As NFL rules start becoming more favorable to offenses, it’s now harder than ever to find defensive players capable of playing at a high level. While there are several good players who can fill a role, there are only a handful of top-level talents capable of disrupting an offense on every single snap. In order to pass the time between minicamp and training camp, Last Word on Pro Football has compiled the 2019 All-NFL team for offense and defense.<\/p>\n
Ranking defensive players by position can be difficult, as one player could fit multiple positions depending on the scheme. For the sake of this article, this imaginary All-NFL team runs a 3-4 base defense.<\/p>\n
Offenses: AFC East<\/a> – AFC West<\/a> – AFC North<\/a> – AFC South<\/a> – NFC South<\/a> – NFL<\/a> Duh. Aaron Donald<\/a><\/strong> is the best player in the NFL, and it\u2019s not really that close. Donald has made the Pro Bowl in all five of his seasons and has earned First-Team All-Pro honors every year since 2015. He\u2019s a monster against both the run and the pass and is coming off arguably the best season of his career. The former first-round pick recorded a league-leading 20.5 sacks and a staggering 106 pressures. There\u2019s simply nobody like him in the NFL and he\u2019s the easiest choice on this list.<\/p>\n 2nd<\/sup> Team: J.J. Watt<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Damon Harrison<\/a><\/strong> doesn\u2019t bring much as a pass rusher, but he\u2019s the ideal nose tackle. At 6\u20193\u201d and 353 pounds, Harrison is simply immovable in the center of the defensive line. He can eat up multiple linemen and free up space for linebackers to get to the ball carrier. While players with his skillset aren\u2019t as in demand in today\u2019s pass-happy NFL, he remains the best in the league at what he does.<\/p>\n 2nd<\/sup> Team: Geno Atkins<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Philadelphia Eagles defensive lineman Fletcher Cox<\/a><\/strong> isn\u2019t as good as Aaron Donald, but he\u2019s the next best thing. The former first-round pick was a disruptive force in the interior, as he recorded 10.5 sacks and 46 tackles while earning First-Team All-Pro honors. While some had more sacks than Cox, there weren\u2019t many better at consistently applying pressure. According to Pro Football Focus, Cox\u2019 95 pressures were second only to Donald\u2019s 106, while his 11.4% pressure percentage ranked among the league\u2019s elite. Pressure is more indicative of future success than sacks, so don\u2019t be surprised if Cox has an even better year in 2019.<\/p>\n 2nd<\/sup> Team: Chris Jones<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n This is where the line between defensive lineman and linebacker starts to get blurry. For the sake of this exercise, Von Miller<\/a><\/strong> takes home the first linebacker spot on the All-NFL Team. The former Super Bowl MVP had another fantastic season, recording 14.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, and one interception while appearing in all 16 games. The sacks were the second-most of his career and the 30-year-old shows no signs of slowing down entering his ninth season.<\/p>\n 2nd<\/sup> Team: Joey Bosa<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Chicago Bears linebacker Khalil Mack<\/a><\/strong> earned a record-setting contract prior to the 2018 season, and he\u2019s already worth every penny. Despite missing the entirety of off-season workouts, Mack ended the year with 12.5 sacks, 47 tackles, six forced fumbles, and one interception. He was the most important player on the NFL\u2019s best defense, and he should maintain his elite form for the remainder of his contract.<\/p>\n 2nd<\/sup> Team: Cameron Jordan<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Luke Kuechly<\/a><\/strong> has been the NFL\u2019s best pure linebacker for quite some time now. Since entering the league, Kuechly has recorded 977 tackles, 12.5 sacks, seven forced fumbles, and 16 interceptions. 2018 was more of the same, as Carolina\u2019s longtime middle linebacker ended the season with 130 tackles, two sacks, two forced fumbles, and one interception while earning First-Team All-Pro honors for the fifth time in his career. He\u2019s fallen victim to concussions, but there\u2019s nobody better than Kuechly when he\u2019s on the field.<\/p>\n 2nd<\/sup> Team: Leighton Vander Esch<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n While the rest of Seattle\u2019s \u201cLegion of Boom\u201d defense has moved on, Bobby Wagner<\/a><\/strong> continues to play at an elite level. The 28-year-old linebacker had another fantastic season, recording 138 tackles, eight quarterback hits, one sack, two forced fumbles, and 11 passes defended in 15 games. He earned First-Team All-Pro honors for the third consecutive year to go along with his fifth straight Pro Bowl nomination. With Frank Clark<\/a><\/strong> out of the picture, the fate of the 2019 Seahawks defense lives and dies with Wagner.<\/p>\n 2nd<\/sup> Team: C.J. Mosley<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n The New England Patriots played more man coverage than just about anyone last year, and Stephon Gilmore<\/a><\/strong> typically matched up against the opponent’s best receiver. Nobody had a harder job than Gilmore, yet the former first-round pick still finished the year as a First-Team All-Pro and PFF\u2019s top-ranked cornerback. He was the most important defensive player on a championship defense and delivered the game-sealing interception in Super Bowl LIII.<\/p>\n 2nd<\/sup> Team: Jalen Ramsey<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n The 2018 Arizona Cardinals were largely a train wreck, but Patrick Peterson<\/a><\/strong> was his usual self. Appearing in all 16 games, the former first-round pick recorded two interceptions, five passes defended, and 54 tackles as opposing teams largely avoided him in coverage. Pro Football Focus called him the fifth-best cornerback in the league, and he could improve with Byron Murphy<\/strong><\/a> starting opposite him. Even with his looming suspension, Peterson should be one of the NFL\u2019s best cornerbacks once he hits the field.<\/p>\n 2nd<\/sup> Team: Kyle Fuller<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Khalil Mack was Chicago\u2019s best player, but Eddie Jackson<\/a><\/strong> has a strong case for the second-best spot. The former fourth-round pick built on a promising rookie campaign and turned into one of the premier safeties in the league. Appearing in 14 games, Jackson recorded six interceptions, two forced fumbles, 15 passes defended, and 51 tackles. Jackson earned First-Team All-Pro honors and should only improve in his third NFL season.<\/p>\n 2nd<\/sup> Team: Kevin Byard<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n How Derwin James<\/a><\/strong> made it to the 17th<\/sup> pick in the 2018 NFL Draft remains a mystery. The Los Angeles Chargers stole James midway through the first and immediately incorporated him into the defense. His presence worked wonders, as the Florida State product recorded 105 tackles, 3.5 sacks, three interceptions, and 13 passes defended. Los Angeles used him all over the field and he earned First-Team All-Pro honors despite being a rookie. James is one of the brightest young stars in the league and could develop into one of the best players of his era.<\/p>\n 2nd<\/sup> Team:\u00a0Jamal Adams<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Check out the rest of our All-NFL team picks by division.<\/p>\n Offenses: AFC East<\/a> – AFC West<\/a> – AFC North<\/a> – AFC South<\/a> – NFC South<\/a> – NFL<\/a> Main photo:
\n<\/strong><\/em>Defenses:\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>AFC East<\/a> – AFC West<\/a> – AFC North<\/a> – AFC South<\/a> – NFC South<\/a>\u00a0– NFL<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n2019 All-NFL Team: Defense<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Defensive Line: Aaron Donald<\/h3>\n
Nose Tackle: Damon Harrison<\/h3>\n
Defensive Line: Fletcher Cox<\/h3>\n
Edge Rusher: Von Miller<\/h3>\n
Edge Rusher: Khalil Mack<\/h3>\n
Linebacker: Luke Kuechly<\/h3>\n
Linebacker: Bobby Wagner<\/h3>\n
Cornerback: Stephon Gilmore<\/h3>\n
Cornerback: Patrick Peterson<\/h3>\n
Safety: Eddie Jackson<\/h3>\n
Safety: Derwin James<\/h3>\n
\n<\/strong><\/em>Defenses:\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>AFC East<\/a> – AFC West<\/a> – AFC North<\/a> – AFC South<\/a> – NFC South<\/a>\u00a0– NFL<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n
\nEmbed from Getty Images<\/a>