Steelers linebacker and NFL Defensive Player of the Year T.J. Watt was considered one of the top ranked disruptors on defense in 2021, but he’s not number one.
NFL.com writer Nick Shook says according to Next Gen Stats, Watt ranked two in his top ten list of disruptors, behind Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson.
The stats show that Watt has 60 quarterback pressures, 43 hurries and 22.5 sacks, (tied for the NFL record).
Hendrickson had 79 quarterback pressures, 45 hurries and 14 sacks.
Shook says of Watt:
Watt posted the highest single-season sack rate (6.1%) of the Next Gen Stats era (since 2016). Also, he owns the highest sack rate (3.7%) over the duration of the NGS era (min. 1,500 pass-rush snaps). He's more efficient at getting home than any rusher in the history of Next Gen Stats. However, he’s second on this list because a player from a division rival happened to post the fourth-highest QB pressure rate in a single season in NGS history and force five turnovers via pressure in 2021.
The others in the top 10:
10. Los Angeles Rams outside linebacker Leonard Floyd
9. Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Javon Hargrave
8. Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald
7. San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa
6. Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett
5. Indianapolis Colts (with Las Vegas Raiders last season) defensive end Yannick Ngakoue
4. Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons
3. Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby
Related
Watt tied Michael Strahan’s NFL single-season sack record in 2021 and is currently 5th on the Steelers all-time sack list, but that won’t last long.
If Watt even does as half as well in 2022 at getting at the quarterback as he did last season, he’ll own James Harrison’s record of 80.5 sacks.
Watt is currently at 72. Jason Gildon has 77, Joe Greene has 77.5 and L.C. Greenwood is 2nd with 78.
Expect a lot more quarterback disruptions this coming season.