Indianapolis Colts defensive tackle DeForest Buckner remains one of the best players at his position going into the 2023 season.
Though he may have slid down the rankings a bit, Buckner still found his way inside the top 10 defensive tackles from ESPN in their annual poll from executives, coaches and scouts.
7. DeForest Buckner, Indianapolis Colts
Highest ranking: 3 | Lowest ranking: 9
Age: 29 | Last year’s ranking: 4Buckner is one of the most consistent performers among defensive tackles in the rankings since 2020. Before this year, he never finished lower than fourth. He has averaged 8.8 sacks per season since 2018, and he should have multiple prime years left.
“He’s been so good for a long time,” an NFL scout said. “It’s hard to be consistent when the offense is not scoring and the defense is on the field a lot. Was a hard situation for him last year. But I thought he [maintained] his high level of play the best he could. He’s still a guy you would take all day.”
Buckner has faced 1,645 double-teams since 2017, more than any player save Donald.
Our friends over at Touchdown Wire also ranked Buckner as the seventh-best defensive tackle in the NFL entering the upcoming season.
Going into Year 2 of Gus Bradley’s defense, Buckner will remain a key piece of the entire unit. He’s the leader of the defense, and his consistent production will provide stability while others around him hopefully take a step forward.
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