Rivals has continued its partnership with Pro Football Focus (PFF) which grants me access to their comprehensive analytics and statistical tools.
After each game, two separate analysts grade every player on each play of the game and the two totals are averaged out. Obviously no subjective ranking system is perfect, but I am finding that my real world impressions of a player in a certain game usually reflects the PFF grade.
PFF Grading Scale
90 and above - Elite
80 to 89 - Great
70 to 79 - Good
60 to 69 - Average to Above Average
50 - 59 - Below Average
49 and below - Poor
Season Defensive Grades (by game)
South Carolina State - 88.4
Louisville - 62.5
FAU - 63.3
Georgia Tech - 70.0
SMU - 66.0
Temple - 66.8
ECU - 65.1
Cincinnati - 63.9
Memphis - 67.2
Tulane - 65.2
Overall Defensive Grades
DT Lee Hunter (15) - 82.6
DT Ricky Barber (54) - 74.3
S Jarvis Ware (62) - 69.7
S William Wells (14) - 68.7
S Koby Perry (58) - 68.6
CB Brandon Adams (30) - 66.4
LB Jason Johnson (68) - 65.4
DT Anthony Montalvo (53) - 62.9
DT Matthew Alexander (16) - 61.3
LB Walter Yates (34) - 60.9
DE Keenan Cupit (1) - 60.7
DE Tre'Mon Morris-Brash (58) - 60.7
DE K.D. McDaniel (25) - 58.4
CB Corey Thornton (53) - 57.9
DE Malachi Lawrence (9) - 57.5
CB Nikai Martinez (24) - 56.4
LB Kam Moore (37) - 55.6
CB Davonte Brown (52) - 54.2
CB Justin Hodges (41) - 53.6
DE Josh Celiscar (44) - 50.4
Ricky Barber was a stud again. Notable to see the reserve safeties grade so highly. PFF did not think highly of the corners besides Brandon Adams. Josh Celiscar played 44 of 68 total defensive snaps. The past three weeks he had been playing every snap. Not sure why he's at the bottom.
Did Malachi Lawrence or Keenan Cupit really get in the game? I didn't notice but I have poor viewing angles at times and neither were listed in the partcipation chart. PFF does make mistakes on reading numbers.
Here's the breakdown by position:
Defensive End (5):
DE Keenan Cupit (1) - 60.7
DE Tre'Mon Morris-Brash (58) - 60.7
DE K.D. McDaniel (25) - 58.4
DE Malachi Lawrence (9) - 57.5
DE Josh Celiscar (44) - 50.4
Defensive Tackle (4):
DT Lee Hunter (15) - 82.6
DT Ricky Barber (54) - 74.3
DT Anthony Montalvo (53) - 62.9
DT Matthew Alexander (16) - 61.3
Linebacker (3):
LB Jason Johnson (68) - 65.4
LB Walter Yates (34) - 60.9
LB Kam Moore (37) - 55.6
Safety (3):
S Jarvis Ware (62) - 69.7
S William Wells (14) - 68.7
S Koby Perry (58) - 68.6
Corner (5):
CB Brandon Adams (30) - 66.4
CB Corey Thornton (53) - 57.9
CB Nikai Martinez (24) - 56.4
CB Davonte Brown (52) - 54.2
CB Justin Hodges (41) - 53.6
Pressure Tracker (combination of sacks, hits and hurries):
5 - Ricky Barber
3 - Tre'Mon Morris-Brash
2 - Josh Celiscar
1 - Kam Moore, Lee Hunter, William Wells, Malachi Lawrence, Jason Johnson