Introducing Defensive Back Catch Rate: Measuring how reliable defensive backs are at securing interceptions

• Harrison Smith is the most reliable defensive back in the NFL right now: Smith has had 13 interception opportunities since 2020, and he's dropped just one of them. 

• Darious Williams leads the NFL in dropped interceptions: Williams has dropped 15 interceptions since 2020. The good news is that his last drop came in Week 8 of the 2023 season.

• Unlock your edge with a PFF+ subscription: Get full access to all our in-season fantasy tools, including weekly rankings, WR/CB matchup charts, weekly projections, the Start-Sit Optimizer and more. Sign up now!

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

It’s never too early to start preparing for next season, and for PFF, that means looking at ways to improve PFF Premium Stats. One way we’re looking to enhance the experience is by introducing more data into the mix.

Over the last several weeks, we've introduced a wide variety of potential new metrics, ranging from separation percentage and lockdown percentage to pass-blocking win rate and fourth-down aggressiveness.

This week, we are introducing “Defensive Back Catch Rate,” which measures how reliable defensive backs are at securing interceptions when errant passes come their way.

What is the Defensive Back Catch Rate? 

There's an old adage that goes, “If defensive backs could catch, they'd be receivers.” While this is nothing more than a tongue-in-cheek generalization, it highlights a critical aspect of defensive play: the ability to secure interceptions and avoid dropping potential game-changing passes.

Defensive Back Catch Rate measures the reliability of defensive backs in these situations, quantifying how often they successfully catch interceptions compared to the number of opportunities they get.

Defensive Back Catch Rate (2020-2024; postseason included)