• Frankie Luvu is a wrecking ball: The Carolina Panthers linebacker has become one of the best hybrid weapons in the NFL.
• The unsung hero: Denver Broncos guard Quinn Meinerz has quietly been one of the best guards in the NFL in 2023.
• In Crosby’s shadow: Malcolm Koonce has made an impact alongside Maxx Crosby for the Las Vegas Raiders this season.
Estimated reading time: 16 minutes
Not every player in the NFL gets equal recognition, and that occasionally means players who warrant more attention slip through the cracks. Everyone can't be Patrick Mahomes, T.J. Watt or Justin Jefferson, but there are players whose impact on their teams deserves more attention. The secret superstars if you will.
Here is one secret superstar from all 32 teams in the NFL:
JUMP TO A TEAM:
ARZ | ATL | BLT | BUF | CAR | CIN | CHI | CLE | DEN | DAL | DET | GB | HOU | IND | JAX | KC | LVR | LAC | LAR | MIA | MIN | NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SF | SEA | TB | TEN | WSH
Arizona Cardinals: HB James Conner
The 2023 season was a career year for James Conner regarding efficiency. He cracked 1,000 rushing yards for the first time in his career, doing so on a career-high 5.0 yards per carry. Everything about Conner’s 2023 season has been exceptional. He’s second in the NFL in missed tackles forced per attempt (0.28) and is tied for the fourth-most explosive runs among all ball carriers.
Conner was a consistent focal point for a Cardinals offense that struggled early in the season, and once Kyler Murray returned, Conner still retained his importance to the team — his 89.2 PFF grade was a career-high and the fourth-highest among running backs in the NFL.
Atlanta Falcons: LB Kaden Elliss
Kaden Elliss was rewarded with a three-year, $21.5 million contract by the Atlanta Falcons last offseason after impressing with the New Orleans Saints. The Falcons should be extremely happy with the deal they made. Elliss has been a jack-of-all-trades on a much-improved Falcons defense in 2023, racking up 122 combined tackles, 11 tackles for loss and four sacks.
The linebacker earned an impressive 75.0 PFF grade this season and racked up 26 pressures, the fourth-most at his position. He’ll likely continue to be a key component for the spine of the Falcons defense.
Baltimore Ravens: HB Justice Hill
The Ravens rushing attack was once again one of the premier units in the NFL, racking up a league-leading 156.5 rushing yards per game as the team finished with a 13-4 record. The load carried by Lamar Jackson in the running game was predictably large, but Gus Edwards and particularly Justice Hill‘s efforts are commendable.
Hill was a big factor on the ground, rushing for a career-high 387 yards and three touchdowns while averaging 4.6 yards per carry. He also featured heavily in the passing game, catching 28 passes for 206 yards. Hill even showed up in pass protection too, coming up big with a 63.9 PFF pass-blocking grade on 70 snaps. He was the whole package for the Ravens, shining all over the field.
Buffalo Bills: WR Khalil Shakir
Shakir popped in his second season in the NFL, becoming an integral part of the Bills’ passing attack and carrying his share of the load when Stefon Diggs’ numbers dwindled in the second half of the season. His 76.8 PFF grade was 29th among all wide receivers and though he only caught 39 passes, Shakir averaged 14 yards per reception and tallied 611 yards through the air.
The former fifth-round pick came up big in the playoffs too, catching 10 passes for 75 yards and two touchdowns across two games. He’s shown that he can be a real weapon for Josh Allen as the Bills look to re-tool in the offseason.
Carolina Panthers: LB Frankie Luvu
Frankie Luvu has been the Panthers' Swiss army knife for the last few seasons, and that didn’t waiver in 2023. The hybrid linebacker earned a 78.5 PFF grade, the 14th-highest among all linebackers, and had the highest PFF pass-rushing grade at the position.
There are playmakers all over the defense with Brian Burns, Derrick Brown and Jaycee Horn, but Luvu is the unsung hero. He can affect the game as a pass-rusher, a run defender, a blitzer and even in coverage. Luvu's multidimensional skillset makes him a true every-down player.
Chicago Bears: LB T.J. Edwards
The Bears signed T.J. Edwards to a three-year contract in the offseason after an impressive stint with the Eagles, hoping that he could fill the void left by Roquan Smith. The linebacker responded with another excellent season, racking up 155 total tackles, totaling eight games with double-digit tackles.
Edwards was excellent across the board, finishing with an 80.2 overall PFF grade, the 10th-highest among all linebackers, as well as top-20 PFF grades in run defense and coverage. The Bears defense kicked on Montez Sweat‘s arrival, but Edwards has had a quiet hand in their success.
Cincinnati Bengals: S Jordan Battle
Battle was part of the efforts to paper over the cracks in the Bengals safety as the team lost Jessie Bates and Vonn Bell in the offseason. The third-round pick only started seven games for the Bengals, but his impact was felt in every game. Battle’s 82.5 PFF grade was the second-highest among rookie safeties and the 10th-highest in the NFL, and his 81.3 PFF run-defense grade also ranked 10th.
Despite being a rookie, Battle became a starter down the stretch, earning a 90.0 PFF grade in the season-finale against the Browns. He’ll continue to shine through as a pivotal player in the secondary.
Cleveland Browns: LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah
The Browns' 2023 defense was one of the best in recent memory, with key contributors all over the field. Not many made a bigger splash than Owusu-Koramoah. The linebacker plays like he was shot out of a cannon, and his 75.2 PFF grade ranked 20th at the position.
Owusu-Koramoah also recorded a career-high 101 total tackles in 16 games, as well as 3.5 sacks in 16 games — the most he’s played in his career. He’s molding himself into one of the best linebackers in the NFL, on one of the best defenses in the NFL.
Dallas Cowboys: DI Osa Odighizuwa
Osa Odighizuwa doesn’t play at the flashiest position in the league, and most of his work is tasked as dirty work, but not many players do it better. The defensive tackle eats gaps, takes on double-teams and creates holes for his fellow defenders to attack, but he also showed up with 43 pressures in 2023.
Having Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence on the defensive line helps, but Odighizuwa is still a monster of a man in his own right. There aren’t many better defensive tackles in the NFL, and he’s only 25 years old.
Denver Broncos: G Quinn Meinerz
The unsung heroes of NFL teams usually reside in the trenches. That much can be said for Broncos guard Quinn Meinerz, who has been one of the best offensive linemen in the NFL this season. His 83.8 PFF grade is third among all guards while his 88.8 PFF run-blocking grade is tied for first.
The Broncos running game averaged just four yards per carry in 2023, but Meinerz was nothing but a positive force for the team. It’s ugly work, but someone has to do it. Meinerz proved there aren’t many who can do it better.
Detroit Lions: DI Alim McNeill
There was a noticeable shift in the demeanor of the Lions' defensive line when they lost Alim McNeill for the season — the former third-round pick had been a brick wall this season and was having a career year as a pass-rusher.
Despite playing in just 13 games, McNeill still managed to notch 34 pressures and a career-high five sacks while surging up the middle of the Lions defensive line. He’ll return next season to carry on being a quiet superstar.
Green Bay Packers: WR Dontayvion Wicks
The Packers' young receiving room exceeded all expectations in 2023 alongside Jordan Love, and Wicks’ involvement in the offense was a nice surprise. The rookie fifth-round pick hit the ground running and never looked back, catching 39 passes for 581 yards and four touchdowns, earning a 77.8 PFF grade — 26th among all receivers in the NFL.
Wicks was one of the best yards-after-catch receivers in the NFL too, showing his real ability as a playmaker with the ball in his hands. He averaged 5.6 yards after the catch per reception this season, 19th-most in the NFL.
Houston Texans: LB Blake Cashman
Blake Cashman has come to life in his second season with the Texans, becoming a figurehead of DeMeco Ryans's defense and starting 13-of-14 games this season. The linebacker has been playing like a bat out of hell, earning an 83.7 PFF grade in 2023, the fifth-highest among all linebackers.
He’s an ever-present being at the second level and racked up 106 tackles and nine tackles for loss this season as the Texans' defense looked to establish itself as a much-improved unit. The sky is the ceiling for this defense, and Cashman is a big reason why.
Indianapolis Colts: OT Bernhard Raimann
Raimann showed some promise in his rookie season with the Colts but was held down by a poor offensive line around him – so those rookie growing pains were magnified. However, his ascension in his second season has been excellent. Raimann earned an 82.3 PFF grade — the seventh-highest among all tackles, while his 80.6 pass-blocking grade was eighth-highest.
With Anthony Richardson returning next season, Raimann’s status as one of the up-and-coming left tackles in the NFL will matter even more. He’ll have the task of protecting the Colts’ franchise quarterbacks blindside for the foreseeable future.
Jacksonville Jaguars: S Andre Cisco
Cisco has quietly been a dependable figure on the Jaguars' defense for the last two seasons, earning a 67.1 PFF grade in 2022, a 68.9 PFF grade in 2023 and a 71.5 PFF coverage grade this season.
The third-year safety proved his ability to be a ballhawk too, snagging four interceptions in the secondary and helping the Jaguars defense earn a top-10 PFF coverage grade in 2023.
Kansas City Chiefs: LB Drue Tranquill
The Chiefs defense surprised this season, cementing themselves as a top-five unit in the NFL. In his first season with the Chiefs, Tranquill impressed, racking up 78 tackles and a 70.6 PFF grade. He really impressed as a blitzer in Steve Spagnuolo’s defense.
Tranquil earned the second-highest PFF pass-rushing grade among all linebackers in 2023, and his 19 pressures were the 15th-highest. He only started eight games and 652 snaps, but any time he was on the field, Tranquil was making plays.
Las Vegas Raiders: EDGE Malcolm Koonce
All attention naturally and justifiably goes to Maxx Crosby when discussing the Raiders defensive line, but Malcolm Koonce deserves credit for the impact he’s made this season. The edge defender tallied a career-high 52 pressures and eight sacks in 2023, forcing himself into the Raiders starting lineup and becoming a real piece of an improving defense.
Koonce was 20th in pressure rate this season and his pass-rush win rate of 14.8% was 32nd among all edge rushers. Playing beside Crosby helps, but Koonce had an excellent season and could take another leap forward in 2024.
Los Angeles Chargers: EDGE Tuli Tuipulotu
The Chargers rookie dominated in his first season in the NFL, earning 51 pressures, the second-most among all rookies, and 4.5 sacks. His 88.4 PFF run-defense grade was elite too, only Khalil Mack, DeMarcus Lawrence and Maxx Crosby earned a better grade. That’s exceptional company right there.
Tuipulotu stepped up, starting 11 games to fill the void left by Joey Bosa, and he looked like a real find. Even though the Chargers have a lot of decisions to make this offseason, it’s clear that Tuipulotu will be a big part of the roster moving forward.
Los Angeles Rams: DI Kobie Turner
Like Tuipulotu, Kobie Turner was a rookie who made an exceptional splash in 2023. The Rams' third-round pick tallied nine sacks and 50 pressures, outperforming every other rookie interior defensive lineman in the process. His 83.2 overall PFF grade was the 11th-highest at the position too.
The Rams needed a splash from their rookie defender, and they got it. The partnership of Turner and Aaron Donald is already one of the NFL's better interior duos.
Miami Dolphins: EDGE Andrew Van Ginkel
It took some time, but Andrew Van Ginkel fully broke out in his fifth season in the NFL. His six sacks weren’t outstanding, but Van Ginkel comfortably earned career-highs across the board, including 53 pressures.
His 91.1 PFF grade was the eighth-highest among all edge defenders, his PFF pass-rushing grade was the seventh-highest, and Van Ginkel even flashed in coverage. The Dolphins would love to hang on to his services this offseason, but he’ll likely be in high demand.
Minnesota Vikings: S Josh Metellus
Sometimes, all a player needs is a fresh system to awaken them. The Vikings defense was one of the worst in the NFL in 2022, but Brian Flores' arrival awakened something in it this year, and the Vikings defense was an impressive unit that consistently got after offenses.
Metellus had a big part to play in that revival in his fourth season. No other safety registered more than his 29 pressures, and Metellus proved to be a constant force in the backfield as a blitzer. He shone through in all aspects of the game too, earning more defensive stops (45) than any other safety. He’s a force to be reckoned with.
New England Patriots: T Mike Onwenu
Mike Onwenu has quietly been one of the game's better offensive linemen since his rookie season, earning a 70.0-plus overall PFF grade in all four of his NFL seasons. The Patriots offensive line struggled all season, but Onwenu allowed just a 4.8% pressure rate — the 10th-lowest among all tackles in the NFL.
New Orleans Saints: CB Paulson Adebo
After a down year in 2022, Paulson Adebo responded in 2023 with an excellent season. His 80.5 PFF coverage grade ranked 15th among all cornerbacks in the NFL and only Benjamin St-Juste had more forced incompletions when targets. Adebo fully cemented himself as a lockdown corner.
Adebo also showed up with four interceptions on the season and allowed a completion percentage of just 54.1% — only three other cornerbacks allowed a lower percentage. There aren’t many better cornerbacks than the Saints star.
New York Giants: LB Bobby Okereke
Okereke proved his value to the Giants in his first season with the team in 2023, leading the team with 149 tackles — the 10th-most in the NFL — and earning a 78.2 overall PFF grade in the process. The former Colt was a leader and stepped up when the Giants needed him the most.
He did everything from rush the passer, earning 20 pressures, to snagging two interceptions and proving to be reliable in coverage.
New York Jets: EDGE Bryce Huff
Bryce Huff wreaked havoc on offensive lines across the NFL despite not starting a game this season. The former undrafted free agent has carved out a role for himself as an excellent pass rusher on one of the best defenses in the NFL. His 10 sacks and 67 pressures were by far career-highs, and Huff was second in pressure rate and fourth in pass-rush win rate among all edge defenders.
Philadelphia Eagles: OT Jordan Mailata
Being a part of one of the NFL's best offensive lines that has an all-time great center and right tackle means that Jordan Mailata often doesn’t get the credit he deserves, especially playing at left tackle. However, he’s been a top-10 tackle in overall PFF grade for the last three seasons, and his 84.8 PFF grade ranked third among all tackles in 2023.
The fact that Mailata hit the ground running so quickly after converting from rugby is incredible in itself, but he’s quickly become one of the game's best left tackles.
Pittsburgh Steelers: HB Jaylen Warren
Jaylen Warren impressed in his second season in the NFL, carrying the ball 149 times for 784 rushing yards and four touchdowns while averaging 5.3 yards per attempt. On top of that, Warren caught 61 passes for 370 yards and proved to be an impressive weapon out of the backfield.
His efficiency and explosiveness as a ball-carrier made him one of the most dangerous running backs in the NFL in 2023. He averaged more missed tackles forced per attempt than any other running back and also had the 12th-most explosive runs in the NFL. He’ll only feature more in the Steelers offense next season too.
San Francisco 49ers: CB Deommodore Lenoir
Deommodore Lenoir stepped up in a big way in his third NFL season. He spent most of his time at outside corner but filled in occasionally in the slot, and wherever he played, Lenoir was excellent. His 72.5 PFF grade ranked 28th among all cornerbacks in the NFL, and he was part of a 49ers defense that allowed 214.2 passing yards per game in 2023.
Lenoir is still just 24 years old too, and the former fifth-round pick has formed an excellent partnership with Charvarius Ward on the outside. Another young up-and-coming talent on a great defense.
Seattle Seahawks: EDGE Boye Mafe
The Seahawks have been waiting for an edge rusher to appear for some time now, and they may finally have their answer in Boye Mafe. The former second-round pick notched nine sacks and 58 pressures in his second season in the NFL and became a real problem for opposing offensive lines.
Mafe’s pressure rate was 38th among all edge rushers in the NFL, but his improvement from just a year before was vast. The sky is the limit for the excellent edge rusher.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: G Luke Goedeke
After a tough start to his NFL career in 2022, Luke Goedeke switched from left guard to right tackle, filling the hole left by Tristan Wirfs, who slid across the line to left tackle. It was a big ask, but Goedeke performed well above expectations.
His 72.5 PFF grade was a huge improvement from his 43.7 PFF grade from his rookie season, and Goedeke allowed just a 6.9% pressure rate despite playing every single offensive snap in 2023. He, like the Buccaneers, was a major surprise in the best way.
Tennessee Titans: HB Tyjae Spears
Spears was drafted in 2023 as the perfect compliment to Derrick Henry, a smaller, shifty back with excellent burst and ability as a pass catcher. And Spears flashed every bit of that ability in 2023, carrying the ball 100 times for 453 yards and two touchdowns while catching 52 passes for 385 yards and a touchdown.
The former Tulane running back had the 11th-most receiving yards among all running backs this season and should likely take on a bigger role with Derrick Henry hitting free agency. He might not be a bellcow, but Spears commands a big role in the offense.
Washington Commanders: G Samuel Cosmi
Cosmi was an adequate performer at right tackle for the first two seasons of his career, but a shift inside in 2023 has awoken something in the former Texas offensive lineman. His 80.6 PFF grade is a career-high and Cosmi has the 20th-lowest pressure rate among all guards in the NFL at 4.3% — the same as Cowboys titan Zack Martin, one of the best guards in the business.
It’s still early days, but Cosmi earned the fifth-highest grade among all guards. As well as an 80.9 run-blocking grade and a 74.0 PFF pass-blocking grade. He’s showing the traits of an all-around quality guard. Those are hard to come by.
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