Dec 8, 2024; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Seattle Seahawks linebacker Derick Hall (58) and defensive end Leonard Williams (99) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Seahawks defensive line dealt below-average ranking by PFF

Originally posted on Seattle Seahawks on SI
By Connor Benintendi | Last updated Jun 25, 2025 7:00 PM ET

The Seattle Seahawks' defensive line is on the rise, led by Pro Bowl veteran Leonard Williams — the NFL's most underrated player in the defensive trenches. Despite being top-10 among interior linemen in tackles, pressures, sacks and run stops, Williams was left off both All-Pro teams and only made the Pro Bowl as an alternate. He also had the longest pick-six by a defensive lineman in NFL history (92 yards).

Around Williams is one of the deepest stables of pass-rushers in the league, other proven veterans and 2024 No. 16 overall pick Byron Murphy II, who had a slow rookie season but still has an extremely high ceiling. Still, despite multiple rising stars (and others in their prime), Pro Football Focus ranked the Seahawks as a below-average unit heading into 2025.

In the latest PFF defensive line rankings, Seattle's unit came in at No. 23. It includes edge rushers (or outside linebackers in a 3-4 defensive scheme) as part of the defensive line, which makes the ranking even more puzzling.

"Despite missing some time with injury in 2024, veteran interior defender Leonard Williams earned the highest PFF overall grade of his career in his 10th NFL season," PFF writer Zoltán Buday wrote. "The USC product’s 87.1 mark ranked fourth among 118 interior defenders."

"While there is some potential along the defensive line around Williams, if the Seahawks are to be considered an average unit in 2025, they need 32-year-old Jarran Reed to continue to play at a high level and fourth-year edge defender Boye Mafe to take the next step and become an above-average pass rusher."

The flaw in these lists is the fact that it appears PFF ranked them almost exclusively based on their own grading system, which is an imperfect system. It doesn't seem to factor in how good the unit could be if Murphy has a breakout season, or if rookie fifth-round pick Rylie Mills boosts the group once he's healthy.

Since the edge rushers are included, it also doesn't appear to recognize that the Seahawks are four-deep at outside linebacker with DeMarcus Lawrence, Boye Mafe, Derick Hall and Uchenna Nwosu. It's unlikely any of them will have top-end production, but they could be one of the best pass rushes in the NFL in 2025 as a group.

That potential, in addition to having one of the league's best linemen, seems to warrant a better-than-bottom-10 ranking. You could easily argue the Seahawks are only in the bottom 10 if the veterans play poorly and the younger prospects don't step up.

It's also worth noting the Seahawks were ranked last among NFC West teams. The San Francisco 49ers (No. 21), Arizona Cardinals (No. 20) and Los Angeles Rams (No. 9) all were ranked higher.

This article first appeared on Seattle Seahawks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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