Part 3 of 3
In the sport of football, if you aren’t a quarterback, wide receiver, or running back, you are susceptible to being very underrated, even if you’re among the best players at your position. Here are six such players on the defensive line.
Jurrell Casey,3–4 DE, Tennessee Titans
Any Titans fan will tell you Casey is an absolute beast, and the best player on the team, bar none.
Looking at his game log, you see that 2013 was a standout statistical year for Casey in that he compiled 10.5 sacks—a ridiculous number for a defensive tackle.
In 2014, Casey finished with five sacks, but his play isn’t considered to have regressed at all. The sack decline can in part be attributed to the Titans changing schematically from a 4–3 to 3–4 defense. Because of this, Casey often found himself in alignments that he previously had no experience with. Under these circumstances, a drop off in production is not unexpected.
But the key is, Casey continued to affect plays in monumental ways. Due to the lack of talent around him, Casey was constantly singled out by the offense and was a magnet for double teams. Casey then showed phenomenal technique and power in beating these double teams, or “soaking” them up so as to allow another pass-rusher to get free. This is a striking characteristic for a defensive lineman whom you can build a team around. Casey ultimately finished 2014 second in QB hits (behind only the anomaly J.J. Watt), first in tackles, and fifth in QB hurries among 3–4 ends. So all in all, Casey had a phenomenal year and had no problems getting after the passer. Actually, five sacks from a 3–4 end is not bad to begin with.
What is truly a disgrace however, is the fact that Casey has never made the Pro Bowl, and only just recently made the NFL players top 100 list at No. 96. In actuality, he is one of the best defensive lineman in the league on an annual basis.
