Pro Football Focus's Top NFL Players For 2015-16 (Defense)

If you read this blog, you know all about ProFootballFocus.com and their controversial grading scale they use to determine how a certain player performed during every game. These guys watch A LOT of tape on players and then use that information to give them a numbered grade depending on how well they played/didn't play in that particular game. It's a system that definitely has it's problems when it comes to certain positions (QB's), but there are certain positions (OL) where the grading system works extremely well.

With that said, it's about time to check in on who PFF has ranked as the best/worst players of the 2015-16 NFL season so far. Why? Because it provides an interesting topic to discuss and that's what we are all about here at THE ULTIMATE SPORTS BLOG!

Pro Football Focus' Top NFL Players

2015-16

Defense

Top Graded Edge Rushers (OLB's & DE's):

1. Cameron Jordan (New Orleans Saints)

2. Justin Houston (Kansas City Chiefs)

3. Khalil Mack (Oakland Raiders)

4. Cliff Avril (Seattle Seahawks)

5. Von Miller (Denver Broncos)

6. Pernell McPhee (Chicago Bears)

7. Michael Bennett (Seattle Seahawks)

8. Robert Ayers (New York Giants)

9. Elvis Dumervil (Baltimore Ravens)

10. Tamba Hali (Kansas City Chiefs)

Worst Graded Edge Rushers:

1. Chris Clemsons (Jacksonville Jaguars)

2. Kyle Emanuel (San Diego Chargers)

3. Andre Branch (Jacksonville Jaguars)

4. Kasim Edebali (New Orleans Saints)

5. Bud Dupree (Pittsburgh Steelers)

6. Bobby Richardson (New Orleans Saints)

7. Lamarr Woodley (Arizona Cardinals)

8. Jonathan Newsome (Indianapolis Colts)

9. Kerry Wynn (New York Giants)

10. Rob Ninkovich (New England Patriots)

Top Graded Interior Defensive Lineman:

1. Linval Joseph (Minnesota Vikings)

2. J.J. Watt (Houston Texans)

3. Aaron Donald (St. Louis Rams)

4. Ndamukong Suh (Miami Dolphins)

5. Brandon Williams (Baltimore Ravens)

6. Kawann Short (Carolina Panthers)

7. Mike Daniels (Green Bay Packers)

8. Muhammad Wilkerson (New York Jets)

9. Fletcher Cox (Philadelphia Eagles)

10. Cameron Heyward (Pittsburgh Steelers)

Worst Graded Interior Defensive Linemen:

1. Xavier Cooper (Cleveland Browns)

2. Ricardo Mathews (San Diego Chargers)

3. Kendall Reyes (San Diego Chargers)

4. Jared Crick (Houston Texans)

5. Tyeler Davison (New Orleans Saints)

6. Jack Crawford (Dallas Cowboys)

7. Stacy McGee (Oakland Raiders)

8. Markus Khun (New York Giants)

9. Beau Allen (Philadelphia Eagles)

10. Dwan Edwards (Carolina Panthers)

Top Graded Inside Linebackers:

1. Luke Kuechly (Carolina Panthers)

2. K.J. Wright (Seattle Seahawks)

3. Anthony Barr (Minnesota Vikings)

4. Derrick Johnson (Kansas City Chiefs)

5. Danny Trevathan (Denver Broncos)

6. Brandon Marshall (Denver Broncos)

7. Wesley Woodyard (Tennessee Titans)

8. Sean Lee (Dallas Cowboys)

9. Jerrell Freeman (Indianapolis Colts)

10. Bruce Irvin (Seattle Seahawks)

Worst Graded Inside Linebackers:

1. Kelvin Shepphard (Miami Dolphins)

2. Perry Riley (Washington Redskins)

3. Curtis Lofton (Oakland Raiders)

4. Manti Te'o (San Diego Chargers)

5. Lawrence Timmons (Pittsburgh Steelers)

6. Keenan Robinson (Washington Redskins)

7. Emmanuel Lamur (Cincinnati Bengals)

8. Kwon Alexander (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

9. Michael Wilhoite (San Francisco 49ers)

10. Nate Palmer (Green Bay Packers)

Top Graded Cornerbacks:

1. Josh Norman (Carolina Panthers)

2. Tyrann Matheiu (Arizona Cardinals)

3. Ronald Darby (Buffalo Bills)

4. Chris Harris Jr. (Denver Broncos)

5. Adam Jones (Cincinnati Bengals)

6. Darrelle Revis (New York Jets)

7. Darius Slay (Detroit Lions)

8. Janoris Jenkins (St. Louis Rams)

9. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (New York Giants)

10. Stephon Gilmore (Buffalo Bills)

Worst Graded Cornerbacks:

1. Brandon Browner (New Orleans Saints)

2. Antwon Blake (Pittsburgh Steelers)

3. Joe Haden (Cleveland Browns)

4. Dre Kirkpatrick (Cincinnati Bengals)

5. Brandon Flowers (San Diego Chargers)

6. D.J. Hayden (Oakland Raiders)

7. Xavier Rhodes (Minnesota Vikings)

8. Sherrick McManis (Chicago Bears)

9. Jamar Taylor (Miami Dolphins)

10. Chris Culliver (Washington Redskins)

Top Graded Safeties:

1. Malcolm Jenkins (Philadelphia Eagles)

2. Eric Berry (Kansas City Chiefs)

3. Harrison Smith (Minnesota Vikings)

4. Will Hill (Baltimore Ravens)

5. Walter Thurmond (Philadelphia Eagles)

6. Patrick Chung (New England Patriots)

7. Reshad Jones (Miami Dolphins)

8. Devin McCourty (New England Patriots)

9. Michael Mitchell (Pittsburgh Steelers)

10. Rodney McCleod (St. Louis Rams)

Worst Graded Safeties:

1. Trenton Robinson (Washington Redskins)

2. Dashon Goldson (Washington Redskins)

3. Calvin Pryor (New York Jets)

4. Andrew Sendejo (Minnesota Vikings)

5. Jahleel Addae (San Diego Chargers)

6. Eddie Pleasant (Houston Texans)

7. William Moore (Atlanta Falcons)

8. Sergio Brown (Jacksonville Jaguars)

9. Craig Dahl (New York Giants)

10. Landon Collins (New York Giants)