TheTruth
10-27-2006, 07:33 PM
LB ratings: Broncos tops in the NFLScouts Inc.
It wasn't easy to rank the NFL's best linebacker corps. There are at least four teams that could make the case for best unit. The Chicago Bears have the best MLB in Brian Urlacher. The Baltimore Ravens have the most intense LB in Ray Lewis, and a young LB in Bart Scott who has developed into an excellent player. When its unit is intact, it would be tough to find a group as deep and talented as the San Diego Chargers.
But our choice for best unit is the Denver Broncos'.
NFL's best linebacking groups
Rank Team Comment
1. Denver: In MLB Al Wilson and OLBs D.J. Williams and Ian Gold, Denver possesses the best starting group in the NFL. What makes them so special? First and foremost, they are all so close. It is almost like they can read each others' minds on the field. Secondly, it is the fastest unit in the NFL. The Broncos might not have the fastest individual players, but there is no other unit that possesses great speed at all three LB spots.
They are all interchangeable, but each has his own special characteristics. Wilson is a solid take-on player at the point of attack. He plays with very good leverage and knows how to strike, shed and get to the ball. Williams is the youngest (24) and most explosive player of this group. Gold is the most versatile of the group. He is Denver's best cover LB and has the feel, quickness and instincts to align in the slot if need be.
The last thing that makes them so special is the versatility and matchup problems they create for an offense. These three players are athletic enough to be on the field in any offensive scenario, and that can give offensive coordinators fits when trying to come up with a game plan.
Best player: Wilson
2. Chicago: Not only does MLB Brian Urlacher bring exceptional talent and ability to this defense, but also great leadership. Urlacher gets his teammates lined up before the snap, then fired up after the snap when flying around making plays. In Urlacher's shadow is outstanding weakside linebacker Lance Briggs. Strong-side linebacker Hunter Hillenmeyer does a good job in coverage and is solid versus the run. This trio does an excellent job making plays in coverage, pressuring the quarterback and stopping the run behind a tremendous defensive front.
Best player: Urlacher
3. Ravens: The Ravens' starting linebackers are as good as any threesome in the league. Everyone knows about MLB Ray Lewis, who has shown minimal signs of slowing down. It could be argued that Baltimore's outside LBs are even better. WLB Bart Scott has emerged in a big way this season. He is very active and makes a ton of plays. SLB Adalius Thomas is rare in that he can play defensive end, linebacker or even safety. These three are fast and very aggressive. The depth behind the starters is suspect.
Best player: Lewis
4. San Diego: When healthy and together, this units possesses an excellent combination of size, speed and toughness. The nature of the 3-4 defense is pressure from the OLBs, and Shawne Merriman and Shaun Phillips are excellent in this area. ILBs Donnie Edwards and Randall Godfrey are the veterans of the unit and they complement each other well in the run game. When this unit is intact, a case can be made for it being the best overall LB corps in the NFL.
Best player: Merriman
5. Cowboys: The Cowboys are one of only a handful of teams that play a three-down linemen, four-linebacker scheme, and they have two distinctive sets of requirements for their linebackers. The outside linebackers must have good quickness and speed, as well as good size because of their unique dual role. They must be able to hold up against the run and have the athleticism to drop into pass coverage against backs, tight ends and receivers. The inside linebackers have to be physical, with good size and strength, to be able to hold up at the point of attack against larger offensive guards in the run game.
Best player: ROLB Demarcus Ware
6. Steelers: This is a good, but no longer great, starting foursome. Age has begun to take its toll and Joey Porter is among the more overhyped players in the league. That being said, the LBs the Steelers have are excellent fits in their scheme, they know where to be and how to make plays and are a strong, physical group. Pittsburgh has ignored linebackers in the draft the past several years and that could come back to haunt it eventually. OLB James Harrison is a very good backup, but other than him, depth is slim.
Best player: LILB James Farrior
7. Seattlle: Seattle's corps is one of the most gifted and talented groups in the NFL. The Seahawks are anchored in the middle by linebacker Lofa Tatupu, who is able to scrape along the line of scrimmage and fill in run lanes with power and dominance. Second-year standout LB LeRoy Hill has excellent speed to cover the tight end and speed to cover sideline to sideline. Thanks to the offseason addition of All-Pro linebacker Julian Peterson, the Seahawks are able to use an abundance of blitz packages and defensive schemes that have Peterson dropping in coverage and providing pass rush from various places.
Best player: Peterson
8. Patriots: The Patriots have one of the most experienced linebacking corps in the NFL. This veteran group, led by Tedy Bruschi (33), Mike Vrabel (31), Junior Seau (37) and Rosevelt Colvin (29), has been very solid through six games. The key to its success is great instincts, work ethic and toughness. A big reason this group has played so well can be attributed to the defensive line. When the trench players perform well it has a ripple effect throughout the entire defense. There are no superstars in this group but Bruschi is the mainstay.
Best player: Bruschi
9. Falcons: The Falcons are an attacking 4-3 defense that loves to hit gaps on the move and disrupt the flow of opponents' running games. Their linebackers are aggressive in the way they attack downhill and have the speed to extend and make plays out on the perimeter. This corps of linebackers is very talented and is led by WLB Keith Brooking. Brooking is a versatile player who makes plays all over the field, while MLB Ed Hartwell is an inside force who can anchor down versus the run. SLB Michael Boley is a developing player who has a tremendous upside to develop into a frontline player in the NFL.
Best player: Brooking
10. Jaguars: When healthy, the Jaguars' linebackers are one of the more athletic groups in the league. They are missing their leading tackler Mike Peterson, who was having an All-Pro-type of season before suffering a season-ending pectoral muscle injury Oct. 8. The group as a whole is not very big, but there are big defensive linemen in front of it. These LBs like to flow and attack gaps as they see the ball carrier commit to a hole, and they all have the quickness and speed to meet the ball carrier in the hole. With their youth -- Clint Ingram (23), Daryl Smith (24), Nick Greisen (27) and Peterson (30) -- they should do nothing but get better.
Best player: Peterson
Best of the rest
11. Dolphins (Zach Thomas)
12. Chiefs (Derrick Johnson)
13. Bills (Takeo Spikes)
14. Vikings (E.J. Henderson)
15. Raiders (Kirk Morrison)
16. Titans (Keith Bulluck)
17. Rams (Will Witherspoon)
18. Buccaneers (Derrick Brooks)
19. Eagles (Jeremiah Trotter)
20. Saints (Scott Fujita)
21. Colts (Cato June)
22. Giants (Antonio Pierce)
23. Panthers (Dan Morgan - IR)
24. Redskins (Marcus Washington)
25. Cardinals (Karlos Dansby)
26. Browns (Andra Davis)
27. Bengals (Brian Simmons)
28. Packers (Nick Barnett)
29. Jets (Jonathan Vilma)
30. Lions (Ernie Sims)
31. 49ers (Derek Smith)
32. Texans (DeMeco Ryans)
It wasn't easy to rank the NFL's best linebacker corps. There are at least four teams that could make the case for best unit. The Chicago Bears have the best MLB in Brian Urlacher. The Baltimore Ravens have the most intense LB in Ray Lewis, and a young LB in Bart Scott who has developed into an excellent player. When its unit is intact, it would be tough to find a group as deep and talented as the San Diego Chargers.
But our choice for best unit is the Denver Broncos'.
NFL's best linebacking groups
Rank Team Comment
1. Denver: In MLB Al Wilson and OLBs D.J. Williams and Ian Gold, Denver possesses the best starting group in the NFL. What makes them so special? First and foremost, they are all so close. It is almost like they can read each others' minds on the field. Secondly, it is the fastest unit in the NFL. The Broncos might not have the fastest individual players, but there is no other unit that possesses great speed at all three LB spots.
They are all interchangeable, but each has his own special characteristics. Wilson is a solid take-on player at the point of attack. He plays with very good leverage and knows how to strike, shed and get to the ball. Williams is the youngest (24) and most explosive player of this group. Gold is the most versatile of the group. He is Denver's best cover LB and has the feel, quickness and instincts to align in the slot if need be.
The last thing that makes them so special is the versatility and matchup problems they create for an offense. These three players are athletic enough to be on the field in any offensive scenario, and that can give offensive coordinators fits when trying to come up with a game plan.
Best player: Wilson
2. Chicago: Not only does MLB Brian Urlacher bring exceptional talent and ability to this defense, but also great leadership. Urlacher gets his teammates lined up before the snap, then fired up after the snap when flying around making plays. In Urlacher's shadow is outstanding weakside linebacker Lance Briggs. Strong-side linebacker Hunter Hillenmeyer does a good job in coverage and is solid versus the run. This trio does an excellent job making plays in coverage, pressuring the quarterback and stopping the run behind a tremendous defensive front.
Best player: Urlacher
3. Ravens: The Ravens' starting linebackers are as good as any threesome in the league. Everyone knows about MLB Ray Lewis, who has shown minimal signs of slowing down. It could be argued that Baltimore's outside LBs are even better. WLB Bart Scott has emerged in a big way this season. He is very active and makes a ton of plays. SLB Adalius Thomas is rare in that he can play defensive end, linebacker or even safety. These three are fast and very aggressive. The depth behind the starters is suspect.
Best player: Lewis
4. San Diego: When healthy and together, this units possesses an excellent combination of size, speed and toughness. The nature of the 3-4 defense is pressure from the OLBs, and Shawne Merriman and Shaun Phillips are excellent in this area. ILBs Donnie Edwards and Randall Godfrey are the veterans of the unit and they complement each other well in the run game. When this unit is intact, a case can be made for it being the best overall LB corps in the NFL.
Best player: Merriman
5. Cowboys: The Cowboys are one of only a handful of teams that play a three-down linemen, four-linebacker scheme, and they have two distinctive sets of requirements for their linebackers. The outside linebackers must have good quickness and speed, as well as good size because of their unique dual role. They must be able to hold up against the run and have the athleticism to drop into pass coverage against backs, tight ends and receivers. The inside linebackers have to be physical, with good size and strength, to be able to hold up at the point of attack against larger offensive guards in the run game.
Best player: ROLB Demarcus Ware
6. Steelers: This is a good, but no longer great, starting foursome. Age has begun to take its toll and Joey Porter is among the more overhyped players in the league. That being said, the LBs the Steelers have are excellent fits in their scheme, they know where to be and how to make plays and are a strong, physical group. Pittsburgh has ignored linebackers in the draft the past several years and that could come back to haunt it eventually. OLB James Harrison is a very good backup, but other than him, depth is slim.
Best player: LILB James Farrior
7. Seattlle: Seattle's corps is one of the most gifted and talented groups in the NFL. The Seahawks are anchored in the middle by linebacker Lofa Tatupu, who is able to scrape along the line of scrimmage and fill in run lanes with power and dominance. Second-year standout LB LeRoy Hill has excellent speed to cover the tight end and speed to cover sideline to sideline. Thanks to the offseason addition of All-Pro linebacker Julian Peterson, the Seahawks are able to use an abundance of blitz packages and defensive schemes that have Peterson dropping in coverage and providing pass rush from various places.
Best player: Peterson
8. Patriots: The Patriots have one of the most experienced linebacking corps in the NFL. This veteran group, led by Tedy Bruschi (33), Mike Vrabel (31), Junior Seau (37) and Rosevelt Colvin (29), has been very solid through six games. The key to its success is great instincts, work ethic and toughness. A big reason this group has played so well can be attributed to the defensive line. When the trench players perform well it has a ripple effect throughout the entire defense. There are no superstars in this group but Bruschi is the mainstay.
Best player: Bruschi
9. Falcons: The Falcons are an attacking 4-3 defense that loves to hit gaps on the move and disrupt the flow of opponents' running games. Their linebackers are aggressive in the way they attack downhill and have the speed to extend and make plays out on the perimeter. This corps of linebackers is very talented and is led by WLB Keith Brooking. Brooking is a versatile player who makes plays all over the field, while MLB Ed Hartwell is an inside force who can anchor down versus the run. SLB Michael Boley is a developing player who has a tremendous upside to develop into a frontline player in the NFL.
Best player: Brooking
10. Jaguars: When healthy, the Jaguars' linebackers are one of the more athletic groups in the league. They are missing their leading tackler Mike Peterson, who was having an All-Pro-type of season before suffering a season-ending pectoral muscle injury Oct. 8. The group as a whole is not very big, but there are big defensive linemen in front of it. These LBs like to flow and attack gaps as they see the ball carrier commit to a hole, and they all have the quickness and speed to meet the ball carrier in the hole. With their youth -- Clint Ingram (23), Daryl Smith (24), Nick Greisen (27) and Peterson (30) -- they should do nothing but get better.
Best player: Peterson
Best of the rest
11. Dolphins (Zach Thomas)
12. Chiefs (Derrick Johnson)
13. Bills (Takeo Spikes)
14. Vikings (E.J. Henderson)
15. Raiders (Kirk Morrison)
16. Titans (Keith Bulluck)
17. Rams (Will Witherspoon)
18. Buccaneers (Derrick Brooks)
19. Eagles (Jeremiah Trotter)
20. Saints (Scott Fujita)
21. Colts (Cato June)
22. Giants (Antonio Pierce)
23. Panthers (Dan Morgan - IR)
24. Redskins (Marcus Washington)
25. Cardinals (Karlos Dansby)
26. Browns (Andra Davis)
27. Bengals (Brian Simmons)
28. Packers (Nick Barnett)
29. Jets (Jonathan Vilma)
30. Lions (Ernie Sims)
31. 49ers (Derek Smith)
32. Texans (DeMeco Ryans)