DeForest Buckner has been a stable force on an Indianapolis Colts team that has been anything but stable in recent years.
He proves year in and year out to be one of the best DTs in the NFL by terrorizing interior linemen as a disruptive force against both the pass and the run. Still, a recent poll by ESPN of NFL execs, coaches, and scouts had Buckner fall out of the top five DTs in the NFL.
DeForest Buckner falls out of the top five of ESPN's Top DTs in the league via poll of NFL execs, coaches, and scouts
8. DeForest Buckner, Indianapolis Colts
Highest ranking: 2 | Lowest ranking: unranked
Age: 30 | Last year's ranking: 7
The tallest player on this list (6-foot-7) continues to play big, averaging 8.4 sacks per season since 2018.
"The most underrated defensive player in the league," a high-ranking AFC personnel exec said.
Despite missing five games last season, Buckner continues to disrupt opposing offensive lines. His 16.4% pass rush win rate ranked second among the top 10, trailing Jones. As multiple voters pointed out, Buckner isn't in Tier 1 but will always hang around in the top 10 because of his consistency.
"His game will age well because of his length, technique, and high motor," an NFL personnel evaluator said.
- ESPN's Top 10 DTs via polling NFL execs, coaches, and scouts
Buckner came in as the eighth best DT in the NFL, with his highest ranking coming in as second, but his lowest somehow being unranked. When you have been as dominant for as long as Buckner has, sometimes it feels boring to continue to keep them near the top of the rankings. Which would explain if he came in at fifth or sixth, but the fact that there was anyone who didn't include him as a top ten DT in the NFL is simply absurd. Here is how the rankings ahead of Buckne went:
1. Dexter Lawrence, New York Giants
2. Chris Jones, Kansas City Chiefs
3. Jalen Carter, Philadelphia Eagles
4. Jeffery Simmons, Tennessee Titans
5. Quinnen Williams, New York Jets
6. Leonard Williams, Seattle Seahawks
7. Nnamdi Madubuike, Baltimore Ravens
8. DeForest Buckner, Colts
In my opinion, Buckner belongs at number three on this list, but I could see why someone would have him as low as fifth. Jones, Carter, Simmons, and Buckner belong above the rest of this group, with Lawrence belonging as the consensus number one DT in the NFL today. There are not seven DTs better than Buckner, and I doubt I could be convinced otherwise at this point. However, I hope he uses this as fuel for the 2025 season, and we see Buckner take advantage of having, on paper, the best overall defense around him since the Colts acquired him in 2020.
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