- Jaxon Smith-Njigba is the engine of the Seahawks' offense: Smith-Njigba leads all postseason receivers in PFF receiving grade against zone coverage and owns an elite 93.5 PFF overall grade for the year as a whole.
- Drake Maye leads the Patriots into Super Bowl 60: The second-year NFL quarterback is one game away from glory. He leads the Patriots in PFF overall grade this year but has struggled to a degree in the playoffs.
- 2026 NFL Draft season is here: Try the best-in-class PFF Mock Draft Simulator and learn about 2026's top prospects while trading and drafting for your favorite NFL team.
Estimated Reading Time: 17 minutes
We're diving into the highest-graded players for the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks ahead of the season's final game, Super Bowl 60. These are each team's top 10 players this season. To qualify, players needed to have logged at least 300 snaps this season.
Seattle Seahawks
1. WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba (93.4)
Smith-Njigba is the head of the snake that is Seattle’s second-ranked offense (86.0 PFF grade). He owns the highest threat rate of any Super Bowl 60 receiver (29.1%) and is a matchup nightmare, logging 86.0-plus PFF receiving grades at every level of the field.
Smith-Njigba thrives downfield, where he has caught all five of his playoff targets at the intermediate level for 58 yards and two touchdowns, leading to an elite 95.9 PFF receiving grade on targets between 10-19 yards downfield.
And while defenses have kept him from doing too much damage on deep passes (one catch for 42 yards across three targets), he’s still picking them apart. Smith-Njigba has caught four of five short targets (0-9 yards downfield) for 33 yards and two first downs. Meanwhile, he’s taken three targets from behind the line of scrimmage for 39 yards and two additional first downs.
The Patriots enter Super Bowl 60 with the top-ranked coverage unit this season (90.4), and their hands will be full, as Smith-Njigba leads all postseason receivers in PFF receiving grade against zone coverage (89.7), turning nine catches into 135 yards, a touchdown and seven first downs. He has also secured each of his three targets against man coverage (90.9) for 21 yards and a score.
2. RB Kenneth Walker III (91.1)
Walker is set to conclude his own career-best season, with 1,205 rushing yards and nine touchdowns. He was the third-highest-graded running back during the regular season (90.2) and ranked in the top five in missed tackles forced (61), explosive runs (33), runs of 15-plus yards (18) and breakaway rate (38.8%). Most of his rushes came in zone schemes (126), where he gained 641 yards and 28 first downs while producing the fifth-best PFF rushing grade (83.2).
That momentum has carried over into the postseason, as Walker currently holds the fourth-best PFF rushing grade by a running back for a single postseason run (85.3). He has recorded 178 yards and four scores on 38 playoff carries, in addition to 10 first downs. He has also brought in each of his seven receiving targets for 78 yards.
Nearly all of Walker’s rushes (31) have again come in zone, where he leads the position with an 83.8 PFF rushing grade. The Patriots‘ run defense has struggled against zone rushes this season (56.0 PFF grade), although the unit has looked better in the playoffs (67.0, third best).
3. CB Devon Witherspoon (90.4)
Witherspoon, PFF’s highest-graded cornerback in the regular season (89.9), is the cornerstone of Seattle’s stout defense. He will lead the secondary against a Patriots receiving group that has struggled in the playoffs (62.4 PFF grade) but ranked fourth throughout the regular season in PFF grade (87.6).
Witherspoon logged the third-best PFF coverage grade among cornerbacks during the regular season (84.6), forcing five incompletions and recording 20 coverage stops (tied for fifth most). Most of his forced incompletions (four) came in zone schemes, where he earned the second-highest PFF coverage grade (86.8) after allowing 22 catches for 237 yards while racking up 11 stops.
That has flipped during the postseason: His zone PFF coverage grade has fallen to 57.3, and he's up to a 75.1 mark in man, where he has forced three incompletions across five targets. Overall, Witherspoon boasts the eighth-best PFF coverage grade this postseason (76.3) and is forcing incompletions at a 29% rate.
The 2023 fifth overall pick also continues to be a stout run defender (86.7 PFF run-defense grade in the regular season). He ranked sixth in stop rate during the regular season (4.1%), and his 82.6 PFF run-defense grade in the postseason is a top-three figure among cornerbacks.
4. RB Zach Charbonnet (86.6)
Charbonnet suffered a torn ACL in the divisional round against the 49ers after tallying five carries for 20 yards.
The 2023 second-round pick from UCLA paired with Kenneth Walker III to create a formidable rushing attack. He even bested his teammate with a 90.5 PFF rushing grade in the regular season (second). Charbonnet was in the midst of his own breakout season, with 189 carries for 750 yards and 12 touchdowns (tied for fifth). He ranked in the top 15 in missed tackles forced (45) and averaged 3.35 yards after contact per rush attempt (12th best). He also excelled in Seattle’s zone system, recording a second-ranked 89.2 PFF rushing grade on such plays.
While Seattle’s offense remains dangerous, Charbonnet’s injury is still a tough blow.
5. S Julian Love (85.5)
Love spent time on injured reserve early this season with a hamstring injury, missing 10 games. He came back with a vengeance, positioning himself as PFF’s highest-graded safety since Week 14 (90.6). His 89.2 PFF coverage grade leads all safeties, and he has surrendered just seven catches for 55 yards. He has forced three incompletions and is holding quarterbacks to a 28.5 NFL passer rating (second best).
Love has been targeted only once in the postseason. He holds an 85.6 PFF tackling grade, having recorded four tackles and two assists without a miss. New England has been excellent on downfield throws this season, posting a 94.2 PFF passing grade on 10-plus-yard attempts (fourth best), but that will be difficult to replicate with Love manning the backend.
6. EDGE Demarcus Lawrence (83.5)
After 11 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, the five-time Pro Bowler will play in his first Super Bowl in his first season with the Seahawks. The 33-year-old led all edge defenders in PFF run-defense grade during the regular season (85.0), ranking in the top 15 in run stops and stop rate. He also paced the Seahawks' edge group with 52 pressures and a 10.8% pass-rush win rate.
Lawrence has not made any tackles in run defense this postseason, but his pass-rush win rate has jumped to 14%, and he has recorded nine pressures — including two sacks and two hits. He is Super Bowl 60's top-ranked edge defender by PFF overall grade (73.7).
T-7. T Abraham Lucas (80.3)
Lucas is shining this postseason, grading out as the second-best tackle in the playoffs (84.7). His impact-block rate in the run game has shot up from 12.8% during the regular season to 20.7% in the playoffs (fourth), while his defeated rate has dropped from 13.0% to 10.3%.
Lucas owns an 84.5 PFF blocking grade in zone schemes (fourth best). And while he hasn’t spent a lot of time in gap looks (11 snaps this postseason), he still leads the position with a 92.2 PFF run-blocking grade on such plays.
Lucas is holding up well in pass protection, too. He enters the Super Bowl with a 77.3 PFF pass-blocking grade and has allowed only two pressures across 61 snaps in the postseason.
T-7. QB Sam Darnold (80.3)
It has been quite the ride for 2018's third overall pick. The eighth-year veteran will make his first Super Bowl appearance after ranking third in PFF passing grade this postseason (74.6), having thrown for 470 yards and four touchdowns at an adjusted completion rate of 76.0% (second best). He has made five big-time throws and just one turnover-worthy play, and he is one of two postseason quarterbacks with an NFL passer rating above 100.0 (122.4).
Darnold has produced a 74.1 clean-pocket PFF passing grade, a facet in which he ranked fifth during the regular season (90.4). Three of his five big-time throws have come from clean pockets.
Play action also continues to be a weapon for the Seahawks' offense (90.4 regular-season PFF passing grade, second best). Darnold has completed 11 of 15 play-action passes for 114 yards and two touchdowns.
Pressure has not stopped the veteran, who has tossed four touchdowns on 19 pressured pass attempts. In fact, all of his postseason touchdowns have come while he's faced pressure.
9. LB Tyrice Knight (78.6)
Knight has battled injuries this season, and while he played in only 11 games during the regular season, he still graded out as Seattle’s top linebacker (76.2). He recorded 14 tackles in run defense, with 10 stops, while generating an 18.6% positively graded play rate.
The 25-year-old surrendered 24 catches on 25 targets for 240 yards but also made 19 tackles in coverage, including 11 stops. As a blitzer, Knight recorded four pressures with two sacks across 20 rushes.
Knight has played in both of the Seahawks' postseason games, earning an 81.6 PFF overall grade on 20 defensive snaps. He has made three tackles in run defense, with one stop, while surrendering just one yard in coverage.
10. T Charles Cross (78.3)
Like Abraham Lucas, Cross is playing his best football at the right time. His 83.3 PFF overall grade this postseason places third among tackles. Cross led Seattle’s offensive line in PFF pass-blocking grade during the regular season (76.9) after allowing the sixth-fewest pressures among left tackles (24). His PFF pass-blocking grade is up to 85.3 this postseason (second best), as he has conceded just three hurries on 58 snaps.
Cross struggled in run blocking during the regular season (66.7), where he was beaten at the 12th-highest rate among left tackles (14.6%). He’s turned that around in the postseason with a 77.7 PFF run-blocking grade (sixth best). Cross owns the sixth-best PFF run-blocking grade in zone schemes (80.6), and his impact-block rate has jumped to 15.9% (11.0% in the regular season) in the playoffs.
New England Patriots
1. QB Drake Maye (86.3)
Maye and the Patriots' offense will present Seattle’s defense with one final stiff test this postseason. After outlasting the Rams’ top-ranked scoring offense in the NFC Championship game (518 points in the regular season), New England is next up with its second-ranked scoring offense (490 points).
Maye had a breakout sophomore season, throwing for 4,394 yards (fourth most) and 31 touchdowns (third) with a 79.6% adjusted completion rate (fourth best). He ranked in the top 10 in big-time throw rate (4.9%) and generated just a 12th-ranked 2.7% turnover-worthy play rate. If the Patriots are going to clinch their seventh Super Bowl title, they will need their star quarterback to regain that form.
The postseason has been challenging for the former North Carolina star, who injured his shoulder in the AFC Championship game win over the Denver Broncos. His PFF passing grade has plummeted to 44.8 (third lowest of the postseason), while his adjusted completion percentage has also fallen (66.7%), albeit in back-to-back snow games.
Maye has thrown for 533 yards and four touchdowns this postseason, including four big-time throws but also five turnover-worthy plays. Maye is also the only quarterback in the 2025 playoffs who has been sacked more than 10 times (15), although he has been faulted for only five.
After ranking in the top three in completion rate (78.4%), passing yards (2,426) and PFF passing grade (93.5) from clean pockets in the regular season, he sits in the bottom five in the playoffs in completion rate (49.0%) and PFF passing grade (57.1). While he’s thrown for 307 yards and three touchdowns from a clean pocket, he has also tossed two interceptions.
2. WR Stefon Diggs (84.7)
Diggs, who slotted in as PFF’s seventh-highest-graded receiver in the regular season (87.5 PFF receiving grade), has joined Maye in having a sluggish postseason. He has gained three first downs and caught a touchdown, but his PFF receiving grade has fallen to 59.8 and he owns sub-70.0 PFF receiving grades against man (63.0) and zone coverages (49.5). Most of his production has come within nine yards of the line of scrimmage, where he has caught eight of 11 targets for 62 yards.
The 11th-year veteran remains a versatile receiving threat, boasting top-10 PFF receiving grades from both slot (88.9) and wide alignments (90.4) during the regular season. Diggs caught 40 slot targets for 448 yards and 21 first downs (both top-10 marks), while all four of his touchdown catches came from out wide.
He also recorded an elite 90.0 PFF receiving grade against man coverage, gaining 22 first downs off 24 catches. He was one of the best contested-catch players in the league, bringing down 12 of 16 contested targets for 161 yards, two touchdowns and seven first downs.
3. S Jaylinn Hawkins (78.8)
Hawkins graded out as the fifth-best safety in a breakout sixth season (82.4). He made an impact at every level, performing best in run defense (87.1 PFF run-defense grade, second best), where he made 23 tackles with five stops while assisting on eight others and forcing a fumble. Hawkins also recorded two sacks and two hits across 17 pass-rushing snaps.
In coverage, he earned the eighth-best PFF grade at the position (79.0), picking off four passes and holding quarterbacks to a 73.7 NFL passer rating (15th best).
That playmaking ability hasn’t been on display in the postseason, as Hawkins has struggled en route to a 57.4 PFF overall grade. He has allowed catches on all three targets into his coverage for 20 yards and a touchdown and has made one tackle and an assist in run defense. He does have four hurries as a rusher this postseason, with three coming in the divisional round against the Texans.
4. T Morgan Moses (78.5)
Moses is another long-time veteran set to make his first Super Bowl appearance. Originally a third-round pick by Washington in 2014, Moses was a key piece along the Patriots’ offensive line in his first season in New England. He has earned the sixth-best (tied) PFF overall grade among tackles this postseason (77.2). Run blocking was his strength throughout the regular season (77.1, 10th best), and that has continued in the playoffs, where he has maintained a 77.2 PFF run-blocking grade. Moses holds an eighth-ranked 87.1 PFF run-blocking grade in zone schemes, along with a 13.6% impact-block rate.
Moses has also upped his PFF pass-blocking grade from 69.8 in the regular season to 71.7 this postseason.
5. G Mike Onwenu (77.5)
The sixth-year man out of Michigan is instrumental to New England’s success, ranking in the top three among right guards in defeated rate (12.1%) and pressure rate (3.4%) this season
Onwenu has struggled a bit more in the playoffs. While he remains strong in zone run-blocking schemes (79.2 PFF run-blocking grade), he holds the fourth-worst gap PFF run-blocking grade (44.7). Onwenu is still performing well in pass protection (76.1 PFF pass-blocking grade, sixth best), where he has conceded just two hurries on 102 snaps.
6. DI Cory Durden (76.7)
Durden, playing for his third team in three years, is enjoying a career-best season. He earned a 72.7 PFF overall grade during the regular season, shining as a pass rusher with 17 pressures. Durden ranked second among interior defenders in pass-rush win rate (18.1%), earning an 81.4 PFF pass-rushing grade.
He’s continued his strong play in the postseason (80.9 PFF overall grade), notching 13 pressures at a 21.1% pass-rush win rate (best).
Durden’s weakness is in run defense, where he has earned sub-60.0 PFF grades in the regular season (57.5) and postseason (54.9). After leading the Patriots' interior group in positively graded play rate (20.0%, tied) and recording 16 run stops during the regular season, Durden has made only one tackle in run defense this postseason. His positively graded play rate has dipped slightly to 18.9%, but his negatively graded play rate remains high (18.9%).
Durden isn’t the only concern in run defense; none of the Patriots' interior players sport a PFF run-defense grade above 58.6.
7. RB Rhamondre Stevenson (76.3)
It’s been an up-and-down season for the fifth-year back, who has shared New England's backfield with rookie TreVeyon Henderson this season. Henderson and Stevenson each forced 30-plus missed tackles, while the latter averaged 3.8 yards after contact per attempt (seventh) and ranked fifth in breakaway rate (38.1%). Stevenson ran for seven touchdowns and picked up 29 first downs, earning a 74.2 PFF rushing grade during the regular season. Most of his carries came in gap schemes, where he rushed 79 times for 404 yards.
Stevenson leads the position in carries (51), rushing yards (194) and rushing yards after contact (140) this postseason. He is tied with the Seahawks' Kenneth Walker III in first downs (10) and is the only running back to force double-digit missed tackles (12). He enters the Super Bowl with a 67.9 postseason PFF rushing grade.
8. WR Demario Douglas (75.8)
Although he has caught three of his five playoff targets, Douglas has gained just 39 yards on those plays, with 28 coming from a touchdown catch against the Texans.
Douglas, the NFL's 17th-highest-graded receiver during the regular season (81.1), is a threat at every level of the field. He has secured 10 passes behind the line of scrimmage for 64 yards and two first downs. He has also brought in 13 of 16 targets within nine yards of the line of scrimmage for 101 yards and five first downs.
Douglas produced a perfect PFF receiving grade on deep throws in the regular season, catching four of eight targets for 192 yards and another touchdown. In all, he caught 31 passes in the regular season for 447 yards while averaging 7.1 yards after the catch per reception (fifth best).
9. LB Robert Spillane (75.1)
Another free-agency hit for the Patriots, Spillane graded out as the 13th-best linebacker during the regular season (76.3), thanks to his standout work in run defense. He recorded 32 tackles, 18 stops and 21 assisted tackles, helping him earn the eighth-best PFF run-defense grade among linebackers (87.3).
The eighth-year veteran from Western Michigan missed the last four games of the regular season with an ankle injury and reaggravated it in the AFC Championship game against the Broncos. Although he has played the entire postseason, the rust has not quite worn off. He has made five run stops and logged a 17.1% positively graded play rate, but he is also sitting on a 14.6% negatively graded play rate, leading to a 64.3 PFF run-defense grade. Overall, Spillane enters the Super Bowl with a 62.6 PFF overall grade this postseason.
10. CB Carlton Davis III (74.2)
Davis is another member of New England’s 2025 free-agent class to make this list, and he has stepped up his play this postseason with a third-ranked 84.4 PFF overall grade. He is strongest in run defense, where he has made four tackles and three stops in the playoffs, leading to a 77.3 PFF run-defense grade.
Davis' PFF coverage grade has improved from 65.1 during the regular season to 84.1 this postseason (fourth best). Davis has locked down receivers in zone coverage (89.4 PFF coverage grade, second best), holding receivers to four catches for 32 yards across six targets. Overall, Davis has forced three incompletions, picked off two passes and made five coverage stops, limiting quarterbacks to a 22.3 NFL passer rating (third best).
His rise is coming at the right time, as New England will lean on him and Christian Gonzalez (78.0 postseason PFF coverage grade) to slow down the Seahawks‘ receiving group.
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