Ever since he was selected in the third round of the 2016 NFL draft, Kevin Byard has been a consistent presence for the Tennessee Titans.
On top of being arguably the biggest emotional leader on the team, Byard also happens to be one of the most productive safeties in the league.
The Middle Tennessee State product led the league in interceptions by year two, and he has since recorded a whopping 28 picks over the last six seasons, ultimately resulting in multiple first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl selections over that span.
Byard’s reputation as a consistent ball-hawk is the main reason why the Titans’ safety was named the third-best safety in the league according to Pro Football Focus’ Dalton Wasserman.
The PFF analyst said the following regarding Byard’s ranking:
Byard is as pure a free safety as there is in the NFL. While his 79.5 overall grade and 81.0 coverage grade weren’t the best of his career, they still were top-10 marks in the NFL in 2022. He racked up four more interceptions last season to bring his career total to 28. He makes plays on the ball while also being as reliable as they come. His 90.6 tackling grade ranked second among all safeties in 2022, and he has played at least 1,000 snaps in six straight seasons.
Thankfully, the offseason friction between Tennessee and Byard appears to have been largely exaggerated. Therefore, barring something dramatic happening, the Titans should have their two-time All-Pro safety roaming the backend in 2023.
