rd best in the league in defending runs over right tackle. At 6’8, 300 pounds, Campbell is very difficult to move off the line of scrimmage, but he also has tremendous quickness and lateral movement to make plays himself. And while he isn’t known as an elite pass rusher, on a per snap basis, he may have even applied more pressure on the quarterback than Dockett. Campbell has just tapped into his potential and the results are already very strong. If he can continue to utilize his athleticism and play with better hand use and leverage, Campbell could become one of the best defensive linemen in the league given his versatility.
39. Johnathan Joseph [CB, Cincinnati Bengals, 26]
Stats: 69 tackles (58 solo), 2 STF, 1 FF, 6 INT, 1 TD, 20 PD
With some semblance of a pass rush in 2009, the Bengals’ former 1st round pick was able to post his best season to date. Joseph is a sudden athlete capable of joining himself at the opponent’s hip in coverage as he wastes no steps in getting in and out of his breaks. He’s equally capable of playing both man and zone coverage. However, his biggest strength has always been his ability to break on passes and play the ball in the air. He consistently locates the ball in the air, oftentimes before the receiver, and is capable of competing for the pass. Leon Hall may get more publicity, but Joseph is also on the cusp of becoming an elite cornerback with the potential to become a shutdown player. Still, he already makes up one-half of the most complete cornerback tandems in the league. Proof? The Bengals finished 2nd in the league (to the Jets) with a 6.05 Adjusted YPA on passes thrown to the 1st and 2nd receivers.
38. Mike Jenkins [CB, Dallas Cowboys, 25]
Stats: 49 tackles (45 solo), 1 STF, 5 INT, 19 PD
Along with several other up and comers, Jenkins emerged in 2009 to become a good island corner. He has all of the tools to become one of the best in the league. He improved in his sophomore campaign by playing more physically at the line of scrimmage to reroute receivers, something he specialized in during his career at South Florida. He shadows receivers extremely well with quick footwork and agility. Despite being tested, Jenkins delivered time after time allowing completions on just a little more than half of the passes thrown his direction. He allowed just 2 touchdowns on the year, in line with the elite cornerbacks, and picked off 5 contested passes for his team (as noted by the 0 interception yards for the season). With the benefit he receives from an outstanding pass rush he’ll need to eliminate games like the one he had versus Sidney Rice in the playoffs and become more consistent to move higher on the list.
37. Brandon Mebane [DT, Seattle Seahawks, 25]
Stats: 49 tackles (40 solo), 1.5 sacks, 4 STF
How is it that most fans don’t know who Brandon Mebane is? Well, the easy answer is the media, but the more complicated answer lies in position he plays. With the rising popularity of the 3-4, the defensive ends, and especially nose tackles, have garnered so much publicity over the years that even the semi-casual fans may be able to tell you that these players are often double-teamed. Hell, they may not know why, but they can tell you the nose tackle is important in a 3-4. Well, even in the 4-3, not all players have a free reign to shoot the gap and accumulate splash plays in the backfield. Brandon Mebane is one of these players. His responsibility is primarily to stop the run. Oddly enough, he entered the league as a lean defensive tackle—by today’s standards—but has become the most valuable run-stopping piece on the Seahawks defense. His success can be demonstrated through several measures. For one, you can start by looking at the 100-yard rushers the Seahawks allowed last year. In Week 2, Frank Gore pounded the defense for 207 yards on 16 carries, and in Week 17 Chris Johnson managed 134 yards, but on 36 attempts. I guess now would be the time to divulge the punch line that eases the Week 2 result. Brandon Mebane was absent from the lineup nursing a calf injury. Furthermore, the Seahawks had great success in defending the run with an undrafted linebacker filling in for Lofa Tatupu. Having the freedom to plug in an undrafted linebacker who made as many plays as David Hawthorne—not to take anything away from him—is a testament to Mebane’s ability to clog up the middle and occupy attention. While I’ve endlessly praised his run-stopping ability, which comes from terrific strength, leverage, and hand use, he’s much better at applying pressure up the middle than most 320+ pound nose tackles as well. With Mebane you get 4-3 defensive tackle prototype capable of successfully carrying on several responsibilities.
36. Leon Hall [CB, Cincinnati Bengals, 25]
Stats: 71 tackles (58 solo), 1 STF, 2 FF, 6 INT, 24 PD
Hall has been the more impactful playmaking corner of the dynamite duo since he entered the league a year after Joseph. Like Joseph, Leon Hall also has a great physical make-up with adequate size paired with nice strength and athleticism. In the past, Hall had been susceptible to the big play due to the nature of his game, but in 2009, he corrected some of those tendencies to become a better cover corner. However, this didn’t sacrifice from his ability to make plays as evidenced by the six interceptions and numerous deflections. While Joseph may be a hair better in man coverage, Hall excels in zone coverage where his instincts allow him to break quickly on the ball with the play in front of him. As mentioned with Joseph, the Bengals finished 2nd in the league (to the Jets) with a 6.05 Adjusted YPA on passes thrown to the 1st and 2nd receivers as found by Football Outsiders. The former Michigan standout is also a terrific defender in run support where he shows good closing speed and wrap-up ability on the perimeter. After stringing together several impactful, but incomplete seasons, Hall has become one of the league’s best all-around cornerbacks, hitting his prime early.
Stats: 51 tackles (43 solo), 8.5 sacks, 6 STF, 1 FF, 1 FR, 1 BLK, 2 PD
Edwards reminds me a lot of a former division rival, a young Aaron Kampman. It wasn’t until his 5th season as a pro where Kampman truly became a good pass rusher and in Edwards’ 4th season, he finally started to put that aspect of his game together. The young Aaron Kampman would win battles against offensive tackles with leverage, hands, and persistence, much in line with Ray Edwards does. Finally giving the Vikings good production as a pass rusher from the left side (right from an offensive’s perspective), Minnesota’s line is now completely dominant. Edwards had 12.5 sacks in 18 games a season ago with 6 in his last 4 games including the playoffs. A lot of credit is given to Jared Allen and the twin Williams tackles in the middle, but it wouldn’t be ludicrous to call Ray Edwards the team’s best run defender. Offenses ran on Edwards less than they did Allen and the results according to Football Outsiders overwhelmingly agree with that tendency. He does an outstanding job of setting the edge and shows explosiveness in disengaging from blockers to attack the ball. If he can add a little more flavor to his arsenal of rush moves, he could become every bit as feared as Aaron Kampman was in his prime. His mobility on the list is somewhat limited by the amount of attention drawn from his teammates on the defensive line.
41. Justin Tuck [DE/DT, New York Giants, 27]
Stats: 59 tackles (44 solo), 6 sacks, 7 STF, 5 FF, 8 PD
Tuck may have had a subpar season by his standards, but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t a nightmare to contend with week after week. His length and strength cause too much trouble for tackles to neutralize on the outside, but his quickness and agility make him a headache on the inside. The 6 sacks may seem a little alarming considering the nature of the players on this list, but Tuck is a premier run defender first and foremost. He does an outstanding job setting the edge as a 4-3 defensive end and disengaging from blocks to make plays, often in the backfield. Tuck’s 16 tackles characterized as “Wide” show his expansive range in the run game, which extends all the way to the sideline, something most ends are incapable of tracking down with such consistency. According to Football Outsiders, the Giants’ defensive line was 1st in runs up the middle and over right tackle, the two areas Tuck covers. His drop-off last season came as a pass rusher, where he wasn’t able to apply as much pressure as normal. He typically gets off the ball quickly and has the burst to get to the quarterback. Maybe it was because the Giants’ line as a whole wasn’t as productive, which meant more focus on Tuck, or maybe he just didn’t perform. Regardless, his versatility, run defense, and ability to jar free footballs excuse one below average season as a pass rusher. Finally, Tuck’s productive snaps at defensive tackle should keep him in the league longer than the average defensive end. Once he loses a slight step to get around offensive tackles, he should still have an upper hand on the inside against the less nimble guards.
40. Calais Campbell [DE, Arizona Cardinals, 23]
Stats: 48 tackles (37 solo), 7 sacks, 3 STF, 1 FF, 2 BLK, 5 PD
After playing sparingly in his rookie campaign, Campbell developed into a potential future star after his breakout season a year ago. Though overshadowed by his teammate Darnell Dockett, Campbell was the more consistent of the Cardinals’ linemen in 2009. Though the Cardinals love changing alignments, they were toughest versus the run where Campbell most often resided. According to Football Outsiders, the Cardinals’ DL was 3rd best in the league in defending runs over right tackle. At 6’8, 300 pounds, Campbell is very difficult to move off the line of scrimmage, but he also has tremendous quickness and lateral movement to make plays himself. And while he isn’t known as an elite pass rusher, on a per snap basis, he may have even applied more pressure on the quarterback than Dockett. Campbell has just tapped into his potential and the results are already very strong. If he can continue to utilize his athleticism and play with better hand use and leverage, Campbell could become one of the best defensive linemen in the league given his versatility.
39. Johnathan Joseph [CB, Cincinnati Bengals, 26]
Stats: 69 tackles (58 solo), 2 STF, 1 FF, 6 INT, 1 TD, 20 PD
With some semblance of a pass rush in 2009, the Bengals’ former 1st round pick was able to post his best season to date. Joseph is a sudden athlete capable of joining himself at the opponent’s hip in coverage as he wastes no steps in getting in and out of his breaks. He’s equally capable of playing both man and zone coverage. However, his biggest strength has always been his ability to break on passes and play the ball in the air. He consistently locates the ball in the air, oftentimes before the receiver, and is capable of competing for the pass. Leon Hall may get more publicity, but Joseph is also on the cusp of becoming an elite cornerback with the potential to become a shutdown player. Still, he already makes up one-half of the most complete cornerback tandems in the league. Proof? The Bengals finished 2nd in the league (to the Jets) with a 6.05 Adjusted YPA on passes thrown to the 1st and 2nd receivers.
38. Mike Jenkins [CB, Dallas Cowboys, 25]
Stats: 49 tackles (45 solo), 1 STF, 5 INT, 19 PD
Along with several other up and comers, Jenkins emerged in 2009 to become a good island corner. He has all of the tools to become one of the best in the league. He improved in his sophomore campaign by playing more physically at the line of scrimmage to reroute receivers, something he specialized in during his career at South Florida. He shadows receivers extremely well with quick footwork and agility. Despite being tested, Jenkins delivered time after time allowing completions on just a little more than half of the passes thrown his direction. He allowed just 2 touchdowns on the year, in line with the elite cornerbacks, and picked off 5 contested passes for his team (as noted by the 0 interception yards for the season). With the benefit he receives from an outstanding pass rush he’ll need to eliminate games like the one he had versus Sidney Rice in the playoffs and become more consistent to move higher on the list.
37. Brandon Mebane [DT, Seattle Seahawks, 25]
Stats: 49 tackles (40 solo), 1.5 sacks, 4 STF
How is it that most fans don’t know who Brandon Mebane is? Well, the easy answer is the media, but the more complicated answer lies in position he plays. With the rising popularity of the 3-4, the defensive ends, and especially nose tackles, have garnered so much publicity over the years that even the semi-casual fans may be able to tell you that these players are often double-teamed. Hell, they may not know why, but they can tell you the nose tackle is important in a 3-4. Well, even in the 4-3, not all players have a free reign to shoot the gap and accumulate splash plays in the backfield. Brandon Mebane is one of these players. His responsibility is primarily to stop the run. Oddly enough, he entered the league as a lean defensive tackle—by today’s standards—but has become the most valuable run-stopping piece on the Seahawks defense. His success can be demonstrated through several measures. For one, you can start by looking at the 100-yard rushers the Seahawks allowed last year. In Week 2, Frank Gore pounded the defense for 207 yards on 16 carries, and in Week 17 Chris Johnson managed 134 yards, but on 36 attempts. I guess now would be the time to divulge the punch line that eases the Week 2 result. Brandon Mebane was absent from the lineup nursing a calf injury. Furthermore, the Seahawks had great success in defending the run with an undrafted linebacker filling in for Lofa Tatupu. Having the freedom to plug in an undrafted linebacker who made as many plays as David Hawthorne—not to take anything away from him—is a testament to Mebane’s ability to clog up the middle and occupy attention. While I’ve endlessly praised his run-stopping ability, which comes from terrific strength, leverage, and hand use, he’s much better at applying pressure up the middle than most 320+ pound nose tackles as well. With Mebane you get 4-3 defensive tackle prototype capable of successfully carrying on several responsibilities.
36. Leon Hall [CB, Cincinnati Bengals, 25]
Stats: 71 tackles (58 solo), 1 STF, 2 FF, 6 INT, 24 PD
Hall has been the more impactful playmaking corner of the dynamite duo since he entered the league a year after Joseph. Like Joseph, Leon Hall also has a great physical make-up with adequate size paired with nice strength and athleticism. In the past, Hall had been susceptible to the big play due to the nature of his game, but in 2009, he corrected some of those tendencies to become a better cover corner. However, this didn’t sacrifice from his ability to make plays as evidenced by the six interceptions and numerous deflections. While Joseph may be a hair better in man coverage, Hall excels in zone coverage where his instincts allow him to break quickly on the ball with the play in front of him. As mentioned with Joseph, the Bengals finished 2nd in the league (to the Jets) with a 6.05 Adjusted YPA on passes thrown to the 1st and 2nd receivers as found by Football Outsiders. The former Michigan standout is also a terrific defender in run support where he shows good closing speed and wrap-up ability on the perimeter. After stringing together several impactful, but incomplete seasons, Hall has become one of the league’s best all-around cornerbacks, hitting his prime early.
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