Top 5 linebackers of the 2019-2020 season

Top 5 linebackers of the 2019-2020 season

A good linebacker can completely change the course of any game. This list is going to show you the best at the position strictly looking at the 2019-2020 season. I am also only focusing on coverage linebackers for this list. Pass rushing linebackers like Khalil Mack and Von Miller will not be on this list but will be included on the edge rusher list. No further explanation is needed so let's get right into the list. 

5.Bobby Wagner (Seattle Seahawks)

Right at the beginning we have a controversial placement with one of the most consistent linebackers being at number five but hear me out. Wagner showed some cracks last season to put it lightly. Yes he led the league in combined tackles, but that was about it. He was put into coverage more and did not show anything spectacular at all. He was targeted 72 times and it was completed 58 times for a 80.6% completion percentage. Also opposing quarterbacks had a QB rating of 108.2 against him and 428 yards after catch were completed against him. It wasn't all bad for Wagner though, he had 1 interception and a forced fumble on the season. He also had 3 sacks, 7 tackles for losses and only allowed 2 touchdowns to him. He didn't have a terrible season but his tackles saved him from slipping out of the top 5 for me.

 

4.Eric Kendricks (Minnesota Vikings)

Playing in his fifth season, Kendricks put together a pretty impressive year. Kendricks had the lowest completion percentage against him on the list at 53.3% but also was targeted the least amount of times at 60. Quarterbacks had a passer rating of 82.8 against him and he also had 12 pass deflections. He also gave up the second least amount of yards with 363 of them and the least amount of yards after catch with 158 of them. In the turnover game he had 1 interception and forced 2 fumbles . It wasn't all great for Kendricks though. He had the least amount of tackles on the list with 110 and 70 solo and the least amount of tackles for losses with 4. He also had the highest missed tackle percentage on the list at 8.3%. The numbers were not bad at all, they just did not stack up to the rest of the competition.

3.Demario Davis (New Orleans Saints)

Demario Davis was the Saints answer for better linebacker performance and he rewarded them making the First-Team All-Pro for the first time in his career. He was targeted 72 times and only 49 of them were completed for a 72.6% completion percentage against him. He also had a quarterback rating of 75.8 against him coming up with 1 interception and 12 pass deflections only giving up 1 touchdown. He gave up the least amount of yards with 313 of them and the least amount of yards per target at 4.3. Demario blitzed the most out of anybody on the list, doing it 104 times and had the second most sacks at 4 but had the most tackles for losses with 11 of them. He also had 111 tackles but 87 of them were solo which was the most on the list. With this 87 solo tackles he only missed 5 giving him a missed tackle percentage of 4.3% second least on the list. I would say he was a pretty good answer. 

2.Darius Leonard (Indianapolis Colts)

Darius Leonard is going to be a dominant force in the league for years to come. He was First-Team All-Pro in his rookie season and did not slow down a bit in his second season. He led all linebackers in the league with 5 interceptions taking one back for a touchdown and also had 2 forced fumbles. He was targeted 62 times and 49 of them were completed for a 72.6% completion percentage. He had the lowest quarterback rating against him at 62.8 and only allowed 1 touchdown. To add to that he only blitzed 53 times but led this list in sacks with 5 of them and added 7 tackles for losses. He also had the lowest missed tackle percentage on the list at 4.0% and totaled 121 tackles with 71 of them being solo. The only thing that knocked him back from the number one spot was the yards he gave up. He gave up 424 yards and 272 yards after the catch with only Wagner being worse. He also gave up 6.8 yards per target but that is not taking away from the fact that he is constantly getting better and only going into year 3 next season. 

1.Luke Kuechly (Carolina Panthers)

It's only right that the best linebacker of the past seven years give or take goes out as number 1. After the 2019-2020 season, Kuechly announced his retirement going out as a pro bowl selection. He had 144 tackles this season 81 of them being solo and 4 of them being for a loss of yards. He was targeted 68 times and 46 were completed for the second best completion percentage of 67.6%. He also only gave up 395 yards, 194 yards after the catch and 5.8 yards per target which was the second least. Opposing quarterbacks had a rating of 75.3 against him which was second least and he only gave up 1 touchdown with 12 pass defenses. He also had 2 interceptions and was the only one on the list to get a safety this season. He was the most consistent on the list and is definitely a future Hall Of Famer.