Who’s the NFL’s best Slugger?
In baseball statistics, slugging percentage is a measure of the productivity of a hitter, weighting extra-base hits to more accurately portray a batter’s value in base hits. In football, up until only recently, sacks were the only statistic that measured a pass rusher’s production. Since many companies, like SIS, have started to track hurries, hits and knockdowns as well, we now have more robust data to determine a pass rusher’s value. We thought it would be interesting to take a look at what pass rushers stats would look like through the lens of a “slugging percentage” weighting each aspect of a QB pressure as slugging percentage does with bases.
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The formula is very simple: 1 point for a hurry, 2 points for a hit/knockdown and 5 points for a sack all over pass rush snaps. Here is how the top 25 in the 2020 season, through 13 weeks has shaped up. We have broken it down into 3 groups: Edge/LB, Interior DL and “Blitzers”, who come from any position, but rush the passer < 50% of pass snaps.
Top 25 Sluggers: Edge/LB (min 100 pass rush snaps)
Rank | Player | Team | Pos. | PSRHs | HURs | HITs | KDs | Sk.s | SLG % |
1 | T.J. Watt | Steelers | LB | 322 | 31 | 41 | 22 | 12 | 0.674 |
2 | Matt Judon | Ravens | LB | 191 | 20 | 22 | 13 | 4 | 0.576 |
3 | Shaq Lawson | Dolphins | DE | 259 | 24 | 31 | 13 | 4 | 0.510 |
4 | Joey Bosa | Chargers | DE | 288 | 26 | 22 | 15 | 7.5 | 0.477 |
5 | Tyus Bowser | Ravens | LB | 161 | 14 | 15 | 10 | 2 | 0.460 |
6 | Trey Hendrickson | Saints | DE | 272 | 17 | 20 | 7 | 10.5 | 0.454 |
7 | Uchenna Nwosu | Chargers | LB | 152 | 12 | 15 | 4 | 3.5 | 0.444 |
8 | Kerry Hyder | 49ers | DE | 284 | 29 | 20 | 9 | 7.5 | 0.438 |
9 | Markus Golden | 2 teams | LB | 231 | 19 | 23 | 11 | 2.5 | 0.431 |
10 | Romeo Okwara | Lions | LB | 293 | 24 | 25 | 8 | 7 | 0.427 |
11 | William Gholston | Buccaneers | DE | 265 | 17 | 26 | 15 | 2 | 0.411 |
12 | Andrew Van Ginkel | Dolphins | LB | 118 | 5 | 10 | 5 | 2.5 | 0.403 |
13 | Bradley Chubb | Broncos | LB | 330 | 22 | 28 | 8 | 7.5 | 0.398 |
14 | Carl Lawson | Bengals | DE | 314 | 17 | 24 | 17 | 4.5 | 0.387 |
15 | Jaylon Ferguson | Ravens | LB | 101 | 7 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 0.386 |
16 | Bud Dupree | Steelers | LB | 342 | 22 | 26 | 9 | 8 | 0.386 |
17 | Leonard Williams | Giants | DE | 346 | 18 | 21 | 15 | 8.5 | 0.383 |
18 | Chase Winovich | Patriots | DE | 255 | 32 | 19 | 5 | 3.5 | 0.382 |
19 | Brian Burns | Panthers | LB | 330 | 25 | 24 | 11 | 6 | 0.379 |
20 | Za’Darius Smith | Packers | LB | 366 | 24 | 20 | 11 | 10.5 | 0.378 |
21 | Stephon Tuitt | Steelers | DE | 317 | 20 | 19 | 10 | 8 | 0.372 |
22 | Jerry Hughes | Bills | DE | 272 | 26 | 21 | 5 | 4.5 | 0.369 |
23 | Derek Barnett | Eagles | DE | 224 | 14 | 13 | 7 | 5.5 | 0.364 |
24 | DeMarcus Lawrence | Cowboys | DE | 240 | 26 | 15 | 4 | 4.5 | 0.360 |
25 | Emmanuel Ogbah | Dolphins | DE | 358 | 29 | 22 | 7 | 8 | 0.355 |
Top 25 Sluggers: Interior DL (min 100 pass rush snaps)
Rank | Player | Team | Pos. | PSRHs | HURs | HITs | KDs | Sk.s | SLG % |
1 | Chris Jones | Chiefs | DT | 314 | 31 | 27 | 14 | 5.5 | 0.447 |
2 | DeForest Buckner | Colts | DT | 338 | 23 | 31 | 14 | 5 | 0.408 |
3 | Aaron Donald | Rams | DT | 414 | 33 | 25 | 13 | 11 | 0.396 |
4 | Tim Settle | Football Team | DT | 121 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 0.364 |
5 | Malik Jackson | Eagles | DT | 205 | 11 | 17 | 8 | 1.5 | 0.334 |
6 | David Onyemata | Saints | DT | 266 | 12 | 15 | 8 | 6 | 0.331 |
7 | Quinnen Williams | Jets | DT | 299 | 13 | 18 | 6 | 6 | 0.304 |
8 | Bilal Nichols | Bears | DT | 225 | 12 | 13 | 5 | 3 | 0.280 |
9 | Grady Jarrett | Falcons | DT | 405 | 18 | 26 | 14 | 3 | 0.279 |
10 | Akiem Hicks | Bears | DT | 353 | 19 | 19 | 11 | 3.5 | 0.273 |
11 | Adam Butler | Patriots | DT | 193 | 14 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 0.269 |
12 | Vita Vea | Buccaneers | DT | 129 | 6 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 0.264 |
13 | Ed Oliver | Bills | DT | 255 | 17 | 16 | 4 | 2 | 0.263 |
14 | Bravvion Roy | Panthers | DT | 126 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 0.254 |
15 | Ndamukong Suh | Buccaneers | DT | 391 | 18 | 20 | 10 | 4 | 0.251 |
16 | Sheldon Rankins | Saints | DT | 157 | 5 | 8 | 5 | 1.5 | 0.245 |
17 | Jerry Tillery | Chargers | DT | 317 | 8 | 17 | 9 | 3 | 0.237 |
18 | Zach Kerr | Panthers | DT | 164 | 6 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 0.232 |
19 | DeShawn Williams | Broncos | DT | 144 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0.229 |
20 | Jacob Tuioti-Mariner | Falcons | DT | 128 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0.227 |
21 | Fletcher Cox | Eagles | DT | 332 | 19 | 10 | 3 | 5.5 | 0.218 |
22 | Dalvin Tomlinson | Giants | DT | 228 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 1.5 | 0.213 |
23 | Javon Hargrave | Eagles | DT | 215 | 8 | 10 | 1 | 2.5 | 0.198 |
24 | Dexter Lawrence | Giants | DT | 237 | 9 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 0.194 |
25 | Kingsley Keke | Packers | DT | 190 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 0.184 |
Top 15 Sluggers: Blitzers (min 40 pass rush snaps, pass rush < 50% of pass snaps)
Rank | Player | Team | Pos. | PSRHs | HURs | HITs | KDs | Sk.s | SLG % |
1 | Jamal Adams | Seahawks | S | 71 | 19 | 17 | 6 | 7.5 | 1.444 |
2 | Demario Davis | Saints | LB | 84 | 14 | 16 | 6 | 4 | 0.929 |
3 | Fred Warner | 49ers | LB | 48 | 12 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 0.917 |
4 | Deion Jones | Falcons | LB | 59 | 8 | 9 | 5 | 3.5 | 0.907 |
5 | Bobby Wagner | Seahawks | LB | 79 | 15 | 13 | 7 | 3 | 0.886 |
6 | AJ Klein | Bills | LB | 61 | 9 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 0.820 |
7 | Vince Williams | Steelers | LB | 40 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0.750 |
8 | Devin White | Buccaneers | LB | 86 | 10 | 9 | 5 | 5 | 0.733 |
9 | Malcolm Jenkins | Saints | S | 46 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0.674 |
10 | Eric Wilson | Vikings | LB | 55 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0.655 |
11 | Daniel Sorensen | Chiefs | S | 50 | 8 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0.560 |
12 | Foyesade Oluokun | Falcons | LB | 71 | 10 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 0.535 |
13 | Kyle Van Noy | Dolphins | LB | 146 | 18 | 11 | 4 | 6 | 0.534 |
14 | Eric Kendricks | Vikings | LB | 44 | 12 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0.500 |
15 | Jerome Baker | Dolphins | LB | 79 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 2.5 | 0.449 |
*Note all numbers are through 12/10/2020
A few notes
- There is a very big (relative) drop-off on the Edge/LB list after Watt, clearly the king of edge pressure.
- Not many surprises on the Interior DL List, running as a “who’s who list of notable DL” with the lone exception (in the top ten at least) being Tim Settle of the Washington Football Team. We bring this up because on a front 7 filled with first rounders, Settle, the former 5th rounder, is the only Footballer on ANY of these lists.
- Between the “Blitzers Chart” and the 2019 rankings, Jamal Adams ability to get to the QB extends beyond team, scheme and season.
2019 Leaderboard
Rk. | Player | Team | Pos. | PR Snaps | Hur.s | Hits | KDs | Sacks | Slugging % |
1 | Jamal Adams | Jets | S | 81 | 16 | 15 | 5 | 6.5 | 1.074 |
2 | Neville Hewitt | Jets | LB | 64 | 9 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 0.781 |
3 | Deatrich Wise Jr | Patriots | DE | 104 | 13 | 12 | 9 | 2 | 0.692 |
4 | Joe Schobert | Browns | LB | 64 | 9 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 0.656 |
5 | Bobby Wagner | Seahawks | LB | 70 | 8 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 0.600 |
6 | Matt Judon | Ravens | LB | 377 | 44 | 36 | 23 | 9.5 | 0.592 |
7 | Demario Davis | Saints | LB | 149 | 19 | 16 | 6 | 4 | 0.570 |
8 | Za’Darius Smith | Packers | LB | 506 | 66 | 43 | 24 | 13.5 | 0.549 |
9 | J.J. Watt | Texans | DE | 298 | 38 | 27 | 16 | 4 | 0.523 |
10 | T.J. Watt | Steelers | LB | 474 | 47 | 40 | 21 | 14.5 | 0.523 |
11 | Shaq Lawson | Bills | DE | 264 | 30 | 23 | 12 | 6.5 | 0.523 |
12 | Patrick Onwuasor | Ravens | LB | 75 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0.520 |
13 | Shaquil Barrett | Buccaneers | LB | 510 | 55 | 37 | 19 | 19.5 | 0.518 |
14 | Aaron Lynch | Bears | LB | 135 | 16 | 12 | 7 | 2 | 0.511 |
15 | Nick Bosa | 49ers | DE | 461 | 63 | 40 | 18 | 9 | 0.505 |
16 | Carl Lawson | Bengals | DE | 256 | 20 | 18 | 17 | 5 | 0.496 |
17 | Joey Bosa | Chargers | DE | 453 | 49 | 36 | 17 | 11.5 | 0.481 |
18 | Robert Quinn | Cowboys | DE | 370 | 37 | 29 | 12 | 11.5 | 0.478 |
19 | Devin White | Buccaneers | LB | 67 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 2.5 | 0.478 |
20 | Trey Flowers | Lions | DE | 422 | 47 | 38 | 14 | 7 | 0.457 |
21 | Cory Littleton | Rams | LB | 70 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 3.5 | 0.457 |
22 | Cameron Wake | Titans | DE | 171 | 18 | 13 | 8 | 2.5 | 0.456 |
23 | Dont’a Hightower | Patriots | LB | 254 | 28 | 22 | 7 | 5.5 | 0.453 |
24 | Jamie Collins | Patriots | LB | 167 | 19 | 9 | 3 | 7 | 0.443 |
25 | Vinny Curry | Eagles | DE | 242 | 25 | 20 | 7 | 5 | 0.438 |
From a high level, the Pass Rusher Slugging Percentage is a production stat that measures how well a pass rusher gets to a QB, and how efficient he is at converting those pressures along the “pressure chain”. Being fully transparent, there’s likely not much predictive value in these numbers relative to EPA/other pressure stats, but we thought we’d have some fun. Please enjoy and debate wholeheartedly.
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