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)
Kent State - 77.0
Boise State - 65.2
Villanova - 82.2
Overall Defensive Grades
DT John Walker (26) - 92.3
DT Lee Hunter (26) - 85.0
DE Josh Celiscar (40) - 76.6
LB Jason Johnson (42) - 76.6
DT Kervins Choute (24) - 75.8
DE Tre'Mon Morris-Brash (26) - 72.5
S Nikai Martinez (33) - 71.4
CB Brandon Adams (12) - 70.3
LB Walter Yates (31) - 69.5
LB Kam Moore (16) - 68.9
DE Shaun Peterson Jr. (15) - 68.5
DE Isaiah Nixon (6) - 67.8
CB Ja'Cari Henderson (42) - 67.5
CB Corey Thornton (24) - 66.4
DE Kaven Call (11) - 64.1
LB TJ Bullard (6) - 63.3
S William Wells (30) - 62.2
S Jireh Wilson (35) - 62.0
SCB Jason Duclona (6) - 61.6
CB Decorian Patterson (30) - 60.8
DE Jamaal Johnson (7) - 60.1
S Quadric Bullard (24) - 59.1
LB Rian Davis (13) - 57.2
DE Malachi Lawrence (5) - 57.1
DT Matthew Alexander (30) - 54.6
SCB Braeden Marshall (34) - 54.3
John Walker was showing up and the grades prove it - elite grade of 92+. Very impressive. Great grades all around for the DL, though an uncharacteristically low grade for Matthew Alexander. This is the second-highest grade ever for LB Jason Johnson trailing only his 82.8 vs. Navy last year.
Nine total missed tackles - Braeden Marshall had three of them.
Here's the breakdown by position:
Defensive End (7):
DE Josh Celiscar (40) - 76.6
DE Tre'Mon Morris-Brash (26) - 72.5
DE Shaun Peterson Jr. (15) - 68.5
DE Isaiah Nixon (6) - 67.8
DE Kaven Call (11) - 64.1
DE Jamaal Johnson (7) - 60.1
DE Malachi Lawrence (5) - 57.1
Defensive Tackle (4):
DT John Walker (26) - 92.3
DT Lee Hunter (26) - 85.0
DT Kervins Choute (24) - 75.8
DT Matthew Alexander (30) - 54.6
Linebacker (5):
LB Jason Johnson (42) - 76.6
LB Walter Yates (31) - 69.5
LB Kam Moore (16) - 68.9
LB TJ Bullard (6) - 63.3
LB Rian Davis (13) - 57.2
Safety (4):
S Nikai Martinez (33) - 71.4
S William Wells (30) - 62.2
S Jireh Wilson (35) - 62.0
S Quadric Bullard (24) - 59.1
With no DeJordan Mask, Quadric Bullard split reps between safety and nickel (slot).
Corner (6):
CB Brandon Adams (12) - 70.3
CB Ja'Cari Henderson (42) - 67.5
CB Corey Thornton (24) - 66.4
SCB Jason Duclona (6) - 61.6
CB Decorian Patterson (30) - 60.8
SCB Braeden Marshall (34) - 54.3
UCF leaned more on Ja'Cari and Patterson.
Pressure Tracker (combination of sacks, hits and hurries):
3 - Lee Hunter, Tre'Mon Morris-Brash
2 - Kervins Choute, Shaun Peterson Jr.
1 - Isaiah Nixon, Kaven Call, Matthew Alexander, Brandon Adams, Josh Celiscar
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)
Kent State - 77.0
Boise State - 65.2
Villanova - 82.2
Overall Defensive Grades
DT John Walker (26) - 92.3
DT Lee Hunter (26) - 85.0
DE Josh Celiscar (40) - 76.6
LB Jason Johnson (42) - 76.6
DT Kervins Choute (24) - 75.8
DE Tre'Mon Morris-Brash (26) - 72.5
S Nikai Martinez (33) - 71.4
CB Brandon Adams (12) - 70.3
LB Walter Yates (31) - 69.5
LB Kam Moore (16) - 68.9
DE Shaun Peterson Jr. (15) - 68.5
DE Isaiah Nixon (6) - 67.8
CB Ja'Cari Henderson (42) - 67.5
CB Corey Thornton (24) - 66.4
DE Kaven Call (11) - 64.1
LB TJ Bullard (6) - 63.3
S William Wells (30) - 62.2
S Jireh Wilson (35) - 62.0
SCB Jason Duclona (6) - 61.6
CB Decorian Patterson (30) - 60.8
DE Jamaal Johnson (7) - 60.1
S Quadric Bullard (24) - 59.1
LB Rian Davis (13) - 57.2
DE Malachi Lawrence (5) - 57.1
DT Matthew Alexander (30) - 54.6
SCB Braeden Marshall (34) - 54.3
John Walker was showing up and the grades prove it - elite grade of 92+. Very impressive. Great grades all around for the DL, though an uncharacteristically low grade for Matthew Alexander. This is the second-highest grade ever for LB Jason Johnson trailing only his 82.8 vs. Navy last year.
Nine total missed tackles - Braeden Marshall had three of them.
Here's the breakdown by position:
Defensive End (7):
DE Josh Celiscar (40) - 76.6
DE Tre'Mon Morris-Brash (26) - 72.5
DE Shaun Peterson Jr. (15) - 68.5
DE Isaiah Nixon (6) - 67.8
DE Kaven Call (11) - 64.1
DE Jamaal Johnson (7) - 60.1
DE Malachi Lawrence (5) - 57.1
Defensive Tackle (4):
DT John Walker (26) - 92.3
DT Lee Hunter (26) - 85.0
DT Kervins Choute (24) - 75.8
DT Matthew Alexander (30) - 54.6
Linebacker (5):
LB Jason Johnson (42) - 76.6
LB Walter Yates (31) - 69.5
LB Kam Moore (16) - 68.9
LB TJ Bullard (6) - 63.3
LB Rian Davis (13) - 57.2
Safety (4):
S Nikai Martinez (33) - 71.4
S William Wells (30) - 62.2
S Jireh Wilson (35) - 62.0
S Quadric Bullard (24) - 59.1
With no DeJordan Mask, Quadric Bullard split reps between safety and nickel (slot).
Corner (6):
CB Brandon Adams (12) - 70.3
CB Ja'Cari Henderson (42) - 67.5
CB Corey Thornton (24) - 66.4
SCB Jason Duclona (6) - 61.6
CB Decorian Patterson (30) - 60.8
SCB Braeden Marshall (34) - 54.3
UCF leaned more on Ja'Cari and Patterson.
Pressure Tracker (combination of sacks, hits and hurries):
3 - Lee Hunter, Tre'Mon Morris-Brash
2 - Kervins Choute, Shaun Peterson Jr.
1 - Isaiah Nixon, Kaven Call, Matthew Alexander, Brandon Adams, Josh Celiscar
