Post 35 - Top 10 Inside Linebackers of 2015

Hello! And welcome to my corner!

In the coming weeks I'll be revealing my top 10 at each position and eventually my top 100 players in the NFL. Unlike the traditional rankings, though, I'm basing these rankings entirely on the 2015 season and the 2015 season only. Not looking further than that and without influence from their name alone.

Earlier this month I got this series underway when I revealed my Top 10 Kickers and Punters of 2015. I've now unveiled my Top 10 Safeties and Top 10 Corners, and I'm now onto my inside linebackers.

Without further ado, then, here are my Top 10 inside linebackers from 2015:

I've classified and 4-3 linebacker and 3-4 inside linebackers as inside linebackers. 

10. Dont’a Hightower, New England Patriots

61 Combined Tackles (Comb), 3.5 Sacks (Sck), 2 Passes Defensed (PDef).
The Patriots defense has started to move back to its formerly dominant self that saw them win 3 Super Bowls in 4 years, and Hightower is a big reason why. He may not get the same attention as his running mate Jamie Collins, but he fulfills an equally as important role and he does it just as well. 

9. NaVorro Bowman, San Francisco 49ers

154 Comb, 2.5 Sck, 1 Forced Fumble (FF).
Prior to this season, we did not know how effective Bowman would be coming off a gnarly knee injury in the 2013 NFC Conference Championship game. Well, it didn't seem like he'd ever missed time. Furthermore, he made the whole left by Patrick Willis a lot less noticeable. He is back and is as good as ever, and every offensive player in the NFL should take notice. 

8. Jamie Collins, New England Patriots

89 Comb, 5.5 Sck, 7 PDef, 1 Int, 5 FF, 1 Fumble Recover (FR), 1 Touchdown (TD). 
As I eluded to earlier, Collins is possibly THE standout on the Patriots defense, and it isn't hard to see why. He is an uber-athletic linebacker and he utilises that to make himself one of the more versatile linebackers in the NFL. He is also young, which makes his talent and potential even more impressive. 

7. Clay Matthews, Green Bay Packers

66 Comb, 6.5 Sck, 4 PDef, 1 Int, 1 FR.

The fact that Matthews can play out of position yet still be a top 10 player at that position speaks volumes about his talent. Though he would still be better as an outside linebacker, his ability to cover, blitz, diagnose, tackle and run makes him one of the premier play makers in the NFL and was easily one of the better defensive players in the NFL last season. 

6. Anthony Barr, Minnesota Vikings

68 Comb, 3.5 Sck, 8 PDef, 1 Int, 3 FF.

When Barr was coming out of college, he was largely being projected as an edge rusher, well he can do that, but he has shown that h e can do a lot more and became one of the better linebackers in the NFL this season. He is a freak athlete for his size and also had more of a leadership type role for the Vikings this year, his second year. He will soon be at the top of this list if he continues doing what he is doing. 

5. Derrick Johnson, Kansas City Chiefs

116 Comb, 4 Sck, 10 PDef, 2 Int, 2 FF.

Coming off a torn Achilles and already into his thirties, many people questioned whether Johnson would be the same player as he had been. He certainly seemed it. Johnson was a rock in the middle of the Chiefs defense and remained one of their linchpins. He played well in everything he did and his age just didn't seem like a problem.

4. LaVonte David, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

147 Comb, 3 Sck, 16 PDef, 3 Int, 2 FF, 2 FR, 1 TD's. 

The Buccaneers have struggled to put a very good product on the filed for while now, but David has been a brightspot on this team since he entered the fold in 2012. He is one of the fastest linebackers in the NFL and the sideline-to-sideline play-style he has is a big contributor to his success. He is the Bucs defensive leader and is a do-it-all player for them. 

3. Thomas Davis, Carolina Panthers

105 Comb, 5.5 Sck, 11 PDef, 4 Int, 4 FF, 1 FR.

Similarly to Hightower with Collins, Davis has been overshadowed by Kuechly since Kuechly burst onto the scene in his rookie year, but that doesn't mean Davis hasn't played like one of the best linebackers in the NFL. That form continued this year. He is one of the toughest players in the NFL and still plays like a beast regardless of any injuries he is playing through. 

2. Bobby Wagner, Seattle Seahawks

114 Comb, 0.5 Sck, 2 FF, 3 FR, 2 TD's.

Wagner is just as big a part to the Seahawks defense has any member of the Legion of Boom. He is the anchor in the middle of the defense and is the enforcer before the other enforcer, Kam Chancellor. He is veratile, strong, fast, smart and is their leader. He is absolutely one of the current great linebackers in the NFL. 

1. Luke Kuechly, Carolina Panthers

118 Comb, 1 Sck, 14 PDef, 4 Int, 2 FF, 1 FR, 1 TD.

Linebacker is, in my opinion, one of the strongest position groups in the NFL, so to be at the top of it is wildly impressive. Kuechly is exactly that. He did suffer a concussion that forced him out of several games, but when he was on the field he is a class above. He can do everything you ask of a linebacker and he does each thing as if he is the best at. He stepped up in the playoffs too, adding two more defensive touchdowns and countless big plays. 

There we have it, my Top 10 Inside Linebackers from the 2015 NFL season. What do you think? Think I've got it right or am I completely wrong? Let me know!

Next up? The Top 10 Outside Linebackers of 2015.