Who are the NFL’s best defensive linemen no one’s talking about?

Last week, our team sites at SB Nation told us which offensive linemen would make the best skill position players. This week, we’re giving defensive players their moment to shine.

We asked SB Nation’s NFL blogs which defensive lineman is the most underrated on each team. We ended up with a mix of rookies, young players, and seasoned veterans who aren’t household names but who are making a big impact this season. A couple of sites even chose to open it up to the entire defense and pick a non-defensive lineman.

Some of these guys are run thumpers. Some are getting after the quarterback. And some are filling in for injured teammates. They may not be showing up on the stat sheet or making a splash in the highlight reels. But all of them are unsung heroes for their respective teams, even if you’ve never heard of them.

Here are the best defensive linemen (and a handful of others) nobody’s talking about:

The rookies

Cincinnati Bengals: Carl Lawson is just getting started:

Lawson already looks like a seasoned vet getting after the quarterback. Still the fact he can’t play during running downs hurts, but hopefully with a couple of more seasons, he can be out there all the time. The more the Bengals have Dunlap, Atkins and Lawson on the field, the better they are.

For more, check out the entire entry at Cincy Jungle.

Cleveland Browns: The defense needs Larry Ogunjobi back ASAP:

Ogunjobi has also been a PFF darling. This week, in highlighting one interesting nugget from every team, they talked about how often Ogunjobi forces a loss of yardage:

“On defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi’s eight tackles, the opposing offense loses 0.6 yards on average. That is the best average depth of tackle for rookie interior defenders.”

For more, check out the entire entry at Dawgs by Nature.

Dallas Cowboys: Jourdan Lewis isn’t a D-lineman, but he’s been better than you know:

Four of BTB’s writers thought that Jourdan Lewis was the best candidate for the criteria. The third-round pick out of Michigan has been thrust into essentially a starting cornerback role. And he has thrived. Lewis is a rookie who is a little on the small size so it was thought he might be a “slot corner” only. That turned out to be wrong. He has great instincts as a corner and is a nice open-field tackler.

For more, check out the entire entry at Blogging the Boys.

Jacksonville Jaguars: Dawuane Smoot should get more chances soon:

Smoot is by no means a big-time impact player yet. And his flashes have been few and far between. But the Jaguars need desperately to build some depth behind Ngakoue and Fowler and the stout 263-pound Smoot is trying to fill that role. If they’re trying to save Campbell and Ngakoue for the playoffs as the second half of the season wears on, look for Smoot to get those opportunities.

For more, check out the entire entry at Big Cat Country.

New York Giants: Dalvin Tomlinson has been a quality replacement for Johnathan Hankins:

Based on the individual numbers, Hankins is having a good season. He has 24 tackles (13 solo), a sack and three passes defensed in 414 snaps. He has a Pro Football Focus grade of 84.4, 23rd among interior defenders.

Tomlinson? His numbers are 22 tackles (12 solo) and no sacks in 343 snaps. His PFF grade is 81.9, 32nd among interior defenders. Tomlinson was voted to the PFF mid-season All-Rookie Team.

For more, check out the entire entry at Big Blue View.

The young players

Atlanta Falcons: Safety Ricardo Allen is another underrated non-DL:

Atlanta’s secondary has gotten a whole lot of flak this season, which is crazy because there are playmakers at each position. The most underrated here is definitely Allen. We saw what the defense looked like when he was hurt, and I don’t want to see that ever again. He’s a tough hitter with great speed to patrol the center of the field, and does not get enough credit.

For more, check out the entire entry at the Falcoholic.

Baltimore Ravens: Willie Henry stepped up when the Ravens needed him:

Once Brandon Williams became injured, Willie stepped up in a big way. He managed to bat four passes and create four pressures in his first three games. He did all of this, filling in for the great Brandon Williams. The Ravens were down two skilled linemen, both the aforementioned Brandon, and also Brent Urban. In this span, he and a mixture of Michael Pierce, Carl Davis and Patrick Ricard all shuffled around the line in an attempt to hide the absence of Williams’ loss. It also brought about the shine of Henry.

For more, check out the entire entry at Baltimore Beatdown.

Chicago Bears: Eddie Goldman is quietly making an impact at nose tackle:

Chances are you’ll be overshadowed when you play alongside Akiem Hicks, who is having an All Pro type of season for the Chicago Bears. When you’re 6’4 and 320 pounds, that’s saying a lot. But third year pro Eddie Goldman has played this year in relative anonymity, partly because of Hicks but also because he plays the less than glamorous nose tackle position.

For more, check out the entire entry at Windy City Gridiron.

Denver Broncos: Shaquil Barrett should be starting over Shane Ray:

Overall, Barrett has a 77.8 grade compared to Ray’s 52.5. Ray is supposed to be a pass rush specialist, but he only has a 76.0 to 71.6 advantage over Barrett in that area. In run defense, it’s not even close with Barrett possessing an 82.8 to 41.6 advantage over Ray. Even in pass coverage, Barrett is far superior with a 63.3 to 47.7 advantage.

For more, check out the entire entry at Mile High Report.

Detroit Lions: From the ashes of despair, Anthony Zettel emerges:

With very little help from his other linemen (outside of maybe A’Shawn Robinson), Zettel has been a one-man production machine. He leads the team both in sacks (6.0) and tackles for loss (4). And we’re not talking about clean-up sacks, either. When Zettel hasn’t been accumulating sacks, he’s been generating pressures.

For more, check out the entire entry at Pride of Detroit.

Green Bay Packers: Kenny Clark doesn’t need to sack the QB to make an impact:

If a lineman is busy blocking Clark, he can’t get to the second level on Martinez or Jake Ryan. This proves particularly valuable for a defense playing so much sub-package, with a safety playing linebacker in nickel.

And unlike most big bodies in the middle, Clark rarely comes off the field. He’s playing an incredible 74% of snaps according to Football Outsiders. That’s in the top 25 for defensive linemen, among the most among interior linemen, and top five among nose tackles.

For more, check out the entire entry at Acme Packing Company.

Houston Texans: D.J. Reader is a bright spot on a DL devastated by injuries:

The second-year pro out of Clemson has progressed quite nicely this season. He showed considerable promise last year in relief of Vince Wilfork, and I think it’s fair to say he’s gotten exponentially better since then. On an injury-ravaged defensive line, Reader has been a legitimate bright spot.

For more, check out the entire entry at Battle Red Blog.

Kansas City Chiefs: They needed CB (not DL) Steven Nelson back on the field:

For a team that has benched one cornerback for another already this season, his return from injured reserve was a welcome one and he’s made an impact. I said he’s not going to be a savior that is going to change the Chiefs’ fortunes all at once, but he’s going to help.

For more, check out the entire entry at Arrowhead Pride.

Los Angeles Chargers: Darius Philon hasn’t reached his ceiling yet:

Philon will flash every now and then, but he’s doing the dirty work inside that is freeing up linebackers when he can’t finish himself. His play has allowed the team to scale back Corey Liuget’s snap count per game, making him more effective as well. Philon took on a double team against the Patriots and that left Bosa 1-on-1. The result was a sack. Ever since Philon has been given an opportunity, he’s showed that he can get a push.

For more, check out the entire entry at Bolts from the Blue.

New Orleans Saints: Sheldon Rankins is the brains of the defense:

Rankins hasn't been allowed to penetrate as much as Fairley was allowed to last year. The D-Line as a whole on the interior is doing more freeing up of LBs than gap penetrating at the snap, to which he's done a great job at. More dirty work this year. And yet his versatility goes unnoticed. He's lined up at DE 3-tech, nose, dropped in coverage, etc. since he's been here. He’s been making line calls since his rookie year and he's smart. If he had Onyemata’s body, he would be dominant.

For more, check out the entire entry at Canal Street Chronicles.

Pittsburgh Steelers: Javon Hargrave should be on the field more:

Hargrave, with his natural low center of gravity, is able to push the center back into the quarterback to not permit the quarterback to step up into the pocket. Doing this often equates to a clean-up sack for players like Heyward, Tuitt, T.J. Watt and Bud Dupree. Their success is directly related to Hargrave doing his job and doing it well.

For more, check out the entire entry at Behind the Steel Curtain.

Seattle Seahawks: Jarran Reed has had some clutch moments:

Reed has had a larger role in Seattle’s defense, which has quietly retransformed (that’s not a word, is it? It is for this column!) itself into a top-10 run defense after a dismal September. As a rookie, Reed played in 15 games and made five starts, totaling 477 snaps (44.2 percent of all defensive snaps). He’s already at 324 (53 percent) this season, and it’s really unfortunate that Reed is hurt at a time when the Seahawks are already decimated on defense.

For more, check out the entire entry at Field Gulls.

Washington: They need Matt Ioannidis healthy and on the field:

Prior to his injury, Ioannidis was having a breakout campaign—easily a career year for the Temple product. He fits the mold of “under-the-radar” player perfectly, since few expected him to show up this season and be as dominant as he was to start the year. With 3.5 sacks and a forced fumble, he represented a realistic threat to offenses from the middle of the defensive line. He routinely pushes the pocket back, and throughout the first half of the season, opposing quarterbacks have found themselves with little room to step up.

For more, check out the entire entry at Hogs Haven.

The veterans

Arizona Cardinals: Corey Peters is one of the NFL’s best-kept secrets:

Corey Peters is the unsung hero of a still talented run defense and is the anchor in the middle.

No one in the NFL does it better than Corey Peters against the run.

For more, check out the entire entry at Revenge of the Birds.

Buffalo Bills: It’ll probably be just-signed Deandre Coleman

Coleman has bounced around the league since going undrafted out of Cal in 2014 but has been around the Bills organization since last September. He was on the team’s practice squad most of last season before being active for five games. He was around all summer before being cut by the Bills prior to the 2017 season, re-signed for the one game when Marcell Dareus was injured, and then cut again.

For more, check out the entire entry at Buffalo Rumblings.

Carolina Panthers: Mario Addison doesn’t get as much attention as Julius Peppers:

The Panthers gave Addison $22.5 million because they believed he could be a key piece to a front seven that gets to the quarterback and shuts down the run. He has held up his end of that bargain despite the lack of accolades. Time will tell if he starts getting some of the recognition he deserves, but until then we’ll just have to settle for Mario Addison being our little secret here in the Carolinas.

For more, check out the entire entry at Cat Scratch Reader.

Indianapolis Colts: Margus Hunt came out of nowhere:

Prior to the start of the season, Hunt was viewed by many as a either a training camp body or likely a bottom of the roster player who could be released after Indianapolis made waiver claims following final cuts. None of that happened.

Instead, Hunt has been played nearly 300 snaps through 10 games for the Colts. He has been a part of the defense in sub-packages and when the unit is looking for a little extra pass rush help. He has accumulated one sack and seven quarterback hits. His tackle numbers are nothing to get excited about, with only nine total tackles, but his role in the defense isn’t one that makes him likely to make many tackles either.

For more, check out the entire entry at Stampede Blue.

Los Angeles Rams: Michael Brockers is one of the entire NFL’s most underrated players:

When you’ve got Aaron Donald on your defensive line, everyone is going to notice Aaron Donald. Everyone is going to talk about Aaron Donald. Which is a crying shame for Michael Brockers.

I’ve always admired Brockers’ combination of power and discipline on the line. He’s a space eater who can win power battles consistently. He lacks the quickness of Donald and the perhaps conventional athleticism of some of his peers...but the dude just wins in the dirt.

For more, check out the entire entry at Turf Show Times.

Miami Dolphins: William Hayes is more than a dinosaur denier:

Hayes is a really good run-stopping defensive end. He anchors well on the end of the line of scrimmage, keeping running backs from getting to the outside and breaking big runs. Hayes is not on the field during “passing” situations for the opposing offense, rather he comes in and takes a place along the line, both as a defensive end and inside at defensive tackle, in an effort to stop the run. He often is the replacement for Wake in those situations, and he does not necessarily get the glory of sacking the quarterback like most defensive ends.

For more, check out the entire entry at the Phinsider.

Minnesota Vikings: Tom Johnson, aka Sebastian Thunderbucket, gets the job done

Since signing with the Vikings, all Johnson has done is rack up 16 quarterback sacks and even collected his first interception last season. While he’s more well-known as a pass rusher, he has stood up well against the run when he’s been tasked to as well. For a guy who was a very under-the-radar signing when Rick Spielman and Co. brought him in, he has proved himself to be a very valuable piece of the Vikings’ defensive line rotation.

For more, check out the entire entry at the Daily Norseman.

New England Patriots: Lawrence Guy is the right kind of guy for the Pats:

Guy has been exactly what the Patriots have needed on a defensive front that has struggled this year. He’s stepped up when both Branch and Brown missed time, and he’s done well enough against the run and the pass. Is he a game changer? No, not from what we’ve seen through ten weeks. But he’s one of those exceptionally solid role players who are necessary on any contending roster.

For more, check out the entire entry at Pats Pulpit.

New York Jets: Steve McLendon is the best NT you haven’t heard of:

McLendon was a free agent signing from Pittsburgh last year. He plays nose tackle for the Jets. That is a position where guys are asked to do the dirty work. They frequently are not in a position to make plays, but they help make other players look good by taking on blocks.

While the Jets have been inconsistent this year defending the run, McLendon has typically been solid in the middle of the line holding the point of attack and keeping the second level clean.

For more, check out the entire entry at Gang Green Nation.

Oakland Raiders: Justin Ellis slimmed down and is tearing it up:

Through nine games, Ellis has put up 32 tackles (18 solo) which is the seventh most in the league among defensive tackles. Those are good numbers over a full season for most nose tackles. And they are well above anything Ellis has put up in any single season in his career.

Prior to this season, Ellis’s career best season in combined tackles was 22. He’s already 10 tackles over that with nearly a half season still remaining. Should Ellis somehow match his tackle total over the first nine games over the final seven, he will match his tackles totals over his first three seasons combined.

For more, check out the entire entry at Silver and Black Pride.

Philadelphia Eagles: Vinny Curry has stepped up in a starting role:

In his first year as a starter, the 29-year-old defensive end has been real solid. Curry has 18 tackles and three sacks through the first nine games of the season. While that might not seem overly impressive, consider Curry ranks second overall in PFF’s Run Stop Percentage (stops constitute a "loss" for the offense). Curry has 11 stops in 92 run snaps played.

For more, check out the entire entry at Bleeding Green Nation.

San Francisco 49ers: Recent signing Leger Douzable has made a difference:

Douzable is primarily a run guy. However, in his run snaps, Douzable has been one of the best in the league. I checked some Pro Football Focus numbers, and they rank him No. 3 among 61 4-3 defensive ends in run stop percentage. He does not have enough pass rush snaps to qualify in those categories, and that drags down his overall grades. But as a run-stopper, he’s quietly been among the best in the league.

For more, check out the entire entry at Niners Nation.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Clinton McDonald should be getting more snaps

Despite playing just 44 percent of the team’s snaps, he’s racked up three sacks and is a consistently disruptive presence in the middle. He has the athleticism to play all over the line, and he’s both a good run-stopper and a quality pass-rusher.

In fact, McDonald’s been that guy for years, even when he was with the Seattle Seahawks. He is, probably, the most underrated player on the Bucs’ defensive line.

For more, check out the entire entry at Bucs Nation.

Tennessee Titans: Wesley Woodyard is the easy choice:

Woodyard is currently fourth in the NFL with 80 combined tackles and will almost certainly surpass his previous career high of 117 tackles in the next two to three weeks. He’s also thrown in two sacks and a fumble recovery.

For more, check out the entire entry at Music City Miracles.