We're now five weeks through the NFL season, and players all over the league are starting to separate themselves from the pack. After five weeks of action, here are the highest-graded tackles, guards and centers in the NFL.
Offensive tackles
1. La’el Collins, Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys paid Collins like one of the best offensive linemen in football this offseason and that’s exactly what he has been on the field for them this year. He has been dominant as a run blocker, producing a position-leading 91.8 PFF run-blocking grade on 137 snaps, and has allowed just one sack and five hurries from 174 pass-blocking snaps.
2. Mitchell Schwartz, Kansas City Chiefs
Schwartz is one of the most consistent tackles in the NFL and has shined as both as a run-blocker and in pass protection. Blocking for the reigning NFL MVP, he has yet to allow a sack on 234 pass-blocking snaps, with just three hits and four hurries to his name through five games.
3. Anthony Castonzo, Indianapolis Colts
The Colts left tackle has been on the field for 202 pass-blocking snaps through five weeks and has yet to surrender a sack and has allowed just one hit and six hurries on his quarterback. His play has been incredibly clean too, with no penalties against him so far this season.
4. Ryan Ramczyk, New Orleans Saints
The 32nd overall selection in the 2017 NFL Draft, Ramczyk has locked down the right side of the Saints offensive line since day one. After posting PFF grades of 81.2 and 81.3 in his first two seasons in the league, he is on track for a career year, sitting at 83.4 through five games. His 89.6 PFF run-blocking grade is second at the position behind Collins and he has yet to allow a sack on 207 pass-blocking snaps in 2019.
5. Ronnie Stanley, Baltimore Ravens
Stanley is solid as a run blocker, with a 71.0 PFF run-blocking grade through five games, but it is his work in pass protection that makes him stand out. Arguably the best pass blocker in the entire NFL so far this season he has allowed a sack, hit or hurry just once every 70 pass-blocking snaps in 2019.
6. Matt Feiler, Pittsburgh Steelers
One of the stories of the season so far on the offensive line, Feiler has gone from strength to strength after taking over at right tackle for the Steelers in the second half of 2018. So far in 2019 he has allowed a sack, a hit and five hurries on 201 pass-blocking snaps, and hasn’t allowed a single pressure over the past two weeks.
7. Tyron Smith, Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys missed Smith on Sunday in the loss to the Green Bay Packers, and his work in pass protection over the first three weeks of the season tells the story of why. On 107 pass-blocking snaps in those three games, Smith didn’t allow a single sack, hit or hurry. The one hit and four hurries he has allowed this season all came against the Saints in a game he got hurt in but make no mistake about it, a healthy Tyron Smith is key to the Cowboys offensive line.
8. Jason Peters, Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles drafted Peters’ long term replacement in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft this offseason, but the 16-year veteran looks far from finished on the left side of the Eagles line. He has yet to allow a sack on 202 pass-blocking snaps so far this season, giving up just three hits and six hurries.
9. Lane Johnson, Philadelphia Eagles
Peters’ teammate at the opposite side of the line is up next, and they form a pair of bookends who have yet to concede a sack. On the field for 212 pass-blocking snaps in 2019 so far, Johnson has allowed two hits and nine hurries and has also produced a 76.1 PFF run-blocking grade on 144 run-blocking snaps.
10. Laremy Tunsil, Houston Texans
The Texans traded for Tunsil to lock down their left tackle spot on the offensive line and he has done just that. He allowed two sacks and three hurries in Week 1, but since then he hasn’t allowed a single sack or hit, and allowed just three hurries on 164 pass-blocking snaps. He has really stood out the past two weeks especially, allowing zero pressure on 86 pass-blocking snaps in that span.
Offensive guards
1. Quenton Nelson, Indianapolis Colts
Just a year removed from being the sixth overall selection in the 2018 NFL Draft, Quenton Nelson is establishing himself as arguably the best guard in the entire NFL. Sunday night was a run-blocking clinic, and through five games his 90.6 PFF run-blocking grade is the best at the position. He’s been no slouch in pass protection too, allowing a hit and six hurries from 202 pass-blocking snaps.
2. Brandon Brooks, Philadelphia Eagles
Brooks has dominated both as a run blocker and in pass protection through the first five weeks of the season, giving up just a hit and three hurries on 202 pass-blocking snaps. His PFF run-blocking grade of 84.3 ranks fourth at the position so far this season, with Brooks creating plenty of room for the Eagles backs to work with.
3. Graham Glasgow, Detroit Lions
Glasgow has been just ok in pass protection this season, allowing a hit and eight hurries from 133 pass-blocking snaps, but he has really impressed as a run blocker since kicking back to guard. His 87.7 PFF run-blocking grade trails only Nelson at the position, putting him on course for a career year.
4. Zack Martin, Dallas Cowboys
Martin has been the best pass blocker in the NFL among guards so far this season, and he has yet to allow a sack on 199 pass-blocking snaps through the first five weeks of the season. In total he has allowed just two hits and three hurries and has been solid as a run blocker too, producing a 75.3 PFF run-blocking grade.
5. Joel Bitonio, Cleveland Browns
Bitonio has been one of the most consistent players on the Browns offense through five weeks, with all of his PFF game grades falling between 65.5 and 82.3. In pass protection, he has allowed two sacks and eight hits on 200 pass-blocking snaps, while he has produced an 81.8 PFF run-blocking grade on 116 snaps in that facet of his game.
6. Brandon Scherff, Washington Redskins
Scherff has been out injured since the third week of the season and his absence has been felt by the Redskins over the past two weeks. His work over the first three games of the year saw him produce the third-highest PFF run-blocking grade this season at 86.1, and he has allowed just a sack and three hurries on 144 pass-blocking snaps.
7. Richie Incognito, Oakland Raiders
Incognito missed the first three games of the year through suspension but has delivered since getting back in the lineup for the Raiders over the past three weeks. On 105 pass-blocking snaps he has yet to allow a sack or hit, with just three hurries against his name in 2019. He has also delivered as a run blocker, producing an 82.0 grade on 90 run-blocking snaps.
8. David DeCastro, Pittsburgh Steelers
DeCastro has been one of the best pass blockers at the position this season and has yet to allow a sack or hit on 201 pass-blocking snaps. He is averaging just one hurry allowed per game and has committed just one penalty through five weeks of the season.
9. Ali Marpet, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Marpet has been consistent for the Buccaneers since they drafted him with the 61st overall selection in the 2015 NFL Draft, producing PFF grades between 73.0 and 83.0 in all four of his full seasons in the league. He looks to be off to a similar performance in 2019, producing a PFF grade of 76.0 through five games.
10. Marshal Yanda, Baltimore Ravens
Yanda is not quite the dominant force he once was, and he is coming off a poor showing against the Steelers in Week 5, but remains an above-average pass-blocker. The sack he allowed on Sunday was the first he had given up since Week 7 of the 2015 season.
Centers
1. Frank Ragnow, Detroit Lions
Ragnow has moved back to center in his second season in the NFL, and the results have been impressive, seeing him produce the highest grade at the position in the NFL through five weeks. He has been stellar as a run blocker, producing a 79.5 run-blocking grade which is comfortably the best at the position.
2. Ben Jones, Tennessee Titans
Jones has delivered in pass protection so far this season, allow just three total pressures on 189 pass-blocking snaps. Those have come in the form of a sack and two hurries, while Jones has yet to commit a penalty on 316 total snaps.
3. Rodney Hudson, Oakland Raiders
Since entering the league in 2011, Rodney Hudson has been one of the best pass protectors in the NFL at center, and he is very much on the way to staying there in 2019 with a strong start to the season. He allowed two hurries in the win over the Bears in London, but these are the only two pressures he has allowed on 176 pass-blocking snaps so far this season.
4. J.C. Tretter, Cleveland Browns
Tretter’s consistency in pass protection has been one of the bright spots for the Browns offense so far this season, with the former Green Bay Packer allowing zero sacks or hits on 200 pass-blocking snaps. While he hasn’t been perfect in pass protection, allowing four hurries, the fact that he is allowing less than one pressure per game is impressive.
5. Matt Skura, Baltimore Ravens
Through five weeks, Skura is one of the most improved players on the Ravens roster. After producing PFF grades of 53.4 and 58.2 in his first two seasons of action after going undrafted out of Duke in 2016, Skura has produced a PFF grade of 71.2 so far this season. In pass protection, he has allowed just one sack and two hurries on 215 pass-blocking snaps through five games.
6. Ryan Jensen, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Jensen is enjoying his best season in pass protection since entering the league in 2013, allowing just three hurries, with no sacks or hits, on 202 pass-blocking snaps. That has seen him produce a PFF pass-blocking grade of 85.7, the highest among players at the position so far this season.
7. Trey Hopkins, Cincinnati Bengals
Hopkins is another player on pace for a career year in terms of PFF grade with the way he has started the season. Producing a 69.8 PFF grade through five weeks, he has been solid both in pass protection and as a run blocker. On 239 pass-blocking snaps so far this season he has allowed one sack, one hit and eight hurries.
8. Erik McCoy, New Orleans Saints
The Saints were looking for their rookie center to step straight into the starting lineup, and McCoy has done just that, impressing in pass protection. With just four hurries and no sacks or hits on 207 pass-blocking snaps, he has produced an 80.9 PFF pass-blocking grade, which ranks fourth at the position.
9. Brandon Linder, Jacksonville Jaguars
Linder has been solid as a run blocker, producing a 62.5 PFF run-blocking grade but has been better in pass protection. On the field for 219 pass-blocking snaps so far this season, he has yet to allow a sack or hit, allowing just five hurries so far this season.
10. Jason Kelce, Philadelphia Eagles
Kelce’s appearance on this list takes us up to four Eagles on the offensive line grading among the top 10 players at the position. He has been a little below average in pass protection, allowing a sack, a hit and eight hurries from 212 pass-blocking snaps, but has been better as a run blocker, producing a PFF run-blocking grade of 68.7.
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