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
Overall Defensive Grades
DT Matthew Alexander (13) - 80.7
DT Lee Hunter (37) - 80.3
DE Kaven Call (5) - 80.0
LB TJ Bullard (7) - 79.6
DE Josh Celiscar (42) - 76.6
CB Corey Thornton (48) - 76.1
LB Isaiah Paul (2) - 75.4
CB Ja'Cari Henderson (24) - 75.2
DT Ricky Barber (46) - 74.8
DE Malachi Lawrence (23) - 74.2
CB Brandon Adams (35) - 73.5
SCB DeJordan Mask (36) - 73.2
DE Isaiah Nixon (5) - 69.6
CB Decorian Patterson (28) - 67.0
S Jireh Wilson (41) - 63.8
LB Walter Yates (55) - 63.5
DT Kervins Choute (12) - 63.3
LB Kam Moore (5) - 63.1
CB Fred Davis (5) - 62.5
DE Tre'Mon Morris-Brash (47) - 61.6
S William Wells (31) - 60.3
CB Hudson Gibbs (2) - 60.1
S Quadric Bullard (26) - 60.0
DT John Walker (30) - 59.9
DE Jamaal Johnson (7) - 59.1
CB Jason Duclona (2) - 58.9
DE Shaun Peterson Jr. (11) - 58.3
LB Rian Davis (35) - 53.8
LB Jason Johnson (36) - 53.6
S Nikai Martinez (42) - 51.1
SCB Braeden Marshall (30) - 50.1
DT Keshaun Hudson (2) - 46.6
I first looked at the grades on Friday night and by Saturday early afternoon PFF revised them with another review. This happens every week - when I post them on Sunday that's usually just one review. If you look again by Monday/Tuesday, there may be a few changes with a second review but it's usually minor.
PFF-favorite Matthew Alexander, though he only played 13 snaps as a backup DT, leads the group. He was UCF's highest-graded defensive player in 2022.
Among starters, Lee Hunter had a fantastic showing and his grade shows. Honestly, most defensive players graded well, though Jason Johnson, Nikai Martinez and Braeden Marshall did not.
Here's the breakdown by position:
Defensive End (7):
DE Kaven Call (5) - 80.0
DE Josh Celiscar (42) - 76.6
DE Malachi Lawrence (23) - 74.2
DE Isaiah Nixon (5) - 69.6
DE Tre'Mon Morris-Brash (47) - 61.6
DE Jamaal Johnson (7) - 59.1
DE Shaun Peterson Jr. (11) - 58.3
Defensive Tackle (6):
DT Matthew Alexander (13) - 80.7
DT Lee Hunter (37) - 80.3
DT Ricky Barber (46) - 74.8
DT Kervins Choute (12) - 63.3
DT John Walker (30) - 59.9
DT Keshaun Hudson (2) - 46.6
Linebacker (6):
LB TJ Bullard (7) - 79.6
LB Isaiah Paul (2) - 75.4
LB Walter Yates (55) - 63.5
LB Kam Moore (5) - 63.1
LB Rian Davis (35) - 53.8
LB Jason Johnson (36) - 53.6
Safety (4):
S Jireh Wilson (41) - 63.8
S William Wells (31) - 60.3
S Quadric Bullard (26) - 60.0
S Nikai Martinez (42) - 51.1
Corner (9):
CB Corey Thornton (48) - 76.1
CB Ja'Cari Henderson (24) - 75.2
CB Brandon Adams (35) - 73.5
SCB DeJordan Mask (36) - 73.2
CB Decorian Patterson (28) - 67.0
CB Fred Davis (5) - 62.5
SCB Hudson Gibbs (2) - 60.1
SCB Jason Duclona (2) - 58.9
SCB Braeden Marshall (30) - 50.1
Pressure Tracker (combination of sacks, hits and hurries):
4 - Lee Hunter
3 - John Walker
2 - Matthew Alexander, Josh Celiscar, Tre'Mon Morris-Brash
1 - Isaiah Nixon, Kaven Call, Nikai Martinez, TJ Bullard, Malachi Lawrence, Kervins Choute, Ricky Barber, Shaun Peterson Jr.
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
Overall Defensive Grades
DT Matthew Alexander (13) - 80.7
DT Lee Hunter (37) - 80.3
DE Kaven Call (5) - 80.0
LB TJ Bullard (7) - 79.6
DE Josh Celiscar (42) - 76.6
CB Corey Thornton (48) - 76.1
LB Isaiah Paul (2) - 75.4
CB Ja'Cari Henderson (24) - 75.2
DT Ricky Barber (46) - 74.8
DE Malachi Lawrence (23) - 74.2
CB Brandon Adams (35) - 73.5
SCB DeJordan Mask (36) - 73.2
DE Isaiah Nixon (5) - 69.6
CB Decorian Patterson (28) - 67.0
S Jireh Wilson (41) - 63.8
LB Walter Yates (55) - 63.5
DT Kervins Choute (12) - 63.3
LB Kam Moore (5) - 63.1
CB Fred Davis (5) - 62.5
DE Tre'Mon Morris-Brash (47) - 61.6
S William Wells (31) - 60.3
CB Hudson Gibbs (2) - 60.1
S Quadric Bullard (26) - 60.0
DT John Walker (30) - 59.9
DE Jamaal Johnson (7) - 59.1
CB Jason Duclona (2) - 58.9
DE Shaun Peterson Jr. (11) - 58.3
LB Rian Davis (35) - 53.8
LB Jason Johnson (36) - 53.6
S Nikai Martinez (42) - 51.1
SCB Braeden Marshall (30) - 50.1
DT Keshaun Hudson (2) - 46.6
I first looked at the grades on Friday night and by Saturday early afternoon PFF revised them with another review. This happens every week - when I post them on Sunday that's usually just one review. If you look again by Monday/Tuesday, there may be a few changes with a second review but it's usually minor.
PFF-favorite Matthew Alexander, though he only played 13 snaps as a backup DT, leads the group. He was UCF's highest-graded defensive player in 2022.
Among starters, Lee Hunter had a fantastic showing and his grade shows. Honestly, most defensive players graded well, though Jason Johnson, Nikai Martinez and Braeden Marshall did not.
Here's the breakdown by position:
Defensive End (7):
DE Kaven Call (5) - 80.0
DE Josh Celiscar (42) - 76.6
DE Malachi Lawrence (23) - 74.2
DE Isaiah Nixon (5) - 69.6
DE Tre'Mon Morris-Brash (47) - 61.6
DE Jamaal Johnson (7) - 59.1
DE Shaun Peterson Jr. (11) - 58.3
Defensive Tackle (6):
DT Matthew Alexander (13) - 80.7
DT Lee Hunter (37) - 80.3
DT Ricky Barber (46) - 74.8
DT Kervins Choute (12) - 63.3
DT John Walker (30) - 59.9
DT Keshaun Hudson (2) - 46.6
Linebacker (6):
LB TJ Bullard (7) - 79.6
LB Isaiah Paul (2) - 75.4
LB Walter Yates (55) - 63.5
LB Kam Moore (5) - 63.1
LB Rian Davis (35) - 53.8
LB Jason Johnson (36) - 53.6
Safety (4):
S Jireh Wilson (41) - 63.8
S William Wells (31) - 60.3
S Quadric Bullard (26) - 60.0
S Nikai Martinez (42) - 51.1
Corner (9):
CB Corey Thornton (48) - 76.1
CB Ja'Cari Henderson (24) - 75.2
CB Brandon Adams (35) - 73.5
SCB DeJordan Mask (36) - 73.2
CB Decorian Patterson (28) - 67.0
CB Fred Davis (5) - 62.5
SCB Hudson Gibbs (2) - 60.1
SCB Jason Duclona (2) - 58.9
SCB Braeden Marshall (30) - 50.1
Pressure Tracker (combination of sacks, hits and hurries):
4 - Lee Hunter
3 - John Walker
2 - Matthew Alexander, Josh Celiscar, Tre'Mon Morris-Brash
1 - Isaiah Nixon, Kaven Call, Nikai Martinez, TJ Bullard, Malachi Lawrence, Kervins Choute, Ricky Barber, Shaun Peterson Jr.
